his title to the obteining of the crowne. ¶ This (as manie tooke it) came to passe by the prouidence of almightie God, that those should suffer for their periuries, which contrarie to law and right had consented to crowne him king.

K. Stephan doubts whom to trust. In déed he wist not well whom he might trust, for he stood in doubt of all men, bicause he was aduertised by credible report, that the empresse sought for aid on all sides, meaning verie shortlie to come into England. For this cause also he thought good to procure the fréendship of Lewes king of France, which he brought to passe, by concluding He cōtracteth affinitie with the French king. a mariage betwéene his sonne Eustace and the ladie Constance sister to the said Lewes. But within a few yeares after, this Eustace died, and then was Constance maried to Raimond earle of Tholouse.

Wil. Malm. Polydor. Matth. Paris. Alberike de Uéer pleadeth the kings cause. In the meane time, namelie on the first daie of September, a councell was holden at Winchester, wherein earle Alberike de Ueer pleaded with great eloquence the kings case, in excuse of his fault for imprisoning the bishops, which was sore laid to his charge by his owne brother the bishop of Winchester, being also the popes legat: who (togither with the archbishop of Canturburie and other bishops) had called this councell for that purpose. Howbeit they got nothing of the king but faire words, and promises of amendment in that which had béene doone otherwise than equitie required which promises were vtterlie vnperformed, and so the councell brake vp.

The empresse landed here in England. In the moneth of Iulie the empresse Maud landed here in England at Portesmouth, & went strait to Arundell, which towne (togither with the countie of Sussex) hir mother in law Adelicia king Henries second wife, wedded to William de Albenay, held in right of assignation for hir dower. There came in with the empresse hir brother Robert and Hugh Bigot, of whom ye haue heard before.

What power she brought with hir. Some write that the empresse brought with hir a great armie, to the intent that ioining with Ranulph earle of Chester (who tooke part with Robert erle of Glocester, bicause the same Rob. had maried his daughter) Wil. Malm. Polydor. she might fight with king Stephan, and trie the battell with him. Other declare that she came to England now at the first, but with a small power (as seuen score horssemen or men of armes as we may call them) in hope of Gods assurance (who seldome faileth those that fight in a rightfull cause) and againe vpon trust of aid of freends, who for the benefits receiued at hir fathers hands, would be readie to go against king Stephan. Wherevpon hir brother earle Robert leauing his sister in the castle of Arundell, rode with all spéed vnto Glocester thorough his enimies countrie, not taking with him past 12. men of armes, and as manie archers on horssebacke, that vpon his cōming thither he might Earle Robert commeth to Glocester. leuie an armie with so much speed as was possible. Now when he came to Glocester, though the citie was kept with a garison of soldiours placed there by king Stephan, yet the townesmen, after they heard that their earle was approched to the gates, they droue out the garison, & receiued him into the towne, where he remained a time, partlie to assemble an armie, and partlie to practise with other townes and castels Matt. Paris. Brian the earle of Glocesters sonne. Miles earle of Hereford. thereabouts, to reuolt vnto his sister. Amongst all other, the earles sonne Brian, and Miles of Glocester were right ioifull of the news of the empresses arriuall, and gladlie prepared themselues to fight in defense of hir cause.

Polydor. The empresse besieged in Arundell castel. In the meane time king Stephan, hauing knowledge of the landing of the empresse, and other his enimies, came strait to Arundell, where he besieged hir in the castle, and spent his labour certeine daies in vaine about the winning of it. Howbeit at that present he did not preuaile, for there were certeine with him, who in fauour of the empresse bare him in hand, that it was not possible to win that fortresse, and therefore aduised him to raise his siege, and suffer the empresse to be at libertie to go to some other place, where he might with more ease and The king raiseth his siege. lesse damage get hir into his hands. The king not perceiuing the drift of those secret practisers, followed their counsell. Wherevpon the empresse being now at libertie, went from place to place to trie and solicit hir fréends: and as a riuer increaseth in the passage, so the further the ladie went, the more hir power increased. About the midst of the next night after the siege was raised, she departed out of the The empresse goeth to Bristow. castle, and with great iournies sped hir towards Bristow; which was alreadie reuolted to hir side.

These things being thus bruted abroad, the Peeres of the realme resorted to hir, as they that well remembred how in time past by oth of allegiance they were suerlie bound to hir and hir issue. The king K. Stephen besiegeth Wallingford. in the meantime besieged the castle of Wallingford, but after he vnderstood that the empresse was gotten to Bristow, repenting himselfe for his light credit giuen to euill counsell, he left off the siege of Wallingford, and drew towards Bristow, that he might (if it were possible) inclose his aduersaries within that walled citie. But the empresse, being aduertised of his determination (by such of hir fréends as were resident about him) first went to Glocester, and after to Lincolne, where she prouided vittailes and all other things necessarie for hir armie and defense: purposing to remaine in that citie, till the matter were either tried by chance of warre betwixt hir and king Stephen, or that by the peoples helpe reuolting to hir side, he An. Reg. 6.
1141. might be driuen out of the realme, and she restored to the whole gouernement. The king followed hir verie earnestlie, and comming vnto Lincolne besieged it, assaieng on euerie side which waie he might best K. Stephen winneth Lincolne, Ran. Higd. Simon Dun. Polydor. N. Triuet. find meanes to win it, & enter into the same. At length the empresse found shift to escape from thence, and within a little while the king got possession of the citie. But shortlie after, Robert earle of Glocester, and Ranulph earle of Chester, Hugh Bigot, and Robert of Morley assembling their power, aswell of Welshmen as others, to come to the succour of those that were thus besieged, came to Lincolne, & pitching downe their tents néere to the enimies, they rested the first night without making any great attempt.

The ordering of the kings armie readie to giue battell. Simon Dun. Matt. Paris. In the morning being the second daie of Februarie, so soone as it was daie, they set their men in order of battell, and brought them foorth in sight of the king and his host: who were on the other side, not meaning to refuse the conflict, ordered his men readie to encounter them, whome he diuided into 3. seuerall battels. The chiefest part of his armed men he appointed to remaine on foot, amongst whom he placed himselfe, with certeine noble men, as earle Baldwin, and others. The residue being horssemen, he disposed into two seuerall wings, in one of which were