HENRIE THE SECOND,

The Second Sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet.

An. Reg. 1. Henrie the second of that name, a French man borne, the second sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet earle of Aniou, begotten of Maud the empresse, daughter to Henrie the first, began his reigne ouer England the fiue and twentith of October, in the yeare after the creation of the world 5121. and in the yeare after the incarnation of our sauiour 1154. 1154. about the beginning of the third yeare of the emperour Frederike the first, the second of pope Anastasius the fourth, the seuenteenth yeare of Lewes the seuenth king of France, and second of Malcolme then king of Scotland. Immediatlie after he was aduertised of the death of king Stephan, he came ouer into England, landing at Ostreham about the seuenth day of N. Triuet. Matth. Paris. December. After he had got his companies togither, which by tempest were scattered in his passage, he came first to Winchester, where he receiued homage and fealtie of the Nobles of the realme resorting vnto him. This doone he set foorth towards London, where he was crowned king by Theobald archbishop of Canturburie the twentith daie of December.

N. Triuet. The archbishop of Rouen. The archbishop of Rouen, with thrée of his suffragans, the archbishop of Yorke, and manie other bishops of England: Theodorus the earle of Flanders, with a great number of other earles, lords and barons were present there at his coronation. He was at that time about the age of Polydor. three and twentie yeares, and to win the peoples loue, he spake manie comfortable words vnto them, to put them in hope (as the manner is) that they should find him a louing prince. He vsed the lords also verie Councellers chosen. courteouslie. And first of all, after his attéining to the crowne, he chose to him councellers of the grauest personages, and best learned in the lawes of the realme, with whose prudent aduice he perused those lawes, and amended them where he thought necessarie, commanding Ran. Higd. chieflie, that the lawes established by his grandfather Henrie the first should be obserued: and in manie things he relied vpon the aduice of Theobald archbishop of Canturburie, at whose sute he admitted Thomas Thom. Becket lord chancellor Becket to be his chancellour, which Becket the said archbishop had made archdeacon of Canturburie the yeare before.

Moreouer, by the sentence and doome of his councellers, to the intent that peace and quiet order might take place, and be the better An. Reg. 2.
1155 mainteined, he commanded by waie of publishing a proclamation, that all strangers (which to get somwhat by the wars had flocked into the realme, Nic. Triuet. Polydor. Wil. Paruus. Strangers appointed to depart the realme. Aliens auoid the land. during the time of the ciuill discord betweene him and king Stephan) shuld depart home without further delaie: wherefore he appointed them a daie, before the which they should auoid vpon perill that might insue. It was a worlds woonder to sée and marke how suddenlie these aliens were quite vanished, as though they had béene phantasmes. Their abiding here was nothing profitable to the subiects of the realme, as they that were accustomed to attempt one shrewd turne vpon an others necke, and thought it lawfull for them so to doo. Amongst them was a great number of Flemings, whom the king hated more than the residue.

William de Ypres. By vertue also of this edict, William of Ypres, whom king Stephan (as ye haue heard) had made earle of Kent, was constreined with others to depart the realme, king Henrie seizing all his possessions into his owne Castels ouerthrowne. Polydor. Matth. Paris. hands. Diuerse castels were throwne downe and made plaine with the ground at the kings commandement, which priuate men by king Stephans permission had builded, or else for that they stood not in such places Wil. Paruus. Matth. Paris. as was thought meet and expedient; yet some he caused to be fortified: and furthermore, tooke into his hands againe such lands and possessions as apperteined to the crowne, and were alienated vnto any manner of person, of what degrée so euer he was. This wounded the minds of many with an inward grudge, as well enough perceiuing that the king would looke so néere to his owne commoditie, that nothing should be left for them that might any way be recouered and gotten to his vse.

In this yere queene Elianor being then in the citie of London, on the N. Triuet. Matth. Paris. Matth. West. William Peuerell disherited. last of Februarie was deliuered of hir second sonne named Henrie. About the same time also, William Peuerell of Notingham a noble man and of great possessions was disherited by the king for sorcerie and witchcraft[1], which he had practised to kill Ranulfe earle of Chester, as it was reuealed openlie, and brought to light. In accomplishing of which hainous crime and detestable act, many others were of counsell, and found giltie with him, which escaped not vnpunished.

On the tenth of Aprill, king Henrie assembled the péeres & great lords Nic. Treuet. of his realme togither at Wallingford, and caused them to sweare Matth. Paris. Nic. Treuet. Hugh de Mortimer. The castell of Cleberie. allegiance vnto his eldest sonne William: prouiding, that if he chanced to die, then they should doo the like vnto his brother Henrie. Also whereas Hugh de Mortimer had fensed his castels against king Henrie, he besieged the same, and taking the castell of Cleberie, he destroied it. Wherevpon, the foresaid Hugh shortlie after was at peace with the king, and surrendred to him the two castels of Wigmore and Bridgenorth, which Roger Fitz Miles. hitherto he had holden. Moreouer, whereas there was variance kindled betwixt the king, and Roger Fitz Miles of Glocester (who was earle of Hereford) for the lands of Glocester, that variance was also quenched: for after the same Roger was dead, his brother Walter succeeding him in the earldome of Hereford, was constreined to depart with the citie of Glocester, which the king held and reteined in his owne hands.

An. Reg. 2. In the second yeare of his reigne, king Henrie went to Yorke, and in The king goeth into the north. that countrie tooke into his hands diuers castels which had béene long in possession of priuate men; namelie, The castell of Scarborough. the castell of Scarborough, which William earle of Albemarle held, and now was constreined to resign it vp, full sore against his will. This yeare William the kings eldest Wil. Paruus. Nic. Treuet. The death of the kings son William.
Geffrey the kings brother rebelleth. sonne departed this life, and was buried at Reading. The realme of England was brought on all sides into verie good quiet; but yer long, word came to K. Henrie, that his brother Geffrey had begun a rebellion on the other side of the sea. For their father Geffrey (when he died) left thrée sonnes behind him, Henrie,