Observations of all the Kings of England, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
King STEPHEN.
VIr solertis ingenii, & militaris artis peritissimus. Polyd. Virg.
He was of a comely stature; of a good complexion; and of body strong; very skilfull in martiall affairs, gentle, courteous, and exceeding bountifull; not noted for any speciall vice, but that upon an ambitious desire to raign, he brake his Oath which he had made with Maud the Empress.
He was a most worthy Souldier, and wanted nothing to have made him an excellent King, but a just title. And therefore hee was driven (perforce) to defend his usurped Authority by the sword, which must needs procure him the hatred of many.
He was crowned at Westminster upon Saint▪ Stephens day, in presence of but three Bishops, few of the Nobility, and not one Abbot, by William Archbishop of Canterbury, with great solemnity.
Having his sword continually out,Daniels History. and so many defections and rebellions against him, he never put any great man to death.
Of Roger Bishop of Salisbury in this Kings Raign, it is reported, that he was so pressed with the miseries of a long imprisonment, Vt vivere nol…erit, mori nesci…rit, That live he would not, die he could not.
In his dayes flourished divers famous learned men, but especially Historiographers, viz. William of Malmesbury, Henry Huntington, Simon of Durham, Gessrey of Munmouth, and others.
Though his Raign were rough and tempestuous, by reason of his perpetuall debates and contests with Maud the Empress, and her Son, concerning the title; yet were there more religious Convents erected in his time, then either before or after.
Although he had continuall Warres, yet he required few or no tributes from the people.
He raigned almost nineteen years, lived forty nine, and was buried in the Abbey of Feversham in Kent, which he had founded.
The Normans thus expiring,The famous Family of Plantagenets, which stored the Crown of England well nigh the space of four hundred years; from whence have issued one Emperour, fifteen Kings, and ten Queens, twelve Princes, twenty four Dukes, and sixty Earls, took its name of a …lant. Fern. Glor. Generos. give way to the Dynasty of the Plantagenets.
Before the division of the Houses of Yorke and Lancaster, there run on evenly in an unquestionable line, eight Kings in this manner.
1. Henry the second.
2. Richard the first.
3. Iohn.
4. Henry the third.
5. Edward the first.
6. Edward the second.
7. Edward the third.
8. Richard the second.
Henry the second.
The first King of this Island,Galfredus Plantaginett…, cujus absque dubio à Plantagine herba, quemadmodum elim ap…d Romanos multarum nobilssimorum … ab herbis & frugibus deductum …omen est, Matildam Henrici primi Anglorum regis; filiam, viduam duxit in uxorem. Henricus secundus in regiam familiam nobilissimum illud Plantaginettarum cognomen insinuavit. Hoc mirum in modum postea prolis numerositate incrcvit; a leo ut exea gente quatuordecim reges▪ quanquam desultoria quadam successionis lege aliquando, con…inuata tamen seric, regnum administrarunt. T wini Comment, de rebus Britanuicis. sirnamed Plantagenet, from Plantagenista, so called (as some say) for wearing a slip or stalk of Broom in his Cap or Hat, toward his latter dayes, in penance and contrition for his past sins. He undertook to go to the holy Sepulchre, in the poor and despised habit of a Broom-man, and to signifie himself so, bore a Broom-stalk in his Cap. Others say it was because he scourged himself with the stalks of Broom, which grew upon the Plains, where once the holy City stood. Bucks Preface to his great Plantagenet.
Henry Duke of Anjou by his Father Geffery Plantagenet, Prince douè de plusicurs vertus vrayement digne, d' un Roy…mais aussi suict à quelques vices encores plus indignes d' un Prince… hrestein. Histoire d' Angleterre par Andre Du Chesne. l. 12.succeeded Stephen in the Kingdome of England by agreement, whom he preceded by right, as being son and heir of Maud, sole daughter and heir of King Henry the first, and was crowned at Westminster, by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury, and was a greater Prince then any of his Ancestors.
He was sirnamed Court-mantle, because he was the first that brought short Cloaks out of Anjou into England.
He was wise and learned. He never ware Glove, except he bare a Hawk on his fist; and never sate but at his meat; and delighted in hawking, hunting, riding, and in all honest exercises.
Our English Chronicles do blame him,Fox. p 228. Col. 2. for refusing to take the protection and defence of the distressed Christians in Ierusalem, offered unto him by Heraclins the Patriark; the troubles that befell him at home, are ascribed to that cause.
In his time there were eleven hundred and fifteen Castles in England.Hollinsh. in K. Stephen. Cambd. Britannia in Northumberland.
He caused them to be demolished.
He first kept Lions, and made of the Arms of Normandy, viz. the two Leopards; and of the single Lion Aquitain, one Coat so Arms for England, as it is yet worn.
He associated his son Henry in the Government; an act without example in this Kingdome.
The young King shewed shortly after, That a Crown was no State to be made over in trust.
At the Feast of his solemnity, the King to honour his son, would needs carry up the first dish to his Table. Roger Archbishop of Yorke standing by, and saying merrily▪ to the new King, Gaude, optime filio non est enim alter in toto orbe Princeps, qui talem habeat in mensa administrum. What an honour is this to you, to have such a waiter at your Table! At pater Henricus haec audiens, ingenti affectus dolore, antistiti submissa voce ait, Paenitets inquam, paenitet extulisse hominem. Polyd. Virg. Montaigne in his second Book of Essayes▪ c▪ 8. commends the Emperour Charles the fifth, for resigning his means, his greatness, and Kingdome to his son, at what time he found his former undaunted resolution to decay, and force to conduct his affairs to droop in himself, together with the glory he had thereby acquired. Robert, son to Hugh Capet, was crowned King in his fathers life time, of whom it is sajd, He was a son without frowardness, a companion without jealousie, a King without ambition. Du Serres History of France.Why (saith he) what great matter is it for him that was but the son of a Duke, to do service to me, that am the son of a King and Queen? Which the old King hearing, began to repent him, now it was too late, of that he had done.
He loved women too much, especially one Rosamond, the fair daughter of Walter Lord Clifford. This his Concubine was a very beautifull young Lady, of unparalleld wit. He usually termed her the Rose of the world; his Rose.
The true Etymology of her name is Rosemouth, Verstegans Etymology of our Saxon proper names.and seemeth to have been given, in regard of her sweetness or colour of the lips; or it may have been in recommendation of sweetness, and eloquence of speech.
King Henry had made for her a Labyrinth at Woodstoc…, so that no man or woman might come to her, but he that was instructed by the King, or such as were right secret with him. It was commonly said, that at last Queen Elenor came to her by a Clew of Thread,Poysoned her, as was thought. or Silk, and so dealt with her, that she lived not long after. But when she was dead, she was buried at Godstow, in an house of Nunnes beside Oxford.
In whose Epitaph,Verstegan ubisupra. a Latin Poet not understanding the true Etymology of the name, makes Mund▪ which here is mouth, to be Mundus, and so calls her the Rose of the world.
Hic jacet in tumba, Rosa mundi, non Rosa munda; Non redolet, sedolet, quae redolere solet.
Being much incensed against Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, he once cried out, Me miserum, non possum in meo regno pacem cum uno sacerdote habere? nec quisquam meorum omnium est, qui me hac molestia liberare velit. Which words were so interpreted by some, that it occasioned his death.
Stapleton a Jesuit put forth a Book, entituled Tres Thomae; St. Thomas the Apostle, Thomas of Becket, and Sir Thomas More. He canonizeth the two last, and writes far more of them, then of the first.
For the death of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury, he was scourged with rods by the Monks of Canterbury, and had eighty lashes.
Geffery Archbishop of Yorke, and base son to King Henry the second, used proudly to protest by his faith, Gualterus Mappaeus de nugis Curialium.and the Royalty of the King his father. To whom one said, You may sometimes, Sir, as well remember what was the honesty of your mother.
Petrus Blesensis was Archdeacon of Bath under him.
There was a very strange presage of his death,Polyd. Virg. Ang hist. Hollinsh by a Meer or Pool in Normandy; for all the Fishes therein leapt forth on land in the night time, and fought together with such a dreadfull noise, that men came in great numbers to behold the wonder, and not one Fish could be found alive in the Pool.
Other strange accidents are also reported.
When he died,Polyd. Virg. there were found in his Coffers, nine hundred thousand pounds, besides Plate and Jewels.
His youngest son was called Iohn Lackland, because he had no land assigned him in his fathers time.
Titles he lacked none; for his father had made him Earl of Cornwall, Dan hist.Dorset, Sommerset, Nottingham, Derby, and Lancaster.
He raigned thirty four yeares, seven moneths, and five dayes.