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From The Annals of Roger de Hoveden, Comprising the History of England and of Other Countries of Europe from A.D. 732 to A.D. 1201, Translated from the Latin with Notes and Illustrations by Henry T. Riley, Esq., Volume I, London: H.G. Bohn, 1853; pp. 241-254.
King Stephen in the meantime, his mind fluctuating amid mighty cares, had the mass performed with the greatest solemnity. But when, according to the usual custom, he was placing in the hands of bishop Alexander a wax taper, an offering to God worthy of a king, it broke. This was an omen of sorrow to the king. The pix1 also fell down upon the altar in which was the body of the Lord, the string breaking in the presence of the bishop. This was an omen of the king’s ruin. After this, the valiant king went forth, and with the greatest coolness disposed his troops in battle array; he himself on foot ranged in the closest possible order the whole body of his men in armour, dismounted from their horses. The earls with their troops on horse-back2 arranged to fight in two bodies; but these bodies of horsemen appeared to be very small, as the earls had brought but few with them, though pretended to be more in number. But the king’s army was very numerous, and marshalled under only one standard, that of the king; upon which, as king Stephen had not an agreeable voice, the speech to the army by way of exhortation was delegated to Baldwin, a man of great nobleness, and a most valiant soldier, who, standing on an elevated spot, when by a modest silence he had called the attention of all to his words, thus commenced, with the gaze of all intently fixed upon him: —
“All those who, when the lines of battle are drawn up, are about to engage, ought to see beforehand to three things: first, the righteousness of their cause; next, the number of their men; lastly, the prowess of their troops. The righteousness of their cause, lest danger to the soul should be incurred; the number of their men, lest they should be overwhelmed with the number of the enemy; the prowess of their troops, lest, trusting in a multitude, they should, by relying on the weak, still be overthrown. On all these points we see ourselves suitably prepared in the matter upon which we are engaged. For the righteousness of our cause is this, that, observing what we have sworn to our king before God, we stand facing those who have proved perjured towards him to the peril of death. As to our numbers, in horsemen we are not inferior, in foot more
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numerous. But the prowess of so many earls, so many nobles and knights always accustomed to warfare, who in words can express? Besides, the boundless valour of the king himself will stand for you in the stead of thousands. Since, then, your liege lord is in the midst of you, the Lord’s anointed, to whom you have sworn allegiance, perform your vows before God; inasmuch as you shall receive the greater reward from God, the more faithfully and constantly you fight for your king, the faithful against the unfaithful, the observers of the law against the perjured. Then, be of good comfort and filled with entire confidence. Consider against whom you fight. The might of earl Robert is well known: according to his practice, he threatens much, and does but little, having the mouth of the lion and the heart of the hare — eloquent in words, and always in the back-ground through his slothfulness. As for the earl of Chester, he is a man of unreasonable boldness, ready for plotting, inconstant in performing, impetuous in warfare, unprovided against danger, contriving schemes too lofty for his reach, bent upon impossibilities, and bringing with him few good soldiers: collecting a straggling multitude of strangers, there is no reason why he should be dreaded. For whatever he begins like a man, he always leaves like a woman; since in all matters in which he has been concerned, he has met with misfortune, either overcome in the encounter and running away, or if, on extraordinary occasions, victorious, sustaining greater loss than those overcome. The Welchmen whom he has brought with him are only objects of our contempt, opposing their unarmed rashness to the front of battle, devoid of skill and all knowledge of the art of war, like cattle running upon the hunting-spears. The others, both nobles and common soldiers, are deserters and vagabonds, and I only wish they had been brought here in greater numbers, for the more they are in number, the worse will they prove in the trial of them. You, therefore, earls and men of noble rank, ought to be mindful of your valour and your dignity. This day elevate your prowess, so inestimable, to the most exalted pitch, and, in imitation of your ancestors, leave to your sons an everlasting glory. The constant success of your arms should be to you an incentive to fight; the continuance of reverses will be to them a motive for running away. And indeed, already, if I am not deceived, they repent of coming hither, and are at
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this moment thinking of flight, if the rugged nature of the spot would allow of it. Since then, it is not possible for them to fight or fly, what else have they done but, by the will of God, offer both themselves and their baggage unto you? Accordingly, you see their horses, their arms and their bodies subject to your determination. Lift up your hearts, therefore, and stretch forth your invincible right hands, ye warriors! to receive with extreme joyousness that which God himself has presented to you.”
Already before he had concluded his speech, the shouts of the enemy were heard, the clanging of clarions, the neighing of horses, the re-echoing of the ground. The troop of the proscribed which formed the van, charged the king’s line, in which were earl Alan, the earl of Mellent, Hugh, earl of East Anglia, earl Simon, and the earl of Warrenne, with such fury, that instantly, in the twinkling of an eye, it was routed, and became divided into three parts; some of them were slain, some taken prisoners, while some took to flight. The division which was commanded by the earl of Albemarle and William of Ypres charged the Welch, who were advancing on the flank, and put them to flight. But the troops of the earl of Chester attacked the body of the above-named earl, and, like the first line, it was scattered in an instant. All the king’s knights took to flight, and with them William of Ypres,3 a native of Flanders, a man of the rank of an earl, and of great prowess.
In consequence of this, king Stephen was left with his body of foot in the midst of the enemy. Accordingly, they surrounded the king’s troops on every side, and assaulted them in every quarter, just in the way that an attack is made upon a fortified place. Then might you have seen a dreadful aspect of battle, on every quarter around the king’s troops fire flashing from the meeting of swords and helmets, — a dreadful crash, a terrific clamour, — at which the hills re-echoed, the city walls resounded. With horses spurred on, they charged the king’s troops, slew some, wounded others, and dragging some away, made them prisoners. No rest, no breathing-time was granted them, except in the quarter where stood that most valiant king, as the foe dreaded the incomparable
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force of his blows. The earl of Chester, on perceiving this, envying the king his glory, rushed upon him with all the weight of his armed men.4 Then was seen the might of the king, equal to the thunderbolt, slaying some with his immense battle-axe, and striking down others. Then arose the shouts afresh, all rushing against him, and he against all. At length, through the number of the blows, the king’s battle-axe was broken asunder. Instantly, with his right hand, drawing his sword, well worthy of a king, he marvellously waged the combat, until the sword as well was broken asunder. On seeing this, William de Kahamnes, a most powerful knight, rushed upon the king, and seizing him by the helmet, cried with a loud voice, “Hither, all of you, come hither! I have taken the king!” All flew to the spot, and the king was taken. Baldwin was also captured, who had made the speech for the purpose of exhorting them, pierced with many wounds, and bruised with many blows, while earning undying fame by his glorious resistance. Richard Fitz-Urse was also taken, who in giving blows and receiving them was distinguished by his prowess. After the king was made prisoner, his troop still fought on; indeed, being surrounded, they could not take to flight; but at last were all either taken prisoners or slain. According to the usages of war, the city was plundered, and the king, in a piteous condition, was taken there.
The judgment of God being thus wrought upon the king, he was led to the empress, and placed in captivity in the castle at Bristowe.5 The empress was recognized as mistress by all the people of England, except the men of Kent, where the queen6 and William of Ypres fought against her with all their strength. She was first received by the bishop of Winchester, the Roman legate, and shortly after, by the citizens of London. However, she soon became elated to an intolerable degree of pride, because her affairs, after their uncertain state, had thus prospered in warfare; conduct which alienated from her the affections of almost all the people. Irritated at this, with all the spitefulness of a woman, she ordered the king, the Lord’s anointed, to be placed in irons. A few days
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after, in conjunction with her uncle, the king of the Scots, and her brother Robert, having collected their troops, she laid siege to the fortress of the bishop of Winchester; on which, the bishop sent for the queen and William of Ypres, and nearly all the nobles of England. In consequence of this, large armies were soon formed on either side. Daily combats took place, not rank meeting rank, but in skirmishes on the exterior of the lines. Their exploits, therefore, were not concealed amid the haze of battle, but the prowess of each was conspicuous, and proportionate renown attended his exploits; so much so, that to all men of prowess this period seemed rich in the dazzling exploits of illustrious men.
At length the army of the Londoners came up, swelled to vast numbers, and, fighting against the empress, compelled her to take flight. Many were taken while flying, and, among them, Robert, the brother of the empress, was captured, in whose castle the king was kept prisoner, and through whose capture alone the king could be ransomed: and, accordingly, they were both set at liberty. Thus then, through the judgment of God, the king was lamentably taken prisoner, and, through the mercy of God, he was mercifully liberated, and received with great rejoicings by the nobles of England.
In the same year, Alberic de Vere was slain at London, in a sedition of the citizens. In this year, also, died Geoffrey, bishop of Durham, and was succeeded in that see by William, dean of the church of Saint Barbara, at York, who was consecrated by Henry, bishop of Winchester, the legate of the Church of Rome.
In the year of grace 1142, being the seventh year of the reign of king Stephen, that king built a castle at Winchester.7 Just then, an immense multitude of the enemy coming upon him unawares, the king’s soldiers, on meeting them, were not able to withstand their attack; on which they forced the king to take to flight. Many of his men, however, were taken prisoners; and, among them, William Martel, the king’s sewer, who, for his ransom, gave up the fine castle of Sherburne.
In the same year, the king besieged the empress at Oxford, from after the feast of Saint Michael till the Advent of our Lord; and, shortly before the festival of the Nativity, the
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empress fled across the river Thame, which was frozen, clothed in white garments. The reflection of the snow and the similarity deceiving the eyes of the besiegers, she escaped to the castle of Wallingford; upon which, Oxford was at length surrendered to the king.
In the year of grace 1143, being the eighth year of the reign of king Stephen, that king was present at a council held at London in the middle of Lent. For, at this period, no respect was paid by those who plundered to either the clergy or the Church of Cod, and, whether clerks or laymen, they were equally taken prisoners and held to ransom. Upon this, the bishop of Winchester, the Roman legate, held a council at London, which at the time was absolutely necessary for the safety of the clergy. At this council it was decreed, that no one who should violently lay hands upon a clerk could possibly receive absolution from any one, not even from the pope himself, and appearing in his presence. In consequence of this, a slight gleam of serenity, with great difficulty, shone forth at last upon the clergy.
In the same year, the king seized Geoffrey de Mandeville,8 at his court at Saint Alban’s, more in retribution for the wickedness of the earl, than according to the law of nations; more from necessity than from virtuous motives. For, if he had not done so, through the perfidy of this earl, whom from a baron he had created an earl, he would have been deprived of his kingdom. Accordingly, in order that the king might give him his liberty, he surrendered to him the tower of London and the castles of Walden and Plessis. In consequence of this, the above-named earl, being stripped of his possessions, attacked the abbey of Saint Benedict at Ramsay, expelled the monks, and introduced his plunderers, turning the church of God into a den of thieves. He was a man of the greatest prowess, but of the greatest perverseness towards God; of extreme activity in worldly matters, but extremely neglectful towards God.
In this year, shortly before the festival of the Nativity, the bishop of Winchester, and soon after, the archbishop of Canterbury, repaired to Rome, to treat for the legateship, pope Innocent being dead, and having been succeeded by Celestinus.
In the year of grace 1144, being the ninth year of the
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reign of king Stephen, that king laid siege to Lincoln, where, while he was building a fort opposite the castle which the earl of Chester held by force, nearly eighty of his workmen were smothered by the enemy; consequently, abandoning the work, the king retreated in confusion. In the same year, earl Geoffrey de Mandeville greatly harassed the king, and shone forth with great glory in all his exploits. But, in the month of August, the Divine power showed a miracle worthy of its justice: for two persons, who had committed the like offence in expelling the monks, and turning the churches of God into castles, it punished with a similar retribution.
For Robert Marmion, a skilful warrior, had perversely acted thus towards the church of Coventry; while, as already mentioned, Geoffrey de Mandeville had been guilty of the like wickedness towards the church of Ramsey. Robert Marmion, while attacking the enemy, and in the very midst of a large body of his own men, was slain, singly, before that very monastery, and, having been excommunicated, has death for his everlasting portion.
In a similar manner, Geoffrey, the new-made earl above-mentioned, while amid the dense ranks of his own men, was, singly, pierced with an arrow by a foot-soldier of the lowest rank. He himself at first laughed at the wound; but, after a few days, died in consequence of it, and while excommunicated. Behold here the laudable vengeance of God, similarly attendant upon similar crimes, and worthy to be disclosed to all generations! Also, while the church was held by him as a castle, blood gushed forth from the walls of the church and the adjoining cloisters, in manifestation of the Divine displeasure, and foreboding the extermination of the wicked. This was seen by many persons; and, in fact, I myself9 beheld it with my own eyes.
Wherefore, because they wickedly said that God was asleep, God was aroused; which is evident from these signs and manifestations. For, in this same year, Arnulph also, the son of earl Geoffrey, who, after his father’s death, retained possession of the church as a castle, was taken prisoner and banished the
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kingdom by reason thereof, and the leader of his troops, falling from his horse at his inn,10 dashed out his brains and expired.
In addition to this, the commander of his infantry, Reimer by name, whose habit it was to pull down churches or destroy them by fire, was crossing the sea with his wife, when, according to the statements of many, the ship became motionless. The sailors, astonished at this prodigy, made enquiry into the cause of the circumstance, by drawing lots, on which the lot fell upon Reimer. He, however, contradicting, with all his might, that this was the fact, the lots were drawn a second and a third time, and fell upon him still. Upon this, he was placed in a boat, with his wife and the money which he had most wickedly acquired, and immediately thereupon the ship ploughed the sea with the swiftest speed, just as before. The boat, however, with these most wicked people, being whirled round by a whirlpool suddenly formed, was sucked in and came to destruction.
In the same year, pope Celestinus having departed this life, Lucius was appointed in his stead.
In the year of grace, 1145, being the tenth year of the reign of king Stephen, that king was at first occupied in business relative to the departure of Hugh Bigot. But, in the spring, earl Robert, and the whole body of the king’s enemies, built a castle at Ferendimer;11 on which, the king, displaying his usual activity, collected his forces and hurried thither, taking with him a numerous and warlike body of Londoners. After having assailed the fortress for whole days together, while earl Robert and his supporters were not far from the king’s army, waiting for additional troops, by a display of military prowess attended with the most laborious efforts, he gained possession of it, though not without great bloodshed. Then, at length, the king’s fortunes began to change for the better, and to soar aloft.
In the same year pope Lucius died, and was succeeded by pope Eugenius. In this year also, Alexander, bishop of Lincoln, went again to Rome, and was honorably entertained by Eugenius, the new pope, a man worthy of that highest dignity.
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His mind was always kindly disposed, his discretion always to be relied on, his countenance always not only cheerful but even joyous. The bishop, returning the second year after this to Lincoln, with wonderful taste repaired the church there so skilfully, that it appeared more beautiful than when it was first built.
In the year of grace 1146, being the eleventh year of the reign of king Stephen, that king, having assembled a large army, built an impregnable castle, situate opposite to Wallingford, where Ranulph, earl of Chester, who was now on friendly terms with the king, was staying with a large number of his followers. But, shortly after, as the earl was coming in a peaceful manner to the king’s court, the king seized him at Northampton, while apprehending no such attack, and thrust him into prison until he had restored to him the most famous castle of Lincoln, which he had taken from him by stratagem, and all the rest of the castles which had belonged to himself; upon which, the earl was released from prison and restored to liberty.
In the same year, the noble city of Edessa, in Syria, which is now called Roaise, was taken through treachery by the Saracens, on the night of the Nativity of our Lord, while the bishop and Raymond, earl of Saint Gilles, and innumerable troops collected from the whole kingdom, and the people of the city were engaged in their religious duties; who, on the capture of the city, were put to death by the pagans. In this city the remains of Saint Thomas the Apostle, which were formerly transferred from India, are said to rest.
In the year of grace 1147, being the twelfth year of the reign of king Stephen, that king, at the festival of the Nativity of our Lord, was crowned at the city of Lincoln, which no king had dared to enter, in consequence of certain superstitions12 preventing them. After the king’s departure thence, the earl of Chester came to Lincoln with his troops, for the purpose of assaulting it; upon which occasion, the commander of his troops, a man of invincible bravery, was slain at the entrance of the north gate, and, after losing many of his men, the earl was forced to take to flight. On this, the citizens of Lincoln, being victorious, were filled with extreme joy, and,
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with great pomp, returned thanks, attended with praises, to the Virgin of virgins, their protectress.
At Pentecost, Louis, king of the Franks, Theodoric, earl of Flanders, and the earl of St. Gilles, with numberless troops from the well-peopled kingdom of the Franks, besides many of the English nation, having assumed the cross, set out for Jerusalem, for the purpose of expelling the pagans, who had taken the city of Roaise. Conrad also, the emperor of Germany, led a still greater body of troops, and both armies passed through the dominions of the emperor of Constantinople, who afterwards betrayed them.
In the month of August, Alexander, bishop of Lincoln, set out for Auxerre, to meet pope Eugenius, who was then at that place, having previously been to Paris. He was received by the pope in the most honorable manner; but, in consequence of the excessive heat of the weather, brought with him to England the seeds of disease and death, and died in the following year, having for his successor Robert de Chedney.
In the year of grace 1148, being the thirteenth year of the reign of king Stephen, the armies of the emperor of Germany and of the king of the Franks, which, graced by those most noble chieftains, marched onward with the greatest pomp, were annihilated, because God utterly despised them. For the incontinence ascended to the sight of God, of which they were guilty in acts of fornication and manifest adultery; a thing which greatly displeased the Almighty, and was aggravated by the rapine and all kinds of crime of which they were afterwards guilty. Accordingly, at first they fell, attacked by famine, through the treachery of the emperor of Constantinople, and afterwards by the edge of the enemy’s sword. The king of France and the emperor of Germany, upon this, with a very small number of followers, fled ignominiously, first to Antioch, and afterwards to Jerusalem. On arriving there, the king of France, as though about to do something to compensate his loss of glory, having obtained the aid of the knights of the Temple of Jerusalem, and gathering forces on every side, laid siege to Damascus; but having effected nothing there, he returned to France.
In the meantime, a naval force, headed by no influential men, and relying upon no mighty chieftain, but only on Almighty God, inasmuch as it had set out in a humble spirit,
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earned the favour of God and manifested great prowess. For, though but few in number, by arms they obtained possession of a famous city of Spain, Lisbon13 by name, and another, called Almeida, together with the parts adjacent. How true is it that God opposes the proud, but to the humble shows grace! For the army of the king of the Franks and of the emperor was larger and better equipped than the former one, which had gained possession of Jerusalem; and yet they were crushed by a very few, and routed and demolished like webs of spiders; whereas these other poor people, whom I have just mentioned, no multitude could resist, but the greater the numbers that made head against them, the more helpless were they rendered. The greatest part of them had come from England.
In the meantime, Geoffrey, earl of Anjou, husband of the above-named empress, the daughter of king Henry, entered Normandy with a great army and ravaged it, and took many castles and fortified cities; and the nobles of Normandy, keeping in mind the oaths they had made to the said empress and her heirs regarding Normandy, readily changed to their side. For Eustace, the son of king Stephen, who had been the duke of Normandy, and had married Constance, sister of Louis, king of France, was now dead, and the king of France had given his sister Constance in marriage to Raymond, earl of Saint Gilles; and from this period the wars so greatly increased against king Stephen in England, that he could give no attention to the defence of Normandy.
At this time, Henry, son of the empress Matilda, being now a youth sixteen years of age, and having been brought up at the court of David, king of the Scots, his mother’s uncle, was dubbed a knight by the same king David, at the city of Carlisle, having first made oath to him that if he should come to be king of England, he would restore to him Newcastle and the whole of Northumbria, and would allow him and his heirs to hold for ever in peace, without challenge of their right, the whole of the land which lies between the rivers Tweed and Tyne. After this, the same Henry, by the advice and assistance of David, king of the Scots, crossed over into Normandy, and being received by the nobles, was by them made duke of Normandy.
In the year of grace 1149, being the fourteenth year of the reign of king Stephen, Henry, duke of Normandy came into England with a great army, on which many castles were surrendered to him, and a great number of towns; he also coined new money, which they called “the duke’s money;” and not himself only, but all the influential men, both bishops as well as earls and barons, coined their own money. But from the time when the duke came over, he rendered null the coin of most of them.
In the same year, Louis, king of the Franks, and Eleanor, his wife, returned from Jerusalem to France.
In the year of grace 1150, being the fifteenth year of the reign of king Stephen, the abbey of Holcoltram was founded, also the abbey of Kinross, in Moray. In the same year, also, the Præmonstratensian order came to Dryburgh, at the feast of Saint Martin.
In the year of grace 1151, being the sixteenth year of the reign of king Stephen, pope Eugenius sent by his legate, John Papirius, four palls to Ireland, whither a pall had never been sent before, and appointed archbishops at four places, one at Armagh, another at Cashel, a third at Dublin,14 and a fourth at Connaught. In the same year, Geoffrey, earl of Anjou, departed this life, and his son Henry succeeded him in the earldom.
In the year of grace 1152, being the seventeenth year of the reign of king Stephen, during this year as also two preceding ones, king Stephen and Henry, duke of Normandy, frequently engaged in battle, and did not withdraw from the combat, except with a great loss of substance and of men; but the duke of Normandy always gained the day. For his resources increased more and more, and became more abundant every day, while the king’s power decreased more and more. For the chief men of the kingdom, bearing in mind the oaths they had taken to the empress and her heirs, nearly all gave in their adhesion to the above-named empress and her son, the duke of Normandy. In the same year, Henry, earl of Northumbria, son of David, king of the Scots, and Matilda, his daughter, departed this life.
In the year of grace 1153, being the eighteenth year of the reign of king Stephen, peace was restored to England, a treaty being made between king Stephen and Henry, duke of
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Normandy, whom king Stephen adopted as his son, and appointed his heir and successor in the kingdom, through the mediation of the venerable man Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, and Henry, bishop of Winchester. The king also appointed the duke justiciary of England under him, and all the affairs of the kingdom were transacted through him; and from this time forward the king and the duke were of one mind in the government of the realm, so much so that, from this period, no disagreement ever arose between them.
In the same year died David, king of the Scots, on the ninth day before the calends of July, on which, his grandson Malcolm, the son of earl Henry, a boy twelve years of age, succeeded him in the kingdom. In the same year, pope Eugenius departed this life, and was succeeded in the papacy by Anastasius. In this year died Bernard, abbat of Clerville; William, bishop of Durham, also died in this year, and was succeeded by Hugh de Pudsey,15 treasurer of the church of York, nephew of the above-named king Stephen. He was consecrated at Rome, by pope Anastasius, on the Lord’s day preceding the Nativity of our Lord. In the same year died Henry, archbishop of York, on whose decease archbishop William, whom pope Eugenius had suspended, set out for Rome, and finding grace with pope Anastasius, the archbishopric of York was restored to him.
In the year of grace 1154, being the nineteenth and last year of the reign of king Stephen, Eustace, the son of king Stephen, departed16 this life. In the same year, William, archbishop of York, was honorably restored to his see; but shortly after, by the treachery of his clergy, after receiving the Eucharist, during his ablutions, he was destroyed by means of some liquid of a deadly nature; on which he was honorably interred by Hugh, bishop of Durham, in the church of Saint Peter at York; and on the presentation of king Stephen, Roger, archdeacon of Canterbury, succeeded him in the archbishopric.
In the same year king Stephen laid siege to many castles, and took them, and levelled many of them with the ground; almost the very last of which was the castle of Drax; shortly after
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which, king Stephen died, and was buried at the abbey of Feversham. He was succeeded on the throne by Henry, duke of Normandy, son of the empress Matilda, who was crowned and consecrated king by Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, at London, on the Lord’s day before the Nativity of our lord.
In the same year, Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, gave to Thomas Becket, his clerk, the archdeaconry of Canterbury. In this year also, Louis, king of the Franks, caused himself to be divorced from his wife Eleanor, daughter of the duke of Aquitaine, the archbishops, bishops, earls and barons, making oath that she had ceased to deserve to be his wife. However, Henry, king of England, took the before-named Eleanor to wife, and had by her sons and daughters. The king of France, however, by his wife Eleanor, had no issue of the male sex, and only two daughters, one of whom he married to Henry, earl of Champagne, and the other to Theobald, earl of Blois, brother of the said earl Henry. After this, Louis, king of the Franks, took to wife the daughter of the king of Spain, by whom he had two daughters only.
1 The box in which the consecrated wafer is kept.
2 This passage in Roger of Wendover applies to the earls, the antagonists of Stephen, and the liberty has been taken here of adopting the passage to that sense.
3 Roger of Wendover says that William of Ypres “and others, who could not take to flight, were taken and thrown into prison.
4 “Armatorum“ seems a preferable reading to “armorum,” as it appears that Stephen was not taken by the earl of Chester alone, but in consequence of being overpowered and borne down by a multitude.
5 Bristol.
6 The wife of king Stephen.
7 It would appear from Gervase’s Chronicle, that this battle took place at Wilton, and not at Winchester, in the year 1143.
8 His name really was William.
9 This is the earliest mention made by the writer of himself in the capacity of witness of what he relates. He must have been very young at the time; consequently it was easy to impose on his credulity. He may, however, be possibly alluding to the extermination of the wicked.
10 “Hospitio.” This may possibly mean the portion of the monastery where the monks were in the habit of entertaining strangers.
11 “Ferendune” is a various reading, “Ferendimer” being probably a misprint. Faringdon, in Berkshire, is the place meant.
12 It was believed that misfortune and a speedy death would befall the king so doing..
13 Great part of Portugal was at this time in the hands of the Moors.
14 Called “Diveline” in the text.
15 Or De Pusat, or Pusar.
16 There is clearly a mistake here; as the death of Eustace is mentioned above as having taken place before the year 1148, in which year his widow Constance was given in marriage to the earl of Saint Gilles. 1152 is probably the date of his death.