Henry, by his prudence, his talents, and his bravery, would have shone in whatever situation he might have been placed. His great progress in literature procured him the name of Beau-dere, or the scholar; and his af fability of manners encouraged and delighted all who ap proached his person. He seemed, however, to possess the prejudices of his family against the native English; and during his long reign, none of that nation were ever preferred to any ecclesiastical or dignity. Being a foreigner was a recommendation to his protection be yond what any Englishman was supposed to possess; and it was certainly no small evidence of the wisdom and moderation of his government, that the tranquillity of his English dominions was never once disturbed by those conspiracies and insurrections which were so frc quent in former reigns.
rite death of Henry was followed by many years of tyranny and misery to the defenceless inhabitants of England. This arose not from the character or his suc cessor, but was the consequence of usurped power, which was necessitated to tolerate the violence and op pressions of the nobles by whom it was supported. The oaths of fealty which the barons had taken to Matilda and her son, were only remembered so long as the au thority which imposed them was capable of enforcing obedience. These haughty chieftains had been grow ing in power, and exercised almost absolute dominion over those who held under them. They wished, there fore, for a monarch who should owe to them his exalta tion, and who, on that account, would increase and con firm their privileges.
Stephen and Henry, the two youngest sons of the Count of Blois by Adcla, daughter of William the Conqueror, had been bred at the Court of England, and had receiv ed great honours and preferment. Henry had assum ed .the religious habit, and was created Bishop of Winchester; and Stephen had married the daughter and heiress of the Count of Boulogne, by which alliance he became connected ,with David, King of Scotland, who was his mother-in-law's brother. The late king had also bestowed upon Stephen rich and extensive pos sessions both in England and Normandy, for which lie had always professed the greatest attachment and grati tude; and along with the other barons, had-readily ta ken the oath of succession in favour of his cousin Ma tilda. But no sooner had his uncle breathed his last, than these favours, and his own professions, were forgot ten ; and hastily leaving Normandy, where he had accom panied Henry, he was received in London by a few of his partisans, who hailed him king. He next prevailed upon the Archbishop of Canterbury to put the crown upon his head, by falsely asserting that Henry, on his death bed, had expressed his intention of leaving his kingdom to the Count of Boulogne; and then proceeded to exer cise all the functions of SON ereign authority. Though few barons attended his coronation, yet none opposed his usurpation; and in return for their submission, de manded new, immunities and privileges. Stephen was
anxious to secure his tottering throne, and made liberal promises to all. To the clergy, lie promised to fill all vacant benefices, and never to levy any of the vacant rents ; to the nobility, lie allowed the right of fortifying their castles, and promised to reduce the royal forests t6 their ancient boundaries ; and to the people, lie enga ged to remit the tax of Danegelt, and restore the laws of King Edward. He further fortified his authority by the sanction of the pope; and surrounded his throne by a band of mercenaries, whom he had invited from the continent, and who defended it by the terror of the sword.
The barons had no sooner obtained liberty to put their castles in a state of defence, than the kingdom was filled with fortresses, which they garrisoned either with their vassals, or with soldiers who flocked from all quar ters. Hence every chief became a petty tyrant, and exercised the law of retaliation with his own hand. Private animosities were kindled into open wars, which were carried on with the utmost fury ; and all the mi series which flow from an uncontrouled power among the great, fell upon the defenceless people. 'clic infe rior gentry even, finding no redress for any grievance from the laws, were obliged to secure the protection of ,some neighbouring chieftain, by submitting to his ex actions, and assisting him in his depredations. England thus became a scene of uninterrupted violence and de vastation. An unbridled and licentious soldiery laid waste the country, plundered the villages, and even the cities, set fire to the houses, and sometimes sold the in habitants to slavery. Agriculture was neglected, and its instruments destroyed. A famine was the conse quence, which reduced the oppressors, as well as the oppressed, to the extreme of want and indigence. Ste phen was endowed both with valour and abilities, and beheld lvith concern the evil effects of some of those concessions which were extorted from his situation. The prerogatives of the crown had, in many instances, been forced to yield to the power of the nobility and clergy, who, intrenched within their castles, sometimes set his mandates at defiance. He therefore resolved to make some effort for the recovery of the royal authority. But his measures were ill calculated to accomplish his purpose. Instead of supporting the people against the oppressions of the barons, he was equally hostile to their rights and comfort. Ile made his power the sole measure of his conduct, and violated not only the pro mises which he had made at his accession, but also the ancient privileges of his subjects. His mercenaries sub sisted entirely by depredation. Their fierceness of dis position led them to commit the most wanton outrages ; and every place was filled with complaints against his government. His enemies took advantage of the gene ral discontent ; and Robert Earl of Gloucester, the na tural brother of Matilda, headed an insurrection in fa your of his sister.