Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus when he had prouided for the suertie of Nor|mandie, Polydor. he returned againe into England, where he was no sooner arriued, but aduertisement was gi|uen him of a warre newlie beg [...]n with the Scots, whose king vnder a colour of obseruing the oth to the empresse,The Scots inuade the English bor|ders. made dailie insurrections and inua|sions into England, to the great disturbance of king Stephan and the annoiance of his people. Wherwith being somewhat mooued, he went streightwaies to|ward the north parts, and determined first to besiege Bedford by the waie, which apperteined to the earle|dome of Huntington, by gift made vnto Henrie the sonne of king Dauid, and therevpon at that present kept with a garison of Scotish men.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 This place did the king besiege by the space of 30. daies togither, Simon Dun. giuing thereto euerie daie an assault or alarme, in somuch that cõming thither on Christ|masse daie, he spared not on the morow to assaile them, and so at length wan the towne from them by méere force and strength. Anno Reg. 3. 1138 King Dauid hearing those newes, and being alreadie in armour in the field, en|tred into Northumberland,King Dauid inuaded Nor|thumberland. Matth. West. Polydor. Matt. Paris. Simon Dun. and licensed his men of warre to spoile and rob the countrie thereabout at their pleasure. Herevpon followed such crueltie, that their rage stretched vnto old and yoong, vnto preest and clearke, yea women with child escaped not their hands, they hanged, headed, and slue all that came in their waie: houses were burnt, cattell driuen awaie, and all put to fire and sword that serued to any vse for reléefe, either of man or beast.
¶ Here we see what a band of calamities doo ac|companie and waite vpon warre, wherein also we haue to consider what a traine of felicities doo at|tend vpon peace, by an equall comparing of which twaine togither, we may easilie perceiue in how heauenlie an estate those people be that liue vnder the scepter of tranquillitie, and contrariwise what a hellish course of life they lead that haue sworne their seruice to the sword. We may consider also the inordinat outrages of princes, & their frantike fierse|nes, who esteeme not the losse of their subiects liues, the effusion of innocent bloud, the population of countries, the ruinating of ample regions, &c: so their will may be satisfied, there desire serued. M. Pal. in suo Capric. And therefore it was aptlie spoken by a late poet, not be|side this purpose:
Reges atque duces dira impelluntur in arma,Imperiúmque sibi miserorum caede lucrantur.O caeci, ô miseri, quid? bellum pace putatisDignius aut melius? nempe hoc nil turpius, & nilQuod magis humana procul à ratione recedat.Candida pax homines, trux decet ira feras.