Compare 1577 edition: 1 Howbeit, there were diuerse of the wiser sort of all estates, which regarding their former oth, could haue béene contented that the empresse should haue gouerned till hir sonne had come to lawfull age; not|withstanding they held their peace as yet, and con|sented vnto Stephan.Periurie pu|nished. But this breach of their othes was worthilie punished afterward, insomuch that as well the bishops as the other Nobles either died an euill death, or were afflicted with diuerse kinds of calamities and mischances, and that euen here in this life, of which some of them as occasion serueth shall be remembred hereafter. Wil. Malm. The bishop of Salisburies protestation. Yet there were of them (and namelie the bishop of Salisburie) which protested that they were frée from their oth of allegi|ance made to the said empresse, bicause that without the consent of the lords of the land she was maried out of the realme, whereas they tooke their oth to re|ceiue hir for queene, vpon that condition, that with|out their assent she should not marrie with any per|son out of the realme.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Moreouer (as some writers thinke) the bishops tooke it,The bishops think to please God in brea|king their oth. that they should doo God good seruice in pro|uiding for the wealth of the realme, and the aduance|ment of the church by their periurie. For whereas the late deceassed king vsed himselfe not altogither for their purpose, they thought that if they might set vp and creat a king chéeflie by their especiall meanes and authoritie, he would follow their counsell better, and reforme such things as they iudged to be amisse. But a great cause that mooued manie of the lords vnto the violating thus of their oth, Matth. Paris. was (as some au|thors rehearse) for that Hugh Bigot, sometime stew|ard to king Henrie the first,Hugh Bigot. immediatlie after the decease of king Henrie, came into England, and as well before the archbishop of Canturburie, as diuers other lords of the land, tooke a voluntarie oth (al|though most men thinke that he was hired so to doo bicause of great promotion) declaring vpon the same that he was present a little before king Henries death, when the same king adopted and chose his ne|phue Stephan to be his heire and successour, bicause his daughter the empresse had gréeuouslie displeased him. But vnto this mans oth the archbishop and the EEBO page image 47 o [...]her lords were so hastie in giuing of credit. Now [...] said Hugh for his periurie, by the iust iudgement [...] God, came shortlie after to a miserable end.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Simon Dun. But to our purpose. King Stephan (by what ti|tle soeuer he obteined the crowne) immediatlie after his coronation, went first to Reading to the buri|all of the bodie of his vncle Henrie, the same being now brought ouer from Normandie, Polydor. Simon Dun. Matth. Paris. from whence after the buriall he repaired to Oxenford, and there calling a councell of the lords & other estates of his realme;The faire pro|mises of king Stephan. amongst other things he promised before the whole assemblie (to win the harts of the people) that he would put downe and quite abolish that tri|bute which oftentimes was accustomed to be gathe|red after the rate of their acres of hides of land, com|monlie called Danegilt, which was two shillings of euerie hide of land. Also, that he would so prouide, that no bishops sees nor other benefices should re|maine void, but immediatlie after vpon their first vacation, they should be againe bestowed vpon some conuenient person meet to supplie the roome. Fur|ther he promised not to seize vpon any mans woods as forfeit, though any priuate man had hunted and killed his déere in the same woods, as the maner of his predecessour was. ¶ For a kind of forfeiture was deuised by king Henrie, that those should lose their right inheritance in their woods, that chanced to kill any of the kings déere within the same.