But the death of this lord, together with the absence of the Empress and her son in France, added very little to the quiet or security of the King.  For the Earl of Gloucester, suspecting the fidelity of the lords, had, with great sagacity, delivered their sons to the Earl of Anjou, to be kept as pledges for their fathers’ fidelity, as we have before related:  by which means a powerful party was still kept up against Stephen, too strong to be suddenly broken.  Besides, he had, by an unusual strain of his conduct, lately lost much good-will, as well as reputation, in committing an act of violence and fraud on the person of the Earl of Chester, a principal adherent of the Empress.  This nobleman, of great power and possessions, had newly reconciled himself to Stephen, and came to his court at Northampton, where, against all laws of hospitality, as well as common faith and justice, he was committed to prison, and forced to buy his liberty with the surrender of Lincoln, and all his other places, into the King’s hands.

  1149.

  1150.

Affairs continued in this turbulent posture about two years, the nobles neither trusting the King nor each other.  The number of castles still increased, which every man who had any possessions was forced to build, or else become a prey to his powerful neighbours.  This was thought a convenient juncture, by the Empress and her friends, for sending young Prince Henry to try his fortune in England, where he landed at the head of a considerable number of horse and foot, although he was then but sixteen years old.  Immediately after his arrival he went to Carlisle, where he met his cousin David King of Scots, by whom he was made knight, after the usual custom of young princes and noblemen in that age.  The King of England, who had soon intelligence of Henry’s landing and motions, marched down to secure York, against which he expected the first attempt of his enemy was designed.  But, whatever the cause might be (wherein the writers of those ages are either silent or unsatisfactory) both armies remained at that secure distance for three months, after which Henry returned back to Normandy, leaving the kingdom in the state of confusion he found it at his coming.

The fortunes of this young prince Henry Fitz-Empress now began to advance by great and sudden steps, whereof it will be no digression to inform the reader, as well upon the connection they have with the affairs at home about this time, as because they concern the immediate successor to the crown.

  1151.

Prince Henry’s voyage to France was soon followed by the death of his father Geoffrey Earl of Anjou, whereby the son became possessed of that earldom, together with the Duchy of Normandy; but in a short time after he very much enlarged his dominions by a marriage, in which he consulted his reputation less than his advantage.  For Louis the Young, King of France, was lately divorced from his wife Eleanor,