=Source.=--William of Malmesbury, _De gestis regum Anglorum_, ed.
Stubbs, vol. ii., p. 541. (Rolls Series.)
“I, Stephen, by the grace of God, by assent of the clergy and people,
elected king of England, and consecrated by the lord William,
archbishop of Canterbury and legate of the holy Roman Church, and
afterwards confirmed by Innocent, Pope of the holy see of Rome, out
of reverence and love for God, grant that Holy Church be free, and
confirm to it due reverence. I promise that I will not do or permit any
simony in the church or in matters ecclesiastical. I admit that justice
and power over ecclesiastical persons and all clerks and over their
goods, and the distribution of ecclesiastical goods is in the hands of
the bishops, and I confirm the same. I decree that the immunities of
churches confirmed by their charters, and their customs observed by
ancient use, remain inviolate, and I confirm the same. I grant that
all possessions and holdings of churches, which they had on the day
on which king William my grandfather was alive and dead, be theirs
freely and absolutely, quit of all recovery by any claimants. But as
touching anything held or possessed before the death of the king,
whereof the church is now deprived, and for which the church shall sue
hereafter, I reserve the same to my indulgence and dispensation for
discussion or restitution. Moreover I confirm all grants made after
the death of the king by the generosity of kings, the benefaction of
princes, or the offering or sale or exchange of the faithful. I promise
to make peace and to do justice in all things, and to preserve the
same so far as in me lies. I reserve to myself the forests which king
William my grandfather, and William the Second my uncle made and held;
the rest, which king Henry added thereto, I give back and grant quit
to the churches and the realm. And if any bishop or abbot or other
ecclesiastical person before his death shall reasonably distribute his
goods, or ordain the distribution thereof, I grant that the same shall
remain valid; and if he be forestalled by death, the same distribution
shall be made for the salvation of his soul by the counsel of his
church. Moreover when sees be void of their proper pastors, both they
and all the possessions thereof shall be committed into the hand and
guardianship of the clerks and good men of the same church, until a
pastor be canonically instituted. I utterly uproot all exactions and
fines and injustices evilly imposed whether by sheriffs or by others
whomsoever. I will observe good laws and the ancient and just customs
in murder-fines and pleas and other causes, and I command and ordain
that the same be observed. Given at Oxford in the year 1136 after the
incarnation of our Lord, in the first year of my reign.”
* * * * *
I scorn to give the names of the many witnesses, for he so basely broke
almost all his promises, as if he had sworn only in order to show
himself to the whole realm as an oath-breaker. I must speak the truth,
gentlest of princes though he was; for if he had lawfully obtained the
kingdom, and in administering the same had not lent too ready an ear
to the intrigues of evil-minded men, verily little would have been
lacking to his royal dignity. Under him, however, the treasure of some
churches was plundered, their landed possessions were given to laymen;
the churches of the clergy were sold to aliens; bishops were imprisoned
and forced to transfer their goods; and abbeys were granted to unworthy
men, either to reward friends or to pay debts. Still I consider that
these evils must be ascribed to his counsellors rather than to himself;
for they persuaded him that he need never lack money so long as there
were monasteries packed with treasure.