regarding their former oth, could haue béene contented that the empresse
should haue gouerned till hir sonne had come to lawfull age;
notwithstanding they held their peace as yet, and consented vnto
Stephan. [Sidenote: Periurie punished.] 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. [Sidenote: _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
allegiance 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 receiue hir for queene, vpon that condition, that
without their assent she should not marrie with any person out of the
realme.

[Sidenote: The bishops think to please God in breaking their oth.]
Moreouer (as some writers thinke) the bishops tooke it, that they should
doo God good seruice in prouiding for the wealth of the realme, and the
aduancement 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,
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ Hugh Bigot.] was (as some authors rehearse)
for that Hugh Bigot, sometime steward to king Henrie the first,
immediatlie after the decease of king Henrie, came into England, and as
well before the archbishop of Canturburie, as diuers other lords of the