land, tooke a voluntarie oth (although 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 nepheue 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 other lords were so hastie in
giuing of credit. Now the said Hugh for his periurie, by the iust
iudgment of God, came shortlie after to a miserable end.

[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] [Sidenote: 1136.] [Sidenote: _Polydor._ _Simon
Dun._ _Matth. Paris._] But to our purpose. King Stephan (by what title
soeuer he obteined the crowne) immediatlie after his coronation, went
first to Reading to the buriall of the bodie of his vncle Henrie, the
same being now brought ouer from Normandie, from whence after the
buriall he repaired to Oxenford, and there calling a councell of the
lords & other estates of his realme; [Sidenote: The faire promises 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 tribute which oftentimes was accustomed to be
gathered after the rate of their acres of hides or land, commonlie
called Danegilt, which was two shillings of euerie hide of land. Also,
that he would so prouide, that no bishop sees nor other benefices should
remaine void, but immediatlie after vpon their first vacation, they
should be againe bestowed vpon some conuenient person meet to supplie
the roome. Further 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.