by any good right or title which they may pretend of themselues. Thus
the gouernement of this prince at the beginning was nothing bitter or
heauie to his subiects, but full of gentlenesse, lenitie, courtesie, and
mildnes.

[Sidenote: _Polydor._] Howbeit whilest these things were a dooing,
certeine of the English Nobilitie, abhorring both the king and the
present state of his gouernment, went priuilie out of the realme into
Scotland to king Dauid, declaring vnto him what a detestable act was
committed by the lords of England, in that (contrarie to their oth made
vnto the empresse Maud, and hir issue) they had now crowned Stephan.
Wherefore they besought the said king to take in hand to reuenge such a
vile iniurie practised against hir, and to restore the kingdome vnto the
said empresse, which if he did, it should be a thing most acceptable
both to God and man.

[Sidenote: The king of Scots inuadeth the English marshes. _Sim. Dunel._
_Matt. Paris._ _Polydor._] King Dauid hauing heard and well weied the
effect of their request, foorthwith was so mooued at their words, that
in all possible hast he assembled an armie, and entring into England,
first tooke the citie and castell of Carleil: afterward comming into
Northumberland, he tooke Newcastell and manie other places vpon the
borders there. Whereof king Stephan being aduertised, streightwaies
assembled a power, and foorthwith hasted into Cumberland, meaning to
recouer that againe by force of armes, which the enimie had stolen from
him by craft and subtiltie. [Sidenote: K. Stephan encamped néere to his
enimie the K. of Scots.] At his approch néere to Carleil, he pitched
downe his field in the euening, thinking there to staie till the
morning, that he might vnderstand of what power the enimie was, whome he
knew to be at hand.