at Branton, not far from Huntingdon, where he held pleas of the forests of his nobles, and hunting in violation of the vow which he had made to God and the people. How Geoffrey count of Anjou reduced some towns in Normandy. A t the same time Geoffrey count of Anjou, and his wife Matilda, easily obtained possession of some castles in Normandy, with all the farms which the king kept in his own hand, when he banished William Talevaz, their former owner. In the month of August they came to Rouen, where Matilda bore to count Geoffrey a third son, named William. The nobles of Normandy, indignant at this, sent to Theobald count of Blois, and elder brother to king Stephen, inviting him to come and assist them in recovering Normandy. Theobald, arriving at Lisieux in the fast of the tenth month, heard there that his brother Stephen was crowned king of England. Robert earl of Gloucester then gave up Falais* to Theobald, having first carried off a large sum of money from the treasure of king Henry. The same year died William archbishop of Canterbury, William bishop of Exeter, and John of Rochester. How the king of France received the homage of Eustace, king Stephen's son, for Normandy. A.D. 1137. King Stephen crossed into Normandy, and the count of Anjou fled before him; by which means the king, giving way to his martial propensity, succeeded in every thing he undertook, defeated his enemies, took their castles, and proved himself one of the most distinguished of men. He made a treaty with the king of France, to whom his son Eustace did homage for Normandy. Seeing this, Geoffrey count of Anjou, to whose wife Stephen had formerly done homage, demanded of him the restoration of England ; but as the royal power was evidently too much for him, he consented to a trnce, receiving from the king five thousand marks yearly on the condition of peace. To Theobald, also, his brother, count of Blois, who complained that Stephen, the younger brother, had unjustly taken possession of the crown of England, the king agreed to pay two thousand marks per annum, and so the brothers separated on good terms: after these successes, Stephen returned to England. The same