activity;[750] he did more harm to himself than to his enemies, giving away lands and honours almost at random, patching up a hollow peace,[751] and then, when he found every man’s hand against him and his hand against every man, bitterly complaining, “Why have they made me king, only to leave me thus destitute? By our Lord’s Nativity, I will not be a king thus disgraced!”[752] [743] “Hi igitur duo anni [_i.e._ 1136 and 1137] Stephani regis prosperrimi fuerunt, tertius vero ... mediocris et intercisus fuit; duo vero ultimi exitiales fuerunt et prærupti.” Hen. Hunt., l. viii. c. 5 (Arnold, p. 260). By this reckoning it seems that after Stephen’s capture at the battle of Lincoln Henry does not count him king at all. [744] Eng. Chron. a. 1137. [745] Will. Malm. _Hist. Nov._, l. i. c. 18 (Hardy, p. 712). [746] “He hadde get his [Henry’s] tresor, ac he todeld it and scatered sotlice.” Eng. Chron. a. 1137. [747] Will. Malm. _Hist. Nov._, l. ii. c. 34 (Hardy, p. 732). [748] See the first and fullest example in the story of the siege of Bedford, December 1138–January 1139; _Gesta Steph._ (Sewell), pp. 30–32. Cf. Hen. Hunt., l. viii. c. 6 (Arnold, p. 260). The sequel of the story is in _Gesta Steph._, p. 74. [749] Will. Malm. _Hist. Nov._, l. i. c. 18 (Hardy, p. 711). [750] “Modo hic, modo illic subitus aderat,” _ibid._ “Raptabatur enim nunc huc nunc illuc, et adeo vix aliquid perficiebat.” Gerv. Cant. (Stubbs), vol. i. p. 105. Cf. R. Glaber’s description of Stephen’s ancestor Odo II. (above, p. 150). [751] Will. Malm. _Hist. Nov._, l. i. c. 18 (Hardy, pp. 711, 712). [752] _Ib._ c. 17 (p. 711).