Even this important ceremony, however, left Stephen’s throne a tottering one; he was compelled to buy the adherence of powerful magnates by lavish concessions of land and franchises; and various charters in favour of individual nobles still exist as witnesses to such bribes. The process by which he built up a title to the Crown seems to have culminated in the Easter of 1136, when he secured the support of Matilda’s half-brother Robert, Earl of Gloucester, whose lead was quickly followed by other influential nobles. All of these new adherents, however, performed homage to the King under an important reservation, namely, that their future loyalty would be strictly conditional on the treatment extended to them by Stephen. That unfortunate monarch accordingly, by tolerating such conditional allegiance, was compelled to acknowledge the inherent weakness of his position even in the moment of his nominal triumph.[174] ----- Footnote 174: The whole incident is so remarkable that it seems well to cite the exact words of William of Malmesbury, II. 541: “_Itaque homagium regi fecit sub conditione quadam, scilicet quamdiu ille dignitatem suam integre custodiret et sibi pacta servaret_.” ----- These important transactions took place apparently at Oxford,[175] and at the same time the King issued his second or Oxford Charter, which embodied and expanded the contents of earlier charters and oaths. This Oxford Charter, the date of which has been proved to be early in April,[176] is noteworthy alike for the circumstances in which it was granted, placing as it did the copestone on the gradual process by which Stephen was “elected” king, and also for its contents, which combined the earlier oath to the Church and the vague, unsatisfactory earlier charter to the people, with the new conditions extorted by Earl Robert and his followers. ----- Footnote 175: Round, _Geoffrey_, 22. Footnote 176: Round, _Geoffrey_, 23–4. ----- The opening words, in which Stephen describes himself as “King of the English,” may be read as a laboured attempt to set forth a valid title to the throne. All reference to predecessors is carefully avoided, and the usurper declares himself to be king "by appointment of the clergy and people, by consecration of the archbishop and papal legate, and by the Pope’s confirmation."[177] ----- Footnote 177: Stephen was not justified in this last assumption. See Round, _Geoffrey_, 9. -----