In the month of January at Lincoln, Ranulf, earl of Chester, with his men, conspired and set their determination on harassing the king and the realm. Now an earthquake was thrice felt in the city at Christmastide. The plot was speedily made known to king Stephen, who forthwith appeared there and besieged the earl. The latter, however, escaped by night from the tower in which he was shut, and straightway went to Robert earl of Gloucester, whose daughter he had married, and persuaded him and the household of the Empress to aid him, and the Welsh likewise. The king’s elder supporters advised him to gather an army, declaring that they had come unarmed to have speech with him, and were not equipped for battle. The king rejected their counsel, saying that the earls were but lads inexperienced in war, and would not dare to attack him; for he had been duped by the friendship of the young earls, who supported the king with words, but cherished the strength of his enemies with counsel and aid. So on the day of the Purification of St. Mary, Robert earl of Gloucester, Ranulf earl of Chester, and William de Romar, his brother, drew near with a strong force, Robert being the leader and disposer of the battle. The king also led forth his followers to the fight. Alan, earl of Richmond, with his men, abandoned the king and the struggle, before the battle was yet begun. William earl of York, withdrew from the fight and exposed the king to peril. His opponents therefore, with a boldness born of confidence, cut down all who resisted. They captured Bernard de Balliol, Roger de Mowbray, Richard de Courcy, William Fossart, William Peverel, William Clerfeith and many others. Many were slain and in the end all were scattered, including even Waleran count of Mellent. But the king stood in the forefront like a lion, braver than the bravest, afraid of no man’s onset. He cut down all who came within reach, until his sword broke in his hands. Thereupon a citizen of Lincoln put in his hand a Danish axe; and it is difficult to describe the heroic courage with which he faced his enemies. At last, however, he saw himself left alone and almost all his fellows scattered; yet no man dared to lay hands on him to take him. When earl Ranulf attempted an attack upon him, the king smote him on the head with the axe, and, beating him to his knees, taught him not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think. Finally, of his own will he summoned earl Robert, his cousin, and to him, as the son of king Henry, he, himself a king, consented to surrender his person.[39] So he was taken to Bristol and there put in safe keeping. THE DEPOSITION OF KING STEPHEN (1141). =Source.=--William of Malmesbury, _Historia Novella_, ed. Stubbs, vol. ii., p. 574. (Rolls Series.)