Carta Stephani Regis de libertatibus Ecclesiae Anglicanae
et regni.
Ego Stephanus Dei gratia assensu cleri et populi in regem
Anglorum electus, et a Willelmo Cantuariensi archiepiscopo et
sanctae Romanae ecclesiae legato consecratus, et ab Innocentio
sanctae Romanae sedis pontifice confirmatus, respectu et
amore Dei sanctam ecclesiam liberam esse concedo et debitam
reverentiam illi confirmo.
Nihil me in ecclesia vel rebus ecclesiasticis simoniace acturum
vel permissurum esse promitto. Ecclesiasticarum personarum
et omnium clericorum fet rerum eorum justitiam et potestatem
et distributionem honorum ecclesiasticorum in manu episco-
porum esse perhibeo et confirmo. Dignitates ecclesiarum pri-
vilegiis earum confirmatas, et consuetudincs earum antique
tenore habitas, inviolate manere statuo et concedo. Omnes
ecclesiarum possessiones et tenuras quas die ilia habuerunt
qua Willelmus rex avus meus fuit vivus et mortuus, sine omni
calumniantium reclamatione, eis liberas et absolutas esse
concedo. Si quid vero de habitis vel possessis ante mortem
ejusdem regis, quibus modo careat ecclesia, deinceps repetierit,
indulgentiae et dispensation! meae, vel restituendum vel
discutiendum, reserve. Quaecunque vero post mortem ipsius
regis liberalitate regum vel largitione principum, oblatione vel
comparatione, vel qualibet transmutatione fidelium eis collata
sunt, confirmo. Pacem et justitiam me in omnibus facturum,
et pro posse meo conservaturum eis promitto.
Forestas quas Willelmus avus meus et Willelmus avunculus
meus instituerunt et habuerunt mihi reservo. Ceteras omnes,
quas rex Henricus superaddidit, ecclesiis et regno quiet as reddo
et concede.
Si quis episcopus vel abbas vel alia ecclesiastica persona ante
mortem suam rationabiliter sua distribuerit vel distribuenda
statuerit, firmum manere concedo. Si vero morte praeoccupa-
tus fuerit, pro salute animae ejus ecclesiae consilio eadem fiat
distributio. Dum vero sedes propriis pastoribus vacuae fuerint,
ipsas et earum possessiones omnes in manu et custodia clerico-
rum vel proborum hominum ejusdem ecclesiae committam,
donee pastor canonice substituatur.
Omnes exactiones et injustitias et mescheningas, sive per
vicecomites vel per alios quoslibet male inductas, funditus
exstirpo.
Bonas leges et antiquas et just as consuetudines, in murdris
et placitis et aliis causis, observabo, et observari praecipio, et
constituo. Haec omnia concedo et confirmo salva regia et
justa dignitate mea.
Testibus W. Cantuariensi archiepiscopo, et Hugone Rotho-
magensi archiepiscopo, et Henrico Wintoniensi episcopo, et
Rogero Sarisbiriensi episcopo, et A. Lincolniensi episcopo,
et Nigello Eliensi episcopo, et Evrardo Norwicensi episcopo, et
Simone Wigornensi episcopo, et Bernardo episcopo de Sancto
David, et Audoeno Ebroicensi episcopo, et Ricardo Abrincensi
episcopo, et Roberto Herefordensi episcopo, et Johanne Roue-
cestrensi episcopo, et Athelulfo Carlolensi episcopo ; et Rogero
cancellario ; et Henrico nepote regis ; et Roberto comite
Gloecestriae, et Willelmo comite de Warenna, et Rannulfo
comite Cestriae, et Roberto comite de Warewic ; et Roberto
de Ver, et Milone de Gloecestria, et Brientio filio Comitis, et
Roberto de Oilli, conestabulis ; et Willelmo Martel, et Hugone
Bigot, et Hunfrido de Buhun, et Simone de Belcamp, dapiferis ;
et Willelmo de Albiniaco, et Eudone Martel pincernis ; et
Roberto de Ferreriis, et Willelmo Peverel de Notingeham ;
et Simone de Saintliz ; et Willelmo de Albamarla, et Pagano
filio Johannis, et Hamone de Sancto Claro, et Ilberto de Laceio.
Apud Oxeneforde, anno ab Incarnatione Domini MC-
XXXVI, sed regni mei primo. (Statutes of the Realm
Charters of Liberties, p. 3. Will Malmesb., Hist. Nov.
Translation
Second Charter of Stephen
Statutes of the Realm as in Gee and Hardy p. 66
I STEPHEN, by the grace of God and the assent of the clergy and people elected king of the English, and consecrated by William, archbishop of Canterbury and legate of the Holy Roman Church, and confirmed by Innocent, pontiff of the Holy Roman See, from regard and love to God, do grant holy Church to be free and confirm due reverence to her.
I promise that I will not do nor allow any simony in the Church or in church affairs. I permit and confirm justice and power over ecclesiastical persons and all clerks and their effects, and the distribution of ecclesiastical goods to be in the hands of the bishops. The dignities of churches confirmed by their privileges, and their customs had of ancient continuance, I ordain and grant to remain inviolate. All the possessions and holdings of churches which they had on that day when William the king, my grandfather, was alive and dead, I grant to them to be free and absolute without any appeal from claimants. But if the Church shall hereafter seek to regain any of the things held or possessed before the death of the same king which the Church has no longer, I reserve them for my indulgence and dispensation for restoration and for consideration. But I confirm whatever has been bestowed upon them since the death of this same king, by the liberality of kings or the gift of great men, by presentation or acquisition, or by any exchange of the faithful. I promise that I will perform peace and justice in all things, and will maintain these for them as far as I can. I reserve for myself the forests which William my grandfather, and William my uncle established and had. All the others which King Henry further added I give back and grant to the churches and the kingdom without molestation. If any bishop or abbot or other ecclesiastical person shall, before his death, reasonably devise or intend to devise his goods, I grant it to remain firm. But if he shall be overtaken by death let the same devise take place with the advice of the Church for the health of his soul. Moreover, whilst sees shall be without their proper pastors, these and all their possessions I will commit to the hand and custody of the clerks or good men of the same church, until a pastor be canonically appointed to succeed. I entirely abolish all exactions, and injuries, and miskennings wrongly introduced, whether by sheriffs or by any other. I will observe, and command and ordain to be observed, the good laws and ancient and just customs in murders and pleas and other causes. All these things I grant and confirm saving my royal and just dignity.
Witness: W. Archbishop of Canterbury, Hugh Archbishop of Rouen, and Henry Bishop of Winchester, and Roger Bishop of Salisbury, and A. Bishop of Lincoln, and Nigel Bishop of Ely, and Everard Bishop of Norwich, and Simon Bishop of Worcester, and Bernard Bishop of Saint David's, and Owen Bishop of Evreux, Richard Bishop of Avranches, Robert Bishop of Hereford, John Bishop of Rochester, Athelwulf Bishop of Carlisle, and other lay signatories. At Oxford, in the year 1136 from the Lord's Incarnation, and the first of my reign.
This charter, in particular, states that Pope Innocent II formally confirmed Stephen's annointment as king. Perhaps one reason why Henry II had to wait till Stephen died in order to take up the kingship.
The promises king Stephen made to the Church might be considered to be worthless in the event that king Henry II had came to power and assumed the kingship in 1154, and that king Stephen's direct heir Eustace was not able to take up his appointment as king and had died anyway having been deposed. King Henry's rule had begun [as the direct descendant of Henry I] and no one was going to question his authority.
References
Documents Illustrative of English Church History p. 66- Gee and Hardy
Oll.libertyfund.org. Online Library of Liberty - II.: THE SECOND OR OXFORD CHARTER OF STEPHEN.1 (1136.) - Magna Carta: A Commentary on the Great Charter of King John, with an Historical Introduction.
Historyofengland.typepad.com. The Charter of Liberties of Stephen - Documents in English History.
En.wikipedia.org. The Anarchy - Wikipedia: New Regime.
England; England. Sovereign (1066-1087 : William I) (1998). Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-820674-3.
Archive.org. Regesta regum anglo-normannorum, 1066-1154
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