ed, and money was brought to it for the king's use
even in the worst times, Stephen's financial resources were from
henceforth sadly diminished.

15. =Anarchy. 1139.=--The war now lapsed into sheer anarchy. The
barons on either side broke loose from all restraint. "They fought
amongst themselves with deadly hatred; they spoiled the fairest lands
with fire and rapine; in what had been the most fertile of counties
they destroyed almost all the provision of bread." All goods and money
they carried off, and if they suspected any man to have concealed
treasure they tortured him to oblige him to confess where it was.
"They hanged up men by the feet and smoked them with foul smoke; some
were hanged up by their thumbs, others by their head, and coats of
mail were hung on to their feet. They put knotted strings about men's
heads, and twisted them till they went to the brain. They put men into
prisons where adders and snakes and toads were crawling; and so they
tormented them. Some they put into a chest, short and narrow and not
deep, and that had sharp stones within; and forced men therein, so
that they broke all their limbs. In many of the castles were hateful
and grim things called neckties, which two or three men had enough to
do to carry. This instrument of torture was thus made: it was fastened
to a beam, and had a sharp iron to go about a man's neck and throat,
so that he might no way sit or lie or sleep, but he bore all the iron.
Many thousands they starved with hunger.... Men said openly that
Christ and His saints were asleep."

16. =The End of the War. 1141--1148.=--In the autumn of =1139=,
Matilda appeared in England, and in =1141= there was a battle at
Lincoln, in which Stephen was taken prisoner. Henry of Winchester (see
p. 131) acknowledged Matilda as queen, and all England submitted to
her, London giving way most reluctantly. Her rule did not last long.
She was as much too harsh as Stephen was too good-natured. She seized
the lands of the Church, and ordered the Londoners to pay a heavy fine
for having supported Stephen. On this the Londoners rang their bells,
and the citizens in arms swarmed out of their houses 'like bees out of
a hive.' Matilda fled to Winchester before them. Bishop Henry then
turned against her. Robert of Gloucester was taken prisoner, and after
a while Matilda was obliged to set free King Stephen in exchange for
her brother. Fighting continued for some time. On all sides men were
longing for