A HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE neighbouring parts. The rest of the country was a scene of anarchy and feuds between rival nobles. Of the great men of Staffordshire Robert de Ferrers, the third and surviving son of Henry de Ferrers the Domesday commissioner, raised a body of men from the country round his castle of Tutbury and from Derbyshire to assist in defeating the Scots at Northallerton in 1 1 38," and for his valour was made an earl by Stephen. It should not be forgotten that the creation of earls by both Stephen and Maud was an expedient for strengthening their respective parties, and it is possible that the frequent changing of sides which marked the struggle may have been caused by the desire of these newly-created nobles to obtain confirmation of their titles from both competitors. 64 One staunch supporter in Staffordshire Stephen had in the person of Robert Marmion, the lord of Tamworth Castle." When the king was taken prisoner at Lincoln his estates were given by the victorious Maud to Sir William de Beauchamp, but Sir Robert was loyal in spite of adversity, and fighting against the Earl of Chester at Coventry met his death by a curious accident. Matthew Paris describes him as a warlike man, 68 who had expelled the monks of Coventry from their church and made a castle of it, and falling into one of the ditches which he had dug for its protection, he broke his thigh and was dispatched by a common soldier as he lay helpless. 67 Ralph Paynel of Dudley, the son of Fulke Paynel, who is thought to have married Fitz Anculf s heiress, fortified the castle against Stephen, who besieged it, and ' having burnt the country around and taken a great booty of animals, he went on against Shrewsbury Castle.' 68 Gervase Paynel, too, Ralph's son, held Ludlow against the king. The evils of ' uncurbed feudalism ' during Stephen's reign of anarchy made the law and order enforced by Henry II additionally welcome. His activity in carrying out his reforms caused him to exercise a close superin- tendence over his officers, and between 1155 and 1 157 he was three or four times in Staffordshire. In 1158 he came to Tamworth with a considerable train, among whom was Thomas Becket the chancellor, and they were the guests of Robert Marmion at Tamworth Castle. But the great measures which were the glory of Henry's reign found no favour with the baronage, who saw their own influence limited by them, and in 1173 they formed a vast conspiracy, finding in the discontent of the king's sons a sufficient pretext. The revolt, though unsuccessful in 1173, was renewed next year. But Henry had the support of the Church, the towns, the mass of the people, and the new official class, and by August the rebellion was over and the castles of the rebels were surrendered one by one with little resistance, among them being Tutbury. 69 Robert de Ferrers had assisted in the burning of Nottingham, and was then besieged by the Welsh at Tutbury, but on the approach of Henry's army he went to Northampton and there submitted to a Dugdale, Baronage, i, 259. M Stubbs, Const. Hist, i, 391. 55 This Robert was the son of Roger Marmion, who had probably been given the forfeited estates of Robert Dispensator by Henry I. M Cbron. Maj. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 177. 57 Dugdale, Baronage, i, 376. Round, Feud. Engl. 195, does not allow the disinterestedness of Robert Marmion ; he says, ' in their rivalry for Tamworth the Marmions embraced the cause of Stephen, and the Beauchamps that of Maud, their variance being terminated under Henry II by a matrimonial alliance.' 58 Flor. of Wore. Cbron. (Engl. Hist. Soc.), ii, no. " Roger of Hoveden, Cbron. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 65. 224
