Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1140. Thereafter died William, Archbishop of Canterbury; and the king (age 46) made Theobald (age 50) archbishop, who was Abbot of Bec. After this waxed a very great war betwixt the king (age 46) and Randolph, Earl of Chester (age 41); not because he did not give him all that he could ask him, as he did to all others; but ever the more he gave them, the worse they were to him. The Earl held Lincoln against the king (age 46), and took away from him all that he ought to have. And the king (age 46) went thither, and beset him and his brother William de Romare in the castle.

Florence of Worcester Continuation. 02 Feb 1141. Stephen made prisoner at the battle of Lincoln. Stephen, king of England, after long toils and sieges of castles, in which he had struggled during five years and six weeks for the peace of the kingdom, at last, on the day of the Purification of St. Mary [2nd February], which fell on Sexagesima Sunday, was, by the just judgment of God, outmaneuvred and taken prisoner at the siege of Lincoln castle by Robert, earl of Gloucester, his uncle's son, and Ranulph, earl of Cheser¹, and, being first brought to Gloucester on Quinquagesima Sunday [9th February], was then conducted to the city of Bristol and placed in custody. Many of his adherents were taken with him and thrown into prison.

Note 1. The best account of the battle of Lincoln is given by Henry of Huntingdon, who was a canon of that church, and most probably resident there at the time of the battle. See his History, pp. 273–280, Antiq. Lib. The account in "Gesta Stephani" is singularly deficient in details, ibid, p. 378. Roger of Wendover's is rather more circumstantial, ibid, vol. i., p. 492.

On 02 Feb 1141 the army of Empress Matilda (age 38) commanded by Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester (age 42) defeated the army of King Stephen I England (age 47). Matilda's army included Ranulf Gernon 4th Earl Chester (age 42) and Madog ap Maredudd Mathrafal Prince Powys. King Stephen I England (age 47), Gilbert Gaunt 1st Earl Lincoln (age 15), William "The Younger" Peverell (age 61) and Ilbert Lacy 3rd Baron Pontefract were captured. William "Fat" Blois 1st Earl Albemarle aka Aumale 1st Earl York (age 40) fought for Stephen, his cousin.