for the glorification of the church, to go like himself with bare faces and scantily-adorned pates.

During the winter season, which was passed by the queen and her royal lord at Northampton, Henry was himself oc

had previously always been allowed to marry, to lead a life of celibacy, on pain of excommunication; and although Matilda durst not interfere in the matter. deputation after deputation of these poor ccclesiastics waited upon her, and implored her, as for their very lives, to per-cupied in raising the means for carrying suade the king, out of compassion for their on the war he had so successfully begun disconsolate wives and children, to permit in Normandy. them again to embrace their families. In 1105, or, as some historians state, in 1104, the queen gave birth to a princess, who was first christened Alice, but afterwards, by the desire of the king, named Matilda, and who, whilst but yet a child, was placed by her royal mother in the abbey at Wilton, where she was educated with great care.

In the autumn of this year (1105), Henry returned from his successful campaign in Normandy, and was gratified on finding that the queen had so ably exercised the functions of government during his absence, that the general aspect of affairs had improved, and not a single insurrection had occurred.

On learning this, his brother, Duke Robert, having neither funds nor the aid of powerful friends to support his cause, became so impressed with the hopelessness of his position, that in the depth of winter he came over to England and earnestly implored the king to permit him to retain at least the appearance of royalty; but Henry treated the penniless prodigal with such insolent disdain, that, as on a former occasion, he retired in disgust, without effecting his purpose.

At the first faint glimpse of spring, in 1106, the king again entrusted Matilda with the reins of his government, and embarked for the continental dominions of his brother Robert, declaring that, beWhilst in Normandy, Henry endea- fore the coming autumn moistened the voured to gain the favour of the clergy-earth with its chilling tears, he would a difficult task, as he had greatly of win the crown of Normandy, or die in fended the pious world by exalting Roger the attempt. le Poer, from the station of a poor priest, to the archbishopric of York, and the chancellorship of the state, and that for no other reason than Roger having, seven years back, in compliance with Beauclerc's own request, hurried over the church service in half an hour. Henry, however, gained his purpose in rather a singular manner. He and his train wore waving ringlets and moustaches, a practice at that time usual in England, but deemed by the superstitious Normans highly sinful. He, therefore, entered a church, listened with apparent attention to a sermon, preached by Serlo, Bishop of Seez, against beards and long hair, and declared himself so moved by the truthfulness and eloquence of the prelate's discourse, that, in the presence of the congregation, he submitted his flowing locks and graceful moustaches to the scissors of the worthy Serlo, who cropped his head and face with a graceful but most unsparing hand. Henry next issued a decree, compelling all his lieges,

It was during the frequent absence of her royal lord in Normandy that Matilda directed her attention to architecture, and so liberally furthered the views of the learned Gundulph, architect of the Tower of London and other time-defying structures. The hospital of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, the church and hospital of St. Catherine, near the Tower of London, and the priory of the Holy Trinity, afterwards named Christ Church, in Duke's Place, London, now a noted resort of peddling Jews, remained for many centuries monuments of her munificent bounty. By her queenly desire was built Bow Bridge, at Stratford-leBow, said to be the first stone bridge erected in England; and also Channel's Bridge, over a tributary of the Lea; whilst, not unmindful of the importance of good roads, she had the ancient highways, which had fallen into decay during the late civil wars, put in repair, and many new ones made. The good queen was also a most active and liberal pa

troness of religious houses, especially | absence, Matilda resided at Westminster, those devoted to the fair sex. To the where, surrounded by her splendid court, convent at the ancient and stately abbey she, by works of charity and public utiof Barking, whose abbess took precc-lity, and by firmly upholding the Saxon dence of every abbess in the kingdom, form of legislature, ensured the good to that once celebrated school the nunnery will of the people, whose social and poof Stratford, to the conventual establish- litical advancement she so loved to proments of London, and to the monastery mote. at Westminster, she was a frequent and diligent visitant, zealously preserving their governments free from abuses, and largely adding to their endowments.

rally styled by the English "the Athel- yet in the flower of her age, closed her ing," as heir presumptive to the ducal eyes in the sicep of death. For sevencrown; after which the king returned. teen years and six months had the good with his royal son, then but twelve years queen ruled with motherly affection over old, to England, where, early in autumn, her loving English subjects, who now he called together that memorable coun- mourned her loss as a great national cacil of the nobles and the representatives lamity. The king's grief, when he reof the people, from which some histo-ceived the mournful tidings of the death rians date the origin of that buttress of of his consort, was bitter and deeply disBritish liberty, the House of Commons. tressing; but the same circumstances "At this assembly," says Malmsbury, that had hitherto detained him in Nor"all the freemen of England and Nor-mandy prevented him from honouring mandy, of whatsoever order and dignity, her funeral with his presence. or to what lord soever they were vassals or tenants, were made to do homage and swear fealty to William, son of King Henry and Queen Matilda."

During the Christmas festival of this year, Matilda and her royal lord were sumptuously entertained at the abbey of St. Alban's, by the Abbot Richards, whose guests they were. The building of the magnificent fabric had just been completed, and Matilda, being its most munificent patroness, she efficiated at its consecration, which took place in the presence of a vast assembly of prelates and nobles, on Christmas day, 1115.

In 1116, the king took his son, William, to Normandy, where he tarried till November, in the following year, when Matilda's health being in a declining state, he left his royal heir in charge of his Norman nobles, and returned to England. After a brief sojourn, his affairs compelled him to again embark for Normandy, where he was actively occupied chastising his unruly barons; when, on the first of May, 1118, Matilda, whilst

History mentions so many spots as the reposing place of the relics of Matilda the Good, that it is impossible, with certainty, to point to the site of her grave. Tyrrell assures us she was buried at Winchester. Piers of Langtoft claims the honour of owning her tomb for St. Paul's cathedral, and the monks of Reading stoutly maintained that in their own stately abbey lay the mortal remains of their royal benefactress. But the tradition most generally received is, that her obsequics were solemnized, with much grandeur, on St. Philip's day, in Westminster Abbey, where her body was entombed beside that of her sainted uncle, Edward the Confessor; and that a stately monument, which time has long since destroyed, was there raised to her memory by the citizens of London, who, to mark their affection for the first consort of Beauclerc, whom tradition has handed down to us with the endearing and honourable surname of "the Good," annually provided a pall, and oil to burn before her greatly-revered sepulchrc.

ADELICIA OF LOUVAINE,

Second Queen of Benry the First.

CHAPTER I.

Henry's grief for the loss of Matilda-Protects his continental possessions from the French-Concludes a peace with France-His daughter Matilda crowned Empress of Germany, and his son William invested with the ducal crown of NormandyHenry embarks for England-Wreck of the Blanche Neuf, and loss of Henry's children-His grief-He is advised to marry-Proposes for Adelicia-Marries with great pomp at Windsor-Henry and Adelicia crowned at Westminster-High genealogy of Adelicia-Her beauty and elegant accomplishments-She becomes a favourite with the people-Upholds morality and religion, and affords munificent encouragement to learning--Her court becomes the court of the greatest scholars and minstrels of the times-She is praised by Henry of Huntingdon-The first menagerie erected in England.

LTHOUGH Henry | the preceding year, been advantageously the First had bit- contracted to the illustrious Alice, daughterly bewailed the ter of Fulk, the powerful Earl of Anjou. loss of his queen, Ma- This marriage was solemnized at Litilda the Good, he sieux, in Burgundy county, and the was for a period too feasts and pageants with which it was actively engaged in celebrated only ceased in November, protecting his conti- 1120, when the king, Prince William, nental possessions from the ambitious and the English nobles repaired to Bargrasp of the French King, Louis the fleur, whither they embarked for EngSixth, to seek consolation in a second land, on the twenty-fifth day of the marriage. But fierce and protracted as month, a day rendered memorable by this contest was, victory at length de- the fatal wreck of the Blanche Neuf, or clared in favour of the energetic Beau- white ship, in which Prince William, clerc, who now ruled in undisturbed pos- two of the king's natural children, two session the powerful dominions of Eng- of his nephews, and a host of youthful land and Normandy. The year 1120, nobles found a watery grave. saw Henry at the summit of his greatness. With France he had just concluded a honourable peace; his daughter Matilda had been crowned Empress of Germany, and his son, Prince William, whom he had invested with the ducal crown of Normandy, had, in the June of

The royal fleet, which had sailed with the king and his train, but a few hours before the white ship commenced its voyage of death, reached Southampton in safety, and for three weary days did the monarch, in anxious expectation, await the arrival of his son. The sad

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tidings of the wreck reached the court. | successor of Anselm, whom death had but none dared communicate it to the snatched away in 1109-and other of his king. At length, however, a youthful peers and prelates, advised Henry to espage, at the request of Theobald de Blois. | pouse the far-famed beautiful Adelicia, fell on his knees, and whispered to the daughter of Godfrey Barbatus, Duke of impatient Henry, how the angry waters Louvaine. had, at one stroke, destroyed all on board In 1120, the king, with a numerous the ill-fated vessel, deprived him of his train, proceeded to Louvaine. The duke beloved heir, and blighted all his long-received him with great joy, and was so cherished plans. "You must not grieve, well pleased with the munificent dower Sire," continued the page, "for the ca- he fixed on the fair Adelicia, that, after tastrophe is not the work of man, but the betrothment, which was celebrated the doing of the great Ruler of all desti- on the sixteenth of April, he willingly nies." consigned England's future queen to her "Grieve, forsooth!" exclaimed the affianced lord. The royal pair, after a king, who, during the recital, had become prosperous voyage, arrived in England, greatly excited. By the devil's dam- at the close of the year; and the nuptials nation, have you been cramming ro- were publicly solemnized, with great mances of hell into my ears, that I pomp, at Windsor, on the feast of Canshould become a raving maniac. The dlemus, January the twenty-fourth, 1121. hope of my heart --the prop of my crown It was at this marriage, that an immy poor William, dead! drowned! portant prerogative of the see of CanOh, my heart will burst! Yet, say terbury was established. King Henry quick, whence comes this tale of woe desired the solemn offices to be performed by his favourite short-sermon preacher. Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, but the aged Ralph, Archbishop of Canterbury, who was a great stickler for the prerogatives of his see, claimed the right as his, which he enforced by calling a council of the clergy, who solemnly pronounced, that in whatever part of the kingdom the king and queen might be, they were the sole parishioners of the Archbishop of Canterbury. This dispute delayed the celebration of the royal nuptials; but, as the chagrined Beauclerc found it expedient to bow to the decision of the clergy, the learned primate performed the ceremony in triumph.

As the tears of compassion moistened the checks of the little page, he replied, 'Sire, believe me, it is all true as gospel; every word that I have recited, you would have had from the lips of Theobald de Blois, had he have dared to salute the ears of royalty with such unwelcome intelligence."

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Oh, St. Mary, St. Mary! that I should have lived to hear this," exclaimed he king, who, overcome by the shock, fell senseless on the floor.

On recovering consciousness, his at.endants removed him to his chamber, where, overwhelmed with sorrow, he lay for weeks on the bed of sickness, refusing food till life had almost given way. His heart was broken; and although convalescence returned, never once, even to the day of his death, was his grief-furrowed countenance again brightened by the smile of gladness. Melancholy had firmly grasped his constitution, and his temper had become so soured and hasty, that his nobles, whom he frequently abused with unkingly oaths, could scarcely endure his presence.

It was evident that the throne being without a male heir, was the worm that corroded the king's heart; therefore, Ralph, Archbishop of Canterbury-the

Thwarted in the performance of his marriage ceremonials the king resolved that on this occasion, himself and his bride should receive the insignia of royalty from the hands of his favourite prelate. The coronation took place at Westminster, on the day following the marriage. But the old paralytic Ralph was not so easily to be deprived of the important right of crowning the king and queen. Tottering into the church, just as Roger le Poer had hastily placed the crown on the brow of his royal master, he stopped the ceremony, smote the royal circlet from the offending monarch's