CHAP. instincts are fabulous. With the spirit's triumph over V. A.D. 1120-21. the abnormal, this king had naught to do. Robert grovelling at Cardiff, Juliana freezing in the moat, picture for us the unmerciful one, slight traces of whose equity are overshadowed by constant rigour, which the sombre form of blinded Mortagne and the dim fate of Belésme illustrate prominently: where, too, exhaustive taxings, bloody penalties, crowd and stain the limnings of his rule; and the vulgar colours of ambition and money-love lie all too thick and close to that cold neglect of his country which had been W. Malm. the true feature to be presented. Whenever it became known in a place that the king was coming, the inhabitants fled from their houses and sheltered in the woods.' 'Querulous multitudes thronged the court or met the royal cheaters on the way, offering their ploughs in token of ruined husbandry.' Certés, therefore, the propensities of the freebooter survived W. Malm. in him. He coveted mainly; but with a caution; preferring state craft to force. We have yet to see in what and how far the first Henry surpassed his brother and his father in administration of the realm. Eadmer, p. 94. Selden, ad Eadm. 216. Dialog. de Scacc. de Gestis Regum, v. A.D. 1121. J. Cont. A.S.Chron. "That he might not lead a dissolute life,' by advice of Primate Ralf and of the barons, Henry sent envoys Wig. to Godfrey VII. Count of Louvaine (by favour of the Eadmer. P. emperor, Duke of Lower Lorraine and Marquess of and C. E. 8. Antwerp), demanding in marriage his daughter Athelis (Alice). And the princess, arriving speedily at Windsor, received, with signal pomp, nuptial benediction at the hands of William Bishop of Winchester, and, on the next day, consecration and the crown from the archbishop. In London, at Pentecost, the king H. Hunt. and queen sate in state at the board, 'the bride's beauty dazzling her diadem.' In summer, the Welsh, Jan. 29. Jan. 30. CHAP. V. A.D. 1121-23. emboldened by vacancy of the earldom, burst the Chester marches. And Henry in person led forth an army; met Griffyth in Powis; and, on falling into an ambush, was wounded in the breast. Unaccountably, A.S.Chron. however, this campaign-of which there remains but questionable memorial-issued in Welsh peace, and on Powel. the king's own terms; viz., hostages and 1,000 head of cattle. And once again, 'the whole of Wales acknow- J. Cont. ledged the dominion of England.' Wig. A.D. 1122. 33. But more serious events occurred. The Count of A.S.Chron. Anjou, returning from Jerusalem, sent to fetch home o. Vit. xii. his daughter; requiring also restitution of her dowry. The demand honest, since the marriage with Prince William had not been consummated-involved Henry's relinquishment of Le Mayne and of the Cotentin. Moreover, the fact that Henry had no male heir tended to disquiet Normandy and to resuscitate the Clito's claims. We have no note of any response to Fulke. The king kindly treated his daughter-in-law, and would fain have married her to some faithful magnate. Under all surroundings she was a valuable pawn. He retained her at the present: but the child, while scarcely thirteen A.D.1128. years of age, devoted herself; and, after a time, becoming Abbess of Fontevrault, deceased. On the other hand affairs in the duchy gave alarm. Amaury de Montfort, Count d'Evreux, still hankering after his citadel, and 'embittered by seeing the royal bailiffs harass his people,' now prevailed on the Count of Anjou to betroth his younger daughter, Sibylla, to Duke Robert's son; and Fulke, receiving the Clito on those terms, gave him Le Mayne as marriage dowry, till he should recover his hereditary domains. Amaury, farther advantaged by the general levity of Normans,' engaged many to revolt; Waleran Count of Meulan, William de Rou A.D. 1150-54. A.D. 1122-23. CHAP. V. A.D. 1122-23. mere, Hugh de Montfort (Risle), Hugh de Chateauneuf en Themerais, William Louvel Sieur d' Ivri, Baudic de Brai, Paganus de Gisors and others unnamed. Roumere, having been refused his mothers' land which Ralf de Bayeux (Meschines) had exchanged with the king for the earldom of Chester and the lordship of Corby, stands justified in some sort: but the incitement to rebellion in the heir of that Robert de Bellomont whom Henry had so deservedly esteemed is of uncertain origin. The king had brought up the brothers Waleran and Robert as though they had been his own sons, had knighted them; putting the elder in possession of all his father's feofs, the county of Mellent or Meulan in France and the territory of Beaumont, Brionne and Pont Audemar, in Normandy; granting to the the earldom of Leicester with its appurteyounger nances, and giving him in marriage Amice, daughter of Ralf de Guader, together with Bréteuil and the lands A.D. 1123. held under it for her dowry. Notwithstanding, Waleran strengthened the king's adversaries, bestowing his sisters Adeliza, Amice, and Aubrey, upon Hugh de Montfort, Hugh de Neufchatel and William Louvel, respectively. And the confederates met at Waleran's manour La Croix S. Leuffroy. The date of Henry's liaison with Elizabeth de Bellomont is unknown: if it were not the means of alienating Waleran, it may have effected his redintegration at a later time. Sept. June. Oct. xii. 34. Now the king had come to Normandy before midsummer-as it would seem in the matters between him and the Count of Anjou. And, being at Rouen, one Sunday after dinner, he marched forth in power; none knowing wherefore. Suddenly calling to his presence Hugh de Montfort, he required of him instant resignation of his fortress. Hugh, surprised, denayed not. Nevertheless, as he rode with those who should have received the keys, he spurred through forest byeways; and, bidding his brother and his wife hold out against the royal arms, bore his tidings at a gallop on to Brionne. The king advanced on Montfort, within two days reduced the town to ashes and took all forts except the tower, yet, though assaulting often, failed to quell the garrison. After a month, he accepted terms from the besieged, and would fain have made peace with De Montfort himself, offering to his wife and child 'the open part of the domains' if only he would return to allegiance. V. A.D. 1123. 36. And then he marched on Pont Audemar. The town, large and rich, soon kindled and soon vanished in its own smoke. Howbeit French knights held the fort; o. Vit. xii. and for six or seven weeks contemned all machinations s. Dunelm. of the adversary. The king himself anxiously conducted the siege; as if yet young, animating the troops and the engineers; teaching carpenters to build a Berfrey that should top the walls; in pleasant vein chiding and encouraging all. At length, by frequent attackspossibly by effecting exhaustion-he brought the garrison to capitulate. And the importance of this act— assuredly perceived by Henry-may be inferred from the fact that there marched out with horse and baggage, Louis of Senlis grand butler of France, Harcher, the grand cuisinier, Simon Tresnil or Fresnil of Poissy, Luke de la Barre, Ralf Fitz Durand; while, in their interest, Simon de Peronne, Simon de Neauffle (one of the Montfort-Amaury family), Guy Malvoison, Peter de Maule, William d' Aiguillon and nearly 200 other French men-at-arms, had raided the king's lands, o. Vit. xii. hitherto, without let. Farther, pending this siege, the 37. conspirators had attempted Gisors. Having concealed V. A.D. 1123-24. CHAP. troops therein, with intent to slay the king's warden and seize the tower, they invited Chandos to a parley. Other soldiers mixed among the market folk and thronged the town. Chandos delayed. Baldwin de Brai, waxing impatient, called to arms and secured the nearest gate: Chandos, unaware, now rode forth; but, alarmed at the surroundings, retired. Thereupon Amaury de Montfort and W. Crispin from the hill over against the castle, made demonstration. And here, also, the common lot of besieged bourgs befel. The garrison fired the neighbouring houses, and the flames drave the enemy from the walls. Presently, the king advancing from Pont Audemar, Paganus de Gisors and his confederates fled. Hugh, Paganus' son, being faithful, received his father's feof: but the justices sequestrated the county of Evreux and declared O. Vit. xii. Amaury's inheritance forfeited therein. The gain, in this autumn campaign, had been the castle and lands of Montfort sur Risle, Pont Audemar with prestige of success, and the adherence of W. Harcourt, a scion of the Bellomonts. The royal army hibernated strongly, Ranulf of Bayeux in Evreux, Henry de Pomerei in Pont Audemar, Odo Borleg in Bernei. 38. A.D. 1124. 5. 39. In Lent, the scene of war shifted from Risle and Epte to the banks of Seine. Henry, entrenching before O. Vit. xii. Vatteville, which lay in charge of Herbert and Roger de Lisieux, and eight men-at-arms, Waleran with his three brothers-in-law and Amaury convoyed provisions into the tower. The situation gave rise to a quaint affair and to doleful issue. Early one morning, some handy wight, with iron hook, drew down from Henry's ramparts, Walter de Valiquerville, commander. And intelligence of these things spreading, the king's castellans of Evreux, Pont Audemar and Bernei, in concert, rallied |