superstitious than in England. Few circumstances show the religious feeling of the two countries better than the simple fact, that in the former Henry's compliance with the edict of the church, in cutting of his long hair and beard, was hailed with joy. In the latter it was made a subject of ridicule and contempt.

Great preparation was made in England to welcome back the primate, whose bigotry was the fault of the age; his virtues were peculiarly his own. The Queen, in person, hastened to receive him upon his landing at Dover, and conducted him, with all honor, to the metropolis, by slow and easy stages, on account of his age and enfeebled health.

Independent of the regard which Matilda naturally felt for Anselm, who had been, in a great measure, the means of raising her to her present rank, she was sufficiently alive to the interests of the king to do all in her power to conciliate the venerable archbishop; and yet his return gave rise to proceedings which must have inflicted great pain upon her heart, since they were chiefly directed against her unhappy countrymen.

Immediately upon his return the archbishop proceeded to enforce that great object of the policy of the court of Rome, the celibacy of the clergy, which in England had not hitherto been observed by the inferior orders. All who were married and refused to separate from their wives and children, were instantly excommunicated by the inexorable primate, and deprived of their benefices by the king.

Their sufferings must have been dreadful.

The Catholic historian, Dr. Lingard, tells us, that upwards of two hundred of the despoiled and excommunicated clergy, barefooted, but clad in their robes, encountered the king and queen as they rode through the city, shortly after the return of the archbishop, and implored their compassion. Henry repulsed them with scorn and insult, using many harsh words and bitter reproaches. Matilda turned reluctantly from them, assuring them, in answer to their prayers, that she dared not interfere.

In 1104, Matilda gave birth to a daughter, who, according to the historian we have just quoted, was first christened Alice;

but Henry, from politic motives, no doubt, changed her name to Matilda-he knew how popular her mother's virtues had made it throughout the realm. This daughter was afterwards the celebrated Empress Maud.

This princess her mother caused to be carefully educated at Wilton, in the convent where she herself had passed so many tedious years, exposed to the persecutions of that royal virago, Christina, her aunt.

Wilton appears to have been the place where the royal females of the line of Alfred received their education; and Matilda, moved by that consideration, most probably stifled her own feelings on the subject, knowing that her compliance with the ancient custom would be grateful to the people.

It was during Henry's sojourn in England that he received a visit from his unfortunate brother Robert, whom he appears to have treated with heartless cruelty. The affairs of the elder prince being in a most desperate state in Normandy, he came over to England slightly attended, and proceeded to Northamp ton, where the court was then residing. It was not without considerable difficulty that he forced himself into his brother's presence, who had given orders not to admit him.

Henry was returning from the council, when the now humbled Robert broke through the attendants, and besought his compassion.

"Behold me!" he said, "your elder brother, reduced to this extremity willing to accede to everything-provided you permime to retain the shadow of royalty in my native Normandy! Remember, Henry," he added, "that we are brothers! that I have twice been despoiled of a throne which was mine by right of birth; and that when you and your friends were surrounded at St. Michael by the troops of Rufus and myself, without a supply of water, that I not only permitted your garrison to supply themselves, but sent to the besieged fortress wine for your own use!"

Henry turned away.

"What!" exclaimed the suppliant," "will you not answer me ?"

His brother muttered a few indistinct words, which were unintelligble even to the nearest to him: the fact was, the politic but ungenerous Henry had resolved upon the accomplishment of the Conqueror's prediction-he wished to reign both over England and Normandy.

The once handsome countenance of Robert became flushed with passion for the sake of peace, he had submitted to a humiliation which must have been very painful to one of his ardent nature.

"Farewell!" he said; "like a fool I trusted to the affection of a brother; henceforth I will trust only to the sword! All ties are now broken between us, Henry: I have been cheated out of the realm of England by you and your fair queen-duped of my birth-right, like an easy fool: but Robert is not yet subdued; false king and most unnatural brother, I scorn and defy you!"

Without waiting for a reply, the incensed speaker withdrew from the palace, and, mounting his horse, left Northampton before Henry had sufficiently recovered from his rage and mortification to give orders to arrest him. When he did so it was too late. The fugitive prince made the best of his way to Southampton, and embarked for Normandy, whither, in the ensuing spring, Henry followed him, in order to bring the war to a conclusion.

The Battle of Tinchebray was fought on the eve of St. Michael, exactly forty years after the Battle of Hastings. Henry remained victor of the field to the great delight of the English, who considered the triumph of the husband of their adored queen as a revenge for the subjugation of their own country by the Normans.

In the battle the unfortunate Robert and his son William, the heir of the duchy, were taken prisoners, together with the nobles who adhered to his cause, and his party was completely broken. Thus the prediction of the Conqueror was fulfilled, and his younger son reaped the inheritance of both the brothers.

Robert was carried to Cardiff Castle, where he died after a long captivity. It is a reproach to the memory of Matilda that

she never exerted herself to procure the liberation of her godfather and brother-in-law, who, with all his defects, had conducted himself, on the most trying occasion of her life, generously towards her. The only excuse to be offered is in the possibility that Henry, who was now firmly seated on the throne, both in England and Normandy, no longer paid that deference to her wishes which he had shown in the early days of their marriage.

The only voice raised in behalf of the captive prince was that of the pope, who remonstrated frequently in his favor. A letter is still extant, in which his victorious brother assured the pontiff that, far from treating Robert as a prisoner, he merely held him in an honorable restraint. It is more than probable that the naturally strong intellect of his brother had gradually given way under the debasing habit of intoxication to which he had given way, and which those around him had doubtless orders to encourage to the utmost of their power. During the repeated absences of her husband in his wars upon the continent, Matilda, who was intrusted with the government of the kingdom, occupied herself with architecture. Windsor, and the royal lodgings in the Tower, owe their existence in a great measure to the munificence of this princess, whose hold upon the affections of the nation continued undiminished during the whole period of her eventful reign; in fact, the people generally considered her more in the light of their sovereign regnant, than as the wife of Henry Beauclerc.

By her influence, the ferocity of the forest laws was considerably modified, and the Norman nobles repressed in their licentious, oppressive conduct to the subjugated Saxons; trade was protected-merchants being enabled to travel in comparative

security.

Had the administration of Matilda been less popular, it would have been impossible for Henry to have prosecuted his designs against his unhappy brother, his son William being too young to be intrusted with the regency.

Amongst the prisoners taken at the battle of Tinchebray, was the aged uncle of Matilda, Edgar Atheling, whose friendship for

Robert had induced him to join his cause.

At the entreaties of the queen, Henry not only restored him to liberty, but settled a considerable pension upon him: acting at the same time with prudence as well as generosity-for the nation would never have permitted him to take the life of the heir of their great King Alfred.

With the defeat of his friend, the political life of Edgar Atheling may be considered closed; he never again emerged from his obscurity.

CHAPTER XIII.

And ye that from the stately brow

Of Windsor's heights the expanse below

Of grove, of lawn, of mead survey,

Whose turf, whose shade, whose flowers among,

Wanders he, hoary Thames, along,

His silver, winding way.

GRAY.

THE year which followed the defeat and imprisonment of the unfortunate Robert Courthose was marked by an important event in the domestic history of Henry and his queen. For the first time they held their court at Windlesore since corrupted into the name of Windsor-the only edifice worthy of royalty in this country. Originally it had been a hunting-seat of William the Conqueror—who, taking advantage of its commanding situation and proximity to London, which was ever ready to revolt against him-erected a castle or fortress on the ancient site. Matilda converted it into a palace.

Although England was indebted to the Saxon queen for many of her noblest edifices, she had a yet stronger claim upon the gratitude of the nation. It appears to have been the aim of her life to induce her husband to govern according to the laws of Alfred. The Conqueror and his son, William Rufus, had both ruled despotically, taking counsel only of their interests and