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Stephen, A. D. 1135–1154.

7. After the melancholy death of Prince William, Henry's only surviving legitimate child was Maud or Matilda, who became the wife of Henry V., emperor of Germany. Being left a widow in 1124, she returned to her father, by whom she was married to Geoffrey Plantagenet, count of Anjou, in 1127. In a general assembly of nobility and clergy held at Windsor Castle in 1126, she had been declared nearest heir to the throne, all swearing to maintain her succession; and when, in 1133, she was delivered of a son, who was named Henry after his grandfather, the barons of England and Normandy swore fealty to her and her heirs. But oaths of fidelity in those days were as unscrupulously broken as they were heedlessly made; and the old king was scarcely dead before these same barons and the clergy elected his sister's son, Stephen, count of Blois, to the vacant throne, declaring that they would not have a woman to rule over them.

The early days of the new reign were peaceful and happy, and by lavishing his treasures Stephen confirmed the attachment of his adherents and acquired extensive popularity. He made liberal grants of the estates which the Conqueror had reserved for his own portion; and created earls and independent governors in districts hitherto administered by royal officers. Geoffrey of Anjou, Matilda's husband, received a pension of 5000 marks on condition of remaining neuter; and Robert of Gloucester, the late king's natural son, rendered homage and made oath of fidelity.

But this calm was not of long duration; and about 1137, Maltilda's partisans openly declared themselves. The English nation took no part in the quarrels of their conquerors, as they had done in former years, but prepared to profit by their dissensions, and even formed a plan to massacre all the Normans in one day. The conspirators renewed the ancient alliance of the Saxon patriots with the Welsh and Scots, and designed to place the king of the latter people on their emancipated throne. The secret was revealed in the confessional; most of the conspirators escaped into Wales, while those who were seized were put to death in various ways.

8. BATTLE OF THE STANDARD.-In 1138, notwithstanding the failure of the Saxon conspiracy, David, king of Scotland, entered England to support his niece Matilda's claim to the throne. He was immediately joined by the population of the

frontier counties; and the invading army soon overran almost without resistance the whole country from the Tweed to the boundaries of Yorkshire. It would appear that David's army committed many barbarous excesses, which were purposely exaggerated to arouse the spirit of the English. At the same time the Norman barons skilfully appealed to old local superstitions: they invoked the names of the Saxon saints, whom they had formerly treated with contempt, and Archbishop Thurstan of York brought forth the ancient banners of St Cuthbert of Durham, St John of Beverley, and St Wilfrid of Ripon. The Anglo-Norman army occupied a position at Northallerton, between York and Durham, and here they erected that remarkable standard, from which the battle takes its name. It consisted of a four-wheeled car, on which was fixed the mast of a ship decorated with the banners of the three English saints, and surmounted by a large crucifix and a silver box containing the consecrated wafer. The Scots, whose banner was a simple pennon, like a lancer's flag, advanced impetuously to the combat with loud shouts of "Albyn! Albyn!" But notwithstanding their gallantry they produced little effect upon the mail-clad Normans, and suffered much from the Saxon archers, who galled them on each flank. During more than two hours the struggle continued, until, wearied rather than defeated, the assailants gave way and fled. A large body, however, retreated in such good order as to prevent pursuit; and three days afterwards, the Scottish king collected his scattered forces at Carlisle, and prepared to resume offensive operations. The battle of the Standard, in which 12,000 of the Scots are said to have fallen, was fought on the 22d of August 1138. It was the principal event of the war, which was brought to a close in the following year by a treaty that left David in possession of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmoreland.

9. In September 1139, Matilda, in compliance with the wishes of her partisans, landed at Arundel in Sussex, where she was surprised by the king, who, though he had her completely in his power, generously allowed her to join her halfbrother Robert at Bristol. At the news of her arrival, many of the barons in the north and west renounced their allegiance to Stephen and ranged themselves on her side; while numerous bands of foreign mercenaries crowded to the standards of each party, attracted by the hope of plunder. As usual in such contests the people suffered the greatest miseries; and

so extreme was the terror excited by the atrocities of the soldiery, that the appearance of two or three horsemen near a town was sufficient to drive the inhabitants from their dwellings. Many were shut up in the feudal castles, which greatly increased in number during this unsettled period; and the ruthless proprietors did not scruple to practise the most ferocious cruelties to extort the treasures of their prisoners. So utter was the desolation to which the country was reduced by this intestine war, that a traveller might go a whole day's journey without seeing a cultivated field or meeting a human being.

It would be tedious to follow the course of hostilities down to the time when Stephen was defeated and taken prisoner at Lincoln by the Earl of Gloucester, Matilda's natural brother. A.D. Before the end of the year he was restored to liberty 1141. in exchange for Gloucester, who had fallen into the hands of Stephen's partisans. Without coming to any decisive engagement, the opposing parties kept the country in constant alarm by a succession of petty skirmishes, and seemed to vie with each other in burning and pillaging defenceless towns and villages. At length, in 1153, the death of Prince Eustace, Stephen's son, removed the principal obstacle to negotiation; and at a council held at Winchester in November, Stephen declared his heir and successor to be Henry Plantagenet, son of Matilda and the Count of Anjou. The king did not long survive this arrangement: he died at Dover on the 25th October 1154, in the fiftieth year of his age, and was buried at Faversham in Kent by the side of his wife Maud, who had been dead three years.

EXERCISES.

1. Who competed with William Rufus for the crown? How did the brothers settle their differences? To whose aid did William appeal against the Normans? Did he keep his promises?

2. What caused a revolt in Northumberland? What was the origin of the Crusades? How did William acquire Normandy? Describe the circumstances of his death. What great building did he raise?

3. How did Henry I. consolidate his power? Against whom had he to contest the throne? What arrangement was made regarding England and Normandy? What was the result of the dispute when it broke out again? 4. What was the character of the court and aristocracy in Henry's time? Mention the persons concerned in a celebrated act of atrocity. What part did Henry take in it?

5. Who was Prince William? if ever he ascended the throne? What was its effect on the king? literature?

How did he threaten to use the Saxons Describe the circumstances of his death. What influence did Henry exercise upon

6. Describe the dispute between Henry and the church. How was it

settled? What regulations were made as to the marriage of priests? Mention a circumstance which quickened the progress of manufactures. What is the distinguishing feature of Norman architecture? How many crusades were there? Give an account of each. Describe the origin of feudalism.

7. Who was declared nearest heir to Henry? Who actually succeeded to him? What was the condition of the people in the early part of Stephen's reign? What alliance was formed against him?

8. Whose claims were supported by David, king of Scotland? Where was the battle of the Standard fought? What was its result?

9. Where did Matilda land? Describe the consequences of her arrival and competition for the crown. What arrangement brought hostilities to a conclusion?

CHAPTER XI.

FROM THE ACCESSION OF HENRY II. TO THE DEATH OF JOHN, A. D. 1154—1216.

Henry II., A. D. 1154-1189.

Henry II.-Thomas à Becket-Differences with the Clergy-Council of Clarendon-Murder of Becket-Conquest of Ireland-Laws of Inheritance-Condition of the Church-Civil and Political State of Ireland— Strongbow's Expedition-Henry recognised Lord-paramount-Commerce and Trade of England-Richard I.-Persecution of the Jews-The Crusades-Taking of Acre-Richard's Captivity-Prince John's Rebellion-Condition of England-Robin Hood-John-Prince Arthur's Murder-War with France-Dispute with the Pope-The Great Charter -Louis of France-Death of John-Commerce and Arts-Learning and Education.

1. WHILE Henry was Count of Maine he obtained from his mother the duchy of Normandy; and when Louis VII. of France, on his return from the crusade in 1152, repudiated his queen Eleanor, Henry married her within six weeks of her divorce, and thus became master of Guienne and Poitou. He afterwards so enlarged his continental dominions by conquest, that the territory held by him in France exceeded in extent that possessed by the French king himself.

Henry at first governed with vigour and justice, restored public tranquillity by destroying many of the castles whence the barons used to sally forth to plunder the adjacent districts, expelled the crowd of mercenary soldiers whom the civil strife of the preceding reign had attracted to England, and when he thought his power firmly established, endeavoured to bring the clergy under the jurisdiction of the courts of law. But

here he met with opposition from a quarter whence it was least expected.

A.D.

THOMAS À BECKET.-According to popular tradition, there was among the followers of one of the Norman crusaders a Saxon named Gilbert Becket, who had the misfortune to be taken prisoner. During his captivity in Palestine he gained the affections of his master's daughter, by whose means he was restored to liberty. His benefactress, feeling miserable without him, abandoned her home; and, although she could speak no more English than to say London and Gilbert, by means of the first she reached England in a pilgrim-ship, and by wandering through the streets repeating the second, she at last found the person she sought. She was baptized and admitted into the Christian church by the name of Matilda, and by her union with Gilbert became the mother of Thomas Becket. This story, whether true or false, was long 1117. remembered. It formed the subject of a popular ballad, which, after it had been forgotten in England, was sung in Scotland; and perhaps there are persons still living who may remember that their nurses sang them to sleep with the ballad of "Young Bekie," in which the romantic marriage of Archbishop Becket's father is related. Thomas concluded his education abroad, and on returning to England he entered the church, and rose rapidly to the grade of Archdeacon of Canterbury. While filling this office he attracted the attention of Henry II., who made him his chancellor, or keeper of the seals, and appointed him preceptor to his eldest son. Becket soon became the king's most intimate companion, the sharer alike of his pleasures and his political cares. His magnificence was unexampled: the trappings of his horses were covered with gold and silver; his tables groaned beneath the weight of costly vessels and foreign delicacies; and his hawks and hounds were the best and fleetest in England. He enjoyed great power and possessions; and his elevation was the more remarkable from his being the first Englishman who had been appointed to any office of considerable dignity or emolument since the Norman Conquest.

2. Becket laboured assiduously to maintain and increase the power of his sovereign; and more than once he compelled the superior clergy to contribute to the king's pecuniary necessities. Yielding to temporary exigencies, William I. had by a royal decree relieved the clergy from the authority of the ordinary courts of law, and gave them the privilege of

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