mark of respect from the English court, the royal widow bade farewell to public splendour, and retired to conventual seclusion, and the practice of constant charity.

But no sooner was John fixed firmly on the English throne, than he began to neglect the payment of the dower for which his sister-in-law had compounded; and in 1206 there appears in the Foedera a passport for the queen dowager to come to England, for the purpose of conferring with King John; but there exists no authority whereby we can prove that she arrived in this country.

The records of 1209 present a most elaborate epistle from Pope Innocent, setting forth the wrongs and wants of his dear daughter in Christ, Berengaria, who, he says, had appealed to him "with floods of tears streaming down her cheeks, and with audible cries," which we trust were flowers of rhetoric of the pope's secretary.1 As Pope Innocent threatens John with an interdict, it is pretty certain that the wrongs of Berengaria formed a clause in the subsequent excommunication of the felon king.

In 1214, when the excommunication was taken off, there exists a letter from John to his dear sister, the illustrious Berengaria, praying that the pope's nuncio might arbitrate what was due to her. The next year brings a piteous letter from King John, praying that his dearly beloved sister will excuse his delay of payment, seeing the "greatness of his adversity by reason of the wickedness of his magnates and barons," who had invited Prince Louis of France to

1 Rymer, Fœdera, vol. i. p. 152.

spoil her estates; "but when," says King John, "these clouds that have overcast our serenity shall disperse, and our kingdom be full of joyful tranquillity, then the pecuniary debt owed to our dear sister shall be paid joyfully and thankfully."

This precious epistle was penned July 8th, 1216, by John, but he died the succeeding October, and Berengaria's debt was added to the vast sum of his other trespasses; for "joyful tranquillity" never came for him, nor of course her time of payment.

In the reign of Henry III., Berengaria had again to require the pope's assistance for the payment of her annuity, for her arrears at that time amounted to 40407. sterling; but the templars became guarantees and agents for her payments; and from that time the pecuniary troubles of Berengaria cease to form a feature in our national records.

The date of Berengaria's death has generally been fixed about the year 1230, but that was only the year of the completion of her Abbey of Espan, and of her final retirement from the world, as from that time she took up her abode within its walls, and finished there her blameless life, at an advanced age, some years afterwards.

Berengaria was interred in her own stately abbey. The following most interesting particulars of her monument we transcribe from the noble work of the late Mr. Stothard, edited by his accomplished widow, Mrs. Bray.

"When Mr. Stothard visited the Abbey of L'Espan, near Mans, in search of the effigy of Berengaria, he

found the church converted into a barn, and the object of his inquiry in a mutilated state, concealed under a quantity of wheat.

"It was in excellent preservation, with the exception of the left arm. By the effigy were lying the bones of the queen, the silent witnesses of the sacrilegious demolition of the tomb. After some search, a portion of the arm belonging to the statue was recovered."

Three men who had assisted in the work of destruction stated, "that the monument with the figure upon it stood in the centre of the aisle, at the east end of the church; that there was no coffin within it, but a small square box, containing bones, pieces of linen, some stuff embroidered with gold, and a slate, on which was found an inscription.

The slate alluded to in the statement was found in possession of a canon of the church of St. Julien, at Mans upon it was engraven the following inscription, which accounts for the interior state of the tomb.

"Mausoleum istud Serenissime Berengariae Anglorum Reginae, hujus Coenobii Fundatricis Ineletae restauratum et in augustiorem locum hunc translatum, fuit in eoq. Recondita sunt ossa haec quae reperta fuerunt in antiquo tumulo die 27 Maii, Anno Domini, 1672."1

The sides of the tomb are ornamented with deep quatrefoils. The effigy which was upon it is in high re

The tomb of the most serene Berengaria, queen of the Angles, the noble founder of this monastery, was restored and removed to this more sacred place. In it were deposited the bones which were found in the ancient sepulchre, on the 27th May, in the year of our Lord 1672.

lief. It represents the queen with her hair unconfined, but partly concealed by the coverchief, over which is placed an elegant crown. Her mantle is fastened by a narrow band crossing her breast; a large fermail, or brooch, richly set with stones, confines her tunic at the neck. To an ornamented girdle, which encircles her waist, is attached a small aumoniere or purse, containing alms. This greatly resembles a modern reticule, with a chain and clasped top.

"The queen holds in her hands a book, singular from the circumstance of its having embossed on the cover a second representation of herself, as lying on a bier, with waxen torches burning in candlesticks, on either side of her."

From early youth to her grave, Berengaria manifested devoted love for Richard; uncomplaining when deserted by him, forgiving when he returned, and faithful to his memory unto death. The royal Berengaria, Queen of England, though never in England, little deserves to be forgotten by any admirer of feminine and conjugal virtue.

Hemmingford bears testimony to the passionate love which succeeded Richard's neglect of Berengaria. That Latin chronicler declares her to be "fairest of the fair." Vinisauf expressly says, "that Richard, when Count of Poitou, had long been captivated by the elegant girl, whose father had commiserated his mother Eleanora in her long imprisonment."

39

ISABELLA OF ANGOULEME,

QUEEN OF ENGLAND, CONSORT OF KING JOHN.

Isabella taken from her betrothed-Hugh de Lusignan-Queen Eleanora -Isabella abducted by King John-Parents-Inheritance-Marriage to King John-Challenge of Count Hugh-Queen's arrival in England -Recognition-Coronation-Arrival at Rouen-Luxury-Conclusion of Memoir of Eleanora of Aquitaine-Besieged-Relieved by King John-He captures Count Hugh- Death of Eleanora—Effigy— -Character-Dower of Isabella-Return to England-Her lover, Count Hugh, liberated-Isabella's son born-Her pages-Herd of white cows-King John's cruelty-King's jealousy-Her children-Inheritance Marriage of Count Hugh to Isabella's little daughterRoyal dress-Murder of Matilda the Fair-John's atrocities-Meets the queen at Marlborough-She retires to Gloucester with her children -John's death-Queen's proceedings-Coronation of her son-Isabella leaves England-Princess Joanna-Queen marries Count Hugh Deprived of her jointure-Detains the Princess Joanna-Queen's dower restored-Her pride-Embroils her husband in war-Attempts the life of St. Louis-Humiliation of Isabella-Hatred by the Poictevins-Called Jezebel-Retires to Fontevraud-Takes the veilDies-Tomb-Effigy-Children of second marriage.

No one would have imagined that Isabella of Angoulême was destined to become the future queen of Eng