vain. Nor was her search fruitless. Many of these queens she found were pre-eminent for their princely beneficence; many were munificent patronesses of our early literature; while many adorned their high station by the moral lustre which they shed around them. A series of memoirs, therefore, of these illustrious women, which, in connexion with their biographies, should aim at tracing the progress of the arts, the literature, and the social advancement of England, seemed to the writer yet wanting, and to supply this deficiency the present work was undertaken. In the prosecution of her task, the author has sought information chiefly from those voluminous and often rare works, which, although well known to the historian and the antiquary, are for the most part inaccessible to the general reader. For those, therefore, who, unable to pursue extended historical inquiries, are yet anxious to learn more respecting the progress of society and literature in these early days, than the volumes of the general historian can supply, this work is expressly intended. The period at which these Memoirs commence may, by some perhaps, be considered too early; but in a work especially designed to trace the advancing progress of national improvement, it was necessary to commence at the point from whence that improvement can be definitely traced; and that is the commencement of the twelfth century. Comparatively obscure as the medieval period may be considered, yet in it may be found the elements of all that has made England and her literature what they are; and comparatively remote as this period may appear, yet is it, in its general character, best known of any. Our popular literature has claimed it for her own; and not merely the historical plays of Shakspeare, but the ancient ballad, even the nursery tale, have associated with our earliest recollections the names of our Cœur de Lion, our Henrys, and Edwards; and invested the memories of our Maudes, our Elinors, and our Margarets, with an interest which the queens of a later period often fail to excite. It was the author's intention to have continued the Memoirs in this volume to a much later period but materials which she could not reject, have accumulated in her progress. progress. The poetry of the trouvère, listened to and patronized, both by the beautiful Adelais and Elinor of Aquitaine, seemed imperatively to claim admission into a work devoted alike to the early literature, and the queens of England; while a view of the arts, at a period to which so many of our most beautiful monuments refer, was too delightful a subject to be dismissed with a mere passing notice. Should the present volume receive the approbation of the public, a second, bringing down these Historical Memoirs to the commencement of the 16th century, will speedily appear. CONTENTS. Page CHAPTER II.-Parentage of Maude-Her Education-Notices of the Abbeys of Wilton and Romsey-General View of Female Con- ventual Education-Her Marriage with Beauclerc-State of Lon- don and Westminster-Westminster Abbey-The Royal Court- CHAPTER III.-Maude's Patronage of Literature Minstrelsy: Norman, Saxon, Breton-Her Charitable Foundations-St. Giles in the Fields-Priory of the Holy Trinity at Aldgate-Other CHAPTER IV. The wreck of the "White Ship "-Parentage of Adelais-Her Marriage with Henry-Her Literary Taste-Royal Progresses-Feud of the Rival Crosses-Henry's Death-State CHAPTER VI.- Her early Marriage to the Emperor, Henry V.- His Death-Her Return to her Father, and Recognition as future Queen-Marriage with Geoffrey Plantagenet-Separation, and Residence at Rouen-Reconciliation-The Death of her Father CHAPTER VII.-The Abbey of Bec-Herlouin-Lanfranc-Anselm -Convent Schools-Rise of Cambridge - Course of Study in the Twelfth Century-Transcription of Books-Zeal of the Clergy CHAPTER VIII.-Parentage of Elinor-Marriage with Louis VII. of France-The Second Crusade-Her Journey to Palestine- Divorced from Louis-Her Marriage to Henry Plantagenet-Ac- cession to the English Crown-Inauguration of her Son Richard as Duke of Aquitaine-Thomas à Becket-Family Dissensions- Imprisonment of Elinor-Fitz Stephen's Description of London- CHAPTER IX.-Elinor liberated by her Son, and appointed to the Regency-State of the Jews in England-Fitz-Ailwyn the first Lord Mayor-Richard's Naval Force for his Crusade-Elinor's Voyage to Cyprus-Berengaria-Elinor's Embassy to the Pope- Richard's Captivity-Elinor's Letters to Celestine-She proceeds to Germany with her Son's Ransom-Richard's Return-Procla- mation of Tournaments-Richard's Death-Elinor's Embassy to |