SUMMARY OF THE REIGN OF HENRY I. SURNAMED BEAUCLERC. Born at Winchester, 1068. Began to reign, 1100. Twice married, first to Maud, daughter of Malcolm, King of Scot land; afterwards to Adeliza, daughter of Geoffry, Earl of Louvaine. He had issue only by his first Queen, viz. Wil liam, Duke of Normandy, who by the carelessness of drunken pilots was drowned near Barfleur, which tragic event so affected the King he was never seen to smile afterwards. Maud, married to the Emperor Henry V. and a second time to Geoffry Plantagenet, Count of Anjou. Henry is also said to have had twelve natural children, of whom Robert, Earl of Glocester, was the chief. The King died at St. Denis, in France, of a surfeit, from eating Lampreys, 1135. Buried at Reading. PRINCIPAL EVENTS. Henry seizes the crown while his elder brother Robert is absent in the Holy land. Grants a charter to the Barons to purchase their support. Conquers Normandy, defeats and imprisons Robert for life. The quarrel with Archbishop Anselm renewed; the King resigns the right of investiture, but preserves his claim to homage from the Bishops. The great standard of France taken. The Welch repulsed. Shipwreck and loss of the King's son. The Sees of Carlisle and Ely; the Abbies of Hide, Cirencester, and Priory of Dunstable erected and endowed. EMINENT PERSONS. Anselm and Radulph, Archbishops of Canterbury. Wil liam Crito, son of Duke Robert of Normandy. Robert, Earl of Shrewsbury. COTEMPORARY COTEMPORARY SOVEREIGNS. Pascal II. 1099. Popes. Gelastius II. 1118. Calixtus II. 1119 Honorius II. 1124. Innocent IL 1130. Emperors. Of the East.-Alexis Comnenus, 1081. John Comnenus, 1118. Of the West.-Henry IV, 1056, Henry V. 1106. Lotha rius II. 1125. Kings. Of France.-Philip I. 1060. Lewis VI. 1108. Of Portugal.-Alphonsus I. 1112. Of Scotland.-Alexander I. 1107. David I. 1124. HENRY HENRY BEAUCLERC. "But who shall teach my harp to gain « Famed BEAUCLERE call'd, for that he loved, WALTER SCOTT. "For learning is better than house or land." SCHOOL BOY'S POETRY. "Henry was called 'Beauclerc,' from his attention to "learning, he had heard his father say, that Illiterate Kings 66 were little better than crowned asses," and determined not "to come under that description." CAMDEN. OF HENRY's learning, and the wise reform, Of lovers just affianc'd-or of friends, Condemn'd Condemn'd to rhyme for ways and means to eat; They bore the King's behest.-The laws 'erst made • Queen Maud, or Matilda, was the delight of the English, both on account of her descent and goodness of heart. To her we owe the first stone arched bridges England ever possessed :she built two at Stratford, in Essex, (thence called De Arcubus, or Le Bow,) where she had nearly been drowned for want of such a convenience. What follows is part of an eulogy on her, preserved by Camden; Prospera non lætam facere, nec aspera tristem, Non decor efficit fragilem non sceptra superbam Imitated. By woes her mind was near cast down, She met good fortune with a frown, At fortune's frowns she smiled: Where shall we find a Queen with this to pair, Tho' sceptred, humble-chaste, tho' great and fair? J. P. ANDREWS. King HENRY'S BROTHER ROBERT claim'd the crown, And from the Holy Land return'd with troops Against his brother; captive ta'en, and sent But such as modern warriors would disdain, LEWIS, of France, invades the Norman lands, Of Knights and Nobles, with the Princess MAUD, Met also with his death. He was interred Twice |