Note 353 — Chapter V · THE LOST CHARTER OF THE QUEEN.
Reading edition
"Ecce, dum ipsa putaretur omni Anglia statim posse potiri, mutata omnia" (Will. Malms., p. 749).
[354] Early Plantagenets, p. 22; Const. Hist., i. 330.
[355] "Satisque constat quod si ejus (i.e. comitis) moderationi et sapientiæ a suis esset creditum, non tam sinistrum postea sensissent aleæ casum" (p. 749).
[356] "Regina quod prece non valuit, armis impetrare confidens, splendidissimum militantium decus ante Londonias, ex alterâ fluvii regione, transmisit, utque raptu, et incendio, violentiâ, et gladio, in comitissæ suorumque prospectu, ardentissime circa civitatem desævirent præcepit" (Gesta Stephani, p. 78). These expressions appear to imply that she not only wasted the southern bank, but sent over (transmisit) her troops to plunder round the walls of the city itself (circa civitatem). Mr. Pearson strangely assigns this action not to the Queen, but to the Empress: "Matilda brought up troops, and cut off the trade of the citizens, and wasted their lands, to punish their disaffection" (p. 478).
[357] The Annals of Plympton (ed. Liebermann, p. 20) imply that the city was divided on the subject:—"In mense Junio facta est sedicio in civitate Londoniensi a civibus; sed tamen pars sanior vices imperatricis agebat, pars vero quedam eam obpugnabat."
[358] "Facta conjuratione adversus eam quam cum honore susceperunt, cum dedecore apprehendere statuerunt. At illa a quodam civium præmunita, ignominiosam cum suis fugam arripuit omni sua suorumque supellectili post tergum relicta."
[359] "Sensim sine tumultu quadam militari disciplina urbe cesserunt." This is clearly intended to rebut the story of their hurried flight (see also p. 132, infra).
[360] See Appendix J: "The Great Seal of the Empress."
[361] Harl. MS. 1708, fo. 113.
[362] "Conjuratione facta."
[363] "In indulta sibi conjuratione ... quanta quippe mala ex conjuratione proveniunt" (ed. Howlett, p. 416).
[364] Const. Hist., i. 407.
[365] "Facta conspiratione quam communionem vocabant sese omnes pariter sacramentis adstringunt, et ... ejusdem regionis proceres quamvis invitos, sacramentis suæ conspirationis obligari compellunt."
[366] Richard of Devizes (ed. Howlett, p. 416).
[367] Mediæval Military Architecture, ii. 254.
[368] Trivet's Annals (Eng. Hist. Soc., p. 13).
[369] See p. 84.
[370] "Primo quidem [apud Westmonasterium] quod decuit, sanctæ Dei Ecclesiæ, juxta bonorum consilium, consulere procuravit. Dedit itaque Lundoniensis ecclesiæ præsulatum cuidam Radingensi monacho viro venerabili præsente et jubente reverendo abbate suo Edwardo" (Cont. Flor. Wig., 131).
[371] See p. 123.
[372] We have, indeed, a glimpse of this incident in the Liber de Antiquis Legibus (fol. 35), where we read: "Anno predicto, statim in illa estate, obsessa est Turris Londoniarum a Londoniensibus, quam Willielmus (sic) de Magnavilla tenebat et firmaverat."
[373] The city, it must be remembered, lay between him and Fulham, so that, obviously, he is more likely to have made this raid when the city was no longer in arms against him.
[374] We have a hint that the bishop was disliked by the citizens in the Historia Pontificalis (p. 532), where we learn (in 1148) that they had disobeyed the papal authority: "Quando episcopus bone memorie Robertus expulsus est, cui hanc exhibuere devocionem ut omni diligentia procurarent ne patri exulanti in aliquo prodessent."
[375] "Regina autem a Londoniensibus suscepta, sexusque fragilitatis, femineæque mollitiei oblita, viriliter sese et virtuose continere; invictos ubique coadjutores prece sibi et pretio allicere, regis conjuratos ubi ubi per Angliam fuerant dispersi ad dominum suum secum reposcendum constanter sollicitare" (Gesta Stephani, 80). "Regina omnibus supplicavit, omnes pro ereptione mariti sui precibus, promissis, et obsequiis sollicitavit" (Sym. Dun., ii. 310).
[376] See p. 143.
[377] See p. 167.
[378] "Gaufrido de Mandevillâ (qui jam iterum auxilio eorum cesserat, antea enim post captionem regis imperatrici fidelitatem juraverat) et Londoniensibus maxime annitentibus, nihilque omnino quod possent prætermittentibus quo imperatricem contristarent" (Will. Malms., p. 752).
[379] Royal Charters (Duchy of Lancaster), No. 22. N.B.—The above is merely an extract from the charter.
[380] Waleran of Meulan, William of Warrenne, and Simon of Northampton (Ord. Vit., v. 130).
[381] See p. 147.
[382] Gamlingay, in Cambridgeshire, had come to the Queen as belonging to "the honour of Boulogne."
[383] "Gamenegheia valet xxx li. Inde tenent ... heredes Gervas[ii] de Cornhill x li." (Liber Niger, 395; Testa, pp. 274, 275). This entry also proves that the loan (1141?) to the Queen was not repaid, and the property, therefore, not redeemed.
[384] See Appendix K: "Gervase de Cornhill."
[385] "Nunc quidem Wintoniensem episcopum, totius Angliæ legatum, ut fraternis compatiens vinculis ad eum liberandum intenderet, ut sibi maritum, plebi regem, regno patronum, toto secum nisu adquireret, viriliter supplicare" (Gesta, 80).
[386] Gesta, 79.
[387] Will. Malms., p. 750; Cont. Flor. Wig., 132; Gesta, 80; Annals of Winchester.