Page:The Queens of England.djvu/54

42 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. her punishment in discovering that he aspired to wear her crown, and even to lead the nation against her. Assisted by his friend, Hugh Bigod, steward of the royal household, Stephen made it appear that Henry had disinherited his daughter, and appointed himself to succeed to the throne. The nation was deceived, and his coronation took place on the 26th of December, 1 135. Matilda, his consort, was at this time at Boulogne, where she gave birth to a son, named Eustace. Three months after she rejoined her husband, and was crowned at Westminster, upon Easter day, the 226. of March, 1136. We have but few details of a pacific character touching the life of Queen Matilda. We learn, however, that she was pres- ent at the dedication of Godstone Nunnery, and also that she became the patroness of the Knights Templars on their arrival in England. No sooner was Stephen seated on the throne than David, King of Scotland, made war upon him, in support of the claims of the empress. Matilda, the queen, who was niece to the Scot- tish king, anxiously desired to establish peace between him and Stephen, and. through her mediation this was effected; in commemoration of which the festivities of the following Eas- ter were unusually splendid. But the sudden illness of the king, which threatened his life, caused great alarm to his affectionate consort. A report of his death being circulated in Normandy caused a party to be raised in that province in faior of the empress, and Stephen, on his convalescence, hastened thither to obtain the acknowledgment of his infant son as heir to the throne. During his absence the queen, who was left at the head of affairs in England, was assailed with troubles on every side ; the conflagration of towns and many churches, including the ca- thedrals of Rochester and York ; new plots raised by the friends of Matilda the empress, and another invasion from Scotland. The queen was unable to repel her northern enemies, being obliged to appear in person at the siege of Dover, where the castle had been taken ; but Stephen returned to her aid, and was everywhere triumphant. A third inroad of the Scottish monarch was followed by the memorable "battle of the Stand- ard," after which it was with much difficulty, and only after accomplishing a journey to Durham, that the queen prevailed on her husband to make peace once more with her northern relative. It is stated also by some chroniclers that Queen Ma-