TUE ETHIS. MATILDA OF FLANDERS, tora nf ÎBilliniit tjie .first, ttsttallq ύφί Wûïkm tjn Cniijjrarar. CHAPTEE I. Birth of Matilda—Her parentage—Education—Beauty—Accomplishments—Sought in marriage by William, Duke of Normandy—Obstacles to the match—His perseveranee—Brutality to Matilda—Their marriage— William's early life—The royal pair excommunicated—Dispensation—Conviction of Manger—Prosperity of Normandy—Domestic happiness of Matilda—Her children—William visits England—* Harold's voyage to Normandy—His oath—Jietrothmewt to Matilda's daughter Adeliza—Accession—William prepares to invade England—Matilda and her son Robert Regents of Normandy. ATILDA OF FLANHer father, the gentle Baldwin the Fifth, DERS, of whom few reigned over Flanders, He possessed no princesses can boast other title than that of earl, but his vira more noble descent, tues and talents were so great and many, was born about the that under his wise rule commerce and thirtieth, or thirty-arts flourished exceedingly, and the infirst year of the tenth dustrious Flemings became a great and century. History wealthy people, Her mother, the no has not chronicled the day when she less beautiful than accomplished Adclais, first saw the light, but, judging from was a daughter of the royal house of the writings of her contemporaries, we France, and allied by marriage to the cannot be far wrong in referring the earlygreatest sovereigns of Europe. days of her infancy to the above period. Matilda was gifted with highly cap