riage, -which being refused, he determined to force her into compliance. But ere he had time to execute his treacherous design, she, being warned of her danger, escaped, without the ceremony of leave-taking, under the veil of a dark but clear star-spangled night. Disguised as a minstrel, she safely passed out at the portal of the castle, when she embarked in a frail boat on the Loire. Hurrying down this stream with all speed, she reached Tours, in Anjou, in safety, at the peep of day. Here danger again threatened her. Geoifrey, the brother of her destined husband, had waylaid her track on the Loire at a spot named the Port of Piles, in the hope of seining her and making her his bride, but being informed of his treacherous purpose, she eluded his grasp by taking a tributary stream, and ultimately reached her own dominions, whence she was safely conducted by an embassy from her favoured suitor, Henry Plantagenet, to Lisieux, where, being met by Henry, she was solemnly married to him in the cathedral of Lisieux, by the prelate Arnulph, only six weeks after her divorce had been pronounced. The celerity of this marriage certainly fixes a stain on the character ο f Llcanora, since her eldest son, William, was bom on the fourth of August, 1152, only four months afterwards, whilst for a year previous to the divorce, she shared not her husband's favours ; and, says ltobcrt of Gloucester, " Henry was acquainted with her some deal too much, as me weened." Immediately after their nuptials had been celebrated, Henry and Lleanora proceeded to Normandy, where they summoned around them a court perhaps the most gay, gorgeous, and luxurious in Europe. The Jrcnch King was greatly discomforted at their marriage, and dreading the swelling power of Henry Plantagenet, he leagued with King Stephen against him. Henry, however, on hearing of this effort to deprive him of the crown to which he was heir, embarked for England with the powerful fleet of his new-made bride, where, after signing the treaty of Wallingford, he but narrowly escaped the treachery of William, the third son of Stephen, who formed a conspiracy to seize him on Barbara Downs, near Dover, and but for the young prince fulling from his horse and breaking his leg, the attempt would doubtless have succeeded. Henry, on being apprized of his danger, fled to Normandy, where he remained till the succession was opened to him by the death of King Stephen, which happened on the twentyfifth of October, 1154. Henry was besieging a castle in Normandy, when he received the welcome intelligence of the vacancy of the English throne. Having subdued his rebellious barons, and confided the regency of his territories to his mother, he proceeded with his consort and infant son to Barfleur, where, after being detained by adverse winds for several weeks, the royal party embarked for England. The passage was a rough and stormy one. They, however, landed in safety at Osterham, whence Henry and his consort proceeded to Winchester, where all the southern barons and prelates acknowledged them as King and Queen. From Winchester they hastened to London, whose good citizens hailed them with unbounded enthusiasm. Their coronation, the most splendid that had ever been witnessed, was solemnized at Westminster Abbey on the nineteenth of December, 1154, amidst the universal rejoicing of tbe nobles and the people, who beheld in King Henry the Second a descendant from their ancient kings, who added new lustre to the crown by the addition of his vast continental possessions. The Queen was also warmly greeted, as the nobles viewed with joy the refinements which she introduced from her polished continental courts, and the nation was charmed with the richness of her dower, which, besides adding a third lion to the shield of England, transferred the ever since proudly-owned Avar cry, " St. George !" from Aquitaine to England, Henry, in right of hia marriage with Eleanora, having adopted the patron saint of England, St. George, from the Aquitaine Dukes. In 1154, Henry and Eleanora kept their Christmas with great splendour at Westminster palace. At the termination of the festival they removed to the