A.D. 1240. WILLIAM, XABL DB WABINOT, DDES. 193 Riparie*, on Christmas day, with the belt of a knight, and gave him the earldom of the Isle of Wight. At the same time, the election of Hugo de PateshuU, bishop elect of Coventry, was confirmed. This year, also, Isabella, countess of Gloucester, and wife of earl Richard, died in childbed, and was greatly lamented. Also about the same time, in the month of February, there appeared a comet in the west, which sent oat its rays towards the east. About the same time, Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester, prepared to undertake an expedition to Jerusalem. Just at this time, too, Leoline, prince of North Wales, died, on the thirteenth of April ; and after his death a quarrel arose between his two sons, Griffith, the elder, who claimed the principality on that account, and David, who was the younger, but the legitimate son, and the nephew of the king of England by his sister, and who claimed the supreme power for these reasons which he alleged, through whose quarrels the whole country of Wales was thrown into confusion and devastated, and made desolate, according to the saying in the gospel, " Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be made desolate." At last, however,' by the intervention of friends, a time and place was appointed for establishing a reconciliation between them ; and Griffith came to the place peaceably, in the hopes of obtaining peace, under the guidance of Richard, bishop of Bangor, and a great many other venerable men. But David treacherously took Griffith prisoner, and then shamelessly committed him to custody in prison; on which account the aforesaid bishop addressed a bitter complaint to the king of England, and fulminated an anathema against David. This year, too, the king caused an oath of fealty to his son Edward to be taken by the citizens of London, and by many other nobles of the kingdom. About the same time, too, many of the crusaders were absolved by the Preaching Brothers, and by the Minors, having obtained their absolution by sums of money, to the great scandal of the church and of those orders. Also, on Ascension day, the church of the New Temple in London was dedicated. William, earl de Warenne, died in London, on the twenty-second of May. This year, too, Edmund, archbishop of Canterbury, by a large expenditure of money, procured a privilege which was most welcome both to the king and to the priesthood, that if a cathedral church was vacant six VOL. II-— Ω