the middle ofrhis days, as one may say ; and Richard de Clare, the illustrious earl of Gloucester and Hereford, died about the same time in Kent, and was buried at Thekesbury, of whose virtues and pre-eminent character a heroic stanza speaks as follows :— ·· Hippolytus' modest grace, Ulysses' sense, and Paris' face, Anchises' son's religious fear, Andfilial duty, all lie here." Also, Henry, bishop of London, died, and was succeeded by Richard Talbot, who himself also ceased to Uve soon afterwards. Master John of Exeter obtained the bishopric of Winchester by the collation of the lord the pope. After England had been now for six years and more oppressed by a general failure of the crops, at last, in this present year, the earth recovered its fertility, and a joyful and fertile time returned to the productive fields ; and so the heart and flesh of all men exulted in the one God. About the time of the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle, there was a violent storm of wind, which threw down not only houses and trees, but also towers, whether built of wood or stone ; owing to which, the church of Croyland, or at least the greater portion of it, with the tower, fell down, and overwhelmed five men who were standing under it. This year also, Andrew, prior of Saint S wit bin's, at Winchester, was, as his conduct well deserved, arrested in his chapter-house by the bishop of that city, and thrown into prison at the abbey of Hyde ; but soon afterwards he cunningly broke his chains and escaped. At the time of the Advent of the Lord, the Welch, with their chief, Leoline,1 bursting forth from their country, attacked in a hostile manner the territories of Roger de Mortimer, and ravaged them ; and attacking some noble and gallant men, both knights and esquires, at the attack and defence of the castle of Kennet, which had formerly been burnt by them, they shut them up in the castle and blockaded them, and cut them off from all hope of obtaining provisions ; and, in consequence, at last that castle, and another place of great strength, and the ensign of Roger himself, was surrendered to them ; and the Welch, as is their custom, rased it to the ground, and reduced the foundations to a level plain. Therefore, Roger de Mortimer, a man worthy of everlasting fame, being excited to 1 The same as Llewellyn.