the request of the king, and in consideration of other lands being granted to him by his sovereign, remised and released all his right and title therein to Lancaster.* This earl of Lancaster was cousin-german to the English monarch, and first prince of the blood ; he was the most powerful and opulent subject of the kingdom, being possessed of no loss than six earldoms, with a proportionable estate in land, and at the time that the Temple was added to his numerous other possessions he wasat the head of the government, and ruled both the king and country as president of the council. In an antient, MS. account of the Temple, formerly belonging to lord Somers and afterwards to Nicholls, the celebrated antiquary, apparently written by a member of the Inner Temple, it is stated that the lawyers " made composition with the earl of Lancaster for a lodging in the Temple, and secarne hither, and have continued here ever since." That this was the case appears highly probable from various circumstances presently noticed. TIie earl of Lancaster held the Temple rather more than six years and a half. ' When the king's attachment for Hugh le Despenser, another favourite, was declared, he raised the standard of rebellion. He marched with his forces against London, gave law to the king and parliament, and procured a sentence of attainder and perpetual exile against Hugh le Despenser. The fortune of war, however, soon turned against hint. He was defeated, and conducted a prisoner to his own castle of Fontefract, where king Edward sat in judgment upon him, and sentenced him to be hung, drawn, and quartered, as a rebel and a traitor. The same day he was clothed in mean attire, was placed on a lean jade without a bridle, a hood was put on his head, and in this miser * Pat. 8. E. 2.m. 17. The Temple is described therein a*M defcoda Thame CTourJlui Lancustrie, et de honore Leiccstric.'"