ttended,
that no one durst accuse him, or give evidence against him; and the
primate, finding the impotence of law, contented himself with exacting
from the citizens hostages for their good behaviour. He kept,
however, a watchful eye on Fitz-Osbert; and seizing a favourable
opportunity, attempted to commit him to custody; but the criminal,
murdering one of the public officers, escaped with his concubine to
the church of St. Mary le Bow, where he defended himself by force of
arms. He was at last forced from his retreat, condemned, and
executed, amidst the regrets of the populace, who were so devoted to
his memory, that they stole his gibbet, paid the same veneration to it
as to the cross, and were equally zealous in propagating and attesting
reports of the miracles wrought by it [p]. But though the sectaries
of this superstition were punished by the justiciary [q], it received
so little encouragement from the established clergy, whose property
was endangered by such seditious practices, that it suddenly sunk and
vanished.
[FN [p] Hoveden, p 765. Diceto, p. 691. Neubrig. p. 492, 493. [q]
Gervase, p. 1551.]

It was during the crusades that the custom of using coats of arms was
first introduced into Europe. The knights, cased up in armour, had no
way to make themselves be known and distinguished in battle but by the
devices on their shields; and these were gradually adopted by their
posterity and families, who were proud of the pious and military
enterprises of their ancestors.

King Richard was a passionate lover of poetry; there even remain some
poetical works of his composition; and he bears a rank among the
Provencal poets or TROBADORES, who were the first of the modern
Europeans that distinguished themselves by attempts of that nature.

CHAPTER XI.

JOHN.

ACCESSION OF THE KING.--HIS MARRIAGE.--WAR WITH FRANCE.--MURDER OF
ARTHUR, DUKE OF BRITANY.--THE KING EXPELLED THE FRENCH PROVINCES.--THE
KING'S QUARREL WITH THE COURT OF ROME.--CARDINAL LANGTON APPOINTED
ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.--INTERDICT OF THE KINGDOM.--EXCOMMUNICATION
OF THE KING.--THE KING'S SUBMISSION TO THE POPE.--DISCONTENTS OF THE
BARONS.--INSURRECTION OF THE BARONS.--MAGNA CHARTA.--RENEWAL OF THE
CIVIL WARS.--PRINCE LEWIS CALLED OVER.--DEATH AND CHARACTER OF THE
KING.

[MN 1199. Accession of the king.]
The noble and free genius of the ancients, which made the government
of a single person be always regarded as a species of tyra