nation was involved in great trouble and
dismay. The best blood of England and the flower of her nobility had
perished on the deserts of Palestine, or were pining there in hopeless
captivity. The house of Fitz-Eustace, into whose possession the estates
of the Lacies were now merged, had themselves been shorn of a goodly
scion or two from the family tree during these "holy wars."

Richard Fitz-Eustace, the husband of Awbrey, died about the 24 Hen. II.
(1178), leaving one son, John, who founded the Cistercian Abbey of
Stanlaw in Cheshire, the present establishment of Whalley. He was slain
at Tyre in the crusade, A.D. 1190, the second of the reign of Richard
I., leaving issue, Richard a leper, and Roger, who followed his father
to the Holy Land, but of whose fate no tidings had been heard since his
departure thence on his return to Europe. Besides these were two sons,
Eustace and Peter, and a daughter named Alice.

Roger Fitz-Eustace and his friend William de Bellamonte--from whom are
descended the Beaumonts of Whitley-Beaumont, in Yorkshire--had fought
side by side at the memorable siege of Acre; but whether alive or dead
the certainty was not yet known, though there might be good grounds for
the apprehension generally entertained, that they were held in captivity
by infidels or by princes miscalled Christian, the bitterest enemies to
the faith they professed.

Clitheroe Castle was built by Roger de Poictou, or, as he is otherwise
called, Roger Pictavensis, of a noble family in Normandy, and related to
the Conqueror. He led the centre of William's army at the battle of
Hastings. King William having given him all the lands between the Mersey
and the Ribble, he built several castles and fortresses therein,
providing largely for his followers, from whom are descended many
families who are still in possession of manors and estates originally
granted by this unfortunate relative of the Conqueror. He was twice
deprived of his honours, many of them being escheated to the crown,
while Clitheroe Castle, together with the great fee of Pontefract, was
bestowed on Ilbert de Lacy, a Norman follower of William.

In a country not abounding with strong positions, an insulated conical
rock of limestone rising out of the fertile plain between Penhull
(Pendle) and the Ribble would naturally attract the attention of the
invaders. Here, therefore, we find a fortress erected even earlier than
the castle at Lancaster. The summit of this roc