sand persons had entered into
an association, by which they bound themselves to obey all the orders
of this dangerous ruffian. Archbishop Hubert, who was then chief
justiciary, summoned him before the council to answer for his conduct;
but he came so well attended, 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 behavior. He kept, however, a watchful eye on Fitz-Osbert, and
seizing a favorable 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.[*] But though the sectaries of this
superstition were punished by the justiciary,[**] it received so little
encouragement from the established clergy whose property was endangered
by such seditious practices, that it suddenly sunk and vanished.

[* Hoveden, p 765. Diceto, p. 691. Neub. p 192,
498]

[** 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 armor, 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.

[Illustration: 132.jpg JOHN]

JOHN.

{1199.} THE noble and free genius of the ancients, which made the
government of a single person be always regarded as a species of tyranny
and usurpation, and kept them from forming any conception of a legal and
regular monarchy, had rendered them entirely ignorant both of the rights
of primogeniture and a representation in succession; inventions so
necessa