956-967 ing character le-Jeune. 954-987 future, they would have known that there was no urgent call at the then present moment either The promis- for much grief or much exultation. Assuredly of Baudouin- Baudouin gave promises of good government. He acquired additional possessions, encouraged trade and commerce, established fairs and markets, and introduced the woollen manufacture in his chief cities, thereby laying the foundation for their future opulence. But, scarcely during thrice ten Dec. 960 months, did he enjoy his sovereignty and it is a curious pathological fact, that Baudouin, like Louis d'Outremer, fell a victim to the variolous contagion disseminated by the Magyar Hordes.— His disposition was genial, and his premature loss was mourned as a national misfortune. Baudouin-le Jeune dies of the small pox. 961Arnoul-le Baudouin, accepted as Count of Flanders, under his grandfather's : One child only, did the lamented Baudouin Jeune, son of leave, Arnoul the Second, then scarcely ten years old, who, upon his grandfather's nomination was accepted as Count of Flanders; but, during his wardship. grandson's tender age, the energetic veteran, though racked by pain, acted as Regent on the infant's behalf. Arnoul had then exceeded his ninth decennary,-and it is quite possible that he might have numbered a century, had he submitted to the operation boldly suggested by his chirurgeons, who fully anticipated a successful result. Calculous complaints seem to have been common in the Country, and it was thought that he would have received encouragement from the example of sixteen fellow-sufferers, completely 96527 MarchDeath of Arnoul-leVieux, and of Arnoul relieved by lithotomy. But Arnoul refused. The 954-987 old man's resolution failed; he dared not en- 956-967 counter the agony. The consequences were fatal. And, having attained the patriarchal age of ninetytwo, he died, and in the Abbey of Saint Pierre- full accession lez-Gand he was buried. In his Charters he le-Jeune. was somewhat boastingly accustomed to style himself Arnulphus Magnus, but posterity did not ratify this assumption; and it is by the epithet, so truly applied, as resulting from his longevity, that Arnoul-le-Vieux is commemorated in history. § 25. Renewed activity in France, the consequence of the cordial understanding between Otho and Lothaire. So long as Hugh-le-Grand lived, Hadwisa, the mother of his children, is rarely named. But we now find her closely consorting with her sister, noble Gerberga and her young nephew; whilst Gerberga became more and more dependent upon Archbishop Bruno's aid. The French Court was miserably impoverished.- Poverty of Save starved Compiegne, Lothaire did not hold, Court. beyond the walls of Laôn, a Mansus he could call his own. the French Gerberga de endowment Count of Reinier, Count of Hainault, third of the name, prived of her brother of Count Gilbert, grandson of Reinier by Reinier, Long-col, no less aspiring than his Ancestor, Hainault. had despoiled his sister-in-law, Gerberga, of the ample dotal domains bestowed by her first husband, the bold swimmer. The recovery of this property was an important object; and the 954-987 mode whereby Gerberga regained her rights constitutes an episode upon which Richerius dwells with characteristic pleasure, inasmuch as the feat was effected by his wily father, Raoul. 956-967 Alice, Coun tess of Hai nault. Mons, entrusted to her by her husband. Alice, Countess of Hainault, daughter of or Bergen, the Count of Egisheim, was one of the many wise, pious, and helpful matrons who abounded during this era. There is a complete galaxy of such ladies in France, and in Germany, and in Anglo-Saxon England. To this Alice, Reinier had confided the government of his Capital, "Mons," as the Romanized Belgian gave the name, but known by those of the Vlaemsche-taal as "Bergen." Countess Alice occupied the Castle with her two little children. The fortifications needed additions, and she had undertaken the double duty of superintending the erection of the new Buildings and also exercising the needful military command. A respectable body of troops, two "Cohorts," had been entrusted to Raoul's command, but the strong and advantageously situated Castle defied these forces, and he was probably the better pleased to be under the necessity of exerting his ingenuity. The Castle being very vigilantly guarded, two of Raoul's merry men, accustomed to such pranks, disguising themselves as rustics, craved work, got it, and were employed with hod and basket to carry stone and mortar. Once in, they had full opportunity of spying about. 956-967 956Stratagem by the father of Richerius, gains posses sion of Mons. Amongst those most tender precepts given by 954-997 the Almighty, protecting the rights of poverty, many then enforced by the Church, and which, if obeyed by Civilization, would relieve the miseries which Raoul, now rendering the life of the modern Proletarian a protracted death-anguish, none more applicable in all stages of society than the injunction, that the Sun shall not go down upon the Poor man's hire, prohibiting the withholding of the earnings on which he sets his heart, the means of obtaining his daily bread. Each Workman received his denarius day by day. Moreover, in conformity to the kindly spirit, which, dictated by pious feeling, alleviated the harshness of aristocracy, the Countess headed the board where the Workmen took their food; and, all labour ceasing on the eve of the day of rest, the Workmen departed. Her benignity was ungratefully requited; but Raoul's men were bound to stand faithful to their own master. Having become well acquainted with all the entries and all the sorties of gates and towers, Raoul, instructed by his agents, surprised the Castle, fired the City, captured the garrison, seized the Countess and her children, whom he placed in Gerberga's custody; and, possessed of these pledges, Archbishop Bruno compelled rapacious Reinier to disgorge his prey, and he died a pitiable exile. The Prelate passed on to an enterprise of greater magnitude, from which important 954-987 European relations germinated, centuries after. Much had he trusted, in troublesome Lotharingia, to Immo, an old adherent of the Saxon line; but of Lotharin- discontent was surdly arising. 956-967 Bruno's government gia. Historical geography of its difficulties. Without being able to ascertain the exact legal or political cause, we know, that even in comparatively modern eras, the Lotharingian Nobles enjoyed greater independence than their compeers in any other Circle of the Empire. Prelate, Statesman, and Warrior, Otho's brother determined to bridle their power, and he dismantled their fortresses. The Owners were deeply aggrieved. The common people, though probably not very sympathetic with the aristocracy, were nevertheless equally excited. Like the Deer, scenting the Stalker, they sagaciously snuffed new taxes in the wind. A great rebellion broke out. Immo headed the insurrection. Sternly decisive was Bruno, and the movements which threatened the Imperial authority were completely put down. Battles and treaties-acquisitions and cesLorraine sions-losses and gains-risings of the waters and depressions of the land-political and natural alterations and disturbances combining,-have rendered the historical geography of Lorraine exceedingly complicated,-very difficult either to delineate or to describe. We do not possess much literary assistance in this portion of our task; for the fragmentary history of "Lotharingia," whether we accept the name in the wider, or the more limited sense, has not received the elucida |