36 



Devizes. 



(but certainly no partizan of the church, for he vowed that he 

 would never stop till he had burned every church, monastery, 

 monk and bishop he could lay hands on), suddenly surprised 

 the castle. By means of ladders of leather he got over the walla 

 in the dead of night, routed the garrison and obtained possession. 

 But his career was short. Certain secret promises being made to 

 him, he was tempted to come out : a trap was laid : he fell into it, 

 was handed over to his opponents, and presently disposed of. By 

 the help of the silver key, Stephen's friends opened the gates, got 

 rid of Fitz-Hubert's men, and placed the fortress under the com- 

 mand of Hervey of Britany. The neighbourhood was favourable 

 to the Queen : they would bring in no supplies to Hervey: finding 

 therefore that he could get nothing to eat, he very wisely stole out 

 and ran away. 



Then came no less a personage than Queen Matilda herself. She 

 had made her escape from Winchester to Ludgershall Castle, but 

 not being safe there, came on in a man's disguise to Devizes. Her 

 pursuers were close after her, and her means of defence happening 

 to be at the moment insufficient, she quickly left it, concealed, it is 

 said, in a coffin carried on a horse ; in which very dismal con- 

 veyance, (" uneasy lay the head that wore a crown,") she travelled 

 all the way to Gloucester. 



By and by, things turning in her favour, she came back to De- 

 vizes, held two Parliaments here, and bestowed upon the Town a 

 charter from which no doubt the present inhabitants derive very 

 great benefit : for it was to the effect that for their fidelity they 

 were to be free of certain tolls and customs all o\ er England : were 

 to enjoy peace, for themselves, their servants, and their goods, and 

 nobody whatsoever to molest them, under a penalty of £10. Her 

 Majesty being in so gracious a mood, the clergy thought it a happy 

 moment to settle a small account they had with her. 



When Bishop Roger some years before had fallen from his high 

 estate, his property as Bishop of Sarum had baen taken from him, 

 and had not yet been restored to the church. "The Castle and 

 the valuable manors of Potterne and Cannings," said the Clergy, 

 " belong to us ; and we shall be very much obliged to your Majesty 



