Historical and genealogical memoirs of the House of Hamilton

EARLS OF LEICESTER. 19
yielded to the King's pleasure, the Parliament were resolved to proceed Robert
against him for treason and perjury. The Earl, addressing himself to blanchemaine.
Becket, said, " The King commands you immediately to come and give "
" in your accounts, or else hear your sentence." It My sentence !" cried
he, starting to his feet, " No, my son, hear me first ; I decline the juris-
" diction of the King and barons, and appeal to God and my Lord the
" Pope, under whose protection I depart hence." Saying this, he walked
out of the hall in great state, leaving them so much disconcerted at his
boldness, that none had the courage to stop him. Aware, however, of the
extent of his danger, and afraid of the consequences, he kept himself con-
cealed until he found a safe opportunity of retiring to France.
The Earl of Leicester, agreeably to the prevailing fashion of the times,
some years before his death, renounced the world, and became a monk in
the Abbey of St Mary de Pratis in Normandy, which his grandfather had
founded, and his father finished.
By his wife Amicia, daughter of Ralph de Guader, Earl of Norfolk,
he had,
I. Robert, his successor.
II. Henry.
III. Geoffrey.
IV. John.
I. Isabella, married to Simon, Earl of Huntingdon.
II. Avice, or Hawise, married to William, Earl of Gloucester.
This Earl died anno II67.
ROBERT, suenamed BLANCHEMAINE,
THIRD EARL OF LEICESTER.
In the extensive confederation that was formed in the nineteenth year 1173.
of Henry the Second's reign, to depose that monarch and place his son
Prince Henry on the throne, the Earl of Leicester actively concurred.
He was then at the court of Lewis of France with young Henry ; and, as
soon as the malcontents in England were ripe for action, he directed his
numerous retainers and vassals there to join them, while he accompanied
the Prince and the Earl of Flanders to the coast, preparatory to a pro-
jected invasion of England to support the insurrection.