DESCRIPTION OF THE FRONTISPIECE.
The plate is copied from a pen-and-ink drawing in the margin of a
IS. of Huntingdon's History, in the British Museum, of the fourteenth
entury.
One of King Stephen's barons, Baldwin Fitz-Gilbert, appears in
he act of addressing the royal army before the battle of Lincoln, the issue of
which was so disastrous to Stephen's fortunes, he having been taken priso-
er on the field. Baldwin is standing on a hillock, according to the his-
bry, and leaning on his battle-axe. The army is represented by its leaders
nights in chain armour-among whom we discover, by the device on his
hield, one of the powerful family of De Clare, to which Baldwin belonged.
Stephen himself, distinguished by the diadem encircling his helmet, stands
front of the group, listening to the address which, we are told, he deputed
Baldwin to make, because his own voice was not sufficiently powerful. An
ittendant has dismounted, and is holding his horse.