20 TliK DESCENT OF THE EARLDOM OF OXFORD.

suzerain the earl of Flanders. Aubrey, though then, it is said, honourably engaged in the service of King Stephen, fortlnvith obeyed the summons, and from that time became entitlc(i to the style of comte. However, it is further related, by the same chronicler,^ that he preferred a residence at the Enghsh court to the requisite superintendence of his matrimonial domains. His wife was in too delicate a state of health to enjoy his society; and in consequence, though continually sent for by his father- in-law, he obstinately prolonged his absence, until the patience of his barons was fairly exhausted. The result w^as one of those petty intestine wars which were then so frequent ; and it was carried on for some time in the unhappy comte of Guisnes with various success. On one side were ranged the comte s bailiff, Arnold of Hammes, and the father of the comtesse, Henry castellan of Bourbourg, Arnold de Gand, the pretender to the comte, headed the insurgent party, and one of his chief supporters was Baldwin lord of Ardres. This Baldwin, being severely w^ounded, sought comfort in his sickness in the counsels of the abbot of la Chapelle Thierr}^ and, at his instigation, he -withdrew from the cause of Arnold de Gand. In brief, it was concluded that Baldwin of Ardres would make a better sovereign for the men of Guisnes than either Arnold or the Englishman whom they never saw. Aubrey de Vere, on his part, seems to have been readily persuaded to relinquish so troublesome and unpromising an alliance. He assented to a divorce. The wishes of Baldwin of Ardres were accomplished ; he w^as married to the comtesse Beatrice ; but she survived for only a few days, and finally Arnold de Gand succeeded to the comte in peace. These events took place about the year 1144. It was consequently for about seven years that Aubrey de Vere was comte of Guisnes. There are several English charters extant in which he uses the title of comte ; and one to the monaster}'- of Hatfield, in Essex, is particularly remarkable, as proving that he did so whilst his father was Hving. He styles himself therein Albericus comes, filius Alberici de Ver, and his father is the first of the witnesses.^ His father, tlie king's chamberlain, was slain in London, during a riot of the citizens, on the 15th of May, 1140. ^ Lambert d'Ardrcs. ? Morant's Essex, ii. 506.