[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Polydor._] After he had thus brought the common-wealth in so good estate, he consulted with his Nobilitie, where he might best get him a wife, and thereby leaue vnlawfull companie keeping with concubines: which demand was not misliked at all. Herevpon they considered that Edgar king of Scotland had a sister named Maud, a beautifull ladie, and of vertuous conditions, who was a professed nunne in a religious house, to the end she might auoid the stormes of the world, and lead hir life in more securitie after hir fathers deceasse. This gentlewoman, notwithstanding hir vow, was thought to be a meet bedfellow for the king: wherefore he sent ambassadors to hir brother Edgar, requesting that he might haue hir in mariage. But she refusing superstitiouslie at the first to breake hir professed vow, would not heare of the offer: wherewithall king Henrie being the more inflamed, sent new ambassadors to moue the case in more earnest sort than before, in somuch that Edgar, vpon the declaration of their ambassage, set the abbesse of the house (where then she abode) in hand to persuade hir, who so effectuallie and diuerselie telling hir how necessarie, profitable, & honorable the same should be both to her countrie and kinred, did so preuaile at the last, that the yoong ladie granted willinglie to the mariage. Herevpon she was transported into England, and wedded to the king, who caused the archbishop Anselme to crowne hir queene on S. Martins daie, which fell vpon a sundaie, being the eleuenth of Nouember. ¶ It should séeme by Eadmerus, that she was neuer nunne, but onelie veiled by hir mother, and placed amongst nunnes against hir will (as she protested to the whole world) at such time as archbishop Anselme refused to solemnize the mariage betwixt them, till that doubt were cleared, and the occasion remoued, wherevpon euill disposed men would haue surmised ilfauoredlie, and reported the worst. Howbeit whether she were professed, or veiled onelie, loth she was to consent at the first (as partlie ye haue heard) but after that she was coupled with the king in mariage, she prooued a right obedient wife.