words of a prophecy which during the last few months had been whispered throughout Henry’s dominions as a token of his approaching end. It was fulfilled now to the letter, as he lay in state in the abbey-church of Fontevraud, while the veiled sisters knelt by night and day murmuring their prayers and psalms around the bier.[1323] [1317] _Hist. de Guill. le Mar._, vv. 9027–9161 (_Romania_, vol. xi. p. 66). Gir. Cambr. _De Instr. Princ._, as above (pp. 156, 157), tells the same story, more highly coloured, but with less verisimilitude, as he has lost the name of William de Trihan and turned him into “puer quidam.” [1318] _Hist. de Guill. le Mar._, vv. 9165–9172, 9215–9220 (as above, pp. 66, 67). [1319] Gir. Cambr. _De Instr. Princ._, dist. iii. c. 28 (Angl. Christ. Soc., pp. 157, 158). [1320] _Gesta Hen._ (Stubbs), vol. ii. p. 71. How hard it was to manage all this we learn from Gerald: “Vix annulus digito, vix sceptrum manu, vix capiti corona sicut decuit, quia de aurifrigio quodam veteri inventa fuit, vix ulla prorsus insignia regalia nisi per emendicata demum suffragia, eaque minus congruentia suppetiere.” _De Instr. Princ._ as above (p. 158). The chronicle of Laon, a. 1187, quoted in note (_ibid._), adds that the gold fringe of which the crown was made came off a lady’s dress. [1321] _Hist. de Guill. le Mar._, vv. 9071–9223 (_Romania_, vol. xi. p. 67). See a curious incident at the setting out of the funeral train, in vv. 9173–9214. [1322] He had given solemn directions to that effect, when he thought himself dying at La Motte-de-Ger, in 1170. _Gesta Hen._ (Stubbs), vol. i. p. 7. [1323] _Hist. de Guill. le Mar._, vv. 9229–9244 (as above). For the prophecy and its application see _Gesta Hen._ (Stubbs), vol. ii. p. 55, and Rog. Howden (Stubbs), vol. ii. pp. 356, 367.