But this dearth is followed by a vast outburst of historical industry.

For the Beket struggle we have the mass of the Archbishop's own correspondence with that of Foliot and John of Salisbury.

From 1169 to 1192 our primary authority is the Chronicle known as that of Benedict of Peterborough, whose authorship Professor Stubbs has shown to be more probably due to the royal treasurer, Bishop Richard Fitz-Neal.

This is continued to 1201 by Roger of Howden in a record of equally official value.

William of Newburgh's history, which ends in 1198, is a work of the classical school, like William of Malmesbury's.