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 about 1139. Accordingly, as "Comes Albericus," he obtained early in 1142(a) a charter from the Empress Maud, which confirmed him in his English possessions, and created him EARL OF CAMBRIDGE(b), if the King of Scotland did not possess that Earldom(c) , but that, if he did so, he should be Earl of one of these 4 counties, viz, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire or Dorsetshire according to the discretion of the Earl of Gloucester, brother of the said Empress. This was confirmed by her son (the future King Henry II.) between July and Nov. 1142(a), tho' at that time aged but 9 years. His political influence is further shown from the grants made by the Empress to his two brothers, Geoffrey snd Robert, and by her promise of the Chancellorship of England to his br., William de Vere.(d) He was cr. EARL OF OXFORD(e) soon afterwards, and was styled "Albericus, Comes Oxeneford," in a charter dat. between 1141 and 1147.(f) being after the accession of Henry II. confirmed (1155?) in that Earldom and granted the third penny of the pleas of that county(a) "ut sit inde Comes." (g) He and his son contributed to the ransom of King Richard I. He m. firstly, about 1139, Beatrice, suo jure, as abovementioned. Her, however, by