case did not admit of debate or delay, and the little prin-cess was forthwith betrothed to her mature lover, and con-signed to the castle of Valence ; where she occupied the apartments and sported in the pleasance, that had formerly delighted the childhood of Isabella. With his heart l!bus reassured, Count Hugh repulsed the army of the French king, and kept the Foictevin border in peace. Philip Augustus disappointed in this attempt, prepared for the invasion of England ; but while his fleet waited in the ports of Normandy, the legate Pandulph sought an in-terview with John, and terrifying him with the prospect of certain ruin brought him to submit unconditionally to the pope. The pusillanimous monarch was thus induced to pass a charter in which he declared he had for his own sins and those of his family, resigned England and Ireland to God, to St. Peter, and St. Paul, and to Pope Innocent and his successors in the apostolic chair ; agreeing to hold those dominions as feudatories of the church of Eome by the an-nual payment of a thousand marks. He consented to re-ceive Langton for the primate, laid his crown and sceptre at the feet of Pandulph, and kneeling down placed his hand in those of that prelate, and swore fealty in the same man-ner as a vassal did homage to his lord. The legate then revoked the sentence of excommunication, placed the crown upon the head of John, pocketed the first instalment of the tribute money, and returning to France informed Philip that England was a part of the patrimony of St. Peter, and it would be impious in any Christian prince to attack it. Isabella was residing with her children at Gloucester, when her inconstant husband, smitten with the charms of Matilda the fair daughter of Lord Fitz Walter, stormed the castle of her father, banished him from the kingdom, and bore away the trembling girl to the fortress of London. There confining her in one of the lofty turrets of the White tower he set himself to win her affections ; but the noble maiden spurned all his overtures with virtuous indignation. When the hoary libertine found that flattery and coercion HEROINES OP THE CRUSADES.