86 MATTHEW 0Γ WESTMINSTER. JL.J). 1194. brother, the count, had bribed. He recovered the castle, and treated those whom he took mercifully. The same year, all the churches in England were taxed and charged with imposts. Having, therefore, in a short time subdued all his adversaries in England, he, by the advice of his nobles, though against his own will, was crowned a second time at Winchester, in Easter week, Hubert, the archbishop, performing the mass, and William, the most pious king of Scotland, being likewise present. Which same William, king of Scotland, on the aforesaid day of the coronation of king Richard, carried before the king, as his proper service, one of the three swords which were brought forward out of the king's treasury ; and thè two counts, Hamelin de Warenne on the right hand of the king of Scotland, and Ranulph, earl of Chester, on his left hand, carried the two other swords. After that, on the day of the festivals of the two saints, Nereus and Achilles, he embarked on board ship at Portsmouth, and landed in Normandy, and rested that night, and slept after his fatigues at Bruis, where count John, taking good advice, came to meet the king in a suppliant manner, and with many of his soldiers threw himself humbly at his feet, and with profuse tears implored the mercy of his brother. But the king, who in time of peace was most merciful, wept, and raised up his prostrate brother, and received him again into his paternal affection, and immediately he delivered Verneuil from siege, and relieved the whole country from the oppression of the French. Immediately after this, he drove the king of France from the province of Touraine, and took all his horses and carriages, and beasts of burden, and then suddenly crossing into Poitou, he compelled all his enemies in that district to retreat ; so that from the castle of Verneuil, as far as Charlescroix, there was no one who could resist him. About this time the king of France sent four messengers to the king of England, to bring him a pacific message, which he sent in treachery, proposing that, desisting from their vast expenses and useless exertions on both sides, they should submit the questions in dispute between them both, to be decided by a battle between five picked men of each kingdom. The king of England replied that the proposal was very agreeable to him, provided that the king of France would himself make one of his five warriors, as he himself would be one of the five on his side ; but this the king of France refused.