CH. XVII.—FBOM A.D. 1259 το A.D. 1260· Négociations between Henry and the king of Scotland—The empire is offered to the king of Germany—Conference between the kings of England and France—War between the English and Welch—A treaty is made between Henry and Louis, by which Henry gives up Normandy—Henry quarrels with, and is afterwards reconciled to prince Edward—Bad news from the Holy Land, in consequence of the invasion of the Tartars—Meeting of the kings of England, France, and Scotland, at Paris. The king of Germany comes to England. The earl of Leicester returns to England. A.D. 1259, which is the forty-third of the reign of king Henry the Third, the aforesaid king was, at the feast of the Nativity of the Lord, in London, when a very anxious deliberation was held about Richard, king of Germany, who was earnestly desirous to come to England ; but his arrival was by some people looked on with great suspicion, for they were afraid that he mignt wreak his revenge on the barons for the banishment of his uterine brothers, and might oppose the barriers of contradiction to the wholesome arrangement and happy regulation of the whole kingdom. But while the festivities of Christmas were proceeding, that the joys of this world might not proceed without being mingled with sorrow, on the day of Saint Thomas the Martyr, PhUip Lovel, the most especial counsellor and treasurer of the lord the king, died at his church of Hamesle, being, as it is said, wasted away through grief of mind, because he had been accused to the king of injurious conduct and transgression of the forest laws, and the king would not be reconciled to him. And as soon as the said Philip was dead, the king ordered all his property to he confiscated without delay. About the same time, the monks of Winchester, finding that the king would accept no one whom they elected as bishop, except some dear friend of his own, elected the lord Henry de Wengham, the king's chancellor, to be their bishop and shepherd: But he, considering that it was a matter likely to create strife, was unwilling altogether to consent to this, although he was able to get the king to be favourable to the precedent. About the time of the feast of Saint Hilary, the barons hav