A.D. 1259. LAMENTABLE DISASTER IN FRANCE. 365 Nevertheless, he was sent to fulfil the commands of the pope as far as he could, and to adopt such excellent advice, especially as it was all for his own honour. And not long after, the formal ambassadors of the king of England returned, namely, the earl of Clare, John Maunsel, Peter de Savoy, and Robert Vallerant, the earl of Leicester soil remaining in foreign countries. And they, wishing to relate the manner in which they had performed the business entrusted to them before the parliament of the king of France, laid publicly before the nobles of England, assembled in the presence of the king in London, all the replies and wishes of the French with respect to each of the matters and articles, to establish which between the two kings and kingdoms, they had especially crossed the seas. And when the truth had been related, they were afterwards to speak in public on these articles in their regular order. Accordingly, when this report had been heard, and when a diligent debate had taken place respecting it, the nobles unanimously agreed with great wisdom that, because the aforesaid business was constantly vacillating and swaying this way and that way, owing especially to the want of a personal interview between the kings, therefore in the ensuing autumn the lord the king, with all his nobles, and with the lord Richard, his brother, king of Germany, should cross the sea and be present himself at the parliament appointed to be held at Abbeville, where the king of France would likewise be present with his council. So this was agreed upon on both sides, and the matter was put off till the meeting of that parliament. And when this had been settled, all men who had been summoned, and who owed the king service, had notice given to them, that by the feast of Saint Peter ad Vincula next ensuing, they should all be prepared with horses and arms to make war upon the Welch ; and like faithful subjects, to avenge the injuries which had been done to the king and kingdom. After this, when the king and most of his nobles retired, who, as had been previously arranged, were bound to cross the sea with him, a truce was made between the aforesaid parties, the king and the Welch, to last till the same festival in the ensuing year. For this was the best plan, that one affair should be brought to a fitting conclusion, and the other left unfinished. About the same period of this year a lamentable disaster took place in the country of France, one above all others ever