168 ΠΟΓ, Κ It OF WENDOVER. [A.D . 1197. on Auvergne, and took ten of the French king's castles, and a great number of his followers ; but before the former could return into Normandy, the French king had taken tin; cattle of Anjou,* but on the receipt of fifty marks of silver, he gave up the soldiers of the garrison, safe in life and limb, and with their horses and arms, but the king retained the castle and strengthened it. How the French king was close pressed in Flanders. In the meantime, Baldwin count of Flanders besieged the castle of Arras, and the king of the French hearing of this, came thither with a large army; but on his arrival the count raised the siege and departed for his own dominions, with the king of France in pursuit. But when the latter monarch had advanced a good way amongst the lakes and inlets of the sea, the count of Flanders caused all the bridges to be broken, and the aqueducts to be opened, both in the front and rear of the French king, so that he could neither advance or retreat, nor could any provisions be brought to him. The king, being in this dilemma, sent word to the count that he had come there with the intention of making amicable arrangements with him. or of recalling him from his fealty to the English king ; he, moreover, told the count that luì was his liege subject, on which account he ought not, nor did it become, him, to fight against his crown. The count, however, before he permitted the king of the French to depart, made him swear that he would restore both to himself, the count, and to the king of the English, all the castles and other their rights, which he had taken possession of during the war, and he appointed a day for the performance of this agreement, arranging that he himself as well as the English king should come to a conference on the Wednesday after the exaltation of the holy cross, between G ai lion and Andelys ; and then the. French king, thus escaping capture by the duke, returned to his own dominions. But after he had got back to l'ari* he took counsel with his nobles in order to break from his agreement ; for be did not consider himself bound to keep an oath which he had made on compulsion. * Dangu in the originili.