35S ΙΚΜΊΚΙ: OF WKNDovr.i: [Λ.Ι. Ì-21C. as to whom they should choose they unanimously determine 1 to a])|oint Louis, son of Philip the French king, as their ruler, and to raise him to the throne of England. Their reason for this was, that the host of foreigners liv whom the king of England was surrounded, were, for the most part, under the dominion of Louis and his father, and if, by means of these latter. .John could be deprived of their assistance, being thus left destitute both at home and abroad, lie would be left to himself and unable to contend against them. Thi j resolution being satisfactory to all, they sent S. earl ol Winchester, and Robert 1· itz-Walter as special messengers to king Philip and Louis his sou, with letters under the seals of all the barons, earnestly beseeching the father to send bison to reign in England, and the, son to come there to take the crown. These messengers immediately made all haste and delivered the aforesaid letters to the French king and his son Louis: but Philip, after he had read the letters and understood their purport, told the messengers in reply that be would not send his son before he Inni, for greater security, received good hostages from the. barons, at least twenty-four of the most distinguished men in the whole kingdom. The messengers, on hearing this, made all possible speed and reported the answer they had received to the barons, who, having no other resort, sent hostages to tic French king at his pleasure to the number above-mentioned. The hostages oil their arrival were committed to safe custody at Compiegne, and Louis, somewhat encouraged, made jirc fatlier of holiness, the mirror of piety, the defender of justice, and the guardian of truth ; do you agree to this, do you commend and protect such η one? Hut because ho melale* to you, you defend this drainer and extorter of the wealth of Kngland and the KnglUh nubility, that everything may be absorhed in the gulph f Komnn avarice, but this pica and excuse, this sin and accusation are before iòni." Anil the barons in their complaints and lamentations, uttered curses on the king and the pope, thus sinning without hopes of atonement, since it is wriilea, " Thou shall not curse the king;" and thus transgressed tin' truth anil lb*ir reverence, sinee they declared that the illustrious king John was a slave, when to bo a slate to God is to be a king. At length they determined to choose some oilier prince, by whose means thev could he restored lo iheir former condition ; thinking that no king could reign more tyrannically than John, then adopting the following maxim : " When fate on man ,ts force has spent, He need not fear the next event."- -.1/. J'urit.