king and his barons, who told him he had afiled Wifely, for that fuch forced marriages were of no avail ; and the king added, that he would otherwife ally him more to his honor and profit. Things remained in this ftate for about a year. Duke John of Brabant was not much difpleafed at this ; for he was delirous of marrying the young count of Flanders to his fécond daughter, the eldeft being countefs of Hainault. He fent ambafladors to king Philip, to intreat he would confent to the match between the count of Flanders and his daughter ; that, if he confented, he would in future he his good neighbour, and that neither he nor any of his children would ever bear arms again for t\e king of England. The king of France, who knew the duke of Bra-bant to be a powerful lord, that could hurt or aflift him according to his pleafure, liftened to his pro-pofal in preference to any other, and let the duke know, that if he could prevail on the ftates of Flanders to confent to this marriage, he would be agreeable to it, and would prefs it on the earl. The duke, in his anfwer, engaged for the confent of the ftates. He inftantly fent able commiffioners to the principal towns, to negdeiate with them this mar-riage : he treated, as I may fay, fword in hand ; for he gave them to underftand, that if they mar-ried the young earl otherwife, he would inftantly declare war againft them ; and on the contrary, if they complied with his délire, he would unite himfelf firongly with them, and defend them againft any oV er lords. The 250 .