Jrott whenever they perceive any hopes of deliver-ing him from prifon. The king of France alfo, whofe daughter he married, is fo exafperated at the late events, that he would willingly retaliate the firft opportunity ; and his power is great of itfelf, and muft be increafed by his connexions in England/ King Henry anfwered,— Until I fhall obfervc any thing contrary to the prefent ftate of affairs," or that the king of France or other pfcrfons a$. againft me, 1 will not change thy refolurion, but firmly keep the promife I have made/ This was the anfwer of king Henry, for which he narrowly efcaped fuffefing, as you fhall prefently hear. The earl of Huntingdon, brother to king Richard, though married to the fitter of king Henry, could not forget his treatment of the late king, any more than the earl of Salifbury. They had 4 fecret meeting, near to Oxford, on the means to deliver Richard of Bourdeaux from the Tower of London, deftroy king Henry, and throw the country into confufion. "They refolved to proclaim a tournament to be holden at Oxford, of twenty knights and fquires, and invite the king to witnefs it privately. During the time the king was fitting at dinner they were to flay him, (for they were to be provided with a fufficiency of men at arms for their purpofe) and to drefs out iri the foyal robes a prieft called Magdalen, who had been of king Richard's chapel, and was like him in coun-tenance, and make the people to underftand that he was delivered from prifon, and had refumed N 2 his 179 *