A.D. 1191. THE XING ATTACKS WILLIAM DE BARRES. the Nativity of our Lord, which fell on the third day of the week. On the same day, after dinner, the Pisano and Genevese seditiously made an attack upon the galleymen of Kichard, king of England, and a slaughter took place on both sides. The noise of this accordingly reached the ears of the king of England, who was still sitting at table in his castle of Mate Griffon ; and on this day there were feasting with , him Reginald, bishop of Chartres, Hugh, duke of Burgundy, William count de Nevers, William count de Juvigny, Geoffrey count of Perche, and many others of the household of the king of Prance. The tables being instantly set aside, aB these persons arose, and went out with the king fully armed, for the purpose of putting an end to the fight, which, however, they were unable to do ; but, night coming on, the parties were separated from each other tiB the morning. On the foBowbag day, when the people had assembled in the church of Saint John of the Hospital, to hear Divine service there, a certain Pisan, drawing his knife, slew one of the gaBeymen of the king in the church ; on which a conflict took place a second time between the Pisans and the gaBeymen, and multitudes were slain on both sides. Upon this, the king of Prance and the king of England came with a large body of armed men, and made peace be tween them. After this, in the month of February, on the day of the Purification of Saint Mary ever a Virgin, being Saturday, after dinner, Richard, king of England, and many of his household, and some of the people of the household of the king of Prance, assembled after their usual manner, outside of the waBs of the city of Messina, to view the games of the people ; and when they were returning home, as they passed through the middle of the city, they met a peasant coming from the country with an ass laden with reeds which they caB " canes ;" of which the king of England and the others who were with him each took one, and engaged with one another. It so happened that the king of England and WBBam de Barres, one of the bravest knights of the household of the king of France, engaged with each other, and broke their reeds, while the head-piece of the king of the EngBsh was broken by a blow from WiBiam de Barres ; at which the king being enraged, made an attack upon him with such violence that it made him and his horse stumble ; but, whBe the king was trying to throw him to the ground, the king's saddle slipped,