A.D. 1191. AGREEMENT BETWEEN RICHARD AND PHILIP. 196 if the duke of Burgundy denies that he brought me that letter on behalf of his lord the king of France, I am quite ready to make proof of the same against him by one of my captains." Upon this, with the letter so received at the hands of king Tancred, the king of England returned to Messina. On the same day, the king of France came to Taverni, and had an interview with king Tancred, and after remaining with him one night, on the next day returned to Messina. The king of England, being aroused to anger against the king of France, showed him a countenance neither joyous nor betokening peace, but sought an opportunity of withdrawing from him with his people. Consequently, the king of France made enquiry why this was done ; on which the king of England, by Philip, earl of Flanders, informed him of every word that the king of SicBy had said to him about the king ; and, as a proof of the fact, showed the letter already mentioned. On this becoming known to the king of France, having a bad conscience on the matter, he at first held his peace, not knowing what to say ha return. At length, however, having recovered his seB'-possession, he said : "Now do I know of a truth that the king of England is seeking pretexts for speaking Bl of me, for these words are forged and false. But. he has' invented these evB charges against me, I suppose, that he may get rid of my sister Alice, whom he has sworn that he wBl marry ; but let him know this for certain, if he does put her aside and marry another woman, I wBl be the enemy of him and his so long as I Bve." On hearing this, the king of England made answer, that he would on no account whatever take his sister to wife ; inasmuch as the king of England, his own father, had been intimate with her, and had had a son by her ; and he produced many witnesses to prove the same, who were ready by aB manner of proof to establish that fact. "When this became known to the king of France, through the information of many persons, by the counsel of the earl of Flanders and others of his faithful advisers, he acquiesced therein; and that aH disputes between him and the king of England, both on this point as weB as on aB others, might be put an end to, he released the king of England from his promises and oaths, and aB covenants which he had entered into with him as to being united in marriage with his sister ο 2