A.D. 1193. THE ΚΙΪΓΟ OF FfLiJÎCE VIOLATES HIS OATH. 287 ference at Aleneon, to treat on the affairs of the king and his liberation. To this he made answer, "I f you will receive me as your lord, and swear fealty to me, I will come with you and will be your defender against the king of Prance ; but if not, I will not come to you." On hearing this, the nobles of Normandy refused to obey him, or to swear fealty, trusting that by the help of God, their lord, the king of England, would return safe and sound. Upon this, John, the king's brother, repaired to the king of Prance and did homage to him for Normandy, and for the other territories of his brother beyond sea, and for England as well, as some said. He also made oath that he would marry his sister Alice, and released to the king of Prance all claims upon Gisors and the whole of the Vexin, in Normandy ; on which the king of France gave to him, with his said sister, that part of Flanders which belonged to him, and swore to him that he would, to the utmost of his ability, assist in gaining England and the other territories of the king of England on his behalf. After this, the said earl of Mortaigne returned to England, bringing many foreigners with him ; immediately on which, the castles of Wallingford and "Windsor were surrendered to him. The earl next came to London, and demanded of the archbishop of Rouen and the other justiciaries of England the kingdom, and the fealty of the subjects of the realm, asserting that the king of England, his brother, was dead. However, they did not place any confidence in his words. On this, being repulsed by the justiciaries and the other nobles of the kingdom, he withdrew, and, excited by indignation, fortified his castles and fortresses, and in his hostility invaded the lands of the king, his brother. Accordingly, multitudes resorted to him, deceiving themselves ; on which, being scourged by the deserved retribution of God, they lost everything that theypossessed. For the justiciaries of England and thefaithful subjects of our lord the king manfully resisted the said earl of Mortaigne, and inflicted upon him much loss; they also strengthened with garrisons the seaports and all the maritime places, with such care, that the Franks and Flemings, and many others, who had promised their aid to the before-named earl,"did not dare to land in England. Some, however, of their number who did land in England, were taken prisoners and placed in chains. The king of France, also, unmindful of the oath which on his departure from the land of Sulia he had made to the king of