A D.1105. CONFERENCE OF THE ICINGS OF FRANCE AND ENGLAND. 369 counties of England, who, upon the oaths of trusty men, arrested many in their respective neighbourhoods, and put them in the king's prisons. Many, however, being forewarned thereof, and having bad consciences, left their homes and possessions, and took to flight. In the same year, after the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, Henry, emperor of the Bomans, sent to Bichard, king of England, a massive crown of gold, of great value, as a token of their mutual affection ; requesting him, by the fealty which he owed him, and as he took an interest in his hostages, that they might not come to harm, to make a hostile invasion of the territories of the king of France, on which the emperor himself would give him ample succours for the purpose of avenging the injuries done him by the king of France. However, the king of England, fearing that in this message there might be some treachery lying concealed, sent to the emperor, "WHUam, bishop of Ely, his chanceBor, for the purpose of enquiring what kind of succours, and when and where the emperor would give him aid against the king of France. For it was well known to the king of England that the said emperor, above all things, desired that the kingdom of France might become subject to the Boman empire ; whBe, on the other hand, the king of England conjectured that if an aBiance were formed between the emperor and the king of France, the whole would redound to his own detriment. Accordingly, the king of France, being aware that the chancellor of the king of England would pass through his territory, attempted to take him ; but being deceived in his expectations, sent word to the king of England that there was an end to the truce ; immediately on which, the armies of both, engaging, did the greatest damage on both sides in the destruction of men, and in ravages and conflagrations. The king of France, however, seeing that he could in nowise defend himself against the king of England, destroyed many castles in Normandy, which the king of England soon after rebuilt, and rendered stBl stronger than they had been before. However, one day, before the destruction of the castle of Val Bodol, the said kings came to hold a conference near that castle ; but while they were holding it, a great part of the waBs of the castle fell, through the operations of the miners of the king of France ; seeing which, the king of England left the conference, and made an attack upon the army of the king VOL. 11. Β Β