A.D. 1199. THE KING OF FRANCE BESIEGES lAVARDIN. 4C3 Upon this, the counts and barons of the kingdom of France who had adhered to Eichard, king of England, came to John, king of England, and did homage to king John, and made oath to him that they would not make terms with the king of France, unless with his sanction and consent ; and he swore to them that he would make no treaty with the king of France, unless they were included therein. In the meantime, pope Innocent and the Eomans elected as their-emperor, Otho, long of Germany, and rejected Philip, duke of Suabia, and all the others who had been selected. Accordingly, the election of the said Otho being confirmed by pope Innocent and the Roman Church, pope Innocent proceeded to excommunicate Philip, duke of Suabia, and all his adherents, advisers, and abettors, if they should not desist from their attacks upon the said Otho ; who was publicly proclaimed in the Capitol and throughout the whole of the city, in the words, "Long live our emperor Otho!" Accordingly, being elected emperor, Otho sent word to John, king of England, his uncle, to wait a little time, and defer making peace with Philip, king of France, as he himself, God willing would, before long, give him the very best aid that his imperial highness could possibly give him. In the meantime, Philip, king of France, took Conches, the castle of Roger de Toni ; this happened in the month of September. In the same month of September, Joanna, wife of Raymond, earl of Saint Gilles, the former queen of Sicily, and sister of John, king of England, departed this life, at Rouen, in Nor mandy ; and, being carried to the abbey of Fontevraud, was there interred among the nuns. In the month of October the king of France took the castle of Balun, of which Geoffrey de Burelim had charge, and le velled it with the ground. When William des Eoches, the leader of Arthur's army, knew of this, he was greatly vexed, and strongly censured the king of France, saying that it had not been so arranged between him and his lord Arthur ; to which the king of France made answer, that for his lord Arthur he should not forbear doing just as he pleased with reference to his gains from the enemy. After this, the king of France laid siege to Lavardin, but the king of England surprised him with his army, and the king of France, abandoning the siege, betook himself to the city of