Richard Duke of Richard now unfortunately made another enemy. The Crusaders had taken possession of a place called Ascalon, and all, high and low, assisted in repairing the ruined walls. Richard called on the Duke of offends the Austria to help, but he refused, saying, he was not born a mason; and so the King, deserted by his allies, and disturbed by hearing of the treachery of his brother John in England, became dispirited. He made peace with Saladin on with Saladin on condition that the Christians should have free access to Jerusalem. Austria. Richard leaves the Holy Land, A. D. 1192. Richard lands in disguise. Richard then set sail for England, but his personal misfortunes now commenced, and his quarrels with the French king and the Duke of Austria began to bear their bitter fruits. His fleet was scattered in a violent storm, and the ship in which he sailed was driven towards the French coast, but not daring to land because of his quarrel with the king, he sailed about seeking shelter elsewhere. Having narrowly escaped being taken by pirates, he was at length wrecked on the coast of the Adriatic sea, and he and a few companions endeavoured to make their way through Austria in the disguise of pilgrims. It was necessary to keep strictly secret that it was Richard King of England who thus landed in disguise, for he had offended not only the Duke of Austria, but many German knights who had gone as crusaders to the Holy Land. He betrayed himself, however, by his want of caution, for having sent his page into a town to buy provisions, the boy thoughtlessly took with him the gloves belonging to the King's armour, which were recognised by one of the German knights. The boy was questioned about his master, and was put to the torture till he confessed where the King was to be found. Richard was then is taken minstrel. seized and put in prison by the Duke of Austria, Richard who handed him over to the Emperor of Germany. prisoner. The place of his imprisonment is said to have been discovered in the following manner. In those days it was the custom for kings and great men to keep minstrels to sing and play to them. It seems Richard's that Richard's minstrel, named Blondel, was wandering about in Germany in search of his sovereign, doubtless watching near every fortress in which his lord and master might be shut up. He one day heard a well-known song, sung by a well-known voice. It was his beloved master. Blondel immediately answered him by singing another verse of the same song. Thus the King knew he was discovered by his friends, and Blondel knew he had found the King. The minstrel communicated with the King's friends in England, who negotiated with the emperor for the King's ransom. The emperor demanded an enormous sum, which the English had much difficulty in raising. The plate of the churches and monasteries was melted down to make into money, and, says an ancient annalist, “England from sea to sea was reduced to the utmost distress." At length the ransom was paid and Richard returned Richard is to England. During the King's absence in the Holy Land, his brother John, prompted by the French king, Philip Augustus, had endeavoured to possess himself of England, and the French king had endeavoured to seize King Richard's possessions in Normandy. Richard's vigorous measures soon put an end to his troubles in England, and he then turned his attention to France. He was doubly anxious to attack the French king, first on account of his old ransomed. quarrel, and next to defend Normandy. The war in Normandy lasted all the rest of King Richard's reign. His death was caused by a wound received at the siege of the Castle of Chalus, in the year A.D. 1199. 1199. He, like his father, was buried at Fontevraud. Death of the First, Reign of John's reign must be remembered. Reign of King John. A.D. 1199 to A.D. 1216. Richard was succeeded by his brother John, and his reign is one of the most memorable in English history. It is not on account of the virtues, the bravery, or the wisdom of John, for he was a bad son, an unnatural and treacherous brother, an unfaithful husband, without wisdom or bravery, remorseless and cruel, without a touch of natural affection. What then made his reign memorable? It is this, that in his reign were laid the foundations of English liberty, and not only the foundations, but a noble superstructure was then raised, which has lasted to this very day. In his reign too, and that of his successor, the English nation became one united people. When John became king, the distinction between Saxons and Normans was strongly marked, and before the end of the reign of his grandson, it had almost disappeared. In the time of Richard the First, the ordinary imprecation of a Norman gentleman was, May I become an Englishman," -as we now say, "I'm a Dutchman if I do such or such a thing." The ordinary form of indignant denial was, "Do you take me for an Englishman?" But one hundred years later, the descendant of such a gentleman was JOHN MURDERS HIS NEPHEW. 69 proud of the English name.* In John's reign, too, the English language began to be the language of the nation. I will now relate the events of King John's reign in regular order. contest Arthur. On the death of Richard, the crown was claimed John's by Arthur, called Arthur of Brittany. He was the with his son of John's elder brother Geoffrey. But John nephew was chosen king because Richard had left the throne to him by will, and Arthur was a mere boy. In those days, the right order of succession to the throne was not clearly settled. John was firmly seated on the English throne, and Arthur took possession of those parts of France which belonged to the English crown. But as soon as he was crowned, John went over to France to recover his possessions. At first, Arthur was successful; but at length King John fell suddenly on his army, and took Arthur prisoner. He was but a youth, but John feared to allow him to live, and he caused him to be murdered, or, as some say, murdered him with his own hands. scene. his nephew. murders A writer of the time thus describes the horrible John Some of John's counsellors suggested to the King the necessity of unfitting Arthur for rule by blinding him. The wretches sent to execute this command were disarmed by the tears and cries of the poor boy, and the cruel deed was delayed till the King's pleasure was known. It was all in vain. At midnight, poor Arthur was suddenly awakened, and ordered to come out of the tower in which he was imprisoned. At the door he found his merciless uncle, with an attendant. Arthur threw himself on * Macaulay. his knees, and with a flood of tears implored his John ordered his attendant John's dispute with the Pope. uncle to spare his life. By this foul murder John lost the greater part of his French dominions at one blow. The French king, who, according to what is called the feudal system (of which you will hear in the next lecture), was his superior, summoned John to appear before him to answer the charge of murdering his nephew. John refused, and Philip took possession of the French provinces, with but little resistance from John, who returned to England. King John was soon afterwards engaged in a dispute with the Pope. In those days the Pope claimed the right of having a voice in the appointment of English bishops. John determined to dispute that right; and on the death of Hubert, the Archbishop of Canterbury, he appointed the Bishop of Norwich to succeed him. The Pope demanded that one Stephen Langton, an Englishman educated in France, and friendly to the Pope, should be appointed in his place. John refused: whereupon the Pope excommunicated him, and laid the kingdom under an interdict. Under an interdict all the churches were shut. No knell was tolled for the dead, for the dead remained unburied. No merry peals welcomed the bridal procession, for no couple could be joined in wedlock. These were among the effects of excommunication and interdict. The Pope also prevailed on the King of France to collect an army to invade |