The Courts of Love - Jean Plaidy [199]
How Philip Augustus must have laughed. Here he had actual proof of Henry’s duplicity. He promptly showed the letter to Richard. Now surely he could not doubt his father’s treachery. Give John Aquitaine—the land for which he had fought! It was his mother’s, in any case. How could he ever have been such a fool as to range himself against his dear friend, the King of France?
The confrontation of the two Kings took place at Gisors, under an elm tree. It was not the first time the Kings of France and England had met at this spot. The English, who had arrived first at the scene, took up the position in the shade, leaving the hot sun to the French.
I could imagine Henry seizing the smallest advantage gleefully.
Philip asked that the Princess Alais should be given to Richard as his wife and that fealty, throughout the English Court, should be sworn to Richard as the heir to Henry’s dominions.
Henry must have been astonished. It was as though it were Richard who was making the terms. He was in a quandary.
The King of France signed for Richard to come forward.
“Here is your son,” he said. “You will swear to these conditions before him.”
Henry hesitated and Richard went on: “Swear that I shall have my bride. Swear that I shall have the inheritance due to the eldest son.”
There was no way out for Henry. He was trapped. He glared with hatred at his son and began to shout: “No, no I will not do it.”
“So,” said Richard, “I see that what I have heard of you is true.”
He turned his back on his father and approaching the King of France, took off his sword and handed it to him.
In the presence of his father he was offering allegiance to Philip Augustus.
How joyfully the King of France accepted it. Henry could not believe it. How could his son go over so blatantly to the enemy? I could have answered that. “Because, my dear Henry, you have shown so clearly that you are his enemy.”
Philip Augustus, eyes shining with love and gratitude, said he would agree to a truce; the two Kings should meet in a month’s time. Meanwhile Henry could consider his terms.
“Come,” he said to Richard. He gave him back his sword. Richard mounted his horse, and the two of them rode off together.
So Henry had lost another son—if not to death this time, to the King of France.
He went to Saumur for Christmas. It must have been a gloomy one. He would hear reports of the great friendship which existed between Richard and the King of France. They were always in each other’s company and now were planning the crusade they would take together.
The two Kings met again as planned. Philip Augustus implied that he wished for peace because he wanted to give his mind to the proposed crusade. The Holy Land was in danger while they played out their petty quarrels. All he wanted was that Richard should have his bride and be proclaimed heir to his rightful inheritance. The marriage had long been arranged and Richard was Henry’s eldest living son. Philip Augustus was only asking for what was right. There was another point. It would be necessary for John to join the crusade. This was so that he could not be up to mischief while Richard was away.
Henry raged to William Marshal and Geoffrey the Bastard at the insolence of the King of France. They must have been very unhappy—those men who really cared for him.
Henry said he would not agree to the terms, and Alais was to marry John.
Once more the conference ended in failure.
John joined him. Henry was at Le Mans, one of his favorite cities because it contained the tomb of his father, and he had often rested there to visit it.
It was while he was at Le Mans that he heard that Philip Augustus was on his way to attack him. He had given him many chances and still he refused to see reason; so now the French were on the march and with them Henry’s own son, Richard.
“What have I done,” demanded Henry of William Marshal, “that my own son should march against me?”
William