While the nation was thus advancing in wealth and civilization, Plantagenet and his sons were again, in 1184, engaged in unnatural warfare: a second time did young Henry take up arms against his father, and again both Richard and Geoffrey combined with him. Whatever may be advanced by the apologists of Plantagenet, in regard to his paternal conduct toward his eldest and third sons, no excuse can be made for his conduct toward his second (Richard). He had been contracted at an early age to Alice, another daughter to the king of France, who had been sent over to England to receive her education in that country which was to be her abode. At length, when Richard demanded his bride, his father refused to yield her to him; nor even when, by the unexpected death of young Henry, Richard became heir to the crown, would Plantagenet comply. Meanwhile, Louis died, and was succeeded by his son, the celebrated Philip Augustus; who, willing that this long deferred marriage should take place, acceded to the demand of Plantagenet, that the dower which Margaret had received on her marriage with young Henry, should be assigned to her sister Alice; this dower was the town of Gisors and the Vexin. Still was the marriage delayed; and at length the indignant son learned the truth, that the father meditated a divorce from his "detested queen," that he might marry Richard's affianced bride. It is not improbable that the short remission of her imprisonment, which, during part of the year 1185, Elinor obtained, proceeded from the anxiety of Plantagenet to induce her to accede to this

divorce.* Many of the French writers attribute her long previous imprisonment to her refusal of a similar demand; and that this temporary liberation was conceded with such a view, derives additional plausibility from the statement of Hoveden, that Henry directed Richard, during this year, to yield up the government of Poictou to his mother. But the mother most probably refused to be the means of inflicting such mortification on her favourite son; and we find her soon after again consigned to her stern captivity. Meanwhile, Richard carried on a fierce warfare against his father, aided by his brother Geoffrey, whom Plantagenet had refused the addition of the county of Maine to his dukedom of Britany. But Geoffrey, like young Henry, was doomed to an early grave: in 1186 he went to Paris, where, being dismounted at a tournament, he was trampled to death.

From this period to the year that closed his life, the reign of Plantagenet presents little, save a continuance of contests with his son Richard. Foiled in this attempt to gain Alice for himself, Plantagenet, determined that Richard should not possess her, now demanded that she might be contracted to his son John. This request was peremptorily denied ;

reason.

* Gervase mentions the king's anxiety to obtain a divorce, although, with the exception of terming her "his detested queen," he gives no He also mentions that she was liberated at the express request of the archbishop of Canterbury (p. 1475). Both reasons may have induced him to liberate Elinor. It is evident that at this time he did not stand on very good terms with the clergy, who seem to have expected that he would have taken a more active part in the crusade, which Heraclius this year came over to preach. According to Brompton, he gave the king a very fair specimen of plain speaking.

and war commenced between Plantagenet and Philip. At length, after many ineffectual attempts, a truce was concluded between the hostile monarchs, and they met on a plain near Chinon. The sky was clear, the sun shining, and they on horse-back were conversing with each other; suddenly, a loud peal of thunder was heard, and a bolt fell between them. It sank into the ground, and shortly after they again resumed their conversation :-Plantagenet subscribed the articles of peace, and-fatal demand—asked for the list of those of his nobles who in the late contest had adhered to Philip. Again, thunder, louder and more fearful, was heard, although the sky still retained its brightness; and Plantagenet, overwhelmed with indefinable terror, would have fallen from his horse, but for the aid of the bystanders. The conference ended-the list was duly sent, and first upon it stood the name of John! Overwhelmed with grief and rage, cursing the day that he was born, cursing his children, and those around him, Plantagenet sought the castle of Chinon, where he was seized with fever. It was in vain that his bishops and chaplains pressed around him, urging him to revoke those fearful curses; he remained unmoved; and, although life was fast ebbing away, swore he would never revoke them. For some days he lingered, unattended either by wife or child; for Richard, in arms against him, knew not of his danger, and Elinor was in the prison-house, to which his cruelty had consigned her. At length, finding his end approaching, he caused himself to be carried to the adjoining church, "where, con

fessing his sins, and receiving the sacraments, and absolution," says Hoveden, "he died on the octave of St. Peter and St. Paul." Immediately on his death, ere the corpse became cold,-ring, bracelet, collar, royal mantle, and vest, were stript away by the attendants; and utterly divested of clothing, the illustrious Plantagenet lay on a table in the church, until a young page, who was passing by, spread his scanty cloak over him. "The greatest of men are liable to this desertion; but it always. proves that the manners or conduct of the prince could have excited no personal regard."*

At the time of his father's illness, Richard was in Poictou, and thither the chief men of the court (when Plantagenet's recovery was pronounced hopeless) repaired, to pray him to come, and assume the reins of government. Richard immediately complied; but the father's eyes were closed ere the son arrived. The haughty but generous Coeur de Lion superintended his father's obsequies with the most reverend care; the royal corpse, arrayed in silken mantle, broidered gloves, white leather boots, and gilt spurs, with golden circlet on the brow, and with sceptre and sword of state placed in either hand,† was borne to its last resting place, the Nun's church, in the neighbouring abbey of Fontevraud,‡ while Richard, shedding tears, preceded the bier; and "thus," says Hoveden, quaintly, "among the veiled ones was he hidden from sight."

The will of Plantagenet, made seven years before,

* Turner.

+ Matthew Paris.

‡ Vide Appendix, Note 7.

all the provisions of which Coeur de Lion strictly fulfilled, deserves notice, as affording proof of that splendid munificence towards objects of religion and charity, which was so peculiarly the characteristie of the middle ages. * The whole will consists of charitable bequests; 20,000 marks are devoted for the defence of the Holy Land, and to the aid of the charitable establishments there; to the religious houses of England, 5,000; to those of Normandy, 2,000; and to those of Anjou, 1,000 marks are bequeathed, together with 2,000 marks to the abbey of Fontevraud. To the Carthusian order, 3,000 marks; to the Grandmontines, 3,000; to the Clugniac, 2,000; and to the Cistercian, the same sum is left; while 300 gold marks are bequeathed for the marriage portions of "poor free English women who need aid," and the same sum for the same purpose to those of Normandy, and of Anjou. These bequests, with a few small legacies, constitute the whole of the document, and thus nearly £37,000 —a sum, in present value, equal to half a million— was the princely largesse bestowed by the last will of Plantagenet.

* A similar display of munificence accompanied the burial of the Conqueror. Then," says the Saxon Chronicle," the king, Rufus, did as his father had commanded him ere he was dead; he distributed treasures for his father's soul to each monastery in England: to some ten marks of gold; to others six; to each upland church sixty pence; and into each shire he sent 100/. of money, to distribute among poor men."