Threeyearsafterwards,PrinceGeoffrey,beingunhorsedatatournament,hadhisbrainstrampledoutbyacrowdofhorsespassingoverhim.So,thereonlyremainedPrinceRichard,andPrinceJohn-whohadgrowntobeayoungmannow,andhadsolemnlysworntobefaithfultohisfather.Richardsoonrebelledagain,encouragedbyhisfriendtheFrenchKing,PHILIPTHESECONDsonofLouis,whowasdead;andsoonsubmittedandwasagainforgiven,swearingontheNewTestamentnevertorebelagain;andinanotheryearorso,rebelledagain;and,inthepresenceofhisfather,kneltdownonhiskneebeforetheKingofFrance;anddidtheFrenchKinghomage:anddeclaredthatwithhisaidhewouldpossesshimself,byforce,ofallhisfather\'sFrenchdominions.
AndyetthisRichardcalledhimselfasoldierofOurSaviour!AndyetthisRichardworetheCross,whichtheKingsofFranceandEnglandhadbothtaken,inthepreviousyear,atabrotherlymeetingunderneaththeoldwide-spreadingelm-treeontheplain,whentheyhadswornlikehimtodevotethemselvestoanewCrusade,fortheloveandhonouroftheTruth!
Sickatheart,weariedoutbythefalsehoodofhissons,andalmostreadytoliedownanddie,theunhappyKingwhohadsolongstoodfirm,begantofail.ButthePope,tohishonour,supportedhim;
andobligedtheFrenchKingandRichard,thoughsuccessfulinfight,totreatforpeace.RichardwantedtobeCrownedKingofEngland,andpretendedthathewantedtobemarriedwhichhereallydidnottotheFrenchKing\'ssister,hispromisedwife,whomKingHenrydetainedinEngland.KingHenrywanted,ontheotherhand,thattheFrenchKing\'ssistershouldbemarriedtohisfavouriteson,John:theonlyoneofhissonshesaidwhohadneverrebelledagainsthim.AtlastKingHenry,desertedbyhisnoblesonebyone,distressed,exhausted,broken-hearted,consentedtoestablishpeace.
Onefinalheavysorrowwasreservedforhim,evenyet.Whentheybroughthimtheproposedtreatyofpeace,inwriting,ashelayveryillinbed,theybroughthimalsothelistofthedesertersfromtheirallegiance,whomhewasrequiredtopardon.ThefirstnameuponthislistwasJohn,hisfavouriteson,inwhomhehadtrustedtothelast.