Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/241

The Development of France 205 Then did Aymon see that he could not hold out, and he gave over hoping to save himself or his castle. He saw only this one way to safety that he should throw himself at the king's feet. There he prostrated himself again and again, while all the crowd marveled, and prayed the king to have com- passion upon him. He gave up his castle, and, humble now as he had once been proud, submitted himself utterly to the king's justice. The king kept the castle and took Aymon into France to be judged there ; and right justly and piously, by the decision and arbitration of the French, did he settle the dispute which had arisen between the uncle and nephew. King Louis spent freely both of money and the sweat of his brow to relieve the sufferings and oppressions of many. He was used to make many such expeditions throughout the country for the relief of churches and of the poor, but we must pass over these, as it would but weary the reader to narrate them. ... Now Louis, the king of the French, by virtue of his superior dignity, bore himself toward Henry, king of the English and duke of the Normans, as toward a vassal. But the king of the English, for that he had wealth in marvel- ous abundance and a noble kingdom, was impatient of his inferiority. So he agreed together with his nephew Theobald, the count of the palace, and many other disaffected men of the kingdom, to cast off Louis' overlordship and strive to rouse the kingdom and stir up old troubles. The king of England and Count Theobald, because Normandy and the county of Chartres lie close together, united to attack the king's nearest frontier. They sent Stephen, count of Mor- tagne, brother of one and nephew of the other, with an army to another region, in Brie, for they feared that the king might suddenly occupy this territory while the count was absent. And the king of France did not restrain himself, nor spare Normandy, nor Chartres, nor Brie. Stationed in the midst of all these lands as in a circle, he laid waste now one, now another; and he often gave battle to make known the power of the king's majesty. Troubles between the king of France and the king of England.