f the two
dignities in one person.

John then promised that he would appear before the court in Paris on
the appointed day, and give up to Philip two small castles, Thillier
and Boutavant, as security for his submitting to its decision. April
28th passed, and both these promises remained unfulfilled. One English
writer asserts that thereupon "the assembled court of the King of
France adjudged the King of England to be deprived of all his land
which he and his forefathers had hitherto held of the King of France,"
but there is reason to think that this statement is erroneous, and
derived from a false report put forth by Philip Augustus for political
purposes two or three years later. It is certain that after the date
of this alleged sentence negotiations still went on; "great and
excellent mediators" endeavored to arrange a pacification; and Philip
himself, according to his own account, had another interview with
John, at which he used all his powers of persuasion to bring him to
submission, but in vain. Then the French King, by the advice of his
barons, formally "defied" his rebellious vassal; in a sudden burst of
wrath he ordered the Archbishop of Canterbury--evidently one of the
mediators just referred to--out of his territories, and dashing after
him with such forces as he had at hand, began hostilities by a raid
upon Boutavant, which he captured and burned. Even after this, if we
may trust his own report, he sent four knights to John to make a final
attempt at reconciliation; but John would not see them.

The war which followed was characteristic of both kings alike.
Philip's attack took the form not of a regular invasion, but of a
series of raids upon Eastern Normandy, whereby, in the course of the
next three months, he made himself master of Thillier, Lions,
Longchamp, La Ferteen-Braye, Orgueil, Gournay, Mortemer, Aumale, and
the town and county of Eu. John was throughout the same period
flitting ceaselessly about within a short distance of all these
places; but Philip never came up with him, and he never but once came
up with Philip. On July 7, 1202, the French King laid siege to
Radepont, some ten miles to the southeast of Rouen. John, who was at
Bonport, let him alone for a week, and then suddenly appeared before
the place, whereupon Philip immediately withdrew. John, however, made
no attempt at pursuit. According to his wont, he let matters take
their course till he saw a favorable opportunity for retaliation