into Normandy
to protect that province against an incursion which the count of Dreux,
instigated by King Lewis, his brother, had made upon it. War was now
openly carried on between the two monarchs, but produced no memorable
event: it soon ended in a cessation of arms, and that followed by a
peace, which was not, however, attended with any confidence or good
correspondence between those rival princes. {1160.} The fortress of
Gisors, being part of the dowry stipulated to Margaret of France, had
been consigned by agreement to the knights templars, on condition that
it should be delivered into Henry's hands after the celebration of
the nuptials. The king, that he might have a pretence for immediately
demanding the place, ordered the marriage to be solemnized between
the prince and princess, though both infants; and he engaged the grand
master of the templars, by large presents, as was generally suspected,
to put him in possession of Gisors.[*] {1161.} Lewis, resenting this
fraudulent conduct, banished the templars, and would have made war upon
the king of England, had it not been for the mediation and authority
of Pope Alexander III., who had been chased from Rome by the antipope,
Victor IV., and resided at that time in France.

[* Since the first publication of this History,
Lord Lyttleton has published a copy of the treaty between
Henry and Lewis, by which it appears, if there was no secret
article, that Henry was not guilty of any fraud in this
transaction, observe, that the two kings had the year
before, met the pope at the castle of Torci on the Loir; and
they gave him such marks of respect, that both dismounted to
receive him, and holding each of them one of the reins of
his bridle, walked on foot by his side, and conducted him in
that submissive manner into the castle: "a spectacle,"
cries Baronius in an ecstasy, "to God, angels, and men; and
such as had never before been exhibited to the world!"]

{1162.} Henry, soon after he had accommodated his differences with Lewis
by the pope's mediation, returned to England; where he commenced an
enterprise, which, though required by sound policy, and even conducted
in the main with prudence, bred him great disquietude, involved him in
danger, and was not concluded without some loss and dishonor.

The usurpations of the clergy, which had at first been gradual, were
now become so rapid, and had mounted to such a h