is valor and military genius by suppressing the
revolts of his mutinous barons refused to obey Henry's orders, in doing
homage to his elder brother for that duchy; and he defended himself
against young Henry and Geoffrey, who, uniting their arms, carried war
into his territories.[**]

[* Ypod. Neust. p. 451.]

[** Benedict. Abbas, p 383. Diceto, p.617.]

The king with some difficulty composed this difference; but immediately
found his eldest son engaged in conspiracies, and ready to take arms
against himself. While the young prince was conducting these criminal
intrigues, he was seized with a fever at Martel, {1183.} a castle near
Turenne to which he had retired in discontent; and seeing the approaches
of death, he was at last struck with remorse for his undutiful behavior
towards his father. He sent a message to the king, who was not far
distant; expressed his contrition for his faults; and entreated the
favor of a visit, that he might at least die with the satisfaction of
having obtained his forgiveness. Henry, who had so often experienced
the prince's ingratitude and violence, apprehended that his sickness was
entirely feigned, and he durst not intrust himself into his son's hands:
but when he soon after received intelligence of young Henry's death,
and the proofs, of his sincere repentance, this good prince was affected
with the deepest sorrow; he thrice fainted away; he accused his own hard
hearted ness in refusing the dying request of his son; and he lamented
that he had deprived that prince of the last opportunity of making
atonement for his offences, and of pouring out his soul in the bosom of
his reconciled father.[*] This prince died in the twenty-eighth year of
his age.

The behavior of his surviving children did not tend to give the king any
consolation for the loss. As Prince Henry had left no posterity, Richard
was become heir to all his dominions; and the king intended that John,
his third surviving son and favorite, should inherit Guienne as his
appanage; but Richard refused his consent, fled into that duchy, and
even made preparations for carrying on war, as well against his father
as against his brother Geoffrey, who was now put in possession of
Brittany. Henry sent for Eleanor, his queen, the heiress of Guienne, and
required Richard to deliver up to her the dominion of these territories;
which that prince, either dreading an insurrection of the Gascons in her
favor, or retaining some sen