. 1193.]

The king, who was detained in Europe longer than the haughty prelate
expected, hearing of this ostentation, which exceeded even what the
habits of that age indulged in ecclesiastics; being also informed of the
insolent, tyrannical conduct of his minister, thought proper to restrain
his power: he sent new orders, appointing Walter, archbishop of Rouen,
William Mareshal, earl of Strigul, Geoffrey Fitz-Peter, William Brie
were, and Hugh Bardolf, counsellors to Longchamp, and commanding him to
take no measure of importance without their concurrence and approbation.
But such general terror had this man impressed by his violent conduct,
that even the archbishop of Rouen and the earl of Strigul durst not
produce this mandate of the king's: and Longchamp still maintained an
uncontrolled authority over the nation. But when he proceeded so far as
to throw into prison Geoffrey, archbishop of York, who had opposed
his measures, this breach of ecclesiastical privileges excited such a
universal ferment, that Prince John, disgusted with the small share he
possessed in the government, and personally disobliged by Longchamp,
ventured to summon at Reading a general council of the nobility and
prelates, and cite him to appear before them. Longchamp thought it
dangerous to intrust his person in their hands, and he shut himself,
up in the tower of London; but being soon obliged to surrender that
fortress, he fled beyond sea, concealed under a female habit, and was
deprived of his offices of chancellor and chief justiciary, the last of
which was conferred on the archbishop of Rouen, a prelate of prudence
and moderation. The commission of legate, however, which had been
renewed to Longchamp by Pope Celestine, still gave him, notwithstanding
his absence, great authority in the kingdom, enabled him to disturb
the government, and forwarded the views of Philip, who watched every
opportunity of annoying Richard's dominions. {1192.} That monarch first
attempted to carry open war into Normandy: but as the French nobility
refused to follow him in an invasion of a state which they had sworn to
protect, and as the pope, who was the general guardian of all princes
that had taken the cross, threatened him with ecclesiastical censures,
he desisted from his enterprise, and employed against England the
expedient of secret policy and intrigue. He debauched Prince John from
his allegiance; promised him his sister Alice in marriage; offered to
give h