e king
himself was only fifty-six; but he was already an old man, worn out by
the prodigious labours and anxieties of forty years. There were moments
when a passionate despair settled down on his soul. One day he called
his two friends, Baldwin and Hugh, out from the crowd of courtiers to
ride beside him, and the bitterness of his heart broke forth, "Why
should I revere Christ!" he cried, "why should I think Him worthy of
honour who takes from me all honour in my lands, and suffers me to be
thus shamefully confounded before that camp follower?" as he called the
king of France. Then, as if beside himself, he struck spurs into his
horse, and dashed back again into the throng of courtiers.

In the eyes of the world, however, Henry was still the most renowned
among the kings of the earth in his unassailable triumph and success.
For forty years his reign had been one long triumph. From every difficulty
conquered he had gained new strength; every rebellion had left him more
unquestioned master. He had never yet known defeat. The Church was now
earnest in his support. Papal legates won for him a truce of two months
after the conference at Bonmoulins, and when at its close Britanny broke
out in revolt, and Richard led an army against his father's lands, the
legates again procured peace till after Easter. From February to June of
1189 Henry waited at Le Mans, still confident, it would seem, of peace.
Once more legates were appointed to bring about a settlement between the
two kings at La Ferte Bernardon the 4th of June. With a fierce outburst
of anger Henry passionately refused the demands of Philip. The legate
threatened to lay France under an interdict if Philip persisted in war,
but Philip only retorted that the Roman Church had no right to interfere
between the king of France and his rebel vassals, and added with a sneer
that the cardinals already smelt English gold. Then at last Henry
abandoned the hope of peace. His treasury was empty, and his lands on both
sides of the water had been taxed to the last penny. His troops had melted
away in search of more abundant pay. He was shut in between hostile
forces--Breton rebels to westward, and the allied armies of Philip and
Richard to eastward. The danger roused his old defiant energy. Glanville
hurried to England "to compel all English knights, however exhausted and
poor, to cross to France," while the king himself, with a few faithful
barons and a small body of mercenaries, fell