370 JOINVILLE'S MEMOIRS OF SAINT LOUIS IX. £PT. II. send them to make war against the earl of Brittany, they would not bring with them more than two knights each, that the count might the more easily conquer the good king Louis, and his mother, who was a foreigner, as you hare before heard. This plot the barons put into execution, according to the engagement which they had entered into with the count of Brittany ; and I have heard many say, that the count would have destroyed and subdued the king and his mother, if it had not been for God's assistance, which never failed him. The count Thibaut de Champagne, as it were by divine permission, put himself and his forces in motion, to wait on the good king when he was in such distress and danger. In good truth, he set off with full three hundred knights, perfectly well equipped, and, through God's grace, arrived in good time ; for, by this timely reinforcement of the count of Champagne, the count of Brittany was forced to surrender himself to the king, and beg his mercy. The good king had no desire of revenge, and considering the victory he had obtained was gained through the power and will of God, in sending to him so opportunely the count of Champagne, received the count of Brittany into favour, and thenceforward the king travelled throughout his kingdom in security. Because incidents frequently happen that deserve mention, I shall at times leave the principal matter of my history to relate them; but, notwithstanding some things necessary to be related, for the better understanding the matters I treat of. I will therefore advance with truth. The good count Henry le Large had, by the countess Mary his wife, who was sister to the king of France, and to Richard king of England, two sons ; the elder was called Henry, and the second Thibaut Henry had put on the cross, and had accompanied King Philip and King Richard to the Holy Land, where these three besieged the city of Acre, and took it. * Pierre de Dreux, surnamed Mauclerc, who had withdrawn himself from the king's homage.