372 nOGF-Π OF WEN'DOVF.ti. [ Λ n. .eie the other on his own authority, and was not hound to complain to the lord of the other; and it' the lord himself defended that vassal as long as he continued such war, the lord himself was said to make war. The pope then said, that, at the general council it had been decreed, that there should be peace or a truce for four years between all wdio were at difference, in order to give succour to the Holy hand, and therefore Louis ought not during that time to make war on the kingdom of Kngland. The messengers replied, that, on his departure from France, Louis had not been called on to keep the peaee or truce; and even if be had, they believed that there was so much ill will in the king of Kngland, that he would not keep either peace or truce. The pope next said that the king of Kngland had assumed the cross; wherefore by a decree of the general council, he and all his possessions ought to be protected by the church. To this the messengers answered, that the king of Kngland had made war on Louis before he took the cross, and had inflicted many injuries on him, had taken his castles, and even now detained his knights and soldiers in prison, being still at war against Louis, and will not make peace with him or grant him a truce, although he had been often asked to do so. The pope then told them that, by the common consent of the general council, he had excommunicated the barons of Kngland and all their abettors, and therefore. Louis had incurred that sentence. The messengers replied that their lord Louis did not assist the barons of Kngland nor abet them, but only sought his own rights ; and Louis did not, and could not believe that the, pope or the council would excommunicate any one unjustly, for at the time of the sentence his holiness did not know that Louis had any claim to the kingdom of Kngland, and as this had been proved to him, Louis did not believe that the council would take away his right from him. The pope uext said that the French king, as well as his son Louis, even after the sentence had been pronounced against the king of Kngland by the French barons, had called John a king, considered him as a king, and had made treaties with him as king of Fughimi. To this the messengers answered, that, after the declaration of the sentence against the king by the barons, they bad never considered him a king, but had called hiin " the deposed king," in the same