heraldryofyorkmi01custuoft

TREHOUS. 123
soldiers to Arthur, a lad of sixteen (according to Hall), and still in statu
p^lp^llar^, though already affianced to the daughter of Tancred, King of
and directed him to march into Poitou. There Arthur at once
Sicily,
attacked the castle of Mirabel, where Eleanor the Queen was residing with
a scanty guard. They seem to have speedily captured the castle, but the
tower in which the Queen and her attendants had intrenched themselves
withstood all their assaults. The principal nobles of Poitou, including the
Count of Marchia (r), Hugo Brunnes, came to his assistance; and the
Queen, finding that her cause was desperate, sent to King John in
Normandy, urging him to come to her rescue which he did, marching
day and night with incredible speed. Arthur at once drew out his forces
to fight with his uncle, but was speedily overcome, his men beaten back to
the castle, and so hotly pressed by the King that he entered into the gate
with his retreating foes. There Arthur and all his force were taken
captive, bound hand and foot with fetters, and sent on two-horse carts
(an unaccustomed mode of carrying in those days), some into Normandy
and some to England. Arthur himself was imprisoned under a strong and
trusty guard at Falaise. After some time, John followed him there, and
had an interview with his nephew, which seems to have been of a conciliatory
character on the part of the King, who urged him to abandon
the King of France and identify himself with him. Arthur, however, in
the pride and impetuosity of his nature, replied in threatening language,
claiming all the territory which had belonged to King Richard ; and,
drawing himself up, declared with an oath that unless his demands were
speedily complied with, there should not be a day's peace. John was very
much disturbed at this, and sent him to Rouen, to be kept in stricter
custody than ever.
As to what happened after that, the chronicler says, is almost entirely
unknown. Some said that, in endeavouring to escape, he was drowned in
the Seine others that he died of a broken heart. The French, however,
declared that he was killed, if not by John's own hands, at least by
his orders.
Hall says that he was put in the tower at Rouen, " under the custodie
" of Robert de Veypont, where shortly after he was despatched of his life,
" some say by the hands of his uncle John."
The Lanercost chronicler gives this version, in Latin, of the transaction.
" The King John had an elder brother, by name Geoffry, Earl of Bretayne,
" who dying during the lifetime of Henry their father, and in the thirty-
" third year of his reign, left as the representative of his family a son, by
" name Arthur, and a daughter named Aleanor. On the death of their
" grandfather, the kingdom having at length devolved on John, King Philip
" committed them to the charge of the King of England for their education,