Introduction
During the Third Crusade, Philip of Dreux, Bishop of Beauvais, spread the rumour that Richard the Lionheart had procured the assassination of Conrad of Montferrat; and after Richard was taken prisoner in Austria in 1192 he tried to make his detention as long and unpleasant as he could. In 1197, three years after his release, Richard stumbled across an opportunity for payback.
WHEN the same King Richard had fortunately taken in a skirmish Philip, the Martial Bishop of Beauvais,* a deadly enemy of his, he cast him in Prison* with bolts upon his heels, which being complained of unto the Pope,* he [Pope Celestine] wrote earnestly unto him not to detain his dear Son, an Ecclesiastical person, and a Shepherd of the Lord’s, but to send him back unto his flock. Whereupon the King sent unto the Pope the Armour that he was taken in, and willed his Ambassador to use the words of Jacob’s Sons unto their Father, when they had sold away their Brother Joseph, “This we found; see whether it be the Coat of thy son, or no.”*
“Nay,” quoth the Pope, “it is not the Coat of my son, nor of my brother, but some imp of Mars,* and let him procure his delivery if he will, for I will be no mean* for him.”
Spelling modernised
* Philip of Dreux (1158-1217), Bishop of Beauvais from 1175 to 1217. His brother Rupert II, Count of Dreux, was also a Crusader.
* First in Rouen, then following an attempted escape, in Chinon.
* Pope Celestine III (r. 1191-1198).
* Genesis 37:32.
* Mars was the ancient Roman god of War, roughly equivalent to Greek god Ares.
* Here, ‘mean’ has the sense of ‘mediator, intermediary’. Philip does not seem to have learnt any lessons from this contretemps: he was a combatant once more on the French side in King Philip II’s victory over England (now governed by Richard’s brother King John) and her allies, the County of Flanders and the Holy Roman Empire, at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214. The energetic bishop so doughtily wielded his mace that the English commander William Longsword, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, was stunned and captured, a turning point in the war and in the fortunes of English kings in France.
Précis
It rankled with Richard the Lionheart that Philip, Bishop of Dreux, had tried to prolong his captivity in Austria. So when in 1197 Philip was himself captured by the English, Richard threw him in prison. Philip appealed to Pope Celestine, but when Richard (cleverly invoking the story of Joseph) showed him Philip’s unchurchmanlike armour, the Pope hurriedly backed off. (59 / 60 words)
It rankled with Richard the Lionheart that Philip, Bishop of Dreux, had tried to prolong his captivity in Austria. So when in 1197 Philip was himself captured by the English, Richard threw him in prison. Philip appealed to Pope Celestine, but when Richard (cleverly invoking the story of Joseph) showed him Philip’s unchurchmanlike armour, the Pope hurriedly backed off.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, because, may, not, ought, since, who.
Archive
Word Games
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Brother. Find. Heel.
2 I. Son. Word.
3 Mean. See. Some.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding in-.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
You are welcome to share your creativity with me, or ask for help with any of the exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
See more at Email Support.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
