Hearing that Longchamp, Bishop of Ely, one of Richard’s vicegerents, was over in Normandy, and rightly deeming him the most earnest of his adherents, they at once recrossed the sea, and found the warlike prelate at Rouen.  Greatly delighted was he at hearing that Richard’s hiding-place had been discovered.  He at once sent across the news to England, and ordered it to be published far and wide, and himself announced it to the barons of Normandy.  Then with a gorgeous retinue, including Cuthbert and Blondel, he started for Vienna, and arriving there demanded an interview with the emperor.

The news that it was now certain that Richard was imprisoned in a castle of the emperor, had already spread through Europe, and the bishop had been received everywhere with tokens of sympathy; and so great was the feeling shown by the counts and barons of the empire, that the Emperor Henry felt that he could no longer refuse to treat for the surrender of his captive.  Therefore he granted the interview which Longchamp demanded.  The English envoy was received by the emperor surrounded by his nobles.  The prelate advanced with great dignity.

“I come,” he said, “in the name of the people of England to demand the restoration of King Richard, most unjustly and unknightly detained a prisoner in his passage through your dominions.”

“King Richard was my foe,” the emperor said, “open and secret, and I was justified in detaining one who is alike my enemy and a scourge to Europe as a prisoner, when fortune threw him in my hands.  I am, however, willing to put him to a ransom, and will upon the payment of 150,000 marks allow him to go free.”

“I deny your right to detain him or to put him to ransom,” the bishop said.  “But as you have the power, so my denial is useless.  England is poor, impoverished with war and by the efforts which she made in the service of our holy religion.  Nevertheless, poor as she is, she will raise the sum you demand.  There is not an Englishman who will not furnish all he can afford for the rescue of our king.  But once again, in the presence of your nobles, I denounce your conduct as base and unkingly.”

The emperor could with difficulty restrain his passion; but the sight of the sombre visages of his nobles showed that they shared in no slight degree the feelings which the English envoy had so boldly announced.

“Before, however,” the emperor said, “I surrender King Richard, he must be tried by my peers of many and various crimes of which he is accused.  Should he be found guilty of these, no gold can purchase his release.  Should he, however, be acquitted, then as my word is given so shall it be.”

“Although,” the prelate said, “I deny your right to try our king, and believe that he himself will refuse to accept your jurisdiction, yet I fear not the result if our lord be left in the hands of the nobles of the empire and not in yours.  I can trust their honour and courtesy.”