John waited the effect of his measures.  He kept up no longer the solemn mockery of a court, in which a degraded long must always have been the lowest object.  He retired to the Isle of Wight:  his only companions were sailors and fishermen, among whom he became extremely popular.  Never was he more to be dreaded than in this sullen retreat, whilst the barons amused themselves by idle jests and vain conjectures on his conduct.  Such was the strange want of foresight in that barbarous age, and such the total neglect of design in their affairs, that the barons, when, they had got the charter, which was weakened even by the force by which it was obtained and the great power which it granted, set no watch upon the king, seemed to have no intelligence of the great and open machinations which were carrying on against them, and had made no sort of dispositions for their defence.  They spent their time in tournaments and bear-baitings, and other diversions suited to the fierce rusticity of their manners.  At length the storm broke forth, and found them utterly unprovided.  The Papal excommunication, the indignation of their prince, and a vast army of lawless and bold adventurers were poured down at once upon their heads.  Such numbers were engaged in this enterprise that forty thousand are said to have perished at sea.  Yet a number still remained sufficient to compose two great armies, one of which, with the enraged king at its head, ravaged without mercy the North of England, whilst the other turned all the West to a like scene of blood and desolation.  The memory of Stephen’s wars was renewed, with every image of horror, misery, and crime.  The barons, dispersed and trembling in their castles, waited who should fall the next victim.  They had no army able to keep the field.  The Archbishop, on whom they had great reliance, was suspended from his functions.  There was no hope even from submission:  the king could not fulfil his engagements to his foreign troops at a cheaper rate than the utter ruin of his barons.

[Sidenote:  A.D. 1216]

In these circumstances of despair they resolved to have recourse to Philip, the ancient enemy of their country.  Throwing off all allegiance to John, they agreed to accept Louis, the son of that monarch, as their king.  Philip had once more an opportunity of bringing the crown of England into his family, and he readily embraced it.  He immediately sent his son into England with seven hundred ships, and slighted the menaces and excommunications of the Pope, to attain the same object for which he had formerly armed to support and execute them.  The affairs of the barons assumed quite a new face by this reinforcement, and their rise was as sudden and striking as their fall.  The foreign army of King John, without discipline, pay, or order, ruined and wasted in the midst of its successes, was little able to oppose the natural force of the country, called forth and recruited by so considerable a succor.  Besides,