[1250] R. Diceto (Stubbs), vol. ii. p. 62, says there were _two_ meetings at La Ferté “after Easter.” There seems to be no other notice of the second; but Gerv. Cant. (Stubbs), vol. i. pp. 446, 447, has an account of a conference at Le Mans on June 9, which agrees almost to the letter with the report given in the _Gesta Hen._ and Rog. Howden of the proceedings at La Ferté on June 4. It seems most unlikely that either Philip or Richard would go to a conference at Le Mans itself; and June 9 is an impossible date, for by that time, as we shall see, the war was in full career, and Philip and Richard were actually besieging Ballon. Gervase has probably mistaken both place and date. [1251] R. Diceto as above, p. 63. [1252] _Gesta Hen._ as above, p. 67. [1253] R. Diceto as above. [1254] _Gesta Hen._ as above. [1255] Will. Newb., l. iii. c. 25 (Howlett, vol. i. p. 277), says, after the king’s retreat from Le Mans, “Tunc Johannes filius ejus minimus, quem tenerrime diligebat, recessit ab eo.” But it is almost impossible that all the contemporary historians should have failed to mention John’s presence with his father if he had really been there; and Henry’s horrified surprise at the final discovery of John’s treachery shews that there had been no open desertion such as William seems to imply. [1256] Besides Bartholomew (whom most of the English writers of the time call William) there had been with him throughout the spring the archbishops of Canterbury and Rouen; Gir. Cambr. _De Instr. Princ._, dist. iii. c. 13 (Angl. Christ. Soc., pp. 115, 116). It is clear that Bartholomew stayed with him to the end, for he buried him. But we hear nothing more of either Baldwin of Canterbury or Walter of Rouen, except that Baldwin was at Rouen two or three days before Henry’s death; _Epp. Cant._ cccxi. (Stubbs), p. 296. See Bishop Stubbs’s preface to Rog. Howden, vol. ii. p. lxi, note 1. Of the laymen more later. [1257] _Gesta Hen._ (Stubbs), vol. ii. p. 67.