On his way home the King fell into the hands of the German Emperor,
who held him captive. His brother John (S177), who had remained in
England, plotted with Philip of France to keep Richard in prison while
he got possession of the throne. It is not certainly known how the
news of Richard's captivity reached England. One account relates that
it was carried by Blondel, a minstrel who had accompanied the King to
Palestine. He, it is said, wandered through Germany in search of his
master, singing a song, which he and Richard had composed together, at
every castle he came to. One day, as he was thus singing at the foot
of a tower, he heard the well-known voice of the King take up the next
verse in reply.
Finally, Richard regained his liberty (1194), but to do it he had to
raise an enormous ransom. Every Englishman, it was said, was obliged
to give a fourth of his personal property, and the priests were forced
to strip the churches of their jewels and silver plate.
When the King of France heard that the ransom money had at length been
raised, he wrote to John, telling him that his brother was free.
"Look out for yourself," said he; "the devil has broken loose."
Richard generously pardoned his treacherous brother; and when the King
was killed in a war in France (1199) John gained the throne he
coveted, but gained it only to disgrace it.