OLD BRUCE

SimDoncaster. whose life was saved by RGbimjHGad, is ungrateful: jealous of Robin’s popularity, he tries to regroup his enemies, and wins over {H@§PHOr who agrees to poison Robin. Hearing of the Prior’s wondrous elixir, Robin invites EHEIKGG to taste it at a feast, but drinks it first himself; it proves to be poison. He accuses Doncaster and the Prior of treason — it also emerges that Doncaster is a rapist as well as a murderer ~— and they are sentenced to death. The King assigns the Prior’s lands, which were once Robin’s, to Mariani and, on his deathbed, Robin makes PHHE@JGlHin swear to treat Marian honourably and not to love her beyond the bounds of chastity. Marian reverts to her original name of Matilda. The King dies and is succeeded by John, who resists the temptation to invade Austria, disposes of Alpthur, the rival claimant to his throne, and marries [Sabél, who was already betrothed to another man. Obsessed with Matilda, however, he soon divorces Isabel, and unsuccessfully attempts to woo Matilda in a masque. Matilda’s allies, Bady§Briiée and her younger sGfi, are taken hostage and imprisoned. Seeking to remove her rival, Isabel confronts and assaults Matilda, but she is rescued by §HeiBrices. Though Matilda graciously attempts to exculpate her, Isabel’s behaviour causes her relationship with King John to deteriorate further. Seeking revenge on the entire Bruce family, John has Lady Bruce and her son starved to death. B@BEH is sent to apprehend Matilda, but she persuades him to let her escape and enter a nunnery. The rebel barons submit to the King on hearing that she is safe, but Matilda’s father is banished to France; John allows him to see his daughter before he goes, but asks that he persuade her to return to court. Suborned by John, tHe@JABbess and @imi6mK attempt to awaken her sexual feelings, and argue that her liaison with John will benefit the nunnery. When she refuses, John’s alternative plan comes into effect: she is given poison, and drinks it. Her fortitude strikes Baad, the murderer, with conscience, and he kills himself. EH@IQWEEH and @xford arrive in time to witness her stoical death, and they arrange a public funeral as a display of John’s cruelty. Arriving too late to save his mother and brother, MGUMpIBMiEe finds their bodies in a dungeon; she attempted to feed the boy with her own blood, but he refused to drink it. @heqDaupliin lands in England and Leicester declares him the elected King. Oxford remains loyal to John and tries…