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hands, “That they would not ceaſe to purſue what they had propounded, for the loſs either of money or lands, or for the life or death of themſelves or their’s.” Which, when the King, underſtood, he ſolemnly ſwore, “That he would comply with their counſels, and agree to them.” And prince Edward took the ſame oath. But John, earl of Warren, was refractory, and refuſed it, and the King’s half brothers, William of Valence, and others. Then the ſea-ports were ordered to be ſtrictly guarded, and the gates of London to be cloſe kept at nights, for fear the foreigners ſhould ſurprize it. And when they had ſpent ſome days in deliberating what was to be done in ſo weighty an affair, as repairing the ſtate of a broken, ſhattered, kingdom was, they confirmed their purpoſe with renewing their covenants and oaths, “That neither for death, nor life, nor freehold, for hatred or affection, or any other way, they would be biaſed or ſlackened from purging the realm, of which they and their progenitors before them were the native off-ſpring, and clearing it of an alien-born brood, nor from the procuring and obtaining good and commendable laws: and if any man, whoever he be, ſhould be refractory, and oppoſe this, they would compel him to join with them whether

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