people of the realm, without the nobles, would beſiege them, and utterly raze their caſtles[1].” Whereupon, at dinner-time they ſtole away, as if it had been to go to dinner, and took their flight to Wincheſter. When the great men were advertiſed, that the Poitovins had thus taken their flight towards the ſea-ſide, fearing, leſt they might be gone to bring in foreign aid, [I ſuppoſe they had not forgot how K. John ſerved his barons] they thought all delays dangerous in ſuch a matter, and therefore, immediately, muſtered all their force to look after them.
The barons on the 15th of July diſmiſſed the Poitovins, and commended them to the ſeas in their paſſage to France, where they met with ſorry weleome, but at laſt were ſent home with a ſafe conduct. But the barons took care to ſend them from hence as bare as they came; for Richard Gray, governor of Dover, by their order, ſeized all their money, and it was appointed to be laid out for the public uſes of the realm. On the 20th of the ſame month, came commiſſioners of the parliament to London, and convevened all the citizens, otherwiſe called barons,
- ↑ Univerſitas enim regni popularis, etſi non nobiles, &c.
