Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/67

The very night after this conference with the barons, it was, that he ſole away from Windſor to the Iſle of Wight, and there laid his helliſh plot againſt the nation: which was ſo deep, that it did not enter into the hearts of the barons to ſuſpect or imagine. They had now recovered the rights of the nation, which was nothing but their own, and had been moſt unjuſtly detained from them; and they never intended to have, nor fought for, more. But, becauſe the King went away in a bad mind, and becauſe they had certain notice that nothing but their departure from London was wanted in order to ſurpriſe it; they therefore adjourned their tournament, which they lad before appointed on the Monday after the feaſt of St. Peter and St. Paul at Stanford; to be held the Monday ſevennight after at Hounſlow, near London, both for the ſafety of the city and their own. This they certified in their letter to William Albinet, who was gone down to his caſtle of Beauvoir, and withal deſired him by all means to make one at it, and to come up well provided with horſes and arms; that he might win honour. For he who performed beſt was to have a bear, which a certain lady would ſend to the tournament. With ſuch frivolous and idle actions, ſays Mat-

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