hbed that his master had
sworn when once on the throne of England to banish all John's
enemies.(199) Just when matters seemed to be approaching a crisis and the
barons were wavering in their allegiance, John died (19th October, 1216).

CHAPTER IV.

(M131)

Although London remained faithful to Louis after John's death, the barons
began to desert him, one by one (_quasi stillatim_),(200) and to transfer
their allegiance to John's eldest son, a boy of nine years of age, who had
been crowned at Gloucester soon after his father's death, the disturbed
state of the country not allowing of his coming to London for the
ceremony.(201)

(M132)

After his defeat at Lincoln (20th May, 1217), by William the Marshal, Earl
of Pembroke, one of Henry's guardians, Louis beat a hasty retreat to
London and wrote to his father, the French king, to send him military
assistance, for without it he could neither fight nor get out of the
country.

(M133)

Among the prisoners taken at Lincoln were Robert Fitz-Walter, and a
neighbour of his in the ward of Castle Baynard, Richard de Muntfichet,
who, like Fitz-Walter, had also suffered banishment in 1213. The tower or
castle of Muntfichet lay a little to the west of Baynard's Castle, and was
made over in 1276 by Gregory de Rokesle, the mayor, and citizens of London
to the Archbishop of Canterbury, for the purpose of erecting a new house
for the Dominican or Black Friars, in place of their old house in
Holborn.(202) We hear little of Fitz-Walter after this, beyond the facts
that he soon afterwards obtained his freedom, that he went on a crusade,
and continued a loyal subject to Henry until his death in 1235. He is said
to have been in the habit of wearing a precious stone suspended from his
neck by way of a charm, which at his last moments he asked his wife to
remove in order that he might die the easier.(203)

(M134)

A French fleet which had been despatched in answer to Louis was defeated
off Dover by Hubert de Burgh, who had gallantly held that town for John,
and continued to hold it now for Henry. London itself was invested by the
Marshal, and threatened with starvation; but before matters came to
extremes, Louis intimated his willingness to come to terms.(204)

(M135)

A meeting was held on the 11th of September (some say at Kingston,(205)
others at Staines(206)), and a peace concluded.(207) Louis swore fealty to
the Pope and the Roman Church, for which he was absolve