to Wolvesham, a
castle belonging to Aymar, as bishop-elect of Winchester. They were
pursued and surrounded by the barons: their offer to take the oath of
submission was now refused; and of the conditions proposed to them the
four brothers accepted as the most eligible, to leave the kingdom,
taking with them six thousand marks, and trusting the remainder of
their treasures and the rents of their lands to the honor of their
adversaries.

Their departure broke the spirit of the dissidents. John de Warenne
and Prince Henry successively took the oath: even Edward, the King's
eldest son, reluctantly followed their example, and was compelled to
recall the grants which he had made to his uncles of revenues in
Guienne, and to admit of four reformers as his council for the
administration of that duchy. To secure their triumph a royal order
was published that all the lieges should swear to observe the
ordinances of the council; and a letter was written to the Pope in the
name of the parliament, complaining of the King's brothers, soliciting
the deposition of the Bishop of Winchester, and requesting the aid of
a legate to cooeperate with them in the important task of reforming the
state of the kingdom.

In a short time Leicester was alarmed by the approach of a dangerous
visitor, Richard, King of the Romans. That Prince had squandered away
an immense mass of treasure in Germany, and was returning to replenish
his coffers by raising money on his English estates. At St. Omer, to
his surprise, he received a prohibition to land before he had taken an
oath to observe the provisions of reform, and not to bring the King's
brothers in his suite. His pride deemed the message an insult; but his
necessities required the prosecution of his journey, and he gave a
reluctant promise to comply as soon as he should receive the King's
permission. At Canterbury Henry signified his commands, and Richard
took the oath.

Henry had been for two years the mere shadow of a king. The acts of
government, indeed, ran in his name; but the sovereign authority was
exercised without control by the lords of the council; and obedience
to the royal orders--when the King ventured to issue any orders--was
severely punished as a crime against the safety of the State. But if
he were a silent, he was not an inattentive, observer of the passing
events. The discontent of the people did not escape his notice; and he
saw with pleasure the intestine dissensions which dai