the Earl of Leicester appeared at their head. With the royal banner
displayed before them, they took Gloucester, Worcester, and
Bridgenorth; ravaged without mercy the lands of the royalists, the
foreigners, and the natives who refused to join their ranks, and,
augmenting their numbers as they advanced, directed their march toward
London. In London the aldermen and principal citizens were devoted to
the King: the mayor and the populace openly declared for the barons.
Henry was in possession of the Tower; and Edward, after taking by
force one thousand marks out of the temple, hastened to throw himself
into the castle of Windsor, the most magnificent palace, if we may
believe a contemporary, then existing in Europe. The Queen attempted
to follow her son by water; but the populace insulted her with the
most opprobrious epithets, discharged volleys of filth into the royal
barge, and prepared to sink it with large stones as it should pass
beneath the bridge. The mayor at length took her under his protection
and placed her in safety in the episcopal palace near St. Paul's.

The King of the Romans now appeared again on the scene in the quality
of mediator. The negotiation lasted three weeks: but Henry was
compelled to yield to the increasing power of his adversaries; and it
was agreed that the royal castles should once more be intrusted to the
custody of the barons, the foreigners be again banished, and the
Provisions of Oxford be confirmed, subject to such alterations as
should be deemed proper by a committee appointed for that purpose.
Henry returned to his palace at Westminster; new officers of state
were selected; and the King's concessions were notified to the
conservators of the peace in the several counties.

The King now found himself sufficiently strong to take the field. He
was disappointed in an attempt to obtain possession of Dover; but
nearly succeeded in surprising the Earl of Leicester, who with a small
body of forces had marched from Kenilworth to Southwark. Henry
appeared on one side of the town, the Prince on the other; and the
royalists had previously closed the gates of the city. So imminent was
the danger that the Earl, who had determined not to yield, advised his
companions to assume the cross, and to prepare themselves for death by
the offices of religion. But the opportunity was lost by a strict
adherence to the custom of the times. A herald was sent to require him
to surrender; and in the mean while th