, cruised in the narrow seas to intercept the
invaders. But the winds seemed to be leagued with the earl; the
Queen's army was detained for several weeks in the vicinity of Damme;
and the mercenaries gradually disbanded themselves, when the short
period for which they had contracted to serve was expired. At the same
time the Pontiff had commissioned Guido, Cardinal Bishop of Sabina, to
proceed to England, and take Henry under the papal protection; but,
deterred by the hint of a conspiracy against his life from crossing
the sea, he excommunicated the barons unless before the 1st of
September they should restore the King to all his rights, and at the
same time summoned four of the English prelates to appear before him
at Boulogne. After much tergiversation these obeyed, but appealed from
his jurisdiction to the equity of the Pope or a general council; and
though they consented to bring back a sentence of excommunication
against the King's enemies, they willingly suffered it to be taken
from them by the officers at Dover. Their appeal was approved by the
convocation of the clergy, and Guido, after publishing the
excommunication himself at Hesdin, returned to Rome, where he was
elevated to the chair of St. Peter by the name of Clement IV.

During the summer Leicester had been harassed with repeated
solicitations for the release of the two princes, Edward and Henry. In
the winter he pretended to acquiesce, and convoked a parliament to
meet after Christmas for the avowed purpose of giving the sanction of
the legislature to so important a measure. But the extraordinary
manner in which this assembly was constituted provoked a suspicion
that his real object was to consolidate and perpetuate his own power.
Only those prelates and barons were summoned who were known to be
attached to his party; and the deficiency was supplied by
representatives from the counties, cities, and boroughs who, as they
had been chosen through his influence, proved the obsequious ministers
of his will. Several weeks were consumed in private negotiation with
Henry and his son. Leicester was aware of the untamable spirit of
Edward, nor would he consent that the Prince should exchange his
confinement for the company of his father on any other terms than that
he should still remain under the inspection of his keepers, and evince
his gratitude for the indulgence by ceding to the earl and his heirs
the county of Chester, the castle of Pec, and the town of
New