his
valor, granted him his pardon. Still the garrison of Kenilworth
continued to brave the royal power, and even added contumely to their
disobedience. Having in one of their excursions taken a king's
messenger, they cut off one of his hands, and sent him back with an
insolent message to Henry. To subdue these obstinate rebels it was
necessary to summon the chivalry of the kingdom; but the strength of
the place defied all the efforts of the assailants; and the obstinacy
of Hastings the governor refused for six months every offer which was
made to him in the name of his sovereign.

There were many, even among the royalists, who disapproved of the
indiscriminate severity exercised by the parliament at Winchester; and
a possibility was suggested of granting indulgence to the sufferers,
and at the same time satisfying those who had profited by their
forfeitures. With this view a committee was appointed of twelve
prelates and barons, whose award was confirmed by the King in
parliament, and called the _Dictum de Kenilworth_. They divided the
delinquents into three classes. In the first were the Earl of Derby,
Hugh de Hastings, who had earned his preeminence by his superior
ferocity, and the persons who had so insolently mutilated the King's
messenger. The second comprised all who on different occasions had
drawn the sword against their sovereign; and in the third were
numbered those who, though they had not fought under the banner, had
accepted office under the authority, of Leicester. To all was given
the option of redeeming their estates by the payment to the actual
possessors of certain sums of money, to the amount of seven years'
value by delinquents of the first class, of five by those of the
second, and of two years or one year by those of the third. By many
the boon was accepted with gratitude: it was scornfully refused by the
garrison of the castle of Kenilworth and by the outlaws who had fled
to the Isle of Ely. The obstinacy of the former was subdued by famine;
and they obtained from the clemency of the King the grant of their
lives, limbs, and apparel. The latter, relying on the strength of
their asylum, gloried in their rebellion, and occasionally ravaged the
neighboring country. Their impunity was, however, owing to the perfidy
of the Earl of Gloucester, who, without the talents, aspired to the
fame and preeminence, of his deceased rival. He expressed his
disapprobation of the award; the factious inhabitants of