n troops, who, being mostly levied in
Flanders, and other provinces of France, refused to serve against the
heir of their monarchy [a]. The Gascons and Poictevins alone, who
were still John's subjects, adhered to his cause; but they were too
weak to maintain that superiority in the field which they had hitherto
supported against the confederated barons. Many considerable noblemen
deserted John's party, the Earls of Salisbury, Arundel, Warrenne,
Oxford, Albemarle, and William Mareschal the younger: his castles fell
daily into the hands of the enemy; Dover was the only place which,
from the valour and fidelity of Hubert de Burgh, the governor, made
resistance to the progress of Lewis [b]: and the barons had the
melancholy prospect of finally succeeding in their purpose, and of
escaping the tyranny of their own king, by imposing on themselves and
the nation a foreign yoke. But this union was of short duration
between the French and English nobles: and the imprudence of Lewis,
who, on every occasion, showed too visible a preference to the former,
increased that jealousy which it was so natural for the latter to
entertain in their present situation [c]. The Viscount of Melun, too,
it is said, one of his courtiers, fell sick at London, and finding the
approaches of death, he sent for some of his friends among the English
barons, and warning them of their danger, revealed Lewis's secret
intentions of exterminating them and their families as traitors to
their prince, and of bestowing their estates and dignities on his
native subjects, in whose fidelity he could more reasonably place
confidence [d]: this story, whether true or false, was universally
reported and believed; and concurring with other circumstances which
rendered it credible, did great prejudice to the cause of Lewis. The
Earl of Salisbury, and other noblemen, deserted again to John's party
[e]; and as men easily change sides in a civil war, especially where
their power is founded on an hereditary and independent authority, and
is not derived from the opinion and favour of the people, the French
prince had reason to dread a sudden reverse of fortune. The king was
assembling a considerable army, with a view of fighting one great
battle for his crown; but passing from Lynn to Lincolnshire, his road
lay along the sea-shore, which was overflowed at high water; and not
choosing the proper time for his journey, he lost in the inundation
all his carriages, treasure,