A ..T3. 1264. CONFERENCE OF THE NOBLES AT OXFORD. 423 fro m the lords Marchers themselves from Bristol as far as Chester, and in other parts, and having mastered them, they detained them in the name of the king and prince Edward. Beside s this, they each in their several districts plundered the living, and letting loose the reins of cruelty, raged about in a pitiable manner ; and Robert Walerand and Warin de Bassingbourne, the guardians of Bristol, coming before day-light with, an armed force to the castle of Wallingford, in which Richard, the captive king of Germany, and Edward, the son o f king Henry, were detained as hostages, they made a vigorou s assault on the castle, in order to deliver them from confinement; but they could not succeed, for the garrison of the castle speedily woke up and expelled them. For they had hope d to receive succour and aids from the lords Marchers before mentioned, as had been agreed upon between them ; but they, when they were already making towards them, with their army, were met at Pershore with evil news arising from this event, and being greatly afflicted, returned back with all speed. But the earl of Leicester, who has often been mentioned, being wrought to indignation by their rebellion and violation of good faith, summoned a conference of the nobles of the kingdom at Oxford on this subject, and took with him king Henry, who at this time was so well inclined to him, that he could do nothing of importance without him. They came to Worcester accompanied by a countless multitude of knights and other warriors, intending to fight against the lords Marchers as against the public enemies of the kingdom. It appeared, however, that the king's heart and that of his friends was inclined to them, because they had stirred up war and sedition among the people on behalf of the king, who was, as it were, in confinement, and also for the sake of prince Edward, his son, whom he greatly loved, and who was still detained as a hostage. For after the battle of Lewes, which has been mentioned above, great divisions and internal hatred prevailed among that party. Therefore the aforesaid lords Marchers, although they were few in number, nevertheless presuming on their courage, contracted their forces, and resolved to oppose them on the other side of the river Severn. For they had broken down the strong bridge of Worcester, and all the other bridges along the bank of the river, and had sunk all the small vessels and ferry boats ; but they laboured in vain when they endeavoured to oppose or to