MATTHEW OP WESTMUrSTEB. A.D . 1265. proper to select as arbitrator. And if the king and his eon, not being content with thia moderation and amnesty, still determined to fight with them, in that ease they would put to death the king of Germany, John Comyn, Philip Basset, and the other prisoners whom they had taken in the battle, and stick their heads on their lances to serre as standards. Wherefore, the king and his army, being moved by feelings of pity, abandoned their design, and having had a discussion which lasted the whole of the following night long, on the subject of peace, at length an agreement was made by both parties on the conditions given beneath, namely, that the king and his adherents on the one side, and the aforesaid earls and their partisans on the other, should commit the matter to the king of France, so that, by three prelates and three nobles of France, to be named and appointed by the king of France himself, two men of France should be elected, who should come into England, and there associate with themselves a third person from among the English, whom they themselves should choose, and then, whatever these three men should ordain, either in respect of confirming or overturning the king's power, and also concerning all the subjects of dispute which had taken place between the parties, and concerning the general state of England, should be ratified and settled, both parties taking their corporal oath to this effect, and drawing up an instrument besides, sealed with the seal of the king and of all the aforesaid persons, hostages, moreover, being given on the part of the said king, who should be the eldest sons of both the kings above mentioned ; and so the king committing himself to his enemies, and his enemies to him, first of all they came to Canterbury, and the aforesaid hostages having been sent to Dover Castle, at last they came to London ; the king of Germany and the other prisoners who were taken in the battle being committed to prison in different castles ; but the barons of the northern counties, and of the Marches, fearing the cunning of the aforesaid earl, returned to their own homes without delay, and all those who faithfully adhered to the king of England, and who at any time served him, whether clergy or laity, were deprived of all their moveable property. After this, the prelates, and earls, and barons of that district which detained its king prisoner in so seditious a manner, assembled in London, forgetful of the compromise of Lewes, and of the oath which they had taken, and, indeed, of their