λ.η. 1-12.] COXSriltAfV AGAINST Till; KING 2ίΤ castellan of Nottingham, l'eter ile Manici and lîobcrt de Cangi, Gerard de Atie and Kngclard llis nephew, Knlk and William Urinerò, l'iter Fitz-IIerobert and Thomas IJasseii. with many others, to mention whom would he tedious: and all these, in their desire to please the kin";, gave their toh ice, not according to reason, hut as the king's pleasure dictated. How the king of England knighted Alexander son of the king of Scots. A.l. 1212. King John was at Windsor at Christinas; and on Faster Sunday in the Lent following, the said king held a'feast at Ixaulon, at St. Bridget's, in the hospital of Clerkenwell, where, at table, he knighted Alexander, son and heir of the king of Scotland. In the same year died at l'ontigny. Manger bishop of "Winchester, who was an exile and proscribed man for his protection of the rights of the church, and his maintenance of justice. How the king of England was forewarned of treachery against himself About this time the Welsh burst fiercely forth from their hiding-places, and took some of the Knglish king's castles, decapitating all they found in them, knights and soldiers alike ; they also burnt several towns, and at length, after collecting great quantities of booty, they again betook themselves to their retreats without any loss to themselves. When these events became known to the Knglish king, he was very indignant, and collected a numerous army of horse and foot soldiers, determining to ravage the Welsh territories, and to exterminate the inhabitants. On his arriving with his arinv at Nottingham, before be cither ate or drank, he ordered twenty-eight youths, whom he had received the year before as hostages from the Welsh, to be hung on the gibbet, in revenge for the above-mentioned transgressions of their countrymen. Whilst he was, after this, sitting at table eating and drinking, there came a messenger from the king of Scotland, who delivered letters, warning him of premeditated treachery against him ; soon after which there came another messenger from the daughter of the same king, the wife of Lcolin king of Wales ; this second messenger brought letters unlike the former ones, and told the king that the contents were a secret. After his meal the king took him aside and ordered him to explain the meaning of the letters ; these, although they cam1 VOL. it. s