376 κουκί: OF WENDOVER. [A.D . 1210. other nobles. When all these events were told to the barons, who were gaining little or no advantage at the siege of Windsor eastle, they determined to raise the siege, in order to cut oil" the retreat of king John, who, as has been said, was now pillaging and collecting booty about the coast of Suffolk ; therefore, by the advice of the count dc Never-, who, it was said, had been bribed by presents from the king, they raised the siégeât night, and, leaving their tents, inarched with all liante towards Cambridge in order to circumvent the king. He however, bv means of good scouts, was forewarned of this, before the barons arrived at Cambridge, and like a cunning traveller betook himself to the town of Stamford. From thence he soon proceeded northward, and hearing that the castle of Lincoln was besieged he made all haste to that place, Gilbert de Gant and the other Normans, who were be sieging it fled before him, dreading his presence as they would lightning. The barons, too, who had followed the king, when they found that they were deceived, indulged in rapine and robbery, and gave all their attention to the destruction of property; they then returned with their booty to London, where they appointed some knights to guard the city, and then marched to join Louis at Dover. King John in the meantime proceeded towards the boundary of Wales, besieging and taking the castles of the barons in that direction, all which he ordered to be razed to the ground ; and the cruel destruction which he caused amongst the houses and crops of the said barons afforded a pitiable spectacle to all who saw it. In the month of November in the same year Alexander king of Scots, for fear of king John, came with a large army to Louis at Dover, and did homage to him for the right which he ought to hold from the king of the English ; but on his way to him, as he was passing Bernard's castle, in the province of Ilaliwercfolk, and which was in the fee of Hugh de Uaillul, he, with the nobles of that district, rod.: round the castle to see if it was open to assault in any part ; whilst thus employed a cross-bow man in the castle discharged his weapon, ami wounded a noble of high rank, Kustace de Vesci, in the forehead, and, the weapon piercing his brain, he died on the spot. This said Kustace had married the sister of the king of Scotland; and therefore the latter as well as all the party of the barons was much grieved. The