386 RUGHI: OF WE.NDOVKR. [Λ.ο. 1217 How l'alkasius pillaged the town of St. All/tin's. In tlio same year, on the 22nd of ,Tanuar\-, th e wicked robber Falkasius assemblei) a foree o f knights ami robbers from the garrisons o f the castles o f Oxford. Northampton. Bedford, and Windsor, and went t o St. Alban's. it being the night of St. Vincent's day, at dusk, and making an unex pected attack on the place, pillaged it and made prisoners o f men and children, whom he committed to close confinement : at the very door of the church there he slew a follower id the court who was endeavouring to take refuge in the church, and after the perpetration of this wicked crime by these agents of the devil, he sent orders to the abbat William at once to deliver him a hundred pounds of silver, or else he would directly burn the whole town, with the monastery and other buildings ; o n which the abbat, after much hesitation, paid the sum demanded, having no other remedy. Knlkti sius after this, with his excommunicated companions in arms, made all speed to the castle of Bedford, taking with him his booty and prisoner* ; from that place lie marched with his followers to the forest of Walburg, and there made prisoner Roger de Coli-ville and sixty clerks and laymen with him, who were lying concealed there for the sake o f collecting booty.* • fans adds : " One night afterwards, tlic said Fanlkes saw in a vision a large stone from the tower of St. Albans fill like a thunderbolt on him, nnd crush him to dust ; alarmed by this, he awoke, and told his wife the vision. She then advised him, as her husband, Ioni, and friend, to go with all due devotion to ihe Messed Alban, whom he had without doubt otfended, and make his peace with that .saint hy a proper atonement ; for she understood that this was η presage of some future punishment for ihe ciime he had i-omniilted. I'au'kes then consented to do so alter some trouble, thus fulfilling the saying of the apostle, *a faithlesi man shall be saved by a faithful woman.1 lie afterwards, not to offend h;s wife, went to St. Alban's, and entered the chapter-house without his armour, carrying a rod, and a-sked and ohtaineil absolution, kissing the monks one hy one, as if he could thus make his peace with them all; hut he did not restore any of the property he had seized, or make any reparation to the poor followers of Christ for the injury he had done them, 'the servants of Christ stoini at the door o f the chapter-house, hoping for some reparation to iliem ; hut when he saw them waiting, he spurned them and passed on, not knowing that threatening prophecy as lo the punishment which the Lord Cod of vengeance, at the complaint of the blessed Alban, has reserved for him, ' Woe unto you,robber, for you shall he robbed.* And this he learned by Mncrieuce in the end, as the ensuing nairative will show,"