568 ROGER OF WENDOVER. [A.D. 1233. went he was surrounded by crowds of these foreigners ; and nothing was done in England except what the bishop of Winchester and this host of foreigners determined on. The king then sent letters, and summoned all the carls and barons of the kingdom to come to a conference at Oxford on the feast of St. John ; but they refused to come at his summons, both because they feared treachery from these foreigners, and on account of the anger which they had conceived against the king for his having summoned all these foreign ers in contempt of them the said barons. On their refusal being carried to the king by special messengers, he became much enraged, and ordered a decree to le passed by which he could compel them to attend his court. It was then decided that they should be summoned thrice, in order to see if they would come or not. At this conference a certain brother of the order of Preachers, who was preaching the word of God in the presence of the king and some of the bishops, plainly told the king with a loud voice that be would never enjoy a lasting peace till he dismissed Peter bishop of Winchester, and Peter de Rivaulx his son, from his councils. Many others who were present also told the king the same ; whereupon he sent word to the nobles aforesaid to come to a conference at Westminster on the 11th of July, when he would consult with them as to any amendment which ought to be made by right.* The nobles however, having heard that numbers of these robbers, equipped with horses and arms, continued to arrive from time to time on the king's invitation, and seeing no sings of tranquillity, declined to attend at the appointed day, and, by special messengers, demanded of the king the immediate dismissal of Peter bishop of Winchester and his other counsellors the nobles of Poictou, otherwise they would, by common consent, unite to drive him as well as his evil advisers from the kingdom, and proceed to choose a new king. Horn the king banished some of his nobles. The king, as well as his whole court, were struck with dismay, and were in great alarm lest the error of the son should be worse than that of the father, inasmuch as the nobles were determined to drive hiin from the throne of the kingdom. The aforesaid bishop Peter then advised the king to make war against his rebellious nobles, take their castles from them, and give them to the Poicteviu * Paris inserts here :-" The king, lifter some deliberation, inclined his heart to reason, and a certain clerk of the court, named Hoger Kacon, a man of pleasant speech, on seeing him softened, said pleasantly and wittily although churlishly rebuking him,'M v lord king, what is most dangerous to sailors, or what frightens them most?' The king replied, ' These whose business is on the wide waters know best." The cierk then said, ' My lord I will tell you it is Btones unii rocks,' [pitrir- et rapes,] ns though he meant to hint at Peter de Knpibus, the nume of the bishop of Winchester. The kuy therefore, &c. £te,"