Λ.Γ). 1233.] ATTACK ON TUR KING'S ARMY. 573 fore exempt from their authority, and he appealed to the apostolic «ce against their pronouncing that sentence upon him. The bishops aforesaid then excommunicated all those who had estranged the king's affection from his natural Knglish subjects, and disturbed the peace of the kingdom. Ilote tl,ekin;i summoned all who owed kniyht's service lo appear lie/ore him. During this conference, messengers came to the king informing hiin that the carl Marshal had retaken his castle in Wales, and had slain some of the royal knights and officers there. The king was much enraged at this news, and ordered the bishops to excommunicate the marshal by name, for having seized on the said castle ; but the bishops replied that he did not deserve to be excommunicated for only taking a castle which was his own. The enraged king then sent letters throughout all the Knglish territories, ordering all who owed him knight's sen-ice, to assemble at Gloucester on the morrow of All Saints' day, equipped with horses and arms, to march where he wished to lead them. About this same time Ilubert de Burgh the ex-justiciary, was taken away from the church at Devizes by some armed men, and, after being properly clad in knightly apparel, was carried into Wales, where he joined the enemies of the king about the first hour of the day on the 30th of October. //aw the proscribed nobles attacked the kino's army at Grosmotit. The king had by this time collected a powerful army at Gloucester, with which he advanced towards Hereford in Wales, where he invaded the marshal's territory, endeavouring by all the means in his power to deprive him of his inheritance, and to seize his person. That cautious soldier had, however, before the king's approach, withdrawn all the cattle and provisions, wherefore the king, not being able to stay there, owing to the failure of his provisions, turned off with his army to the castle of Grosmont. After he had stayed there some days, the marshal and his proscribed confederates found out by means of their spies that the king passed the night inside that castle while his army were encamped outside the walls. The whole body of thern therefore, except the marshal, who refused to attack the king, marched for that place with the Welsh chiefs and a large army a little after dusk on Martinmas day, and rushing on the king's troops who were lying asleep in their tents, took possession of more than five hundred horses, with all their baggage and equipments, the men themselves taking to flight nearly naked in all directions. The conquerors however did not wish to wound or make prisoners of any of them, and there were only two knights slain out of the whole number. They then took all the waggons and carts containing the money, provisions, and arms, and having carefully disposed of their booty, returned to their safe hiding-places. The following nobles all were witnesses of this occurrence, namely, l'eter bishop of Winchester, Ralph bishop of Chichester, Stephen Segrave the jus