fliall be examined, to fee if any one be within it j* but they anfwered, in the hope of prolonging the time,—* Begin your fearch elfewhere, and come here at the laft/ But the knights replied ; c Al-leyne, you trifle too much with us, for we will examine this tower firft1; and, if you make any further refiftànce, we will put you to death with our daggers/ On hearing this, they feared they would put their threat into execution; for all avoid death as long as they can, though, in good truth, it would.have been more honourable for them had they been flain, than carried away, and afterwards punifhed for this aft, by a difgraceful death, j|s you will fpeedily hear in this hiftory, During the difpute, Peter Roux thought of an expedient to excufe their conduft, but this was of no avail, £wl faid ; * My lord William, and you fir John, it is indeed true that therç are in thi$ tower thirty armed men, whither my brother and felf have with much difficulty forced them ; for we well knew they would not aflent to our treaty with you. It is for this reafon that we have con-fined them in that tower until you Ihould be mafters of the caftle ; apd we will, with your permiffipns, leave them there, to be your prifoners. Give u$ the vmoney, the whole, or part of it, jis you are bounden to do, and let us gp away/ The knights were tolerably fttis.fied m hearing this ; but fir William le Roitfeiller, haying con* fidered a little, faid ; ' Whatever truth may be in wliat you have told us, before we unpack the money again, we muft have all the keys of the çaftlç G 2 delivered 83