A.D. l'-îlj.] I'LNISIIMENT OF THE HKIiELS. could not he conquered in battle, after holding counsel together on St. Andrew's day, all the garrison almost unhurt left the eastle, except one knight who was killed by an arrow, and presented themselves to the king. This siege had lasted almost three months, and the king, on account of the number of his troops slain, as well as the money he had spent on the siege, was greatly enraged, and in his anger ordered all the nobles to be hung on the gibbet ; but the noble Savaric dc Maulcon standing up before the king, said to him, " My Ioni king, our war is not yet over, therefore you ought carefully to consider how the fortunes of war may turn ; for if you now order us to hang these men, the barons, our enemies, will perhaps by a like event take me or other nobles of your army, and, following your example, hang us ; therefore do not let this happen, for in such a case no one will light in your cause." The king then, although unwillingly, listened to his advice and that of other prudent men, and William d'Albiney, William of Lancaster, W. d'Kinford, Thomas de Muletan, Osbert Gyflard, (Jsbert de Lobi, Odi noli d'Albiney, and other nobles were by his orders sent to Corte eastle to be there placed under close custody ; Robert de Chaurn, and Richard Gilfard, with Thomas of Lincoln, he ordered to be imprisoned in the eastle of Nottingham, and others of them in divers other places. All the soldiers, except the cross-bow men, he gave up to his own soldiers to be ransomed ; and some of the cross-bow men who had slain many of his knights and soldiers during the siege he ordered to be hung. 15y these misfortunes the eause of the barons was much weakened.* • l'ari» here adds :— " One day during the s'ege of Rochester castle, tho king and Savaric were riding round it to examine the weaker parts of it, when a cross-how man in the service of William de Albcney saw thcni, and said to his muster. ' Is it your will, my lord, that I should slay the kin.', our bloody enemy, with this arrow which i have ready?' To this William replied, ' No, no ; far be it from us, villain, to cause the death of the borda anointed.' The cross-bow man said, ' lie would not spare you in a ii^e case' To which the knight re| lied, 'The Lord's will be done. The Lord disposes events; not he.' In this caselle was like David, who spared Saul when he could have slain him. This circumstance was afterwards known to the kin.', who notwithstai ding this, did not wish to spare William when hi» prisoner, but would have hung hint had lie been permitted." L 2