Λ. η. 1233.] CHARACTER OK THE MARSHAL. served on the part of the king towards me, I should remain entirely in the same condition as 1 was before the said peace was agreed on, namely that 1 should he free from all homage to hiin, and in a state of defiance towards him, as 1 had formerly been by the bishop of St. David's ; and therefore, as he failed to observe the terms of peace in every particular, 1 was justified according to my agreement in endeavouring to recover wdiat belonged to ine, and in weakening his power by every possible means, especially as he eagerly sought my destruction, to deprive me of my inheritance, and to seize, on my person ; of this 1 have been well assured, and, if necessary, can prove it; and, what is more, after the truce of fifteen days, before 1 entered Walts, or took any measures for my own defence against any one, he, without a trial, deprived me of my office of marshal, which belonged to me, and which I held by hereditary right, nor would he on any terms restore it to ine when 1 asked hiin; by this 1 was plainly convinced that he did not mean to come to any terms with me, since after the truce he treated ine worse than before ; therefore 1 am not his subject, hut am released from all fealty to him, although 1 would return to the terms of the first state of defiance above stated, according to the agreement. Wherefore 1 have been justified and am still justified in defending myself, and in thwarting the malicious designs of his advisers by every means in my power." The king's advisers also said, that it would he to the marshal's advantange to throw himself on the king's mercy, because the king was richer and more powerful than he was ; and if the marshal relied on the assistance of foreigners, for every one that he could induce to assist him the king could bring seven ; for some of the foreign relations of the king had offered their assistance, wdio were neither Scotch, French, or Welsh, who would come into England and find work for all his enemies, for they would come in such multitudes as to cover the whole face of the country. To this argument the marshal replied, " It is true that the king is richer and more powerful than 1, but be is not more powerful than (hid, who is justice itself, and in whom 1 place my hopes of safety and of obtaining iny rights in the kingdom ; and 1 do η it put my trust in foreigners, nor do 1 seek their alliance, nor will I ask their assistance, unless, which, (ioti forbid, I am compelled so to d.i by any unexpected and unavoidable emergency. And 1 well know that the king can bring seven to my one, and I believe that lie will very soon bring so many of them to his councils, that he will not have the means of freeing himself and the kingdom from them, for 1 have heard from crédible people that the bishop of Winchester has engaged to bring all England to subjection to him, and this h.' engaged to do from the time when he was with the emperor on the continent ; and so he commenced this war, that he might take the opportunity first of asking assistance of the emperor, and might then stimino:) the emperor to come m person ; and tins voi,, il. e e