ard's power over this realm had
ceased before he made it; and that he should bestow the earldom upon
whomsoever he chose. As a matter of fact, it has been given to Sir
Rudolph Fleming, a Norman knight and a creature of the prince. The king
has also, I hear, promised to him the hand of the young Lady Margaret,
when she shall become of marriageable age. At present she is placed in a
convent in Worcester. The abbess is, I believe, a friend of the late
earl, and the girl had been with her for some time previously. Indeed she
went there, I think, when her father left England. This lady was ordered
to give up her charge to the guardianship of Sir Rudolph; but she refused
to do so, saying that it would not be convenable for a young lady to be
under the guardianship of a bachelor knight having no lady at the head of
his establishment, and that therefore she should retain her, in spite of
the orders of the Prince. Prince John, I hear, flew into a fury at this;
but he did not dare to provoke the anger of the whole of the clergy by
ordering the convent to be violated. And indeed, not only would the
clergy have been indignant, but many of the great nobles would also have
taken their part, for there can be no doubt that the contention of the
abbess was reasonable; and there is among all the friends of King Richard
a very strong feeling of anger at your having been deprived of the
earldom. This, however, has, so far, not found much vent in words, for as
it was uncertain whether you would ever return to claim your rights, it
was worth no one's while to embroil himself unnecessarily with the prince
upon such a subject. God knows that there are subjects enough of dispute
between John Lackland and the English barons without any fresh ones
arising. The whole kingdom is in a state of disturbance. There have been
several risings against Prince John's authority; but these have been, so
far, suppressed. Now that we know where King Richard is, and hope for his
return ere very long, it is probable that peace will be maintained; but
should treachery prevail, and King Richard's return be prevented, you may
be sure that John will not be permitted to mount the throne without the
determined resistance of a large number of the nobles."

"But," Cuthbert said, "John is not the successor to the throne. Prince
Arthur of Brittany was named by King Richard from the first as his
successor. He is so by blood and by right, and John can have no pretence
to the