wn force.

After much consultation on the part of the council, it was resolved that
a deputation, consisting of the mayor and the five senior councillors,
should resort to London, and there demand from the prince redress for the
injury put upon their town by Sir Rudolph. These worthy merchants betook
themselves to London by easy stages, and upon their arrival there were
kept for some days before they could obtain an interview with King John.
When they appeared before him and commenced telling their story, the
prince fell into sudden rage.

"I have heard of this matter before," he said, "and am mightily angry
with the people of Worcester, inasmuch as they have dared to interfere to
prevent the carrying out of my commands. The Earl of Evesham has written
to me, that thinking to scare the abbess of St. Anne's into a compliance
with the commands which I had laid upon her, and to secure the delivery
of a contumacious ward of the crown, he had pretended to use force,
having, however, no idea of carrying his threats into effect. When, as he
doubted not, the abbess was on the point of yielding up the ward, the
good knight was suddenly set upon by the rascals of the town, who slew
some of his companions and followers, and did grievously ill-treat the
remainder. This," said the prince, "you now pretend was done by a party
of men of whose presence in the town you had no cognizance. Your good
sense must be small, if you think that I should believe such a tale as
this. It is your rascaldom at Worcester which interfered to prevent my
will being carried out, and I have a goodly mind to order the troop of
Sir Charles Everest, which is now marching towards Evesham, to sack the
town, as a punishment for its rebellion. As, however, I am willing to
believe that you and the better class of burgesses were in ignorance of
the doings of the rougher kind, I will extend mercy towards the city, and
will merely inflict a fine of 3000 golden marks upon it."

The mayor attempted humbly to explain and to entreat; but the prince was
seized with a sudden passion, and threatened if he said more he would at
once cast him and his fellows into durance. Therefore, sadly crestfallen
at the result of their mission, the mayor and councillors returned to
Worcester, where their report caused great consternation. This was
heightened by the fact that upon the following day Sir Charles Everest,
with 500 mercenaries of the prince, together with Sir Rudolph and his