hem, and dispersed
them in various directions. The ship in which Queen Berengaria was
carried arrived safely in Sicily; but that in which King Richard was
borne was missing, and none of his fellow-voyagers knew what had become
of him. Sir Cuthbert was in the same vessel as the king, and the bark
was driven upon the Island of Corfu. All reached shore in safety, and
King Richard then hired three small vessels, in which he sailed to the
port of Zara, whence he hoped to reach the domains of his nephew, Otho
of Saxony, the son of his sister Matilda. The king had with him now but
two of his knights, Baldwin of Bethune, and Cuthbert of Evesham. Cnut
was with his feudal chief--for such Cuthbert had now, by his accession
to the rank of Earl of Evesham, become--and three or four English
archers.

"I fear, my lords," the king said to his knights as he sat in a little
room in an inn at Zara, "that my plight is a bad one. I am surrounded by
enemies, and, alas! I can no longer mount my steed and ride out as at
Jaffa to do battle with them. My brother, John Lackland, is scheming to
take my place upon the throne of England. Philip of France, whose mind
is far better at such matters than at setting armies in the field, is in
league with him. The Emperor Henry has laid claim to the throne of
Sicily. Leopold of Austria has not forgiven me the blow I struck him in
the face at Ascalon, and the friends of Conrad of Montferat are
spreading far and wide the lie that I was the instigator of his murder.
Sure never had a poor king so many enemies, and few have ever had so
small a following as I have now. What think you, my lords? What course
would you advise that I should adopt? If I can reach Saxony doubtless
Otho will aid me. But hence to Dresden is a long journey indeed. I have
neither credit nor funds to hire a ship to take us by sea. Nor would
such a voyage be a safe one, when so many of my enemies' ships are on
the main. I must needs, I think, go in disguise, for my way lies wholly
through the country of my enemies."

"Surely," Cuthbert said, "no potentate could for very shame venture to
detain your majesty on your way from the Holy Land, where you have
wrought such great deeds. Were I in your place, I would at once proclaim
myself, mount my horse, have my banner carried before me, and ride
openly on. You have, too, another claim, namely, that of being
shipwrecked, and even in war-time nations respect those whom the force
of God has throw