Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/70

24 makes the King inſult, and puſh on the ſiege with the greater fury, which only loſt him the more men: for they defended themſelves to a miracle, and loſt but one knight during the whole ſiege. But at laſt their proviſion failed them; and, when they had not one morſel left, on St. Andrew’s day, they all went out and ſurrendered themſelves to mercy. The King immediately ordered them, barons and all, to be hanged up. But in this,, who was himſelf a nobleman, withſtood him to the face, and told him, that as yet, it was but a young war, and no body knew what the chances of it might be: it might be his hap, or any nobleman’s elſe, to fall into the hands of the barons, who would be taught, by this example of his, how to uſe them, and that no body would ſerve him upon theſe terms. With much ado the King yielded to his advice, though it was likewiſe the opinion of all the wiſeſt about him: and ſo he ſent, and many others to be kept cloſe priſoners in Corf caſtle, others to Nottingham and other priſons, but gratified his cruelty in hanging up their ſervants.

day, during this ſiege, the King and were viewing the caſtle, to diſcover where