Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/268

 232 Readings in European History an attack from them, as he saw that they were prepared for battle ; he however made answer that their demands were a matter of importance and difficulty, and he therefore asked a truce till the end of Easter, that he might, after due delib- eration, be able to satisfy them as well as the dignity of his crown. . . . In Easter week of this same year the above-mentioned nobles assembled at Stamford with horses and arms, since they had now induced almost all the nobility of the whole kingdom to join them and constituted a very large army. There were computed to be two thousand knights, besides horse soldiers, attendants, and foot soldiers, who were vari- ously equipped. . . . All of these were united by oath, and were supported by the concurrence of Stephen, archbishop .of Canterbury, who was at their head. The king at this time was awaiting the arrival of his nobles at Oxford. On the Monday next after the octaves of Easter the said barons assembled in the town of Brackley ; and when the king learned of them, he sent the archbishop of Canterbury and William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, with some other prudent men, to them, to inquire what the laws and liberties were which they demanded. The barons then delivered to the messengers a paper, containing in great measure the laws and ancient customs of the kingdom, and declared that unless the king immediately granted them and confirmed them under his own seal they would, by taking possession of his fortresses, force him to give them sufficient satisfaction as to their before-named demands. The archbishop with his fellow-messengers then carried the paper to the king and read to him all the heads of the paper, one by one. The king, when he heard the purport of these heads, derisively said, with the greatest indignation, " Why, amongst all these unjust demands, did not the barons ask for my kingdom also? Their demands are vain and visionary, and are unsupported by any plea of reason what- ever." And at length he angrily declared, with an oath, that he would never grant them such liberties as would render him their slave. .