Page:The reign of William Rufus and the accession of Henry the First.djvu/166

 spoiler of the Bishop's goods, bears witness that his claim was a just one. By this time the wrath of the Red King was gradually kindling; he turns on the Sheriff with some sharpness; "Hold your peace; for no surety will I endure to lose my ships; but if the Bishop will give this surety which I ask, I will ask for no other." The Bishop falls back on his old plea; he will enter into no agreement save that into which he entered with the Counts. The King again swears by the face of Lucca that the Bishop shall not cross the sea that year, unless he gives the required surety for the ships. The Bishop then protests that, rather than be arrested, he will give the surety and more than the surety which is demanded; but he calls all men to witness that he does this unwillingly and through fear of arrest. He gives the surety, and another stage in the long debate ends.

A new point, happily the last, was raised when the Bishop, having given the required surety, asked for ships and a safe-conduct. The King says that he shall have them as soon as the castle of Durham is in the King's power; till then, he shall have no safe-conduct, but shall stay at Wilton. He again meekly protests; he will endure the wrong against which he has no means of