After Christmasse, and whilest the truce yet dured, Lewes and the barons assembled at the councell which they held at Cambridge, & the lords that tooke part with the king met likewise at Oxford, and much talke there was, and great trauell imploied to haue concluded some agréement by composition betwixt the parties, but it would not be, nor yet anie longer truce (which was also sought for) could be granted: wherevpon Lewes besieged the castell of Hidingham, the which togither with the castels of Norwich, Colchester, and Oxford, were surrendered vnto him, to haue a truce granted vntill a moneth after Easter next insuing. And so by this meanes all the east part of the realme came vnto the possession of Lewes. For the Ile of Elie was woon by his people a litle before the last truce, whilest he himselfe lay in siege at Berkehamstéed, except one fortresse belonging to the same Ile, into the which the souldiers that serued there vnder the king were withdrawen. But yet although Lewes might séeme thus partlie to preuaile, in hauing these castels deliuered into his hands, yet being aduertised that dailie there reuolted diuerse of the barons of England vnto king Henrie, which before had taken part with him: he stood in great doubt and feare of the rest, and therefore furnished all those castels which he had woone with conuenient garrisons, and namelie the castell of Hertford, and after went to London, there to vnderstand what further trust he might put in the rest of the English lords and barons: for as diuerse had alreadie forsaken him, as it is said, so the residue were doubtfull what they were best to doo. [Sidenote: The perplexitie in which the barons stood.] For first they considered, that the renouncing of their promised faith vnto Lewes, whome they had sworne to mainteine as king of England, should be a great reproch vnto them: and againe they well saw that to continue in their obedience towards him, should bring the realme in great danger, sith it would be hard for any louing agréement to continue betwéene the French & Englishmen, their natures being so contrarie. Thirdlie, they stood somewhat in feare of the popes cursse, pronounced by his legat, both against Lewes and all his partakers. Albeit on the other side, to reuolt vnto king Henrie, though the loue which they did beare to their countrie, and the great towardnesse which they saw in him greatlie mooued them; yet sith by reason of his yoong yeares, he was not able either to follow the wars himselfe, or to take counsell what was to be doone in publike gouernement they iudged it a verie dangerous case. For whereas in wars nothing can be more expedient than to haue one head, by whose appointment all things may be gouerned: so nothing can be more hurtfull than to haue manie rulers, by whose authoritie things shall passe and be ordered. [Sidenote: S. Albons destroied.]