[1103] R. Wendover, vol. iii. pp. 330, 331. The dates are not quite clear. Roger gives none, but says John laid siege to the castle “on the third day” after the barons entered it; Ralph of Coggeshall, p. 175, says John entered the city on Sunday October 11. But the _Itinerary_ shows that John was on the 11th at Ospring and on the 12th at Gillingham, and he does not date from Rochester till the 13th. I have therefore ventured to suppose that Ralph has given the date of the barons’ arrival by mistake for that of the king’s. [1104] _Hist. des Ducs_, pp. 158, 159. [1105] R. Coggeshall, p. 175. [1106] See below, p. 250. [1107] W. Coventry, vol. ii. p. 226. [1108] _Hist. des Ducs_, p. 159. [1109] Cf. _ib._ p. 157; W. Coventry, vol. ii. p. 226; R. Wendover, vol. iii. p. 330; and R. Coggeshall, p. 176. [1110] R. Wendover, _l.c._ [1111] _Rot. Claus._ vol. i. p. 231 b. [1112] R. Wendover, vol. iii. p. 331. Cf. _Hist. des Ducs_, p. 160. One party under Hugh de Boves was wrecked in a storm on the Norfolk coast, September 26; their leader was drowned, so were many others, and a large quantity of money also went down; but the survivors made their way to the king in time to join him at Rochester and help in the siege, _Hist. des Ducs_, pp. 155, 156; _Chron. Mailros_, a. 1215; R. Coggeshall, pp. 174, 175; R. Wendover, vol. iii. p. 332. [1113] R. Coggeshall, p. 176. [1114] W. Coventry, vol. ii. p. 226; R. Wendover, vol. iii. p. 333. [1115] W. Coventry, _l.c._ [1116] R. Wendover, _l.c._ [1117] W. Coventry, _l.c._ [1118] M. Paris, _Hist. Angl._ vol. ii. p. 165. It is Matthew alone who gives the name of the leader of the party. His version of the expedition is important, as he--notwithstanding his strong anti-royalist feeling--shows up the cowardice of the barons, and especially of Fitz-Walter, on this occasion, quite as strongly, and is quite as sarcastic upon it, as the royalist Roger of Wendover. [1119] R. Wendover, vol. iii. p. 333. [1120] W. Coventry, vol. ii. p. 226. R. Coggeshall, p. 177, says that John had contrived to prevent some of the northern barons from joining them by means of forged letters purporting to come from Fitz-Walter and his comrades, telling the Northerners that their help was no longer needed. [1121] W. Coventry, vol. ii. p. 227. [1122] R. Wendover, vol. iii. pp. 334, 335. [1123] _Hist. des Ducs_, p. 163; R. Wend. vol. iii. p. 335. [1124] R. Wend. vol. iii. p. 336. [1125] In W. Coventry, _l.c._, John is said to have hanged only one cross-bowman, whom he had had in his service from boyhood. See the names of the knights made prisoners, in R. Wend. vol. iii. pp. 335, 336, _Rot. Claus._ vol. i. p. 241 b, and _Rot. Pat._ p. 161. [1126] _Rot. Pat._ p. 157. [1127] _Ib._ p. 157 b. [1128] _Ib._ p. 158. [1129] _Ann. Dunst._ a. 1210. [1130] W. Coventry, vol. ii. p. 225. [1131] Louis had inherited the county of Artois from his mother. [1132] R. Wendover, vol. iii. p. 359. [1133] W. Coventry, vol. ii. pp. 225, 226.