Lewes castle belonged to the Earl of Warenne, who had throughout stood on the king’s side. The barons also collected their host in the immediate neighborhood; but before fighting they made one bid for peace. The two bishops who were the chief political advisers of the barons--the Bishops of Worcester and London--brought the proposition to the king; they would give 50,000 marks in payment for damages done in the late struggle, if he would confirm the Provisions of Oxford. The offer was sealed by the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester, and dated on May 13. The king returned an answer of defiance, which was accompanied by a formal challenge on the part of the King of the Romans, Edward, and the rest of the royalist barons. No time was lost; on the very next day the battle was fought, and fortune declared against the king. He had the larger force, but all the skill, care, and earnestness was on the side of the barons. Simon, who had broken his leg a few months before--an accident which prevented him from going to meet the King of France at Amiens--had been obliged to use a carriage during the late marches; he now posted his carriage in a conspicuous place, and himself went elsewhere. Edward, thinking that if he could capture the earl, the struggle would be over, attacked the post where the carriage was seen, routed and pursued the defenders, and going too far in pursuit, left his father exposed to the attack of the earl. King Henry was a brave man, but of course no general, for he had never seen anything like real war before. He defended himself stoutly; two horses were killed under him, and he was wounded and bruised by the swords and maces of his adversaries, who were in close hand-to hand combat. When he had lost most of his immediate retainers, he retreated into the priory of Lewes. The King of the Romans, who had commanded the centre of the royal army, was already compelled to retreat, and, whilst Henry was still struggling, had been taken captive in a windmill, which made the adversaries very merry. A general rout followed. The baronial party was victorious long before Edward returned from his unfortunate pursuit, and many of the king’s most powerful friends secured themselves by flight. The next day an arbitration was determined on, called the Mise of Lewes, and the king gave himself and his son into the hands of Simon, who, from that time to the end of the struggle in the next year, ruled in the king’s name. [Sidenote: The Mise of Lewes. ]