[762] On 22nd January a letter close was sent to Aumale bidding him trust what two persons named therein should say to him on the King’s behalf; _Close Rolls_, vol. i. p. 446. This, from its tone, would seem to have been despatched in ignorance of the Fotheringay outrage--certainly before the assembly in which Aumale was excommunicated again. The date of that assembly is given in the Dunstable Annals, _l.c._, as “in die Conversionis Sancti Pauli.” But the excommunication is announced, as having already taken place, in a letter dated January 23rd, _Roy. Lett._, vol. i. p. 169. [763] Cf. W. Cov., _l.c._, and _Ann. Dunst._, p. 64. [764] “Tum quia castrum domini sui regis proditione cepit antequam ipsum difidasset.” I think this sentence of the Dunstable annalist (_l.c._) tends to confirm the Barnwell writer’s statement that Fotheringay was in the custody of Hubert. Strictly speaking, Fotheringay was never “a castle of his (Aumale’s) lord the King,” _i.e._, King Henry; it was a castle of the Earl of Huntingdon’s, and held of the King of Scots; Henry had only the right to its custody during the minority of the heir, and he had committed it to Alexander as custodian. If, however, Alexander had (as he very likely may have done) placed it temporarily in Henry’s hand, to be garrisoned by Henry’s men under Henry’s justiciar, the Dunstable writer’s words would be far more intelligible than if they were applied to it when in the keeping of the Earl of Chester, who we know was, at some date before--unluckily there is nothing to prove how long before--12th March, 1221, appointed custodian of the honour of Huntingdon not by Henry, but, with Henry’s sanction, by Alexander; see above, footnote 748. [765] _Ann. Dunst._, p. 64. [766] _Roy. Lett._, vol. i. p. 169. This letter, dated 23rd January, is addressed to Geoffrey de Neville. There can be no doubt that a like summons was sent to the other sheriffs and barons, and that the muster was a general one. [767] W. Cov., vol. ii. p. 248. [768] _Roy. Lett._, vol i. p. 171. He left Bytham on 31st January; _ib._ [769] _Close Rolls_, vol. i. p. 474 b. [770] W. Cov., _l.c._ [771] _Close Rolls_, vol. i. p. 448. [772] _Ann. Dunst._, _l.c._ [773] W. Cov., vol. ii. pp. 248, 249. [774] R. Wend., vol. iv. p. 67. [775] W. Cov., vol. ii. p. 249. _Ann. Dunst._, p. 64. [776] _Ann. Dunst._, _l.c._ [777] R. Wend., vol. iv. pp. 67, 68.