The Prince, however, continued in the same grave manner to draw from the little witness his account of Richard’s injunction to secresy; and then asked about the letter-writing, of which John gave his plain account. The Prince then said, “Speak now, Hamlyn.” “This, then, I have to add, my Lord, that I, as all the world, remarked that Richard de Montfort consorted much with Sir Reginald de Ferrières, who, as we all remember, is the son of a family deeply concerned in the Mad Parliament. By Sir Reginald, on his arrival at Castel San Giovanni, a messenger is despatched, bearing letters to the Hospital at Florence, and it is immediately after his arrival there, that the two Montforts speed from the Maremma to the unhappy and bloody Mass at Viterbo.” “You hear, Richard!” said the Prince. “I bade you choose between me and your brothers. Had you believed me that you could not serve both, it had been better for you. I credit not that you incited them to the assassination; but your tidings led them to perpetrate it. I cannot retain the spy of the Montforts in my camp.” “My Lord,” said Richard, at last finding space for speech, “I deny all collusion with my brothers. I have neither seen, spoken with, nor sent to them by letter nor word.” “Then to whom was this letter?” demanded the Prince. “To Sir Robert Darcy, the Grand Prior of England,” answered Richard. A murmur of incredulous amazement was heard. “The purport?” continued Edward. “That, my Lord, it consorts not with my duty to tell.” “Look here, Richard,” interposed Gilbert of Gloucester, “this is an unlikely tale. You can have no cause for secresy, save in connection with these brothers; and if you will point to some way of clearing yourself of being art and part in this foul act of murder, you may be sent scot free from the camp; but if you wilfully maintain this denial, what can we do but treat you as a traitor? No obstinacy! What can a lad like you have to say to good old Sir Robert Darcy, that all the world might not know?” “My Lord of Gloucester,” said Richard, “I am bound in honour not to reveal the matters between me and Sir Robert; I can only declare on the faith of a Christian gentleman that I have neither had, nor attempted to have, any dealings with either of my brothers, Guy or Simon; and if any man says I have, I will prove his falsehood on his body.” And Richard flung down his glove before the Prince. At the same moment Hamlyn de Valence sprang forward. “Then, Richard de Montfort, I take up the gage. I give thee the lie in thy throat, and will prove on thy body that thou art a man-sworn traitor, in league with thy false brethren.” “I commit me to the judgment of God,” said Richard, looking upwards. “My Lord,” said Hamlyn, “have we your permission to fight out the matter?” “You have,” said Edward, “since to that holy judgment Richard hath appealed.”