These worthy merchants betook themselves to London by easy stages, and upon their arrival there were kept for some days before they could obtain an interview with King John.

When they appeared before him and commenced telling their story the prince fell into sudden rage.
"I have heard of this matter before," he said, "and am mightily angry with the people of Worcester, inasmuch as they have dared to interfere to prevent the carrying out of my commands.

The Earl of Evesham has written to me, that thinking to scare the abbess of St.Anne's into a compliance with the commands which I had laid upon her, and to secure the delivery of a contumacious ward of the crown, he had pretended to use force, having, however, no idea of carrying his threats into effect.
When, as he doubted not, the abbess was on the point of yielding up the ward, the good knight was suddenly set upon by the rascals of the town, who slew some of his companions and followers, and did grievously ill-treat the remainder.

This," said the prince, "you now pretend was done by a party of men of whose presence in the town you had no cognizance.

Your good sense must be small, if you think that I should believe such a tale as this.