Desirous as he was of peace, the blood of De Montfort lay between him and the Earl's sons, and the safety of the one lay in the ruin of the other.

In the face of this danger Earl Gilbert threw his weight into the scale of the ultra-royalists, and peace became impossible.

The question of restitution was shelved by a reference to arbitrators; and Simon, detained in spite of a safe-conduct, moved in Henry's train at Christmas to witness the surrender of Kenilworth which had been stipulated as the price of his full reconciliation with the king.

But hot blood was now stirred again on both sides.

The garrison replied to the royal summons by a refusal to surrender.