[1] When king Richard perceiued that no excuses would serue, though neuer so iust,The bishop of Salisburie sent into En|gland. but that he must néeds paie to his couetous host some great summe of monie for his hard interteinment, he sent the bishop of Salisburie into England, to take order with the barons of the realme to prouide for the paiment of his ransome, which bishop (as yée haue heard) after the peace concluded with Saladine, went vnto Ierusa|lem to visit the holie sepulchre, and now comming into Sicile, as he returned homewards, had know|ledge there how king Richard was taken prisoner in Austrich, and remained in the emperours hands: wherevpon he turned that waie foorth, and comming to him, was now sent into England with commissi|on (as I haue said) to leauie monie for the kings ran|some. He landed bere the twentith day of Aprill, by whose comming the land was the sooner brought in quiet: for the agréement which earle Iohn tooke (as before yée haue heard) was cheefelie procured by his meanes. For till his comming, Ger. Dor. the castell of Wind|sore [page 139] was not woone, the siege being but slackelie fol|lowed by the archbishop of Rouen, who had diuerse of his fréends within it, and therefore was not verie earnest against them.