DORSET AND KING JOHN. 135 



may bo returned to the Chamberlain from tlie chattels of the 

 aforesaid prisoners." 



Who were these prisoners 1 It seems probable that they were 

 some of the Knights who Avere taken at Mirabeau, 



John Avas in France throughout the 4th year of his reign, and 

 in the course of his Avanderings he arrived at Bonport from 

 Xeubourg on Tuesday, July 30th, and on the following day he 

 departed for Chinon, but on the Avay he received news that his 

 mother was closely besieged at Mirabeau, whitlier he hastened 

 Avith all speed ; he arrived on Sunday, August 1st, and captured 

 the Avhole of the Knights, more than 200 in number, Avho Avere 

 besieging the place, and his nephcAV Arthur Avas also delivered to 

 him therp, so complete Avas the victory that " no one," John said 

 in a letter to the barons, " no one saved himself by flight." These 

 Knights Avere sent as prisoners to various castles in England and 

 Normandy. Corfe, Wallingford, and Sherborne, the three places 

 mentioned in the above extract from the Pipe Roll, received some 

 of them. The advance made by the King's Chamberlain for the sus- 

 tentation of the prisoners shoAVs that they Avere political prisoners 

 and that they Avere persons of consequence. How long they 

 continued to receive sustentation from the King's Chamberlain is a 

 questionable matter. The Mai gun annals state that 22 of the 

 Knights taken at ]\[irabcau Avere starved to death in Corfe Castle. 

 This seems probable, for on February 4th following, letters 

 patent Avere sent to the constables of Bristol, Nottingham, Walling- 

 fcrd, Sherborne, Southampton, Marlborough, Porcester, Norwich, 

 Oxford, Windsor, Northampton, and of other castles, giving strict 

 orders to their custodians to send to Corfe Castle certain of the 

 Knights, 24 in number, Avhose names are given, and Avho were 

 contined in these castles. In the Pipe Rolls for the next year, 5 

 John, the Sheriff of Dorset makes a charge for supiilitvs to 14 

 prisoners only at Corfe and Sherborne and for clothing fur four of 

 the prisoners. That some of these Avere prisoners who had l»cen in 

 captivity for some time, and Avere therefore none of the Knights 

 taken at Mirabeau, seems probable from the fact that the payment 



