WAREHAM ! ITS INVASIONS AND BATTLES. 105 



man pleaded that his prophesy had been fulfilled, and that the 

 King had lost the royal and independent crown which he formerly 

 wore, the defence was supposed to aggravate his guilt." Peter and 

 his son were condemned, the sentence being that they should be 

 dragged at horses' tails from Corfe Castle to Wareham and there 

 executed. John's command was obeyed, and the awarded punish- 

 ment carried out with extreme measures, for the inhabitants were 

 granted the unedifying spectacle of seeing the unfortunate Peter 

 and his son dragged about the streets of Wareham, then to the 

 place of execution where they were hanged, and, according to Matt. 

 Paris, their bodies afterwards quartered. The place of execution 

 was evidently what is known as Bloody Bank a large mound west 

 and at the base of the West Wall. The hanging towers in Corfe 

 Castle were perhaps for private, and the gallows at Norden for 

 public, executions ; but Wareham appears to have been the chief 

 place of execution in the neighbourhood, and such sights, ghastly 

 and disgusting as they were, being public affairs, attracted 

 undoubtedly a considerable number of spectators. The Wareham 

 gallows, of which more anon, were also remunerative. If John was 

 not a spectator of Peter's execution he was during that year in the 

 neighbourhood, for, in the records of Bere Kegis, we find that same 

 year " the credentials of William, Earl of Sarum, &c., to the Earl 

 of Flanders, and some other instruments were dated hence." A 

 struggle was evidently anticipated, for it is stated that in the 16th 

 year of his reign "John put strong garrisons into Corfe and 

 Wareham." In August, the following year, King John was again at 

 Wareham. This was a memorable year, and John's thoughts being 

 wholly concentrated on revenge, that monarch made an unexpected 

 attack on the Barons ; and being unprepared " they invited Louis, 

 eldest son of the King of France, to come to their aid, promising 

 him the crown of England." This appears to have excited much 

 anxiety regarding the neighbourhood, for Matt. Paris, writing of 

 the year 1216, says : " John, the King, this summer was marching 

 with amazing celerity to Wareham to put it in a posture of defence." 

 On the arrival of Louis, Prince of France, in 1216, King John 



