The dawn of the constitution : or, The reigns of Henry III and Edward I, 1216-1307 . oyalists beforethey could escape from their sunrise ( ) on the morning of Wednesday, 14th May, theg. , Barons had broken up their camp at Fletching.^ TheirMarch to march on Lewes, as far at any rate as the village of Offham,Lewes. ^yould follow the road through the Weald of Sussex, buriedin woodlands, and still further screened from view from Lewes by theintervening Downs. At Offham the road, on reaching the slopes,turns slightly to the left to avoid them, and thenceforward is carriedalong
The dawn of the constitution : or, The reigns of Henry III and Edward I, 1216-1307 . oyalists beforethey could escape from their sunrise ( ) on the morning of Wednesday, 14th May, theg. , Barons had broken up their camp at Fletching.^ TheirMarch to march on Lewes, as far at any rate as the village of Offham,Lewes. ^yould follow the road through the Weald of Sussex, buriedin woodlands, and still further screened from view from Lewes by theintervening Downs. At Offham the road, on reaching the slopes,turns slightly to the left to avoid them, and thenceforward is carriedalong the flank of the Downs overhanging the river, and so graduallydown to Lewes. Had de Montfort approached by this narrow roadhe would have had to fight at every disadvantage. But Simon knewbetter. We are told that when within two miles of Lewes, leaving his M. Wcstm. II 494. - Prothero, Dc Montfort, 272. • Rishang. 31. •* See the plan. Rishang. 30 ; Wykes, 149 ; Dunstable, 232 ; Worcester, 451. The fragmentfrom the Royal MS. above cited speaks of the Barons as issuing from 1264 J BATTLEFIELD 221 baggagt train under proper guard, lie proceeded to ascend a hill,obviously the Down overlooking Lewes from the North. The baggagemay be supposed to have been left in a quiet corner, at the foot of thehollow known as the Coombe, near the present Coombe Place. ^ Amongthe impedimenta left with the baggage was a chariot (quadriga) withthe Earls pennon appended to it. He had been using the vehicleon the march to save his leg ; ^ but the only occupants left in it werefour unfortunate Londoners, Royalist suspects who had been com-pelled to accompany the Barons, virtual hostages.^ Round the slopesof the Coombe hollow de Montfort would ascend by a trackway, suchas may yet be seen, up to the summit of the Downs.* The Royalists,confiding in their number, had not troubled themselves to keep muchwatch on de Montforts movements ; but an outpost had beenstationed on the hill. When the Baro
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