He, too, was
brutal beyond bearing, proud and insolent with his inferiors,
imperious even to God, a great man, but one impossible to suffer in
any state which is to endure, a dangerous tyrant.
This great mystical soldier at once took the field, and when Henry
returned from Amiens, where the court of St Louis had sat, he found
all England up, the Cinque Ports all hot for Simon, London ponderous
in his support, and in all south-eastern England but one principle
fortress still in loyal hands, that of Rochester.
North and west of London, however, things were less disastrous, and
Henry's first move was to secure all this and to cut off London, the
approach to which he held on the south-east in spite of everything,
since he commanded Rochester, from the Midlands and the West. Simon's
answer was the right one; he struck at Rochester and laid siege to it.
Down upon him came King Henry to relieve it and was successful. Simon
swept back upon London, there he gathered innumerable levies and
again advanced into the south against the King.
Henry having relieved Rochester, marched also into the south,
doubtless intent upon the reduction of the Cinque ports; for this,
however, Simon gave him no time.
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