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Page 396
"Yes," Walter agreed, "but I want to know" and was interrupted by still another yawn. "I want to know if I may pass this news to Bassett and Siward."
"By all means," Geoffrey approved. "One of the reasons I came was that they should know the success of what they have done. I would like to see the land restored to peace entirely, but if Richard's supporters cannot be persuaded to give up all activity, let them prey upon Winchester, Rivaulx, and the others. The king is no longer a combatant. For Henry, the war is over."
"Thank God for that." Sybelle sighed.
There was a universal murmur of assent. It was one thing to pick a quarrel with one's neighbor and to raid back and forth or even, in a case of greater bitterness, to besiege his keep. Sometimes by a stroke of good fortune one could gain a second property by such means, but usually the overlords of both came and made peace before too-great damage was done on either side. Or, if the overlords were enemies and looked to be ready to join the fight, the king came and made peace.
For the king to be at war with his great barons was something else again. Only catastrophe could ensue from such a condition. All except the youngest members of the party vividly remembered the bloodbath at the end of King John's reign, when some barons became so bitter that they invited Prince Louis of France to be king. Before he was got rid of, the whole country had been laid waste. Of course, there had never been any danger that the Earl of Pembroke would invite any foreign king, but many robber lords who cared nothing for the rights and wrongs of the barons or the good of the realm took advantage of the general unrest to burn and pillage. A private war was good sport, but civil war was a disaster.
"Tomorrow," Walter began, but Sybelle rose from the stool near him where she had been sitting and said, "Tomorrow will best be arranged tomorrow. Papa is going to stay the night, and you will make much better sense of what he has to say if you are not half-asleep while you are listening to him. Come above to bed now, my lord."
"Yes, go," Geoffrey urged. "I have said everything of importance alreadyexcept that the king knows that I have come hereso I need not hasten to return to Huntington. I can even stay another day if you think Bassett and Siward would like to come to Clyro to speak to me."

 
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