Note 81 — THE MINORITY OF HENRY III CHAPTER I THE WAR WITH LOUIS 1216–1217

Norwich castle is said by Roger of Wendover (vol. iii. pp. 378–9) to have been “found empty” and garrisoned by Louis before John’s death; but this is a very unlikely story. Without discussing objections in detail, it is enough to say that in the French expedition into East Anglia (R. Wend., l.c., M. Paris, Hist. Angl., vol. ii. p. 182) during which this important acquisition is alleged to have been made, Louis had in reality no personal share at all, being at the time busy winning castles in Hampshire; and that the expedition was clearly a mere raid, from which all the French troops engaged in it returned to meet Louis again in London. Cf. Hist. Ducs, p. 172.