'What do you suppose,' said he to me, 'those fellows can do with all their outbreaks?
Why, if my blackamoor John were to pull the nose of the most formidable amongst them, the poor devil durst not even grumble.

Have I not forced them to give up what they called their commune, for the whole duration of my life ?' I held my tongue," adds Guibert; "many folks besides me warned him of his danger; but he would not deign to believe anybody." Three days later all seemed quiet; and the bishop was busy with his archdeacon in discussing the sums to be exacted from the burghers.

All at once a tumult arose in the town; and a crowd of people thronged the streets, shouting "_Commune! commune!_" Bands of burghers armed with swords, axes, bows, hatchets, clubs, and lances, rushed into the episcopal palace.

At the news of this, the knights who had promised the bishop to go to his assistance if he needed it came up one after another to his protection; and three of them, in succession, were hotly attacked by the burgher bands, and fell after a short resistance.

The episcopal palace was set on fire.