Prince John may deny me the right of being the Earl of Evesham; but methinks before many months I can, if I choose, become its master." "Be not too hasty in that matter," Sir Baldwin said.

"You might capture the castle with the aid of your outlaws; but you could scarcely hold it.
The prince has, ere now, with the aid of those faithful to him and his foreign mercenaries, captured stronger holds than that of Evesham; and if you turn his favourite out, you would have a swarm of hornets around you such as the walls of Evesham could not keep out.

It would therefore be worse than useless for you to attempt what would be something like an act of rebellion against Prince John's authority, and would give him what now he has no excuse for, a ground for putting a price upon your head--and cutting it off if he got the opportunity.

You might now present yourself boldly at court, and although he might refuse to recognize your title of earl, yet, as a knight and a crusader who has distinguished himself greatly in the Holy Land, he dare not interfere with your person, for this would be resented by the whole of the chivalry of England.
Still, I agree with you that your best course is to keep your return a secret.

You will then be unwatched and unnoticed, and your enemies will take their time in carrying their designs into effect." Two days later Cuthbert, attended by his faithful retainers, left Sir Baldwin's castle, and travelled by easy stages through Wiltshire and the confines of Gloucestershire up to Worcester.