His person was unknown there, as he had before lived at Gloucester.

He hired a house in the square in which the convent was situated, giving out that he desired to open a house of business for the sale of silks, and for articles from the Low Countries.
As he paid down earnest-money for the rent, no suspicion whatever was excited.

He at once took up his abode there, having with him two stout serving-men, and a 'prentice boy; and from that time two sets of watchers observed without ceasing what passed at the Convent of St.Anne.
At a distance of half a mile from the road leading between Worcester and Evesham, stood a grange, which had for some time been disused, the ground belonging to it having been sequestrated and given to the lord of an adjoining estate, who did not care to have the grange occupied.

In this, ten men, headed by Cnut, took up their residence, blocking up the window of the hall with hangings, so that the light of the fire kindled within would not be observed.
Two months passed on without any incident of importance.

The feeling between the outlaws in the forest and the retainers of the false Earl of Evesham was becoming much embittered.