Some resistance was inevitable, I suppose. The Curia continues to advise me that taxes may have risen too steeply, too soon. And it is apparent that some of the populous have been leaving the land and turning to banditry. Neither of these conditions can be allowed to continue, of course. The former is easy enough. A few well-considered changes in personnel should remove some of the more strident voices, and send a subtle, but clear message to the others.

I am more concerned about the lawless-ness. Particularly in conjunction with reports that some of the baronial tax levies have been intercepted. Suspiciously little information about the culprits is available. Judicious application of knotted rope and red-hot iron amongst those captured have only revealed the shadowy existence of some new outlaw leader wearing a gray cloak. This broad level of ignorance is disturbingly unlikely. Why would they hide such vermin at their own peril? Road patrols are expensive. I may have to resort to other means of gathering information.