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Of this Clement of London and the father of the dead boy are witnesses.

5. Stephen Hulle and others, citizens of Hereford, relate a wonderful thing about Philip, chaplain of Brentley, who reviled the Earl, and said, 'If the Earl be a saint, as they say, may the devil break my neck, or some miracle happen before I come home.' And as he asked, so it came to pass. For in returning home he saw a hare, and pursuing it fell from his horse. Of this the whole city of Hereford

bear witness.

2. SONGS IN HONOUR OF SIMON DE MONTFORT.

I have thought it best to collect in the shape of an appendix the more important notices of Earl Simon and other interesting pieces in the popular songs of the time, instead of introducing them piecemeal in the notes. The extracts are mostly taken from the book of Political Songs, edited by Mr. Wright for the Camden Society.

1. This extract (Polit. Songs, p. 60), is part of a song made during or shortly after the outbreak in the spring of 1263:

Mout furent bons les barons;

Mes touz ne sai nomer lur noms,

Tant est grant la some:

Pur ce revenk al quens Simon,
Pur dire interpretison,

Coment hom le nome.

Il est apele de Monfort,
Il est el mond et si est fort,
Si ad grant chevalerie ;

Ce voir, et je m'acort,

Il eime dreit, et het le tort,
Si avera la mestrie.

El mond est vereement;

La ou la comun a ly concent,

De la terre loee

C'est ly quens de Leycestre,

Que baut et joius se puet estre

De cele renomee.

2. The following song is on the Battle of Lewes, aimed especially at King Richard (Polit. Songs, p. 69).

Sitteth alle stille and herkneth to me:
The Kyng of Alemaigne, bi mi leaute,
Thritti thousent pound askede he
For to make the pees in the countree,
Ant so he dude more.

Richard, thah thou be ever trichard,
Trichen shalt thou never more.

Richard of Alemaigne, whil that he was kyng,
He spende al is tresour upon swyvyng;
Haveth he nout of Walingford o ferlyng:
Let him habbe, ase he brew, bale to dryng,
Maugre Wyndesore.

Richard, &c.

The Kyng of Aleriaigne wende do ful wel,
He saisede the mulne for a castel,

With hare sharpe swerdes he grounde the stel,

He wende that the sayles were mangonel,
To helpe Wyndesore.

Richard, &c.

The Kyng of Alemaigne gederede ys host,
Makede him a castel of a mulne post,
Wende with his prude ant is muchele bost,
Brohte from Alemaigne mony sori gost,

To store Wyndesore.

Richard, &c.

By God, that is abouven ous, he dude muche synne,
That lette passen over see the Erl of Warynne:
He hath robbed Engelond, the mores, and the fenne,
The gold, ant the selver, ant yboren henne

For love of Wyndesore.

Richard, &c.

Sire Simond de Mountfort hath swore bi ys chyn,
Hevede he nou the Erl of Waryn,

Shulde he never more come to is yn,

Ne with shelde ne with spere ne with other gyn,
To help of Wyndesore.

Richard, &c.

Sire Simond de Mountfort hath swore bi ys cop,
Hevede he nou here Sire Hue de Bigot,
Al he shulde quite here twelfmoneth scot,
Shulde he never more with his fot pot,
To helpe Wyndesore.

Richard, &c.

Be the luef, be the loht, Sire Edward,
Thou shalt ride sporeless on thy lyard,
Al the ryhte way to Dovere ward;
Shalt thou never more breke foreward,
Ant that reweth sore:

Edward thou dudest ase a shreward,

Forsoke thyn emes lore.

Richard, thah thou be ever trichard,
Trichen shalt thou never more.

3. The following extracts are from the great political poem written after the Battle of Lewes in defence of Simon de Montfort and of the principles of the baronial party. (Polit. Songs, 72 seq.)

Benedicat dominus Simoni de Monte-Forti,

Suis nichilominus natis et cohorti.

Qui se magnanimiter exponentes morti
Pugnaverunt fortiter,

Sed hanc videns populi Deus agoniam,
Dat in fine sæculi novum Matathiam,

Et cum suis filiis zelans zelum legis,

Nec cedit injuriis nec furori regis.

Seductorem nominant Simonem atque fallacem,

Facta sed examinant probantque veracem.

vv. 65-80.

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