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; Tant est grant la some: Pur ce revenk al quens Simon, Coment hom le nome. Il est apele de Monfort, Ce voir, et je m'acort, Il eime dreit, et het le tort, 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, Richard, thah thou be ever trichard, Sire Simond de Mountfort hath swore bi ys chyn, Shulde he never more come to is yn, Ne with shelde ne with spere ne with other gyn, Richard, &c. Sire Simond de Mountfort hath swore bi ys cop, Richard, &c. Be the luef, be the loht, Sire Edward, Edward thou dudest ase a shreward, Forsoke thyn emes lore. Richard, thah thou be ever trichard, 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 Sed hanc videns populi Deus agoniam, 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. Comitis devotio sero deridetur, Cujus cras congressio victrix sentietur. Fuit in confinio, sed divisionis vv. 259–268. Commodum si proprium comitem movisset, Nec haberet alium zelum, nec quæsisset, Toto suo studio reformationi Regni ad ditationem Filiorum tenderet, et communitatis vv. 325-332. Non sic venerabilis Simon de Monte-forti, En radicem tangimus perturbationis. et habere Regni cancellarium thesaurariumque, vv. 485-504. Baronum pars igitur jam pro se loquatur. |