does not forbid to hope may be as vast as have ever been grasped by the iron gripe of a despotic conqueror1."

Such eulogies, and the affection of his contemporaries, must be fairly weighed against the charges of other authors. If Simon de Montfort were, indeed, as Hume terms him, a bold and artful conspirator with hypocritical pretensions to sanctity, of unbounded ambition, barefaced avarice, violence, ingratitude, tyranny, rapacity, and treachery, then, without dispute, his death was "the most fortunate event that could have occurred;" but in that case, the unexplained love of the nobles, clergy, and people, for his memory, after his life and power had ceased, will constitute a greater marvel than any of the two hundred and twelve miracles imputed to him.

1 Sir J. Mackintosh, Hist. Engl.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE DISINHERITED.

"These disturbers were not so much like men usurping power, as asserting their natural place in society."-BURKE,

AFTER being alternately confirmed and annulled during seven years, the Oxford Statutes were now finally declared void, and the mise ceased to be thought of; but as those who had taken part in the battles of Lewes and Evesham had all their future lives influenced by their results, the personal fate of some of the survivors of the overthrow may be followed with interest a little longer.

By neither party was the scaffold resorted to for additional bloodshed after their respective triumphs; a moderation which contrasts remarkably with the ferocity of manners then general, and the practice of later times which may be considered more civilized. A stern and ample measure of vindictive retribution, however, was exacted in other respects by the King's party. Commissioners were quickly despatched into the different counties to seize on the lands and goods of all who had been concerned in those proceedings, which were now termed rebellious, though they had so recently borne the outward aspect, and exercised the influence of the united power, of King, Barons and Commons. No order or dignity was spared during the extortion of plunder on this occasion; some religious communities were even

punished, not for their actual help or intercourse with Simon de Montfort, but for their presumed inclination towards his cause1.

These severities were sanctioned by a Parliament held at Winchester, September 8, 1265, to which it does not appear that any representatives of the Commons were summoned. By legalising the confiscation of all the estates of de Montfort and the other defeated chiefs, the royalists provided a fund for their own reward, which was profusely distributed among themselves. The property, not only of the prisoners and survivors, but even of those slain, while fighting on the same side as the King, and under his royal banner, was included in this wide confiscation, for the Parliament considered them as traitors to have so acted, while the King was in subjection to the Earl of Leicester, who dealt with the King's seal as he pleased. By this retrospective vengeance the sons and families of the defeated party became a large and distinct class of destitute sufferers, who were often referred to for several years under the name of the Disinherited3.

A return of all the lands of rebels was required to be made to the King by October 13. In the single county of Leicester a long list of landholders" was returned as rebels.

1 W. Rish.

2.46 Sub virga et potestate Comitis Leicestriæ qui fecit quicquid voluit de Sigillo Regis."-Lib. de Ant. Leg. The King alleges the same reason in a Proclamation from Windsor, Oct. 1, for revoking his former letters, which excused from payment of debts to Jews "certain debtors, especially those who were openly opposing him and his first-born son, which he had signed while in the power and custody of Simon de Montfort, his enemy, who used his seal at his pleasure."-Rymer.

3 Their number may be learnt by a solution of the following enigmatical lines in MSS. Cott. Otho. D. VIII.-V. W. Rish., p. 145:

"Exhæredati si fiant connumerati Millia cum binis deca bis sunt acta ruinis."

One instance of restoration occurs of property seized unjustly or by mistake. The king's writ, dated Winchester, Sept. 14, 1265, to the Sheriff of Hertfordshire, orders him to restore the goods and chattels of John de Holemore, parson of the church of Hampton in "Wathamstede," if it be true that he never interfered in the disturbances of the kingdom. No. 441 Chanc. Rec. 5th Report.

4 Rot. Pat. 49° Henry III., Sept. 21.

Thomas de Cronesley, Robert Motun de Peyclinton, Ralph Basset, Peter de Montfort, all killed in battle; Nicolas Segrave, Henry de Hastings, John le Despenser, Richard de Grey, Robert de Wyvile, Saer de Harcourt, Geoffrey de Skeffington, as prisoners; William de Preston, John de Reygate, Brian de Gorva, William Mar

The value of Simon de Montfort's own estates in the county is thus given the Burgh of Leicester, £154. Os. 4d.; Hinckley, £29; Lywalton, £20; Bogworth and Torington, £20. 8s. 9d.; Dersford, £19. 108.; and in the royal grants disposing of them they are spoken of as having devolved on the King as escheats by his forfeiture'.

The King's second son, Edmund, afterwards surnamed Crouchback from his habit of stooping, profited most of all by the grants arising from these events. His father gave him all the estates, and the office of High Steward lately belonging to "our enemy and felon, Simon de Montfort, by whom war was excited in our kingdom," and to these were added also the Earldom of Derby, and the estates of Nicolas Segrave. The Queen, in 1291, enriched him further with the palace of Savoy; and these ample grants ultimately so raised the family importance of this prince, afterwards Earl of Lancaster, that. in the fourth generation the inheritor of his wealth and title was enabled to depose Richard II. and to usurp the throne".

6

By another grant of the same date Prince Henry received the estates of de Furnivall', and all the other chieftains were freely admitted to the division of the spoil. Roger

tell;
also Robert Burdett, as having
fought at Evesham, and Richard de
Vernon, as having held Pec Castle
for Henry de Montfort.

1 "Ad nos tanquam escaeta nostra per prædictam foris facturam suam devenerunt."-Rot. Pat. See Nichols's Leicest. Vol. I.

2 On his tomb, however, in Westminster Abbey, he sits erect on his horse fully armed. His first wife, Aveline de Fortibus, has her effigy near him.

By a grant dated Canterbury, Oct. 29, 1265, and witnessed by Hugh le Bigot, Philip Basset, &c.

4 It is remarkable that the existence of this Prince at the death of Henry III. should have been overlooked in Hallam's Mid. Ag. III. 274, and that an argument should have

de Mortimer had the estates of Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, given him (Oct. 27, 1265), and Gilbert de Clare received the lands of Henry de Hastings'. From the Rolls' containing the grants made to the conquerors, some names may be extracted as illustrating the history of the individuals, and also the confusion and arbitrary transfer of property incidental to civil war :

Roger de Clifford had the grant of thirteen lands in Leicestershire and Warwickshire, and was made Justiciary of the Forests within Trent.

Roger de Leybourne had the thirteen manors of Henry Fitz-Aucher, and the house of Peter de Montfort in Westminster. He was also Warden of the Cinque Ports3.

Thomas de Clare had a manor of Peter de Montford, "our enemy."

The Princess Eleanor of Castile, received the lands of Richard de Vernon and Richard de Gray, "rebels."

Hamo l'Estrange had grants of several houses of the attainted Londoners.

Warren de Bassingbourne had three manors in Warwickshire.
Nicolas de Lewknor, the lands of Guy de Balliol, "rebel."
Alan Plugneth a manor of William Marescall, "rebel."

1 W. Rish. Rot. Pat. 49° Hen. III. 2 Calend. Rot. Pat. 49° Hen. III.

Letters Patent, dated Canterbury, Oct. 28, 49°, grant a pardon for treasons to R. de Leyburn. No. 461 Chanc. Rec. 5th Rep. He took the Cross to accompany Prince Edward on his Crusade, but died without going.

4 The manor of Greatham, co. Durham, the forfeited estate of Peter de Montfort, "inimici nostri," was granted to Thomas de Clare by the king, at Stratford, May 23, 1267. It was recovered apparently under the Kenilworth Dictum, but finally ceded by Peter de Montfort (before 1274) to Robert Stichill, Bishop of Durham. A different owner to Greatham is assigned by the list of knights in Randall's MSS., "Sir Robert Bertram de Gretham."

5 Of this family, descended from the Dukes of Brittany, some members took different sides in the civil war. Hamo had been ordered by his party to take the command of

es.

Bruges [Bridgenorth] Castle from his brother John, the sheriff of Shropshire and Staffordshire, to whom it was restored after the battle of LewHamo's bold attempt to rescue Prince Edward at Wallingford, before referred to, had earned his present reward. His brother John also, having supported the king at Evesham, received the lands of Richard de Mucegros in grant. Dugd. Warw. Arms, Gules, two lions passant argent armed gules.

See p. 242 ante. The manor of Hasselbergh was thus given 1265, and confirmed 1267. Arms, "Sire Aleyn Plokenot, de ermyn a une bende engrele de goules." Rolls of Arms. Kal. and Invent. Each. Eustachia, the widow of Nicolas de Cantilupe, having married William de Ros, although the king had promised her to Alan Plunkenet, W. de Ros was decreed to pay reasonable amends (rationabiles emendas), and 200 marcs was accordingly paid as the value of the lady. Placit. p. 171.