The

the goodness and energy of his father in all things'." forfeited English estates had been granted in 1215, to the rebel Earl of Leicester's nephew, Ranulph, Earl of Chester. Perhaps the grant was only temporary and conditional3, for at his death in 1232, Almeric, who had frequently put forward his claims to the property, became still more urgent for its restoration, and two of his brothers having died, he now sent his only remaining brother Simon with a petition to King Henry, dated from Paris, February, 1232. He described himself in this as Count de Montfort and Earl of Leicester (although no such title had been recognized by the English King for twenty-four years), referring to the lands and rights of his "father of good memory," and offering to be satisfied, if the King would accept of Simon to do homage for them, in case his own claims should be disallowed. Simon, as holding no lands under the King of France, could pay a more undivided homage, and on this plea was at length admitted" to his hereditary possessions and honours, after the solemn renunciation of Almeric in his favour, with the reversion only in case of failure of heirs male. This took place in the

1 Pet. Vall. Sarn.

2 In 1218 des Roches, Bishop of Winchester [had custody], of the estates.

3 This conjecture is almost certainly true, as the Testa de Nevill (p. 36) mentions the Honour of Leicester as a ward in the King's hands m behalf of Simon de Montfort (c. 1218), and the younger Simon did homage for the Honour of Leicester in Aug. 1231, more than a year before the Earl of Chester's death. -Excerpta e Rot. Fin. 1. p. 217. P.

4 Almeric and Simon, probably the 6th and 7th lords of Montfort, counts of Ecouen (Simon being the father of Simon the Bald, and their brother William being a canon of Chartres), being among the benefactors to the cathedral of Chartres, their effigies appear in the painted glass of the choir, occupying the roses of the 5th and 6th windows in knightly armour, seated on horses at

a walking pace, each bearing the arms of de Montfort on his shield (gules, a lion rampant, with forked tail argent), and each carrying a banner for Evreux (party per pale indented gules and argent).-Willemin Mon. Fr. Montfaucon. Winkle's Cath. A contemporary (Anon. Langued.) describes Simon 9th lord" as planting on the highest tower of a captured castle "son estendart lá ont era pint lo leon." Rolls of arms, 1308-14" Conte de Leister, goules ung leon rampand d'argent, la cowe fourchée, et banner party endentée d'argent et de goules."

"Simon de Monte Forti expulsus fuit de regno Franciæ propter seditiones suas." Cott. MS. Nero A. IV. is the only authority for such a statement.

6 Simon's homage was acknowledged by the King, Shrewsbury, May 27, 1232.

presence of the King, at Westminster, soon after Easter, 1232.

This act was probably the result of a private division of the family estates between the two brothers, and when renewed by Almeric's son John, in 1248, it is expressly stated in the deed that "on the other hand, Simon, Earl of Leicester, renounced all the rights in France, which either his father or brother ever had, so that neither the one in England, nor the other in France, could claim anything except by failure of heirs1."

Thus replaced, after a long interval, in the possessions and dignities which his family had before enjoyed in England, Simon de Montfort was not slow in rising to favour at the court of Henry III. Being "a gentleman of choice blood, education, and features," he was perhaps all the more welcome there, because his foreign birth and habits might seem to connect him more readily with the feelings of the other aliens who surrounded the King. In his capacity of High Steward — though the powerful family of Le Bigod also claimed this honour-he attended to hold the basin of water at the feast of the Queen's coronation. Fully sensible of the maxim of a quaint author of his times, that "a woman who has lands of her own is much the most desirable"," a maxim not out of date, though six hundred years old, Simon had been twice led by his aspiring views to seek a marriage with widowed ladies of princely blood. The French King, from whose allegiance he had withdrawn himself, interfered on that account, to prohibit the alliances he sought with Matilda, Countess of Boulogne, and afterwards with the great territorial heiress Joan, Countess of Flanders.

1 "Nisi per rectam eschaetam."MSS. Lands., 299. The seal of John represents him galloping on a horse, and bearing the double-tailed lion on his shield and trappings. The reverse has the banner of Evreux.

2 Short View of a long Reign, by Sir R. Cotton. The Chronicle of

Lanercost (p. 39) describes Simon as tall and handsome.

3 Quar femme que ad terre en fée serra dássez plus desirrée."

Hist. F. Fitzwarin, p. 10.

4 Joan, daughter of Baldwin 9, Count of Flanders, widow of a Portuguese Prince. King Louis had made

Baffled in these quarters, Simon next won the affections of another widow, under circumstances of difficulty which might well have deterred a less ardent lover. The King's sister, Princess Eleanor, had in 1224, married William, the second Earl of Pembroke, one of the foremost warriors of his time, and who had been one of the chosen guardians of Magna Charta. He had distinguished himself in repelling and punishing the aggressions of the Welsh in 1223, and when left by the King in command of Brittany (1230) he took some Norman castles with great spirit; and, although on one occasion, 1227, he had sided with Prince Richard to compel the King by force of arms to do him justice, yet he was so much beloved, that on his death, in April, 1231', the monarch wept over his corpse and looked upon his loss as an additional punishment for the blood of Thomas Becket. He had but lately, in perfect health, attended the marriage of his sister to his friend Prince Richard, and his death occurring so suddenly, his successor was refused admission to the inheritance of his lands, until it was ascertained whether the widowed Princess was with child, as was rumoured. There was, however, no issue; and the lady in the first anguish of her grief, had publicly taken a vows of perpetual widowhood', in the presence of two eminent prelates, both after

2

it an express condition in his treaty with her in 1226, "quod nunquam subtrahent se a coronâ et homagio." She married, in 1237, Thomas of Savoy, the Queen's brother, swearing previously that her marriage with Simon de Montfort had not been completed.-Père G. Daniel t. II. 24. Nicholl's Leicest.

1 He was buried in the Temple Church, where his effigy still remains. Hallam (Middle Ages, Vol. III. p. 242) confuses the persons of the earls of Pembroke, attributing to the father and regent "one of the greatest names in our ancient history," the anecdote of the King's defiance and the earl's rebellion, which can apply only to Richard his second son, who

was earl 1231-34, succeeding Princess Eleanor's husband.

2 Isabella, Countess of Gloucester, who died in childbirth, 1240.

3 Solenne votum castitatis emisit, cujus postea prævaricatrix effecta."-T. Wyke.

The following was the form of prayer used on such occasions; "Consecratio vestium viduæ. Inlumina, quæsumus, oculos majestatis tuæ ad benedicendam hanc viduitatis vestem, ut quæ inordinatis vestibus viri sui visibus placuit, in sacratis indumentis benedictionis tuæ servire mereatur. Consolare, Domine, hanc famulam tuam viduitatis languoribus constrictam, sicut consolari dignatus es Saraptinam viduam

wards canonized, the Archbishop Edmund, and Richard, Bishop of Chichester.

To this solemn resolution she had held true for more than six years; but, if we may trust the King's subsequent reproaches, de Montfort was now not only an accepted suitor, but had so forwarded his suit, that a marriage had become necessary for her honour. The ceremony was performed by the King's chaplain, without publicity, on January 7, 1238, and the King himself gave her hand to de Montfort at the altar of St Stephen's Chapel', within those walls which have since so often witnessed the eloquence and wisdom of the representatives whom de Montfort's subsequent efforts succeeded in establishing.

Besides his real admiration of her as a beautiful woman, and his pride in so lofty an alliance, de Montfort may have been partly influenced by the dazzling hope' of their issue hereafter inheriting the crown, for at the time no children had been born to the King after two years' marriage, and Earl Richard had but one son living. Their union, however, even if it had its origin in policy, continued in affection until death, unchanged by discouragement and trials, and the Royal Princess, with a true woman's heart, invariably

per Heliam Prophetam. Concede ei pudicitiæ fructum, ut antiquarum non memineat voluptatum, nesciat etiam incentiva desiderii, ut soli tibi subdat propria colla, quo possit pro laboribus tantis sexageminum gradum percipere, munus dilectabile sanctitatis."-Mabillon, De Liturgia Gallicana, Paris, 1685.

1 The marriage took place "in parvula capella Regis, quæ est in angulo camera." There are several notices of this chapel in 1229, 60s. 10d. paid to Walter, chaplain of St Stephen's Chapel; to Adam of the King's Chapel 30s. 6d.; and annually to the same, 21s. The treasurer is ordered at another time to make a new, good, and large door at the upper end of St Stephen's Chapel. 100 wax candles are ordered for St

adhered to her husband's interests and fortunes, even when her own kindred stood opposed to him.

On her marriage becoming known, an immediate outcry of sacrilege arose against the lady's broken vows, which, though she had not taken the veil or habit of a nun, were held to be binding on her, and Prince Richard, though so near of kin, was prominent in anger and menaces, because neither he nor the other barons had been consulted on the subject. It was with great difficulty that gifts and the mediation of friends succeeded in appeasing him.

Alarmed however lest his enemies should procure the marriage to be annulled, de Montford resolved to plead his own cause with the Pope, to whom he secretly repaired, after sending the Princess to the castle of Kenilworth'. The King did not, as yet, withdraw his favour from him, for he furnished him on his departure with letters to the Pope and cardinals, dated Tewkesbury, March 27, 1238. The letter ran thus: "The King to all the cardinals, health. We have thought it right to send our beloved brother and liege Simon de Montfort to the Apostolical Court for certain business, touching the honour and advantage of ourselves and our kingdom, particularly beseeching your fatherly love to be pleased to give him equally honour and confidence in those matters which the said Simon shall lay before you, and which concern the good of ourselves and of our kingdom." These letters were strengthened by the Emperor's interest, which de Montfort secured in his way to Rome, and by a well-timed distribution of money at the Papal Court. These bribes appear to have been so large, that de Montfort, whether authorized or not by his instructions, included the King as a security for their payment. That no success was to be expected however without such appliances may be

1 This royal castle had been committed to his care. It was granted to the Princess Eleanor, 1248, for her life, but in 1254 it was again granted for the joint lives of the Earl

and Countess of Leicester.-Dugd. Warw.

2 Househ. Exp. from Pat. Hen. III., m. 8.