Evesham, fought on the fourth of August in the year after that of
Lewes, their great leader fell, with the best of his followers. The
fate of Simon de Montfort was a subject of general lamentation; and
long afterwards he was revered as a saint and martyr, and was even
believed to work miracles. In MS. Cotton. Vespas. A. VI. will be
found a collection of these miracles, and a form of prayers to be
said in his honour, among which is the following hymn (fol. 189,
r^o).
Salve, Symon Montis-Fortis,
Totius flos militiæ,
Duras pœnas passus mortis,
Protector gentis Angliæ.
Sunt de sanctis inaudita,
Cunctis passis in hac vita,
Quemquam passum talia;
Manus, pedes amputari,
Caput, corpus vulnerari,
Abscidi virilia.
Sis pro nobis intercessor
Apud Deum, qui defensor
In terris extiteras.
The whole was preceded by a life of Simon de Montfort, occupying
two pages of the manuscript, but which some hostile hand has
carefully erased. The following song was evidently written
immediately after the battle of Evesham.
THE LAMENT OF SIMON DE MONTFORT.
[MS. Harl. 2253, fol. 59 r^o, early in 14th cent.]
Chaunter m’estoit, mon cuer le voit, en un dure langage,
Tut en ploraunt fust fet le chaunt de nostre duz baronage,
Que pur la pees, si loynz après se lesserent detrere,
Lur cors trencher, e demenbrer, pur salver Engleterre.
Ore est ocys la flur de pris, qe taunt savoit de guere,
Ly quens Montfort, sa dure mort molt enplorra la terre.
Si com je qui, par un mardi, firent la bataile,
Tot à cheval, fust le mal, sauntz nulle pedaile;
Tresmalement y ferirent de le espie forbie,
Qe la part sire Edward conquist la mestrie.
Ore est ocis, etc.
Mès par sa mort, le cuens Mountfort conquist la victorie,
Come ly martyr de Caunterbyr, finist sa vie;
Ne voleit pas li bon Thomas qe perist seinte Eglise,
Ly cuens auxi se combati, e morust sauntz feyntise.
Ore est ocys, etc.
Sire Hue le fer, ly Despencer, tresnoble justice,
Ore est à tort lyvré à mort, à trop male guise.
Sire Henri, pur veir le dy, fitz le cuens de Leycestre,
Autres assez, come vus orrez, par le cuens de Gloucestre.
Ore est ocis, etc.
Qe voleint moryr, e mentenir la pees e la dreyture,
Le seint martir lur fra joyr sa conscience pure,
Qe velt moryr e sustenir les honmes de la terre,
Son bon desir acomplir, quar bien le quidom fere.
Ore est, etc.
Près de son cors, le bon tresors, une heyre troverent,
Les faus ribaus, tant furent maus, e ceux qe le tuerent;
Molt fust pyr, qe demenbryr firent le prodhonme,
Qe de guerrer e fei tener si bien savoit la sonme.
Ore est, etc.
Priez touz, mes amis douz, le fitz Seinte Marie
Qe l’enfant, her puissant, meigne en bone vie;
Ne vueil nomer li escoler, ne vueil qe l’em die,
Mès pur l’amour le salveour, priez pur la clergie.
Ore est ocys la flur de pris, qe tant savoit de guere,
Ly quens Montfort, sa dure mort molt enplurra la terre.
Ne say trover rien qu’il firent bien, ne baroun ne counte,
Les chivalers e esquiers touz sunt mys à hounte,
Pur lur lealté e verité, que tut est anentie;
Le losenger purra reigner, le fol pur sa folie.
Ore est ocis, etc.
Sire Simoun, ly prodhom, e sa compagnie,
En joie vont en ciel amount, en pardurable vie.
Mès Jhesu Crist, qe en croyz se mist, Dieu en prenge cure,
Qe sunt remis, e detenuz en prisone dure.
Ore est ocys, etc.
TRANSLATION.--I am driven to sing, my heart wills it, in
sorrowful language,--all with tears was made the song concerning
our gentle barons,--who for the peace so long after suffered
themselves to be destroyed,--their bodies to be cut and
dismembered, to save England.--Now is slain the precious flower,
who knew so much of war, the Earl Montfort, his hard death the
land will deeply lament.
As I believe, it was on a Tuesday, that they fought the
battle,--all on horse, which was the misfortune, without any
foot,--very ill they there struck with the burnished sword,--that
the party of Sir Edward gained the mastery. Now is slain, etc.
But by his death the Earl Montfort gained the victory,--like the
martyr of Canterbury he finished his life;--the good Thomas would
not suffer holy Church to perish,--the Earl fought in a similar
cause, and died without flinching.--Now is slain, &c.
Sir Hugh the bold, the Despencer, a very noble justice,--is
now wrongfully delivered to death, in too shameful a
manner.--Sir Henry, in truth I say it, the son of the Earl of
Leicester,--enough of others, as you will hear, by the Earl of
Gloucester.--Now is slain, etc.
Because they were willing to die, and to maintain peace and
right,--the holy martyr will cause them to enjoy his pure
conscience,--who is willing to die and to sustain the men of
the land,--to accomplish his good desire, for we think he does
well.--Now is, etc.
Near his body, the good treasure, an heir they found,--the false
ribalds, they were so wicked, and those who slew him;--what was
much worse, they caused the worthy man to be dismembered,--who
knew so well the art of fighting and of holding faith.--Now is,
etc.
Pray all, my sweet friends, to the Son of St. Mary,--that he lead
in good life the infant, the powerful heir;--I will not name the
scholar, I do not desire any one to mention him,--but for the
love of the Saviour, pray for the clergy.--Now is slain, etc.
I cannot find any thing that they did well, neither baron nor
earl,--the knights and the esquires are all disgraced,--on
account of their loyalty and truth, which is entirely
annihilated;--the deceitful man may reign, the fool for his
folly.--Now is slain, etc.
Sir Simon, the worthy man, and his company,--are gone in joy up
to heaven, in everlasting life.--But Jesus Christ, who placed
himself on the cross, and God have care of those,--who are
remitted, and detained in hard prison.--Now is slain, etc.
REIGN OF EDWARD I. 1272-1307.
Henry outlived the defeat of the barons but a very few years. He
died on the sixteenth of November, 1272, while his son Edward was
occupied in warring against the infidels in the East. Edward was
proclaimed king, while absent. A new monarch is generally welcomed
with songs of praise; and the following, evidently the work of a
zealous opponent of the popular party, seems to have been written
before his arrival in England.
THE PRAISE OF THE YOUNG EDWARD.
[MS. Cotton. Vespas. B. XIII. fol. 130 v^o, 13th cent.]
Eaduuardi regis Anglorum me pepulere
Florida gesta loqui, pudor est famosa tacere.
Hic tener ætate dum vixerat in juvenili,
Conflictus plures superavit corde virili.
Belliger ut pardus, fragrans dulcedine nardus,
Dum viget Eaduuardus, rutilat novus ecce Ricardus.
Sic gemino flore Britones titulantur honore,
Bella per Eaduuardi similis et probitate Ricardi.
Belligeri juvenis laudabat Gallia mores;
Ampla manus dantis meritos congessit honores.
Invida gens cupiens meritas extinguere laudes,
Excogitando novas cœpit contexere fraudes:
Anglorum proceres legem fingendo novellam,
Ubere de regno terram fecere misellam.
Rex pater et patruus cum bina prole reguntur
Per sibi subjectos, ex quo mala multa sequuntur.
Degener Anglorum gens, quæ servire solebat,
Ordine mutato regem cum prole regebat.
Conjurat populus fruiturus lege novella;
Fædere mox rupto consurgunt horrida bella.
Dum Leycestrensem comitem sibi plebs sociavit,
Intestina sibi dispendia concumulavit.
In regem proprium gens irruit impia, natum
Cum patre et patruo captivat, mox dominatum
Consequitur, gaudent victores, corda tumescunt.
Effugit Eaduardus, statim nova prælia crescunt.
Convocat auxilium, solidantur fædera, crevit
Turma ducis, delusa cohors sua crimina flevit.
Concurrunt partes, quatiuntur tela, vigore
/Militis Eaduuardi madidantur rura cruore.
Occidit ense Comes, proceres mucrone necantur;
Sic vincunt victi, victores exsuperantur.
Regno pene suo spoliatus seditione,
Victrices turmas miro superavit agone.
Ad regimen regni patrem stirps clara revexit,
Nequiter ablatum quod longo tempore rexit.
Plebs devicta fremit, iterumque potentibus unit
Turmas belligeras, dape, telis, oppida munit.
Insula per proceres vastatur mox Eliensis.
Urbs regni nostri capitanea Londoniensis
Per quosdam capitur, quatitur certamine diro;
Sed debellantur hæc omnia robore miro.
Pax optata redit, conduntur tela, nitescunt
Nubila quæ fuerant, Anglorum gaudia crescunt.
Impiger Eaduuardus devitans otia, signum
Mox crucis assumpsit, cupiens exsolvere dignum
Obsequium Christo, qui se liberavit ab isto
Turbine bellorum; sequitur pia turba virorum.
Francorum regis germanus rex Siculorum
Innumeros populos ad regnum Tuniciorum
Duxerat, ut vetitum potuit rehabere tributum,
Agminibus cunctis dicens iter hoc fore tutum
In terram sanctam; cruce plebs signata dolebat,
Dum sua vota male jam commutata videbat.
Eaduuardus sequitur credens bellare potenter
Cum Sarracenis; gentilis rex sapienter
Prælia devitans, solvit quodcunque petebat.
Rex Lodowicus obit cum prima prole, dolebat
Gallia, rex Karolus remeat, turmasque reduxit,
Anglos cum Siculis, Britonum plebs anxia luxit.
Vota crucis Christi Siculorum rex male frangit,
Et sua delusus populus discrimina plangit.
Applicat in portu Trapennæ, mox borialis
Turbo quatit puppes, populus perit innumeralis,
Mergitur æs totum, salvatur et Anglica classis
Munere divino, quod non periit valor assis.
Rex prodire negat, renuens sua solvere vota.
Dux pius Anglorum similis et sua concio tota
Puppes ascendit, mare transmeat, ad loca tendit
Gentibus obsessa, longævo turbine pressa.
Accon respirat de tanto milite gaudens,
Atque sepulta diu psallit nova cantica plaudens.
Soldanus fremuit, procerem cogitando necare,
Quem per carnificem dirum fecit jugulare.
Hic assessinus Veteris de Monte ferebat
Nuncia conficta, quæ falso conficiebat;
Ingreditur thalamos præludens hostia, cultro
Vulnera vulneribus impressit; strenuus ultro
Restitit Eaduuardus, tortorem robore stravit,
Quem telo proprio condigna morte necavit.
Et quia condignum Christus famulum sibi novit,
Illius plagas sacro medicamine fovit.
_Expliciunt versus secundum Thomam de Wyta compositi de domino
Eadwardo Angliæ rege illustrissimo._
TRANSLATION.--The flourishing deeds of Edward King of the English
oblige me to talk, for it is shameful to let pass famous actions
in silence. He, while yet in his tender youth, went through many
conflicts with a manly heart. Warlike as a pard, fragrant with
sweetness like spikenard, whilst Edward is in his vigour, behold
he shines like a new Richard. Thus the Britons have a double
claim to honour, by the wars of Edward equally and by the valour
of Richard. France praised the manners of the warlike youth; the
ample hand of the giver amassed merited honours. The envious
people desiring to extinguish his merited praise, began to weave
new plots in their mind: the English nobles, by inventing a new
law, made a wretched land of a rich kingdom. The king his father,
and his uncle, with their two children, are governed by their
subjects, out of which many evils follow. The degenerate race of
the English, which used to serve, inverting the order of things,
ruled over the king and his children. The people conspires, in
order to enjoy a new law; soon after, the league being broken,
horrid wars arise. While the populace associated with itself the
Earl of Leicester, it accumulated for itself internal exhaustion.
The impious people attacks its own king, makes captive the son
with his father and uncle, next seizes upon the government;
the victors rejoice, their hearts swell. Edward escapes, and
immediately new battles follow. He calls together assistance,
leagues are established, the army of the leader increased, the
deluded troop laments its crimes. The parties meet; weapons are
clashed; the fields are moistened with blood by the vigour of
the soldier Edward. The Earl is slain by the sword; the barons
are put to death with the weapon’s point; thus the vanquished
conquer, and the conquerors are overcome. Although by sedition
almost robbed of his own kingdom, he overcame the conquering
legions by a wonderful effort. The noble offspring carried back
his father to the government of the kingdom, wickedly wrested
from him, which he had long ruled. The conquered populace roars,
and again joins its warlike squadrons to the barons; fortifies
towns with provisions and weapons. Soon after the isle of Ely
is ravaged by the popular leaders. London, the capital city of
our kingdom, is occupied by some, and is shaken with fearful
strife; but all these difficulties are conquered with wonderful
strength. Peace, wished for, returns; the arms are laid by;
clouds have given place to sunshine; the joys of the English
increase. The active Edward, flying from idleness, next took up
the sign of the cross, desirous of performing a worthy service
to Christ, who had delivered him from this whirlwind of wars;
a pious troop of men follows. The King of Sicily, brother of
the King of France, had conducted a vast host to the kingdom of
Tunis, that he might recover the tribute which had been refused,
saying that this would be a safe way for the whole army to the
Holy Land; the people which was signed with the cross lamented to
see its object thus unpropitiously changed. Edward follows in the
belief that there will be powerful fighting with the Saracens;
but the Gentile King wisely avoiding battle, paid whatever he
asked. King Louis dies with his eldest son; France lamented;
King Charles returns, and brings back the troops, the English
with the Sicilians; the anxious Britons wept. The King of Sicily
wickedly broke his vow of crusading, and the people, deceived,
lamented his changing. He arrives at the port of Trapeni; soon
a whirlwind from the north strikes the fleet; multitudes of
people perish; all the money is sunk; but the English fleet is
providentially saved, without losing the value of a farthing.
The king refuses to proceed, or to perform his vow. The pious
leader of the English and all his company alike embark, pass the
sea, and make for the places which were besieged by the Gentiles,
pressed under a long lasting storm. Acre takes breath, rejoicing
in such a soldier, and rises as it were from the grave to sing
new songs of praise. The Soldan was enraged, and thought to slay
the noble leader, whom he caused to be stabbed by a detestable
butcher. This assassin brought pretended messages from the Old
Man of the Mountain, which were but false pretences; he enters
the chamber and shuts the door; with a knife he adds wound upon
wound; but Edward, on the other hand, resisted strenuously; with
his strength he laid prostrate the murderer, whom he slew with a
merited death by his own weapon. And because Christ knew that his
servant was worthy, he healed his wounds with a sacred medicine.
* * * * *
Popular dissatisfaction may be traced throughout Edward’s reign, we
may venture to say from the day in which he mounted the throne. The
following song seems to have been popular soon after his accession;
and it is written in Latin and Anglo-Norman, in order that it might
be sung more generally. In the manuscript, each stanza of the Latin
is followed by the corresponding stanza in Anglo-Norman. Between
the Latin lines of the first stanza is left space apparently for
music.
A SONG ON THE TIMES.
[From MS. Harl. 746, fol. 103 v^o, of the beginning of the reign of
Edw. I.]
Vulneratur karitas, amor ægrotatur:
Regnat et perfidia, livor generatur.
Fraus primatum optinet, pax subpeditatur;
Fides vincta carcere nimis desolatur.
In præsenti tempore non valet scriptura;
Sed sopita veluti latent legis jura,
Amur gist en maladie, charité est nafré;
Ore regne tricherie, hayne est engendré.
Boidie ad seignurie, pes est mise suz pé;
Fei n’ad ki lui guie, en prisun est lié.
Ne lerray ke ne vus die, ne vaut ore escripture;
Mès cum fust endormie e tapist dreiture,
Et nephandi generis excæcata cura
Nullo sensu prævio formidat futura.
Resistentes subruunt iniquitatis nati;
Perit pax ecclesiæ, regnant et elati.
Hoc silendo sustinent improbi prælati,
Mortem pro justitia recusantes pati.
Strata pace penitus, amor refrigescit;
Tota tellus Angliæ mærore madescit,
Omnisque dilectio dulcis evanescit:
Cuncti consolatium quærunt quo quiescit.
De la gent haye avugle est la cure,
Ke el ne dute mie venjance à venir dure.
Les contre-estanz abatent li fiz de felonie;
Lors perit seinte eglise, quant orgoil la mestrie.
Ceo sustenent li prelaz ki s’i ne peinent mie,
Pur dreiture sustenir nolent perdre vie.
Pes est acravanté e amur refreidie;
La terre est desconforté e de plur enmoistie,
Amur et amisté tut est anentie:
N’i ad nul ki ne quert confort et aye.
Patre carent parvuli pupilli plangentes,
Atque matre orphani fame jam deflentes;
Qui in primis penitus fuerunt potentes,
Nunc subcumbunt gladio, plorant et parentes.
Ecce pravi pueri pauperes prædantur;
Ecce donis divites dolose ditantur;
Omnes pene proceres mala machinantur;
Insani satellites livore lætantur.
Ecce viri confluunt undique raptores;
Ecce pacis pereunt legisque latores;
Asez i ad des orphanins grant doel demenanz,
Ke lur parenz sunt mis à fins, dunt il en sunt dolenz,
Cil ki en comencent furent mult pussanz,
Sunt suzmis à le espeye, e plorent li parenz.
Li enfanz felons s’en vunt la povere gent preer;
Li riches à tort enrichiz sunt de autri aver;
A peine i ad haute home ki cesse mal penser;
De hayne sunt haitez li felons esquier.
De tote parz venent li bers ravisanz;
Ore perissent de pes e de la ley li sustenanz;
Dogmata despiciunt truces hii tortores,
Et prodesse nequeunt sancti confessores.
Hii converti respuunt virtute sermonum,
Neque curam capiunt de vita vironum;
Omnes simul rapiunt, ut mos est prædonum.
Hiis vindictam ingere, Deus ultionum!
Enseignement refusent ces cruels tormentanz,
Espleyt ne poent fere cil ki vunt prechanz.
Si il se ne volent amender pur dit ne pur fesance,
Mès pur tuer quant ont poer ben ont la voillance;
Trestuz en funt ravine, de Deu n’en ont dotance.
Cels metez à declin, sire Deu de venjance!
TRANSLATION.--Charity is wounded, love is sick; perfidy reigns,
and malice is engendered. The fraud of the rulers prevails,
peace is trodden under foot; faith fettered in prison is very
desolate.--At present, a writing is of no use; but right and
law lie as it were asleep, and the care of the wicked race is
blind, it has not sufficient foresight to fear the future.--The
sons of iniquity crush those who resist; the peace of the church
perishes, and the proud reign. The wicked prelates support this
state of things by their supineness, for they refuse to suffer
death for justice.--Peace being altogether overthrown, love is
cooled; all the land of England is moist with weeping, and all
friendship and kindness has disappeared; all seek consolation
and quiet.--The little orphans lament the loss of their father,
and, deprived of their mother, they sorrow in the midst of
hunger; they who at first were very powerful, now fall by the
sword, and their parents weep.--Lo! wicked children rob the
poor; lo! the wealth of the rich is increased by exacting gifts;
almost all the nobles spend their time in contriving evil; the
mad esquires delight in malice.--Lo! the rapacious men appear
on every side; lo! the supporters of peace and justice perish;
these cruel butchers despise doctrine, and the holy preachers
have no effect.--These men will not be amended by the force of
sermons; nor do they make any account of the lives of men; they
all plunder together, like robbers. Take vengeance upon them, O
God of vengeance.
* * * * *
One of the legacies which St. Louis left to Christendom was the
number of new orders of monks which had been created during his
reign and by his encouragement. They soon spread from France into
England; but they were very far from being popular in either
country, and were the constant butt of the gibes and jokes of
the poets. The following is a bitter satire upon the different
orders of monks in England in the reign of Edward I. The idea of
caricaturing them by feigning one order which should unite the
different characteristic vices of all the others, was not new.
THE ORDER OF FAIR-EASE.
[MS. Harl. No. 2253, fol. 121 r^o. Reign of Ed. II.]