PRINCE EDWARD'S CRUSADE. 233 spirit to engage in such an adventurous expedition, Henry III. and it was considered a duty to defend the Holy Land A.D. 1269. against the infidels. Antioch had fallen; the Christians were in dire distress; the French King, Louis the Ninth, was on his way; and, finally, the Prince doubtless thought he could get rid of some of the most dangerous of the barons by taking them with him to Palestine. Among these was the Earl of Gloucester; and the Prince expressly stipulated that he should accompany him. Edward set out immediately, and took with him his wife Eleanor, sister to Alphonso, King with him. of Castile. Before he left England, the King, at his instance, restored their liberties to the citizens of London. but stipu the Earl of lates that Gloucester shall go Prince Ed reaches the great suc assassina Edward did not reach Palestine till the following A.D. 1270. year, A.D. 1270, having been detained by the absence ward and subsequent death of Louis, whose son Philip Holy Land, abandoned the crusade. In the next year he took and has Nazareth, and gained several victories; but, in the cess, year after, he had a narrow escape from assassina- but narrowtion. He was struck with a poisoned dagger, but, ly escapes according to a popular legend, his queen, Eleanor, tion. saved his life by sucking the poison from the wound. In 1272 he set out on his return home; but before A.D. 1272. he reached England his father died, after a long reign of fifty-six years, the longest in our history turn home. except that of George the Third. This event took place on November 16, 1272. The King was buried Death of in Westminster Abbey, which he had rebuilt from Nov. 16. its foundation; and his body was deposited in the Buried in very tomb, out of which he had removed the bones ster Abbey. of Edward the Confessor into a golden shrine. He sets out on his re Henry. Westmin Henry III. His charac ter. Summary of the Character of Henry the Third. Thus ends the history of a King who left behind him no love for his virtues, nor hatred for his crimes. He was an amiable, religious, man; of elegant tastes; but weak, vacillating, and indolent. In order to be left to the quiet enjoyment of his favourite tastes, and occupations, he was only too willing to make promises, which were no sooner made, than he found reason to break them. He had not sufficient strength of mind to remain firm to his plighted word. His reign will, however, remain memorable, so long as our constitutional government stands, as having been the time when its foundations were first securely laid. In narrating the events of this reign, I have been constantly obliged to remark on the weak and blamable points in the king's character; but, it would be unjust to his memory, were I not also to point out his redeeming good qualities. Unfortunately, however, these were more suited to the adornment of a private station, than to shed lustre on the character of a king. He was pure in his domestic life, and of strong religious feelings; and he had a great love for, and was a great patron of, art. "Henry did more to advance the progress of art than any English sovereign anterior to Edward the Third."54 He rebuilt Westminster Abbey from its foundation; he decorated and ornamented Windsor Castle, which was said, by a contemporary writer, to be the most magnificent palace in Europe; and he "repaired, or rebuilt, most of the numerous manor-houses belonging to the crown; besides contributing largely to the improvement of parish churches in all parts of the kingdom."54a He brought to England many Italian artists; and his taste for the fine arts must Henry III. have been one of the sources of that profuse ex- His chapenditure, which often involved him in difficulties. racter. His social qualities were also great; and he displayed them, not only in his liberal entertainments to his great men at home, but in his splendid festivities abroad when he visited France. Remarkable Persons in Henry's reign. able per sons in reign. In Henry's reign, the English language was still Remarkconfined to the daily intercourse of life, and was not adopted in written books. But there were several Henry's writers, who, although they used the Latin tongue, have shed a lustre on this reign. The name of Roger Roger Bacon is the first that presents itself. His learn- Bacon. ing extended over almost every branch of human knowledge. He is called an astrologer and an alchemist; but he was really a deep student of nature, whose mysteries he skilfully unravelled. He not only understood the laws of light, but he conceived the idea of a telescope, and made some advances towards an explanation of the phenomenon of the rainbow. He knew the effects and composition of gunpowder, and was well acquainted with many branches of what is now called Natural Philosophy. The historians of the time next claim our notice, and the chief of these were monks. There was Matthew Paris, a Benedic- Matthew tine monk of the monastery of St. Alban's, William Paris., Rishanger, another monk of the same abbey, and Rishanger. Roger of Wendover, who was originally a monk of Roger of St. Alban's. These are the principal writers whose names deserve mention; but there is another well known Englishman, to whom I have already referred, and without R Wendover. Henry III. an account of whom the history of this reign would be very imperfect. I refer to Robin Hood. Robin was a Saxon yeo man. A Scotch historian says he "took to after the battle of Robin Hood. Robin Hood may be looked on as a representative of the popular or Anglo-Saxon party, which had never ceased to exist from the time of the conquest. By some persons, he is looked on, almost as an imaginary personage; by others, as a criminal outlaw; by others, as a ruined nobleman, who took to the woods. to retrieve his fortunes by robbery. But, according to the most trustworthy accounts, he was a Saxon yeoman*, whom oppression had driven, to a life of warfare, with all oppressors and plunderers of the people. "Then," Of his actual existence there can be no doubt. A Scotch historian, John of Fordun, who lived in the folthe woods" lowing century, alludes to him by name. he says, แ arose, from among the dispossessed and Evesham. banished, that most famous cut-throat Robert Hood, and Little John, with their accomplices, whom the foolish multitude are so extravagantly fond of celebrating in tragedy and comedy, and the ballads concerning whom, sung by the jesters and minstrels, delight them beyond all others;" but he adds, "of whom, however, some praiseworthy facts are nar * Chaucer thus describes a yeoman of the following century: : "And he was clad in coat and hood of green. rated." Another Scotch historian, who continued Henry III. Fordun's history, has a short but most valuable allusion to Robin Hood. In narrating the events of the year succeeding the bloody battle of Evesham, when the old English party were utterly discomfited, he says, "Robin Hood now lived an outlaw among the woodland copses and thickets." tivals held shop Lati Of the existence, therefore, of Robin Hood there can be no question, nor is the time at which he lived doubtful; and the reason why he took to the woods is also clear from Fordun's statement. An annual Annual fesfestival was held in his memory, and on that day in his mekept religiously by the inhabitants of the hamlets mory. and small towns of England-none were permitted to employ themselves in anything but pastime and pleasure, and its observance lasted even over the times of the Reformation. This fact is attested by Bishop Latimer. In his sixth sermon preached before Anecdote King Edward VI. he thus describes the scene that about Bitook place. "I came once my selfe to a place, riding mer. on a journey homeward from London, and I sent word over night into the town, that I would preach there in the morning, because it was holy day, and methought it was an holy dayes work, the church stood in my way, and I took my horse and my company, and went thither (I thought I should have found a great company in the church), and when I came there, the church dore was fast locked. I taryed there halfe an howre and more, at last the key was found, and one of the parish comes to me and sayes, Syr, this is a busie day with us, we cannot heare you, it is Robin Hoode's day. The parish are gone abroad to gather for Robin Hoode. I pray you let them not. I was fayne there to give place to Robin |