A.D. 1263. Henry III. might be observed, since they had been confirmed by his own oath and that of the great men of the kingdom; yet, however, if it could be made appear to the judgment and consideration of worthy and honest persons, that anything in them was prejudicial to the King and kingdom, those things should be annulled; or, if they were obscure, explained, so that what was good and profitable might be preserved and maintained. They further desired, that for the future the kingdom should be governed by the native subjects thereof, as was practised in all other kingdoms." 29h The King refuses their reasonable petition. This was a reasonable petition, but the King, who had shut himself up in the Tower of London, and thought that Prince Edward would come to his relief, refused to accede to it. De Montfort, however, took measures to prevent the Prince from marching to London from Windsor to relieve the King; and Henry, being thus disappointed of relief, thought it prudent to yield. The Queen ineffectually opposed this arrangement; which so much incensed the citizens of London, that, when shortly afterwards she attempted to go to Windsor to join her son, the people, with whom she was very unpopular, insulted her, and prepared to sink her barge with stones; and she was obliged to take refuge in the bishop's palace near St. Paul's. Prince Ed- Prince Edward was no party to this compromise with ward dis the barons; and, while some of his forces plundered the country round Windsor, with others he marched to Bristol. Here arose a quarrel between his foreign troops and the citizens; and after an ineffectual attempt to make terms with De Montfort, he was obliged to dismiss his foreigners from the kingdom. The King now felt that he and his son must be out misses his foreign soldiers. A.D. 1263. wardly reconciled to De Montfort; and it was settled, Henry III. that the Provisions of Oxford should be publicly proclaimed, and inviolably observed, through the whole kingdom. A peace being now patched up, Henry returned to France with his Queen, to confer with Louis relative to his disputes with the barons. De Montfort attended the conference; which ended, however, without any result. The King and De Montfort now returned to England; and the King, having called together a Parliament at Westminster, again made fair promises, which De Montfort and his friends. refused to accept. They had too much experience of the value of the King's promises, but still some of the barons were willing again to trust him; and Prince Edward, availing himself of this difference of opinion amongst them, succeeded in drawing off some to the King's side. The King again yields. The King, believing his party become attacks the barons. No sooner did the King and the Prince find themselves stronger, than they began again their attacks on the barons. They surprised Windsor, which had to have surrendered to the barons; but failed to take Dover. stronger, The King then attempted to enter London; but the citizens opposed his entry. De Montfort had raised an army to relieve Dover Castle, if the King had actually besieged it; and he was now encamped at Southwark, to hinder Henry from coming to London. The Prince joined his forces to those of his father, and endeavoured to take De Montfort by surprise; but the citizens flew to his help, and the Royal party failed in their attempt. The forces of the two parties were now more nearly balanced, and it was agreed on both sides. that their differences should be submitted to the and the barons submit to the arbitration of St. Louis. gives an tory deci sion. Henry III. arbitration of Louis the Ninth, King of France, a A.D. 1263. Prince of such remarkable piety and virtue that The King after his death he was called St. Louis. He was son of that Louis, whom the barons had called to their cause their aid, in the reign of King John. Louis held a council at Amiens, on January 23rd, 1264; at which he gave sentence in favour of the King, "and by A.D. 1264. declaring the Provisions of Oxford to be null and St. Louis void, restored the King to his ancient power; adunsatisfac- judging further, that the King might nominate his Justiciary, Chancellor, Treasurer, and other officers of the kingdom, as he pleased himself; and that foreigners were as capable of offices and dignities in England as the natives." But he added, "that he did not intend thereby to abrogate the ancient liberties granted by King John's and the present King's charters; of which clause, the Earl of Leicester, and those of his party, taking advantage, would not stand to the king's arbitrement; alleging that it contradicted itself, and, that the Oxford Provisions, and all things that had been acted by virtue thereof, were only in pursuance and corroboration of the said charters." 291 It left open pal sub jects of dispute. De Montfort and the barons refused to abide by the princi- the award; for which De Montfort is accused of perfidy, by some historians. But the decision of Louis was an unsatisfactory attempt at settling the question; for while, on the one hand, by annulling the Provisions of Oxford, it deprived the barons of the advantages they had gained over the King; on the other by providing that the people should keep their ancient liberties, it left open the very question at issue between the two parties. How could the barons be satisfied if the King were allowed to raise money for his foreign wars, and to shower down gifts Henry III. on his foreign favourites, without the control imposed A.D. 1264. by the Provisions of Oxford? How could the people be satisfied unless it were clearly defined what were their ancient liberties? And how could the King expect quiet submission when he was apparently restored to that very position which had been the cause of all the dissatisfaction, and to destroy which, was the object of the Provisions of Oxford? No wonder De Montfort and the barons refused to agree to this proposition. No wonder they immediately returned to arms. The bar ons return to arms, In the north, the King's party was the strongest ; but in the south, De Montfort and the barons ruled without dispute. They held London, the Cinque Ports, and all the southern counties. The barons now felt they were engaged in a mortal strife with the King's party. He had deceived them over and over again ; he had gained an unfair award, as they thought; and had gained it, they said, by the influence which Henry's sister-in-law, the Queen of France, had over the mind of Louis. Vigorously, therefore, prepared they for the and prestruggle. In London every male inhabitant above pare for a twelve years old was sworn to be true and faithful to struggle. the barons' cause; and orders were given, that, at the sound of the great bell of St. Paul's, all should assemble in arms, and obey the orders of the barons' officers. The justices of the King's Bench, and the barons of the Exchequer were thrown into prison; and the moneys belonging to foreign merchants and bankers, which for security had been deposited in the churches, were carried to the Tower. But, unfortunately, a good cause is often much injured by crime. The poor Jews were always the decisive barons stain their hands with cruelty to Henry III. victims, either of kings or rebels, whenever money A.D. 1264. was wanted. Five hundred of them were seized and Alas! The put in prison, in order to extort ransom from them. One, named Cockben Abraham, was killed in his own. house by John FitzJohn, one of the barons; who, at the Jews. first, intended to keep all the treasure belonging to his victim, but, afterwards, thought it would be safer to secure one half, by giving the other to De Montfort. Those were curious times, when men who fought for liberty disgraced themselves, one by murdering a Jew for his money, and the other by receiving half the plunder. It was said, that the Jews had been discovered plotting against the barons, in favour of the King; but it is more likely, that the treasure they were supposed to possess, was the temptation to these scenes of cruelty and injustice. Henry's preparations, at first. Henry, on his return from France, whither he had gone to attend the council at Amiens, called together his adherents at Oxford, and took the field at the head of a formidable force. The lords of the Scottish and success borders joined him. He began successfully. He took Northampton, Nottingham, and Leicester, three of the strongest fortresses belonging to the barons. Prince Edward took Tutbury; and, says an old chronicler, "wherever the army of the King and Prince advanced, three companions attended it, rapine, fire, and slaughter." Henry was then called to the south to relieve his nephew Henry, the son of Richard the King of the Romans, who was besieged in the castle of Rochester. At his approach the army of the barons fled. Henry next took Tunbridge; ravaged the sea coasts, and then took up his quarters at Lewes in Sussex. De Montfort now prepared to bring the contest to |