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On Pembroke's death, Hubert de Burgh (formerly seneschal of Poitou) b and Peter des Roches, bishop of Winchester, ("a man well skilled in ware,") shared between them the rule of the kingdom for a while, and, though hostile to each other, they kept the refractory barons in check; but as they failed to observe the provisions of Magna Charta, fresh quarrels continually arose, Des Roches was obliged to go on a pilgrimage, and De Burgh at length was deprived of power and imprisoned.

Henry, now freed from tutelage, shewed himself quite unequal to his station, and the whole after-part of his long reign presents a melancholy picture of the evils that may occur to a nation from the weakness of its rulers. He engaged in tedious wars with France for the recovery

bHubert de Burgh was the nephew of William Fitz-Aldelm, one of the earliest Norman settlers in Ireland. He was frequently employed in foreign embassies by King John, and strenuously supported his cause against the barons. He was the chief ruler of the kingdom during the early years of Henry III., held a number of the most important offices, (as justiciary, warden of the marches of Wales, constable of Dover and other castles, and sheriff of several counties,) and received the earldom of Kent; but at length he fell into disgrace, was accused of enormous crimes, stripped of most of his possessions, and thrown into prison. He escaped into Wales, and after a time was restored to the king's favour, but again falling into disgrace, through marrying his daughter Margaret to the earl of Gloucester without the royal licence, he was obliged to surrender several strong castles, and died shortly after, May 12, 1243. He had been married four times, one of his wives being Isabel, the repudiated queen of John, and another, Margaret, sister of Alexander II. of Scotland.

He was a Poictevin, and a knight, being styled Sir Peter des Roches, but obtained the see of Winchester in 1205 by a papal provision. He was long the rival in the government of Hubert de Burgh, but being at length driven from court, he went to the Holy Land; he again became a courtier, was again expelled, and died soon after, June 9, 1238. His numerous benefactions to religious houses are praised by Matthew Paris, who adds that notwithstanding "he left to his successor a rich bishopric, with no decrease of its plough

cattle."

of Normandy, but only succeeded in endangering Guienne; took part with the popes against the emperor Frederick II. and his family, although that emperor was his brother-in-law; made frequent attacks on the independence of Wales, "but without effecting anything worthy of his rank;" chose his counsellors and servants rather among foreigners than Englishmen ; and, to supply means for all these idle projects, so grievously oppressed every class of his people, and so utterly disregarded all his oaths and obligations, that in 1258 he was in fact deposed, all power being placed in the hands of twentyfour councillors, of whom the chief was his brother-inlaw, Simon de Montfort".

In 1261 Henry attempted to resume the royal power, but was soon obliged to give way. His queen and his

d Simon de Montfort was the son of Simon de Montfort, so well known for his crusade against the Albigenses, and who had possessed the earldom of Leicester in the time of King John, but had forfeited it on a charge of treason. On occasion of a quarrel with the queen of France, he came to England, was favourably received by the king, recovered (with the consent of his elder brother) the earldom, had important posts bestowed on him, and at length by marrying Eleanor, the widow of the earl of Pembroke, became allied to the royal family. He governed Gascony with vigour and wisdom for several years, also made a journey to the Holy Land; but being at length deprived of his province, he headed the discontented barons, received also the support of the great body of the clergy, expelled the king's foreign favourites, and may almost be said to have ruled in his stead. Some of his confederates, however, deserting him, Mortimer and the marchers made head against him, and defeated and killed him at Evesham, Aug. 4, 1265. His body was barbarously mutilated, and denied Christian burial by the victors, while his partisans esteemed him a martyr, and circulated reports ascribing miracles to him.

Arms of De Montfort.

son Edward, however, procured the aid of Mortimer and the other marchers, and in 1264 Henry again took the field; he was defeated and taken prisoner at Lewes, May 13, by De Montfort, and compelled to accompany him to Wales in a campaign against his own adherents.

In 1265, by a sudden change of fortune, De Montfort was killed at Evesham, and the king set at liberty, but the war lasted nearly three years after. At length some judicious concessions were made to the malcontents, and the few remaining years of Henry's reign passed without any very memorable incident. He died Nov. 16, 1272, at Westminster, and was buried in the abbey church there four days after.

Henry married Eleanor, the daughter of Raymond V., count of Provence. She appears to have been a woman of beauty and spirit, but the excessive partiality of the king for her kindred rendered her unpopular, and she was once in danger of her life from the hatred of the Londoners. She became a nun at Amesbury in 1286, and died there June 24, 1291.

Their children were, beside Robert, John, William, Henry, and Catharine, who died young,

1. EDWARD, who became king.

2. Edmund, earl of Lancaster, born 1245. The title of King of Sicily was bestowed on him by the pope (Alexander IV.), but he never obtained possession; he went to the crusade with his brother Edward, and died in 1296, while commanding an army in Gascony. One of his sons was Thomas, earl of Lancaster, who bore so great a part in the troubles of the reign of Edward II.

Arms of Edmund of Lancaster. d

3. Margaret, born 1241; married in 1251 to Alexander III. of Scotland, and died in 1275.

4. Beatrice, born 1242; married in 1262 to John de Dreux, son of John I., duke of Britanny, and died in 1275. Henry bore the same arms and device as his father, King John.

The character of Henry had many glaring defects, among which his utter want of courage and regard for his word may be particularly noticed. He suffered his people to be oppressed with impunity by the agents of the papal court, and extorted large sums from them himself, the greater part of which he wasted on his foreign favourites, but some he usefully employed on works of devotion and charity. Beside decorating various shrines, he nearly rebuilt the church of Westminster, and he left a sum of money by his will for the succour of the Holy Land.

A.D. 1216. Westminster being in the hands of the barons, Henry is crowned at Gloucester, Oct. 28, by Peter, bishop of Winchester, in presence of Gualo, the papal legate. "He did homage to the holy Roman This singular figure, termed the tricorporate lion, is found on his seal. • The years of his reign are reckoned from this day.

Church and to Pope Innocent for the kingdoms of England and Ireland, and swore that as long as he held those kingdoms he would faithfully pay the thousand marks which his father had given to the Roman Church.” The legate and the earl of Pembroke assume the direction of affairs. A council held at Bristol, Nov. 12, when Magna Charta is confirmed, with certain alterations, giving it a still more popular character.

Louis, who had abandoned the siege of Dover early in November, captures the castles of Hertford and Berkhampstead (Dec. 6 and 20), but refusing to entrust them to any but his own knights, many of the English forsake his party. He retires to London.

A.D. 1217. Louis, being threatened with excommunication by the legate, agrees to a truce until Easter (March 26) and crosses over to France; many more of his English adherents leave him.

The king's party besiege the castle of Mountsorrel; it is stoutly defended by Henry de Braybroke.

Louis returns to London, and despatches the count of Perche, Robert Fitz-Walter, and others, with a band of 20,000 "wicked French freebooters," to raise the siege; they accomplish this, and then march to besiege the castle of Lincoln.

The legate excommunicates Louis and the barons by name, April 18.

The earl of Pembroke, assisted by Peter, bishop of Winchester, raises a force, with which he attacks and totally defeats the barons' army in the town of Lincoln, May 20. The count of Perche is killed, Robert FitzWalter, Gilbert de Clare, and many other barons * Roger of Wendover.

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