"A ballad made by one of the adherents to Simon de "Montfort, earl of Leicefter, foon after the battle of Lewes, "which was fought May 14, 1264," -affords a curious fpecimen of ancient Satire, and fhews that the liberty, affumed by the good people of this realm, of abufing their kings and princes at pleasure, is a privilege of very long standing. VOL. II, P T. To render this antique libel intelligible, the reader is to understand that juft before the battle of Lewes which proved fo fatal to the interefts of Henry III. the barons had offered his brother Richard King of the Romans 30,000l. to procure a peace upon fuch terms, as would have divested Henry of all his regal power, and therefore the treaty proved abortive. The confequences of that battle are well known: the king, prince Edward his fon, his brother Richard, and many of his friends fell into the hands of their enemies: while two great barons of the king's party, John earl of Warren, and Hugh Bigot the king's Jufticiary, had been glad to escape into France. In the ft fanxa the aforefaid fum of THIRTY THOUSAND pounds is alluded to, but with the ufual mifreprefentation of party malevolence, is afferted to have been the exorbitant demand of the king's brother. With regard to the 2d ft. the Reader is to note that Richard, along with the earldom of Cornwall, had the honours, of WALINGFORD and Eyre confirmed to him on his marriage with Sanchia daughter of the Count of Provence, in 1243. -WINDSOR cajtle was the chief fortress belonging to the king, and had been garrisoned by foreigners: a circumftance, which furnishes out the burthen of each flanza. The 3d ft. alludes to a remarkable circumftance, which happened on the day of the battle of Lewes. After the battle was loft, Richard king of the Romans took refuge in a Windmill, which he baricadoed, and maintained for fome time against the Barons, but in the evening was obliged to furrender. See a very full account of this, in the Chronicle of Mailros. Oxon. 1684. p. 229. The 4th ft. is of obvious interpretation: Richard, who had been elected king of the Romans in 1256, and had afterwards gone over to take poffeffion of his dignity, was in.. the year 1259 about to return into England, when the barons raifed a popular clamour, that he was bringing with him foreigners to over-run the kingdom: upon which he was forced to difmifs almost all his followers, otherwife the barons. would have oppofed his landing. In the 5th ft. the writer regrets the escape of the Earl of Warren, and in the 6th and 7th fts. infinuates that if he and Sir Hugh Bigot once fell into the hands of their adver faries, they should never more return home. A circumftance, which fixes the date of this ballad; for in the year 1265 both thefe noblemen landed in South Wales, and the royal party foon after gained the afcendant. See Holing fhed, Rapin, &c. The following is copied from a very ancient MS. in the British Mufeum. [Harl. MSS. 2253. S. 23.] This MS. is judged, from the peculiarities of the writing, to be not later than the time of Richard II.; th being every where expreffed by the character; the y is pointed after the Saxon manner, and the 1 bath an oblique ftroke over it. Prefixed to this ancient libel on government is a small defign, which the engraver intended fhould correspond with the fubject. On the one fide a Satyr, (emblem of Petulance and Ridicule) is trampling on the enfigns of Royalty; on the other Faction under the mafque of Liberty is exciting Ignorance and Popular Rage to deface the Royal Image; which ftands on a pedestal infcribed MAGNA CHARTA, to denote that the rights of the king, as well as thofe of the people, are founded on the laws; and that to attack one, is in effect to demolish both. ITTETH alle ftille, ant herkneth to me; SITTET The kyng of Alemaigne, bi mi leaute, Thritti thoufent pound askede he For te make the pees in the countre, Ant fo he dude more. Richard, thah thou be ever trichard, Tricthen fhalt thou never more. B 2 Ver. 2. kyn, MS, 5 Richard Richard of Alemaigne, whil that he wes kying, Haveth he nout of Walingford oferlyng, Richard, thah thou be ever, &c. The kyng of Alemaigne wende do ful wel, 10 15. With hare fharpe fwerdes he grounde the stel, To helpe Wyndefore. Richard, thah thou be ever, &c. The kyng of Alemaigne gederede ys hoft, To ftore Wyndefore. Richard, thah thou be ever, &c. By God, that is aboven ous, he dude muche fynne, For love of Wyndefore. Richard, thah thou be ever, &c. 20 25 30 Sire Simond de Mountfort hath fuore bi vs chyn, Shuld he never more come to is yn, Ne with fheld, ne with spere, ne with other gŷn, 35 Richard, thah thou be ever, &c. Sire Simond de Montfort hath fuore bi ys 'fot', To helpe Wyndefore. Richard, thah thou be ever trichard, Ver. 38. top or cop. Ver. 40. g'te here. MS, i. e. grant their. Vid. Glofs. 40 ** The fatirical Ballad on RICHARD OF ALMAIGNE will rife in its importance with the curious Reader, when he finds, that it is even believed to have occafioned a Law in our ftatute Book, viz. "Against flanderous reports or tales, "to caufe difcord betwizt king and people." (WESTM. PRIMER, C. 34. anno 3. Edw. I.) That it had this effect is the opinion of an eminent Writer: See" Obferva"tions upon the Statutes, chiefly the more Ancient, &c." 4to. 2d Edit. 1766. p. 71. If this very learned and ingenious Antiquary would examine the original MS. in the Harl. Collection, whence our Ballad was extracted, he would, I believe, find other fatirical and defamatory rhymes of the fame age, that might have their fhare in contributing to this firft Law against Libels. |