different oppressions and successes of the confederate barons, who at length got possession of the king’s person, and the civil wars which ensued, are so well known as to render any remark on the subject superfluous; suffice it to say, that the disputes between the malcontents and the royal party were at length terminated by the battle of Evesham, which decided in favour of the latter.  In this field fell the Earl of Leicester and his eldest son, Henry de Montfort.  His death was followed by the total ruin of his family; his titles and estates were all confiscated; the countess, his wife, who had been extremely active in her designs against the royalists, was banished, together with her sons, Simon and Guy, who afterwards assassinated their cousin, Henry d’Allmane, when he was endeavouring to effect a reconciliation between them and their uncle, Henry IV.  The head of the earl was sent as a signal of the victory by Roger de Mortimer to the countess; but his body, together with that of his son Henry, was interred in the Abbey of Evesham; thus leaving the improbability of the legend without a shadow of doubt.

As our limits will not allow us to quote the whole of the ballad,[1] we must content ourselves with giving the song of the beggar, which, as well as being the most interesting, contains the whole of the legend concerning de Montfort:—­

  A poore beggar’s daughter did dwell on a greene,
  Who for her fairnesse might well be a queene: 
  A blithe bonny lasse, and a daintye was shee,
  And many one called her pretty Bessee.

Her father hee had noe goods nor noe land,
But begg’d for a penny all day with his hand;
And yett to her marriage he gave thousands three,
And still he hath somewhat for pretty Bessee.

And if any one here her birth doe disdaine,
Her father is ready, with might and with maine,
To prove shee is come of noble degree—­
Therefore, ever flout att prettye Bessee.

* * * * *

Then give me leave, nobles and gentles, each one,
One song more to sing, and then I have done;
And if that itt may not winn good report,
Then doe not give me a Groat for my sport.

Sir Simon de Montfort my subject shall bee. 
Once chiefe of all the great barons was hee—­
Yet fortune so cruelle this lorde did abase,
Now loste and forgotten are hee and his race.

  When the barons in armes did King Henrye oppose,
  Sir Simon de Montfort their leader they chose—­
  A leader of courage undaunted was hee,
  And oft-times he made their enemyes flee.

  At length in the battle on Eveshame plaine
  The barons were routed, and Montfort was slaine;
  Moste fatall that battel did prove unto thee,
  Thoughe thou wast not borne then, my prettye Bessee!

  Along with the nobles that fell at that tyde,
  His eldest son Henrye, who fought by his side,
  Was fellde by a blowe he receiv’de in the fighte! 
  A blowe that depriv’de him for ever of sight.