Alloquio, gestu, dum vixit semper honestus.
Jam regnum regno commutans pro meliore,
Regi cælorum summo conregnet honore.
Of his two sons, I shall first speak of Henry.
This Henry, in anno 1257 (41 Henry III.) was[334] knighted by Richard King of Almaine, his father, upon the day of his coronation at Aquisgrave in Germany.
It is said that in 47 Hen. III. having been through plausible and specious pretences seduced by Montfort Earl of Leicester, and some other of the rebellious barons, he was taken off by Prince Edward for the honour of Tikhill, which he then gave[335] him; and the same year received[336] one hundred marks, assigned to him out of the issues of the county of Dorset, by the king’s appointment, to fortify the castles of Corff and Shireborne. But notwithstanding this, it seems that he inclined to them again for the next year following, (viz. 48 Hen. III.) upon the march of Montfort and his party into the counties of Gloucester, Worcester, Salop, and then southwards. This Henry favouring them, was taken by some of the king’s soldiers. Howbeit, shortly after, the king holding a Parliament at London, amongst those who fell off from that rebellious pack he was[338] one, and thenceforth stuck stoutly to the king, marching[339] with him to Northampton, where the chief of their strength being then got together, after a sharp dispute were vanquished.[339]
Moreover, in the battle of Lewes, he was[340] one of the principal commanders in the body of the king’s army, at that time led by Richard King of Almaine his father; and after that fatal overthrow there (through the assistance of the Londoners, who poured out all the strength they could make to their aid), seeing the king and divers of the nobles made prisoners,[340] he joined with Prince Edward in mediating a fair reconciliation betwixt both parties; and, in order thereto, the next day following put himself into the hands of Montfort, and the rest.
But after this I have not observed anything else further memorable of him, other than that in 56 Henry III. being[340] with Prince Edward on his way towards the Holy Land, and partly weary[340] of the length of the journey, and partly desirous[340] to see his father before he died, having leave[340] he came[340] into Italy, and at Viterbium was[340] basely murdered by Guy one of the sons to Montfort, Earl of Leicester, within the church of S. Laurence, at high mass, in revenge of his father’s death, who had been slain in the battle of Evesham, about seven years before, as I have elsewhere fully manifested.
I now come to Edmund, who, surviving his father, succeeded him in the dignity of Earl.
EDMUND EARL OF CORNWALL.