RICHARD OF ALMAIGNE, "A ballad made by one of the adherents to Simon de "Montfort, earl of Leicester, foon after the battle of Lewes, "which was fought May 14, 1264," affords a curious Specimen 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. B To To render this antique libel intelligible, the reader is to understand that just before the battle of Lewes which proved fo fatal to the interefts of Henry III. the barons had offered bis brother Richard King of the Romans 30,000l. to procure a peace upon fuch terms, as would have divefted 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 bands 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 efcape into France. In the ft ftanza the aforefaid fum of THIRTY THOUSAND pounds is alluded to, but with the ufual mifrepresentation 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 bonours of WALINGFORD and Eyre confirmed to him on his marriage with Sanchia daughter of the Count of Provence, -WINDSOR cafle was the chief fortress belonging to the king, and had been garrifoned by foreigners: a circumftance which furnishes out the burthen of each ftanza. in 1243. The 3d ft. alludes to a remarkable circumftance which bappened on the day of the battle of Lewes. After the battle vas 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 bad 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, otherwise the barons would have oppofed his landing. In the 5th ft. the writer regrets the efcape 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 these noblemen landed in South Wales, and the royal party foon after gained the afcendant. See Holing/hed, 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 p; the y is pointed after the Saxon manner, and the bath an oblique ftroke over it. Prefixed to this ancient libel on government is a small defign, which the engraver intended fhould correfpond 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 demolib both. ITTETH alle ftille, ant herkneth to me; 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. Richard of Alemaigne, whil that he wes kying, Richard, thah thou be ever, &c. The kyng of Alemaigne wende do ful wel, With hare sharpe fwerdes he grounde the ftel, To helpe Wyndefore. Richard, thah thou be ever, &c. The kyng of Alemaigne gederede ys hoft, To store 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. 30 Sire Simond de Mountfort hath fuore bi ys chýn, Shuld he never more come to is yn, Ne with fheld, ne with fpere, ne with other gyn, 35 To help of Wyndefore. Richard, thah thou be ever, &c. Sire Simond de Montfort hath fuore bi ys cop, Al he fhulde grante here twelfmoneth fcot To helpe Wyndefore. Richard, thah thou be ever, &c. Be the luef, be the loht, fire Edward, Ant that reweth fore Edward, thou dudest as a shreward, Richard, &c. Ver. 40. g'te here MS. i. e. grant their. Vid. Glofs. ** This Ballad will rife in its importance with the Reader, when he finds, that it is even believed to have occafioned a Law in our ftatute Book, viz. "Againft flanderous reports or tales, to caufe difcord betwixt king and people.” (WESTM. PRIMER, C. 34. anno 3. Edw. I.) That it had this effect is the opinion of an eminent Writer: See "Obfervations upon the Statutes, &c." 4to. 2d Edit. 1765, p. 71. However, in the Harl. Collection may be found other fatirical and defamatory rhymes of the fame age, that might have their fhare in contributing to this firft Law against Libels. II. ON B 3 |