ived in strong, stoutly-built
castles, with a great moat or ditch round them, and having always many
retainers and armed servants, they were often able to resist the King
himself. It was the growing power and riches of the King which they most
dreaded, for he only could do them harm. It was then for their own
sakes--to guard their own persons, to protect their own property against
the King--rather than from any desire to help the people, that the
barons resisted first John and then Henry.

[Illustration]

But among them was a noble, unselfish man, who loved his fellow
countrymen, and who saw, that to make people rich, and happy, and
prosperous, they must be allowed to share in the government of the
country in which they live. This noble Englishman, Simon de Montfort,
was called the great Earl, and it was he who headed the resistance to
Henry the Third, when that King tried to escape from keeping the
promises contained in the Great Charter which he had bound himself to
obey.

The resistance grew so strong that at last there was war in England. At
the Battle of Lewes, Simon de Montfort defeated Henry and took him
prisoner, and with him was his son, Prince Edward. Then at last a
Parliament was called. Two knights were sent to it from each county, and
from every town two citizens. It was chiefly to get these towns
represented in Parliament that the great Earl opposed the King.

Prince Edward was very anxious to escape and fight another battle for
his father. So he pretended to be very ill. When he got better he asked
his gaolers to let him go out riding for the benefit of his health. They
agreed, but of course, they sent a guard of soldiers out with him to see
that he did not escape. Prince Edward rode out for several days with
them and never even tried to get away. But one day he begged them to
ride races with each other, while he looked on. They did so, and when
their horses were quite tired, he shouted, "I have long enough enjoyed
the pleasure of your company, gentlemen, and I bid you good-day," put
spurs to his horse, and was soon out of their reach. His friend, the
Earl of Gloucester, joined him, and they soon raised an army and
defeated the great Earl at Evesham.

[Sidenote: A.D. 1265.]

"Let us commend our souls to God," said Simon, as Prince Edward and his
men came down upon him and the little band of knights who stood by his
side. One by one the knights fell, till Simon only was left. He hacked
his way thro