ugh his foes, and had nearly escaped when his horse was
brought to the ground, and a death wound was given him from behind. "It
is God's grace," he said, and died. But though the leader died, the work
was done, and a Parliament established in England.

Some of the priests in England had grown very wicked and greedy. They
neglected their duties and thought only of feasting and making
themselves comfortable. But some good monks came over from Rome, and
determined to try to show the English priests what a Christian's duty
was. They made a vow to be poor, and to deny themselves everything,
except just enough food to keep body and soul together. They would not
even have books at first, but spent all the money they could collect on
the poor. They nursed the sick and helped the unfortunate. They would
not wear pretty clothes or beautiful vestments, but were dressed in
plain grey or black serge, with a rope round the waist, and bare feet.
Although they were foreigners and could speak but little English, they
encouraged people to write in the English language instead of in Latin
or French.

[Illustration]

It was a favourite dream of the early English and French kings to take
Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the hands of the Saracens, and to let
Christians be the guardians of the place where Christ lived and died. To
do this they were constantly making war on the Saracens, and these wars
were called Crusades, and the knights who went to them Crusaders.
Crusaders carried a red cross on their banners and on their shields. The
Saracens' banners and shields had a crescent like a new moon. For two
hundred years this fighting went on, and the last of our English princes
to take part in it was Prince Edward. He had only three hundred knights
with him, and was not able to attack Jerusalem, because he could not get
together more than seven thousand men. His knights went on pilgrimage to
Jerusalem, but he stayed in his camp at Acre. One day a messenger came
into his tent with letters, and while he was reading them the wicked
messenger stabbed him. He had been sent to do so by the Saracens,
because they were afraid of this brave prince. The prince caught the
blow on his arm, and kicked the messenger to the ground, but the man
rose and rushed at him again with the knife. The dagger just grazed the
prince's forehead, and seizing a wooden footstool Prince Edward dashed
out the messenger's brains. His wife, the Princess Eleanor, was afraid