ate of our chief characters must close
our story. We need not tell our readers the future of the great
earl--it is written on the pages of history. But his work did not
die on the fatal field of Evesham. It lived in the royal nephew,
through whose warlike skill he was overthrown, and who speedily
arrived at the conclusion that most of the reforms of his uncle
were founded upon the eternal principles of truth and justice.
Hence that legislation which gained for Edward, the greatest of the
Plantagenets, and the first truly English king since Harold, the
title of the "English Justinian."

Hubert was not with his lord when he fell. He had been selected to
be of the household of Simon's beloved Countess Eleanor, and he was
with her at Dover when the fatal news of Evesham arrived. He could
only cry, "Would God I had died for him," while the countess
abandoned herself to her grief.

Edward soon sought a reconciliation with the countess, who, it will
be remembered, was his father's sister; which being effected, she
passed over to France with her only daughter, to join her sons
already there; and King Louis received her with great kindness,
while Hubert and his companions of her guard were received into the
favour of Edward, and exempted from the sweeping sentence of
confiscation passed in the first intoxication of triumph upon all
the adherents of the Montforts.

Brother Roger died in peace at a great age, at the Priory of Lewes,
growing in grace as he grew in years, until at last he passed away,
"awaiting," as he said, "the manifestation of the sons of God,"
amongst whom, sinner though he had been, he hoped to stand in his
lot in the latter days.

Ralph of Herstmonceux, who had been happily preserved from death at
the battle of Evesham, followed his father to Dover, where they
joined the countess in the defence of that fortress, and shared the
forgiveness extended to her followers. So completely did Edward
forgive the family, that we read in the Chronicles how King Edward,
long afterwards, honoured Herstmonceux with a royal visit on his
road to make a pious retreat at the Abbey of Battle. Ralph
succeeded his father, and we may be sure lived on good terms with
Hubert.

Hubert followed the banner of Edward Longshanks both in Wales and
Scotland ere he came home to his wife and children, satiated at
last with war, and spent the rest of his days at Walderne. He died
at a good old age, and was buried as a crusader in Lewes P