continued the line of Montfort as a French subject. Eleanor, the
only daughter, called the Demoiselle de Montfort, married, as is well
known, the last native prince of Wales, and died after a few years.

The adventure of Edward with the outlaw of Alton Wood is one of the
stock anecdotes of history, and many years ago the romance of the
encounter led the author to begin a tale upon it, in which the outlaw
became the protector of one of the proscribed family of Montfort.
The commencement was placed in one of the manuscript magazines which
are so often the amusement of a circle of friends. It was not
particularly correct in its details, and the hero bore the peculiarly
improbable name of Wilfred (by which he has since appeared in the
Monthly Packet). The story slept for many years in MS., until
further reading and thought had brought stronger interest in the
period, and for better or for worse it was taken in hand again.
Joinville, together with the authorities quoted by Sismondi, assisted
in picturing the arrival of the English after the death of St. Louis,
and the murder of Henry of Almayne is related in all crusading
histories; but for Simon's further career, and for his implication in
the attempt on Edward's life at Acre, the author is alone
responsible, taking refuge in the entire uncertainty that prevails as
to the real originator of the crime, and perhaps an apology is
likewise due to Dante for having reversed his doom.

For the latter part of the story, the old ballad of The Blind Beggar
of Bethnal Green, gives the framework. That ballad is believed to be
Elizabethan in date, and the manners therein certainly are scarcely
accordant with the real thirteenth century, and still less with our
notions of the days of chivalry. Some liberties therefore have been
taken with it, the chief of them being that Bessee is not permitted