… on August 2 in the year 1265, Simon de Montfort and his son Henry fought surrounded by their enemies until they both were killed.
When the battle was ended, monks from the nearby abbey came out to bury the dead. As they lifted the man’s stripped and mangled torso from the ground, a spring of water flowed up from beneath the body. A blind old monk, accidentally splashed with the spring’s water, suddenly could see. Soon the blind from all over England came to the miraculous spring and were cured. So says the Chronicle of William Rishanger, who was there.
Thousands came to the spring. The man who had died there was hailed as a saint, as The Angel with the Sword of the Apocalypse, or perhaps even the risen Savior Himself. And so King Henry III made it criminal to take water from the spring, and a hanging crime of treason to speak the dead man’s name.
Today, though few know of him, we have all been touched by him. For it was he who founded, fought and died for a new form of government — one elected by the people.
Tags: Evesham, Green Hill, miracle, Monfort, Simon de Montfort, William Rishanger
When I visited Evesham, in 1978, as I left the train station I hurried to catch up with a group of people who were walking ahead of me, intending to ask them directions. I called after them and as they turned toward me I saw that they were all blind.
I am fascinated by this notion (Evesham) of the sainthood of Simon. Having only read Volume !, 1 await clarity. I need the next volume. I hope it is coming soon. I thought Volume 1 was splendid! Couldn’t put it down and will now re read for more retention.
What a nuanced and fascinating tale.
Volume II, The Viceroy, will be out by the end of June. It’s being “typeset” now. As it is “print on demand” it is in electronic files. Once “set” the files get another copy edit so it takes longer than one would expect. Volume III, The Revolutionary, should be along by August. Volume IV, The Angel with the Sword, should be out by the end of the year. All these will be on amazon.com.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying Montfort! Do leave a review on the amazon site if you’re so moved.
There is an entire book, written in the decade after Simon’s death, cataloging the miracles attributed to Simon. It’s titles is The Chronicle of William Rishanger. Perhaps, now that the suppressing power of the British Crown has faded, Simon will be recognized as a saint at last.
Katherine
Thanks for getting back so quickly! I am delighted to know there are three more. I think my brother will be intrigued with these as well- as he is the official history buff in the family. I know how long you have worked on this but it is a work truly worth the long period of research . It is a most valuable life’s work. Congratulations.!!!!
There will be a little video up on the amazon.com sale site soon. It includes a drawing by a witness of the aftermath of the battle of Eveshsam. But we have much to compass in this story before we get there.
What, in the story have you found most effective so far? I will confess I think my favorite scene has always been the wedding progress. It is helpful to me as a writer to know what strikes other people. My grandmother’s favorite was a moment of Kenilworth seen in a light snowfall with the bells ringing out. (It’s in Vol II.)
When I was writing the first draft I would read the day’s pages to my grandmother each evening.
The wedding procession was certainly way up there. (I was fascinated by it and while I usually wait to do a second read, I had to go back and savor those scenes.) The journey of young Montfort to claim his titles , the battle with the challenger and his utter disdain of the conditions of the disordered court of Henry , the scenes when the small army is waiting for Louis to come and annihilate them and he does not. And so many more. There are strong visuals all through the book. I always felt the scene was prepared-and in a way that did not impede the action of the story.
But what I liked entirely was that that the many scenes were so well drawn, the details, the integrity of language in the book which was there no matter what language was actually being spoken -the spirit of the usage was there.
I found the book never lagged . And I appreciated the specificity, the care with which you added authentic objects, fabrics, attitudes, and even appropriate stenches.The characters are so well drawn. They come to life in their own particular way and in very natural ways within the narration.
Its such a very fine work.