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THE DE LEYBOURNES. 117
Larking, from whose article in Arch. Cant., vol. v., I am quoting, adopts
as his portrait
:
" My wealth's a burly spear and brand,
And a right good shield of hide untanned,
Which on my arm I buckle ;
With these I plough, I reap, I sow,
With these I make the sweet vintage flow,
And all around me truckle.
But your wights that take no pride to wield
A massy spear and well-made shield,
Nor joy to draw the sword,
Oh, I bring those heartless, hapless drones
Down, in a trice, on their marrow-bones,
To call me 'king' and 'lord.' "
Amongst the records of the Exchequer is the copy of a convention,
dated 2;th August, 1269, 53rd Henry III., between the King of France and
Prince Edward, eldest son of Henry III., concerning their joint crusade to
the Holy Land. To this convention Roger, with four others, is a party,
binding himself to the Prince's faithful observance of the contract. He is
also mentioned in the Patent Roll, 54th Henry III., i2th May, 1270, among
the Crusaders to whom the Crown issued letters of protection during their
absence, with privilege and exemption from all suits for four years, while
attending in the suite of his son, Prince Edward, in the Holy Land.
The expedition left Dover August igth, 1270, arrived at Aigue Morte
about Michaelmas, and Tunis ten days after. On the taking of Tunis the
Prince forbade the English to seize any of the spoil ; but the French, says
Fuller, " glutted themselves with the stolen honey which they found in this
" hive of drones, and, which was worse, now their bellies were filled, they
" would go to bed, return home, go no further. Yea, the young King of
" France, called Philip the Bold, was fearful to prosecute his journey to
" Palestine. Whereas Prince Edward struck his breast, and swore that
" though
all his friends forsook him, yet he would enter Ptolemais, though
"but onely with Fowin, his horsekeeper; by which speech he incensed the
" English to go on with him." The French returned, but experienced
terrible weather.
" Their ships being wrecked, and the goods therein cast
" into the sea, with which the waves played a little, and then chopped them
" up at a morsel." The weather, however, smiled on the English. Prince
Edward, no whit " damnified, either in his men or ships, with Eleanor, his
" tender consort, then young with child, safely arrived at Ptolemais, to the
" great solace and comfort of the Christians there." *
Roger de Leybourne reached Acre (i.e. Ptolemais) in the quindain of
Easter, A. D. 1271. But on the Fine Roll of that year is entered the homage
of his son and heir, William, and the appointment of dower to his widow,
Alianore, Countess of Winchester shewing that Roger must have died
Q
* Fuller's Holy Wars, b. iv. cli. 28.