sword of Montfort's soldiers; not one but had repeatedly witnessed the ravaging of his property by them. More than three-quarters of the knights and landed proprietors had been spoiled of their castles and fiefs, to gratify some of the French soldiers-some of Simon de Montfort's creatures. Thus spoiled, they were named Faidits, and had the favour granted them of remaining in the country, provided they were neither heretics, nor excommunicated, nor suspected of having given an asylum to those who were so; but they were never to be permitted to enter a walled city, nor to enjoy the honour of mounting a war-horse. Every species of injustice, all kinds of affronts, persecutions of every name, had been heaped on the heads of the unhappy Languedocians, whom, since the crusade, it had been the custom to comprehend under the general name of Albigenses. Simon de Montfort was, to them, the representative of the evil spirit; the prototype of all the persecutions they had endured. The name of Raymond VI, on the contrary, was associated with those happier times, when they enjoyed their possessions in peace, and when they could witness the daily increase of knowledge, industry, and liberty.

The terror which Simon de Montfort had inspired was, however, too profound to allow of the reception of Raymond VI, at Toulouse, without hesitation. He approached that city at the head of an army which he had raised in Spain, and

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which had been increased by the junction of the counts of Foix, and of Cominges. Arrived at Salvetat, four leagues distant from his capital, he had put to flight a body of troops which, under the standards of Montfort, had just pillaged the castle of Mazeres. He continued his march, and on the 13th of September found the gates of Toulouse open; but, though he was equally wished for by almost all the inhabitants, the most timid had shut themselves up in the Narbonnese castle, and in different convents, with the wife and daughters-in-law of Simon de Montfort, that they might not be accused of having favoured their ancient master. A new victory, obtained by Raymond VI over Guy de Montfort, Simon's brother, on the plains of Montolieu, emboldened the most fearful, and united all the citizens of Toulouse around their count. Soon, all the most valiant knights of Quercy, Albigeois, and Carcasses, who professed an ancient attachment to the house of St. Gilles, were seen entering their city with standards displayed, and trumpets sounding. Amongst them were remarked, Gaspard de la Barthe, Roger de Cominges, Bertrand-Jourdain de Lille, Geraud de Gourdon, Lord of Caraman, Bertrand de Montaigu and his brother Gaillard, Bertrand and Guitard de Marmande, Stephen de la Valette and Aymar his brother, Gerard de la Mothe, Bertrand de Pestillac, and Geraud d'Amanieu. Each of them was followed by all the serjeants-at-arms,

on horseback, whom he could collect, and the entry of this brilliant cavalcade into the city was welcomed with transports of joy; and even those who had hitherto concealed themselves were now inspired with resolution. Simon de Montfort, informed of this revolution, hastened to conclude a truce with the young count Raymond, to repass the Rhone, and return by forced marches towards Toulouse; but a part of his army was composed of levies made in that country, and no Languedocian served him except through fear. As he advanced, and the news from Toulouse was spread amongst his soldiers, he saw himself deserted by all those whose hearts had remained faithful to their country, and their ancient lord. Near to Basiège he met count Guy, his brother, who was coming to join him. The two Montforts agreed to hasten an attack upon Toulouse, before the walls of that city had been rebuilt, and whilst the citizens hesitated between affection and fear. They advanced, therefore, with ladders, as far as the edge of the ditch; but, at that moment, a discharge of cross-bows put them in disorder, and Guy de Montfort, with Guy his nephew, count of Bigorre, both fell, dangerously wounded. Simon was then compelled to renounce the project of taking the city by surprise, and he resolved, towards the end of September, to undertake a re

4 Historia de los faicts de Tolosa, p. 88. Petri Val. Cern. Hist. Albig. cap. lxxxv, p. 663. Guill, de Podio Laur. c. xxx, p. 683. Histoire gén. de Languedoc, liv. XXIII, ch. xix, p. 299.

gular siege. In consequence of this resolution, he divided his troops between himself and his son Amaury, in order to attack the city, at the same time, on each side of the river. Nevertheless, he suffered himself to be surprised by the count of Foix, was pursued as far as Muret, and near being drowned at the passage of the Garonne, in the very place which, four years before, had been signalized by his most glorious victory, and was obliged to bring back his troops in front of the Narbonnese castle, where he joined his son.5

All the other cities of Albigeois appeared ready to follow the example of Toulouse. The rebellion was, however, extinguished at Montauban, by the seneschal of Agenois, and the bishop of Lectoure, who commanded for Montfort: the city was pillaged and burned; but this act of severity only served to redouble the hatred of the Languedocians against the French. Fouquet, bishop of Toulouse, was dispatched into France with James de Vitry, the historian of the last combats of the Holy Land, to preach there a new crusade, whilst the countess of Montfort repaired to the court of Philip Augustus, to solicit his aid. Simon had recourse also to pope Honorius III, who, in fact, wrote to the king of Aragon, to dissuade him from an alliance with the count of Toulouse. But

5 Historia de los faicts de Tolosa, p. 92.

6 Honorii 111, Ep. 823, 826, 827; apud Raynaldi Ann. Eccles. 1217, § lviii, p. 269.

time was requisite before these different measures could form a new army for the heroes of the crusade. The siege, in the mean time, proved very tedious: it was prolonged through the winter, and lasted nearly nine months. The cardinal legate, who shared with Simon the conduct of the army, never ceased reproaching him with his slowness, and attributed his want of success to a failure of zeal or courage. In the mean time, the besieged had the advantage in numbers and boldness over the assailants; every day they darted from their walls upon the enemy, and caused them great loss. The 25th of June, 1218, the Toulousians, in a sortie, pushed towards a warlike machine, (a cat) which count Simon had just constructed. This count was at the church when he was informed that the besieged were in possession of his machine, and about to set fire to it. He wished, however, to finish the hearing of the mass before he proceeded to battle; but, at the moment of the elevation of the host, he cried like Simeon, Let thy servant henceforth depart in peace, for my eyes have seen thy salvation. He called for his arms, put himself at the head of his old warriors, and once more repulsed the Toulousians. He was standing with his battalion, before the wooden tower which he had just reconquered, when an enormous stone, thrown by a machine from the wall of the city, struck him on the head, and extended him lifeless on the ground. The moment