Page:VCH Sussex 1.djvu/586

 A HISTORY OF SUSSEX John de Bohun of Midhurst, Matthew de Hastings, John de la Haye, John de la Lind, Waleran de Munceaux,' William Maufe, John Mucegros and William de Northye. The Sussex royalists, whose names have been recovered, and of whom most were probably present on this occasion, included, besides the lords of the castles already mentioned, William Aguillon of Perching castle, William Bardolf, Henry Percy of Petworth, Robert Pierpoint and Thomas de Audeham.' While Montfort's troops were taking up the positions assigned them the royalists in Lewes were hastily arming and forming up. The first division to take the field was that forming the right wing under Prince Edward with the Earl of Warenne, William de Valence and the flower of the army ; they had been quartered in the castle and had probably maintained better discipline than had been observed by the forces stationed at the priory. The left wing under the King of the Romans was now advancing towards the Ashcombe Hill, and in the centre where Henry himself was in command his standard of the golden dragon^ had been unfurled, when the order to charge was given. Prince Edward, whose gallant spirit scarcely needed the spur of his personal animosity to the Londoners who were his present opponents, dashed impetuously up the slope and hurled his picked force of cavalry upon the half-disciplined and ill-armed levies of Hastings and Segrave who gave way before the furious attack, and broke and fled. Down the slopes of OfFham Hill the victorious royalists pursued their flying foes and across the level ground towards Hamsey and Barcombe, where the waters of the Ouse added their complement to the tale of the slain.* At last, the rout of the Londoners being complete and the river probably checking the pursuit, the Prince recalled his men and turned back to rejoin the army, when his attention was caught by a small force of men close to the barons' camp on the summit of the Downs guarding Montfort's banner and his litter.' The chance of killing or capturing the leader of the revolt, combined with the prospect of plundering the enemy's camp, induced the victorious force to direct their advance towards this spot and a desperate struggle ensued round the litter, in the course of which the standard-bearer, William le Blund, was slain. Within the car Simon de Montfort had placed certain prominent citizens of London who had opposed him, but in the excitement of the fight and their belief that they were dealing with Earl Simon himself, the royalists destroyed the car and its un- fortunate occupants. ° More time was spent in plundering the barons' camp, and it was late in the evening before Prince Edward's troops » Custody of his lands and those of W. de Northye and of Geoffrey St. Leger had been granted to W. de Warenne on 30 April. (Pat. 48 Hen. III. m. 14.) 2 Blaauw, op cit. passim ; see also Pat. and Close R. etc. ^ This appears to have been a sort of large palanquin with the sides formed of grilles. It had been made for his use after he had injured his leg in the previous December, and so ill-informed were the royalists that they believed him to be still confined to it. Ibid. 173. 8 Ibid. 196-7. 498
 * Said by Oxenedes and Rishanger to imply the resolution to give no quarter.
 * Ibid. 194-5.