It was time to redeem the promises by which the moderate party had been won over to the royalist cause.  The statute of Marlborough of 1267 re-enacted in a more formal fashion the chief of the Provisions of Westminster of 1259, and thus prevented the undoing of all the progress attained during the years of struggle.  Ottobon in 1268 held a famous council at London, in which important canons were enacted with a view to the reformation of the Church.  A little later the Londoners received back their forfeited charters and the disinherited were restored to their estates.  After these last measures of reparation, England sank into a profound repose that lasted for the rest of the reign of Henry III.  A happy beginning of the years of peace was the dedication of the new abbey of Westminster, and the translation of the body of St. Edward to the new shrine, whose completion had long been the dearest object of the old king’s life.

At this time Louis IX. was meditating his second crusade, and in every country in Europe the friars were preaching the duty of fighting the infidel.  Nowhere save in France did the Holy War win more powerful recruits than in England.  In 1268 Edward himself took the cross, [1] and with him his brother Edmund of Lancaster, his cousin Henry of Almaine, and many leading lords of both factions.  Financial difficulties delayed the departure of the crusaders, and it was not until 1270 that Edward and Henry were able to start.  On reaching Provence, they learnt that Louis had turned his arms against Tunis, whither they followed him with all speed.  On Edward’s arrival off Tunis, he found that Louis was dead and that Philip III., the new French king, had concluded a truce with the misbelievers.  Profoundly mortified by this treason to Christendom, Edward set forth with his little squadron to Acre, the chief town of Palestine that still remained in Christian hands.  Henry of Almaine preferred to return home at once, but on his way through Italy was murdered at Viterbo by the sons of Earl Simon of Montfort, a deed of blood which revived the bitterest memories of the Barons’ War.  Edward remained in Palestine until August, 1272, and threw all his wonted fire and courage into the hopeless task of upholding the fast-decaying Latin kingdom.  At last alarming news of his father’s health brought him back to Europe.

    [1] For Edward’s crusade see Riant’s article in Archives de
    l’Orient Latin, i., 617-32 (1881).

On November 16, 1272, Henry III., then in his sixty-sixth year, died at Westminster.  His remains were laid at rest in the neighbouring abbey church, hard by the shrine of St. Edward.  With him died the last of his generation.  St. Louis’ death in August, 1270, has already been recorded.  The death of Clement IV. in 1268 was followed by a three years’ vacancy in the papacy.  This was scarcely over when Richard, King of the Romans, prostrated by the tragedy of Viterbo, preceded his brother to the tomb.  Still earlier, Boniface of Canterbury had ended his tenure of the chair of St. Augustine.  The new reign begins with fresh actors and fresh motives of action.