In 1271, only two years after the translation of the Confessor, the king's youthful nephew, Prince Henry, son of Richard king of Germany, was returning from the crusade in which St. Louis had died. Charles of Sicily granted a safe conduct to him and to his cousin Philip, son of St. Louis, who was hurrying home to be crowned king of France. But at Viterbo in Italy, while Henry was at mass in the Church of St. Sylvester, he was stabbed during the Elevation of the Host by Guy and Simon, sons of Simon de Montfort. It was a fearful revenge on Henry the Third for the death of their father five years before at the battle of Evesham--for their own banishment--for the seizure of their father's lands and Earldom, which Henry bestowed on his own son Edmund. All Europe was filled with horror at the dreadful deed, a crime almost unheard of in its impiety. The young prince's bones were buried in the monastery of Hayles which his father had founded; while his heart was brought to Westminster, and placed in a golden chalice "in the hand of a statue" near the shrine of Edward the Confessor. The old chronicler Matthew of Westminster adds with deep satisfaction, "One of his murderers, Simon, died this year in a certain castle near the city of Sienna: who during the latter part of his life being, like Cain, accursed of the Lord, was a vagabond and a fugitive on the face of the earth."[11] Apart, however, from all other interest, the terrible deed will be forever memorable, as it drew from Dante "the one single notice of Westminster Abbey in the _Divina Commedia_."[12] In the _Inferno_, the centaur who was then guiding Dante and Virgil, showed them a shade up to his chin in the river of blood--all alone in a corner, shunned even by his fellow-murderers--and said, Colui fesse in grembo a Dio Lo cuor, che'n su'l Tamigi ancor si cola. _Inferno, xii._, 119. He in God's bosom smote the heart, Which yet is honour'd on the bank of Thames.[13] The citizens of Viterbo had a picture of the young prince's murder painted on the wall in his memory; "and a certain poet beholding the painting, spoke thus: Henry, the illustrious offspring of great Richard, Fair Allmaine's king, was treacherously slain, As well this picture shows, while home returning From Tripoli, by royal favour guided; Slain in the service of the cross of Christ By wicked hands. For scarcely mass was done, When Leicester's offspring, Guy and Simon fierce, Pierced his young heart with unrelenting swords. Thus did God will; lest if those barons fierce Returned, fair England should be quite undone. This happened in the sad twelve hundredth year And seventieth of grace, while Charles was king. And in Viterbo was this brave prince slain. I pray the Queen of Heaven to take his soul again."[14] FOOTNOTES: