war, Simon and
Henry agreed to appeal to King Louis of France to arbitrate on the
fulfilment of the Provisions. The Pope had already absolved Henry from
obedience to the Provisions, and the Award of Louis, given at Amiens and
called the _Mise of Amiens_, was entirely in Henry's favour. It annulled
the Provisions of Oxford, left the King free to appoint his own ministers,
council, and sheriffs, to employ aliens, and to enjoy power uncontrolled.
But the former charters of the realm were declared inviolate, and no
reprisals were to take place.

To Simon and most of the barons the Award was intolerable, and when Henry
returned from France with a large force ready to take the vengeance which
the Award had forbidden, civil war could not be prevented. London rallied
to Simon, and Oxford, the Cinque Ports, and the friars were all on the side
of the barons against the King.

On May 14th, 1264, a pitched battle at Lewes ended in complete victory for
Simon, and found the King, Prince Edward, and the kinsmen and chief
supporters of the Crown prisoners in his hands.

Peace was made, and a treaty--the _Mise of Lewes_--drawn up and signed.
Once more the King promised to keep the Provisions and Charters, and to
dismiss the aliens. He also agreed to live thriftily till his debts were
paid, and to leave his sons as hostages with Earl Simon.

Simon at once set about the work of reform. The King's Standing, or Privy,
Council was reconstituted, and the Parliamentary Commissioners were
abolished, "for Simon held it as much a man's duty to think and work for
his country as to fight for it." A marked difference is seen between
Simon's policy at Oxford and the policy after Lewes. The Provisions of 1258
were restrictive. The Constitution of 1264 deliberately extended the limits
of Parliament. "Either Simon's views of a Constitution had rapidly
developed, or the influences which had checked them in 1258 were removed.
Anyhow, he had genius to interpret the mind of the nation, and to
anticipate the line which was taken by later progress."[20] What Simon
wanted was the approval of all classes of the community for his plans, and
to that end he issued writs for the Parliament--the _Full Parliament_--of
1265.

The great feature of this Parliament was that for the first time the
burgesses of each city and borough were summoned to send two
representatives. In addition, two knights were to come from each shire, and
clergy and barons as usual--though