numbers flocked to his standard, resolved to confirm pretensions. 15. Thus, after twice conquering the kingdom, and as often pardoning the delinquents; after having spread his victories in every quarter of the country, and receiving the most humble submissions; the old king saw that his whole work was to begin afresh, and that nothing but the final destruction of the inhabitants could give him assurance of tranquillity. But no difficulties could repress the ardent spirit of this monarch, who, though now verging towards his decline, yet resolved to strike a parting blow, and to make the Scots once more tremble at his appearance. 16. He vowed revenge against the whole nation; and averred that nothing but reducing them to the completest bondage could satisfy his resentment. He summoned his prelates, nobility, and all who held by knight's service, to meet him at Carlisle, which was appointed as the general rendezvous: and in the mean time he detached a body of forces before him to Scotland, under the command of Aymer de Valence, who began the threatened infliction by a complete victory over Bruce, near Methven, in Perthshire. 17. Immediately after this dreadful blow, the resentful king appeared in person, entering Scotland with his army divided into two parts, and expecting to find, in the opposition of the people, a pretext for punishing them. But this brave prince, who was never cruel but from motives of policy, could not strike the poor submitting natives, who made no resistance. His anger was disappointed in their humiliation; and he was ashamed to extirpate those who only opposed patience to his indignation. 18. His death put an end to the apprehensions of the Scots, and effectually rescued their country from total subjection. He sickened and died at Carlisle, of a dysentery: enjoining his son with his last breath, to prosecute the enterprise, and never to desist till he had finally subdued the kingdom. He ex pired July 7, 1307, in the sixty-ninth year of his age, and the thirty-fifth of his reign; after having added more to the solid interests of the kingdom than any of those who went before or succeeded him.

Questions for Examination.

What circumstances led to the modelling the parliament into its present form?

2 What was the manner observed in framing the parliament

3 What was one of their first efforts?

4. Was the king at first favourable to the measure?

5. By whom was an attempt made to rescue Scotland from the English yoke?

6. Who were the first adherents of Wallace ?

7. With what number of troops did Edward march towards the north?

& Did any engagement take place between the forces of Edward and Wallace?

What was the issue of this engagement?

9. What was the conduct of Wallace afterwards?

12 In what manner was Wallace afterwards surprised?

13. What was the manner of his death?

14 What took place after Bruce's escape from London?

15 What was the conduct of the king on this occasion?

18. Where did the king die? and what enterprise did he enjoin his son to prosecute?

John Peckham, Robert Winchelsea, Walter Reynolds, and John Stratford, archbishops of Canterbury. Richard, earl of Cornwall. Rodger Bigod, earl of Norfolk. Humphry Bohun, earl of Hereford. John Plantagenet, earl of Warwick. Roger Bacon. Wickliffe.t

* After the death of Frederic II. there was an interregnum in the Western empire until Rodolphus; during which the following princes either reigned, or were elected: Conrad III.; William, earl of Holland; Richard, earl of Cornwall; Edward IV.; and Alphonso, king of Castile.-Lochman.

+ Wickliffe was the first preacher of the reformed doctrines in England, he was the author of a valuable translation of the New Testament, and of Beveral able tracts on the usurpations of the Romish church.

CHAPTER XIII.

EDWARD II.

Born 1284. Died Sept. 21, 1327. Began to reign July 7, 1307. Reigned 20 years

SECTION I.

Immersed in soft effeminacy's down,

The feeble prince his subjects' good neglects
For minions, who monopolize the crown,

And stain the sceptre which their vice protects.- Dibdin.

1. (A. D. 1307.) EDWARD, surnamed Caernarvon,* was in the twenty-third year of his age when he succeeded his father; of an agreeable figure, of a mild harmless disposition, and apparently addicted to few vices. But he soon gave symptoms of his unfitness to succeed so great a monarch as his father; he was rather fond of the enjoyment of his power than of securing it, and lulled by the flattery of his courtiers, he thought he had done enough for glory when he accepted the crown. 2. Instead, therefore, of prosecuting the war against Scotland, according to the injunctions he had received from his dying father, he took no steps to check the progress of Bruce; his march into that country being ratl.er a procession of pageantry than a warlike expedition.

3. Weak monarchs are ever governed by favourites; and the first Edward placed his affections upon was Piers Gavestone, the son of a Gascon knight, who had been employed in the service of the late king. The young man was adorned with every accomplishment of person and mind that was capable of creating affection; but he was utterly destitute of those qualities of heart and understanding that serve to procure esteem. He was beautiful, witty, brave, and active; but then he was vicious, effeminate, debauched, and trifling. These were qualities entirely adapted to the taste of the young monarch, and he seemed to think no rewards equal to his deserts. 4. Gavestone, on the other hand, intoxicated with his power, became haughty and overbearing, and treated the English nobility, from whom it is probable he received marks of contempt, with scorn and derision. A conspiracy, therefore, was soon formed against him, at the head of which queen Isabel and the earl of Lancaster, a nobleman of great power, were associated.

5. It was easy to perceive that a combination of the nobles, while the queen secretly assisted their designs * From the place of his birth, Caernarvon Castle in Wales.

would be too powerful against the efforts of a weak king and a vain favourite. The king, timid and wavering, banished him (A. D. 1312) at their solicitation, and recalled him soon after. This was sufficient to spread an alarm over the whole kingdom; all the great barons flew to arms, and the earl of Lancaster put himself at the head of this irresistible confederacy. The unhappy Edward, instead of attempting to make resistance, sought only for safety: ever happy in the company of his favourite, he embarked at Teignmouth, and sailed with him to Scarborough, where he left Gavestone as in a place of safety, and then went back to York himself, either to raise an army to oppose his enemies, or by his presence to allay their animosity. 6. In the mean time, Gavestone was besieged in Scarborough by the earl of Pembroke; and, had the garrison been sufficiently supplied with provisions, the place would have been im pregnable. But Gavestone, sensible of the bad condition of the garrison, took the earliest opportunity to offer terms of capitulation. He stipulated that he should remain in Pembroke's hands as a prisoner for two months; and that endeavours should be used in the mean time for a general accommodation. 7. But Pembroke had no intention that he should escape so easily: he ordered him to be conducted to the castle of Deddington, near Banbury, where, on pretence of other business, he left him with a feeble guard, of which the earl of Warwick having received information, attacked the castle in which the unfortunate Gavestone was confined, and quickly made himself master of his person. The earls of Lancaster, Hereford, and Arundel were soon apprized of Warwick's success, and informed that their common enemy was now in custody in Warwick castle. 8. Thither, therefore, they hastened with the utmost expedition, to hold a consultation upon the fate of their prisoner This was of no long continuance; they unanimously resolved to put him to death, as an enemy to the kingdom and gave him no time to prepare for his execution. They instantly had him conveyed to a place called Blacklow-hill, where a Welsh executioner, provided for that purpose, severed his head from his body.

9. To add to Edward's misfortunes, he soon after suffered a most signal defeat from the Scots army under Bruce, near Bannockburn ;* and this drove him once more to seek

Near Stirling. Edward was so sure of conquest, that he brought with im William Baston, a Carmelite, and a famous poet, to celebrate his victory

for relief in some favourite's company. 10. The name of his new favourite was Hugh de Spenser, a young man of a noble English family, of some merit, and very engaging accomplishments. His father was a person of a much more estimable character than the son; he was venerable for his years, and respected through life for his wisdom, his valour, and his integrity. 11. But these excellent qualities were all diminished and vilified from the moment he and his son began to share the king's favour, who even dispossessed some lords unjustly of their estates, in order to accumulate them upon his favourite. This was a pretext the king's enemies had been long seeking for: the earls of Lancaster and Hereford flew to arms; sentence was procured from parliament of perpetual exile against the two Spensers, and a forfeiture of their fortunes and estates. 12. The king, however, at last rousing from his lethargy, took the field in the defence of his beloved Spenser, and at the head of thirty thousand men pressed the earl of Lan caster so closely, that he had not time to collect his forces together; and, flying from one place to another, he was at last stopped in his way towards Scotland by Sir Andrew Harcla, and made prisoner. 13. As he had formerly shown little mercy to Gavestone, there was very little extended to him upon this occasion. He was condemned by a courtmartial; and led, mounted on a lean horse, to an eminence near Pomfret, in circumstances of the greatest indignity where he was beheaded by a Londoner.

14. A rebellion, thus crushed, served only to increase the pride and rapacity of young Spenser; most of the forfeitures were seized for his use; and in his promptitude to seize the delinquents, he was guilty of many acts of rapine and injustice*

Questions for Examination

1 What was the disposition of Edward II.?

2. What was his conduct in regard to Scotland?

3 What was the character of Gavestone, the king's first favourite?

4. Who formed a conspiracy against the king?

5 What was the conduct of the king on this occasion?

* In the year 1315, the perpetual rains and cold weather having not only destroyed the harvest, but produced a mortality among the cattle, the parlia ment endeavoured to moderate the prices of provisions. The rates establish ed were, of our present money, as follows: for the best ox, not corn fed, 2 8s., corn fed, 31. 12s. ; a fa. hog, two years old, 10s. ; a fat wether, unshorn, / 5s., shorn, 3s. 6d. ; a fat goose, sevenpence halfpenny; a fat capon, 6d. ; a fat nen, 3d.; two chickens, 3d.; four pigeons, 3d.; and twenty-four eggs. 3d.