at Methven (May 10, 1307). The determined opposition of the Scots induced Edward, though in ill health, to resolve to lead his troops once more; but on reaching Burgh on the Sands, a fatal attack arrested his progress.

Edward was no less distinguished as a warrior than a legislator, and he "has justly obtained, from lawyers, the highest praise for the great improvements which he introduced into our jurisprudence." He was, however, very prone to exact illegal tolls and taxes from his subjects; and it was to prevent these from acquiring the force of precedents, that the people, headed by two illustrious patriots, Bohun, Earl of Hereford, and Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, compelled the king to assent to a statute called the Confirmation of Charters, in which he promised not to take any tax except "by the common consent of all the realm."

In 1290, he ordered all the Jews to leave the country; and to the number of sixteen thousand they repaired to the Cinque Ports, whence they were to embark: the mariners, it is said, plundered and drowned many of the unfortunate passengers, as they were conveying them across the channel.

By Edward's order the regalia, and the sacred stone on which the Scottish kings were crowned, were brought to London. The latter is under the seat of the coronation chair in Westminster Abbey.

[The Sicilian Vespers; 8000 French massacred in Sicily in one night, 1282.]

Death. The king died at Burgh on the Sands, July 7, 1307. EDWARD II.

Reigned from 1307 to 1327.

Birth.-Edward was born at Caernarvon, April 25, 1284.
Descent. He was the fourth son of Edward I.

Marriage. His wife was Isabella, daughter of Philip IV of

France.

Children.-Edward, his successor; John of Eltham, Earl of

Brougham's "British Constitution."

Cornwall; Eleanor; and Joan, who married David, Prince of Scotland (afterwards David II).

Important Events.-One of Edward's earliest acts as sovereign was to recall his favourite, Piers Gaveston, who had been banished by the late king on account of his evil influence over his companion. The arrogant bearing of the favourite aroused against him the strongest opposition of the barons; and, after having been twice banished and recalled, he was taken by the Earl of Pembroke at Scarborough castle: thence he was conducted to Warwick castle, where some of his enemies were assembled, who ordered his execution at Blacklow Hill (June 19, 1312).

The sovereign's fondness for Gaveston, and his neglect of the interests of the country, roused the nobles, in 1310, to draw up some ordinances for the government of the kingdom, to which they compelled him to assent. By these ordinances it was enacted (among other beneficial measures) that the new taxes on wool, cloth, wine, and other merchandise should be abolished --that the Great Charter should be observed—and that parliament should be held once a year, or twice, if need be.

Not long after Edward's accession, he marched into Scotland, but soon withdrew his army. In 1314, however, as he learned that the Scots, under Robert Bruce (who had recovered the throne), were besieging Stirling, he proceeded thither at the head of a vast army. The rival forces met at BANNOCKBURN, in the vicinity of the castle, and the battle terminated in the utter defeat of the English (June 24, 1314). A few years later the king agreed to a lengthened truce, by which the independence of Scotland was practically acknowledged, May, 1323.

After the death of Gaveston, Edward selected Hugh Spenser for his favourite, with whom the barons soon disagreed. Lancaster, a prince of the blood royal, and head of the disaffected nobility, assembled some troops at Doncaster, but was defeated and captured by the royalists at BOROUGHBRIDGE. A few days later, he was put to death at Pontefract (March, 1322).

To arrange some differences relative to Gascony, between

Edward and her brother, Charles IV, the queen went over to France; and while there she persuaded her husband to send over the Prince of Wales, whom she affianced, without his father's consent, to Philippa, daughter of the Count of Hainault. She also entered into communications with some of the Earl of Lancaster's party, who had been banished, or had escaped to France, and particularly with Roger Mortimer, her object being to overthrow the authority of her husband, against whom she had conceived the greatest dislike. She and her partisans landed in Suffolk, and seized and put to death Spenser's aged father at Bristol; and having captured the king and the younger Spenser, who had both fled to Neath, in Glamorganshire, they imprisoned the former, and executed the latter.

The power of parliament was increased in this reign: "throughout the whole of it there prevailed the assumption that no matter of great importance could be transacted without its presence, interference, and sanction.” *

The first commercial treaty between England and Venice was signed in 1325. During several years of this reign there was a great famine in England. Constant rains and inclement weather destroyed the harvests, and caused a murrain among the cattle, so that enormous prices were demanded for all kinds of food.

[The papal seat was transferred to Avignon in 1305, and there continued till 1375. The order of the Knights Templars was abolished by the pope, 1312; immediately before, large numbers were atrociously executed in France on groundless accusations. In England their property was confiscated; and their great house, the Temple, was taken possession of by the students of law in the next reign. The Swiss, under William Tell, threw off their allegiance to the house of Hapsburg, and gained the battle of Morgarten, 1315; about seventy years after, they still more signally vanquished their foes at Sempach, 1386.]

Death. Edward was deposed by parliament, Jan., 1327 ; and in September, he was murdered in Berkeley Castle.

• Brougham's "British Constitution."

EDWARD III.

Reigned from 1327 to 1377.

Birth.-Edward was born at Windsor, Nov. 13, 1312.
Descent. He was the eldest son of Edward II.
Marriage. He espoused Philippa, of Hainault.

Children.-Edward, the Black Prince; William of Hatfield; Lionel, Duke of Clarence; John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ; Edmund Langley, Duke of York; William of Windsor; Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester; and five daughters.

Important Events.- The government was at first carried on in the king's name by queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer; and peace was concluded with Scotland on terms which the English deemed humiliating, and for which they regarded Mortimer as responsible (1328). Chiefly by his influence, the Earl of Kent, the king's uncle, was executed on a charge of having conspired to replace on the throne Edward II, whom he believed to be still alive (1330). Mortimer's unpopularity enabled the young king to seize the reins of government in the same year; and the obnoxious minister expiated his usurpation on the scaffold. The queen was ordered to live in retirement on her manor of Risings, in Norfolk.

Not long after the peace was made with Scotland, Robert Bruce died, and his son, David II, a minor, succeeded him. Four years later, Edward Baliol, son of John Baliol, with some friends, invaded Scotland, and, by a victory near PERTH, obtained the crown. He was, however, in a few weeks expelled; and the Scots, believing that Edward III had encouraged Baliol in his measures, ravaged the north of England. This led to a great battle at HALIDON HILL, in which King Edward was completely victorious (July 19, 1333). Baliol recovered the crown, but his subserviency to England made him odious to his subjects; and after a few years David Bruce re-ascended the throne.

ELEMENTS OF THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

On the death of Charles IV, of France, in 1328, Edward claimed the crown in right of his mother, Isabella, but he subsequently did homage to Philip IV, the nearest heir in the male line to the late king. In 1337, actuated, probably, in part by the countenance which Philip had shown to Bruce's partisans, he assumed the title of King of France, and quartered in his arms the French lilies with the English leopards. an alliance with Jacob von Artaveldt, a wealthy citizen of He formed Ghent, who belonged to the guild of brewers, and who exercised great influence in Flanders; and in 1340 the English, under Edward's command, gained their first great naval victory over the French at SLUYS. Though the English fleet was much inferior, they took two hundred and thirty sail of the enemy (June 24). Six years later, Edward defeated Philip at CRESSY, where the French lost 1200 knights and 30,000 common men (Aug. 26, 1346).

In the king's absence, David Bruce invaded England; but his army was utterly overthrown at NEVILLE'S CROSS, and he himself fell into the hands of his victors (Oct. 17, 1346).

In the following year, Calais, to which Edward had laid siege after his brilliant success, surrendered. It remained in the hands of the English till the close of the reign of Queen Mary.

A dire pestilence, called the Black Plague or the Black Death, visited England in 1349. So rapid was the progress of the plague, that many who were well one day were borne to the grave the next. A swelling suddenly rising in the groin or under the arm-pits was an infallible sign of death. It is said that in a new burial ground, where the Charter House now stands, bodies were deposited for several weeks at the rate of two hundred a-day.

After some irregular warfare between the French and English, Edward, the Black Prince, encountered King John, the successor of Philip, near POITIERS, and completely routed his army (Sept. 19, 1356). John was taken prisoner, and carried to London. A peace, known as that of Bretigny, was concluded