CHAP. XXXI.

Of the Swiss Cantons.

THE inhabitants of Switzerland are the descendants of the ancient Helvetii, subdued by Julius Cæsar. Their mountainous, uninviting situation formed a better security for their liberties, than their forts or armies; and the same is the case at present. They continued long under little better than a nominal subjection to the Burgundians and Germans, till about the year 1300, when the Emperor Albert, treated them with so much rigor, that they petitioned him against the cruelty of his governors. They served only to redouble the hardships of the people; and one of Albert's Austrian governors, Grisler, in the wantonness of tyranny, set up a hat upon a pole, to which he ordered the natives to pay as much respect as to himself. One William Tell, being observed to pass frequently without taking notice of the hat, and being an excellent marksman, the tyrant condemned him to be hanged, unless he cleft an apple upon his son's head, at a certain distance, with an arrow. Tell had the dexterity to cleave the apple, though the distance was very considerable, without hitting the child. The tyrant perceiving that he had another arrow concealed under his cloak, asked him for what purpose? To which he boldly replied, "To have shot you to the heart, if I had had the misfortune to kill my son."

The enraged governor, ordered him to be imprisoned. He soon made his escape; and his fellow citizens, animated by his fortitude and patriotism, flew to arms, attacked and vanquished Grisler, who was shot to death by Tell, and the independency of the several states of this country, now called the Thirteen Cantons, under a republican form of government, took place immediately; which was perpetuated by a league among themselves, in the year 1315; and confirmed by treaty with the other powers of Eu rope, 1649. Seven of these Cantons are Roman Catholics, and six protestants.

Whether all the incidents of Tell's story be true or fabulous, the men (whoever they were) who roused and incited their fellow-citizens to throw off the Austrian yoke, deserve to be regarded as patriots, having been undoubtedly actuated by that principle, so dear to every gen. erous heart, the spirit of independence.

CHAP. XXXII.

Of Edward the Third.

EDWARD the III, mounted the throne in 1327. He was then under the tuition of his mother, who cohabited with Mortimer; and they endeavored to keep possession of their power, by executing many popular measures, and putting an end to all national differences with Scotland. Edward, young as he was, was too sensi

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ble of their designs. He surprised them in person, at the head of a few chosen friends, in the castle of Nottingham. Mortimer was ignominiously put to a public death, and the queen herself was confined for life.

It was not long before Edward found means to quarrel with David, king of Scotland, who had married his sister, and who was driven to France by Edward Baliol, who acted as Edward's tributary king and general.

Soon after, upon the death of Charles the Fair, king of France (without issue,) who had succeeded by virtue of the Salic law, which the French pretended cut off all female succession to that crown, Philip of Valois claimed it, as being the next heir male by succession; but he was opposed by Edward, as being the son of Isabella, who was sister to the three late kings of France, and first in the female succession. The former was preferred, but the case being doubtful, Edward pursued his claim, and invaded France with a powerful army.

On this occasion, the vast difference between the feudal constitutions of France, which were then in full force, and the government of England, more favorable to public liberty, appeared. The French officers knew no subordination. They and their men were equally undisciplined and disobedient, though far more numerous than their enemies in the field. The English freemen, on the other hand, having now vast property to fight for, which they could call their own, independent of a feudal law, knew its value, and had learned to defend it, by providing

themselves with proper armor, and submitting to military exercises and proper subordination in the field. The war, on the part of Edward, was, therefore, a continued scene of success and victory.

CHAP. XXXIII.

The Battles of Cressy and Poictiers.

AT Cressy, in 1346, Edward defeated the French army, consisting of 100,000 men, chiefly: by the valor of the prince of Wales, who was but sixteen years of age, though the English did not exceed 30,000.

In this engagement thirty thousand of the French were killed upon the field; and, among this number were John king of Bohemia, James king of Majorca, Ralph duke of Lorrain, nine counts, twelve hundred knights, fifteen hundred gentlemen, and four thousand men at arms.

There is something remarkable in the fate of the Bohemian monarch; who, though blind, was yet willing to share in the engagement. This unfortunate prince, enquiring the fate of the day, was told that all was lost, and his son Charles obliged to retire desperately wounded; and that the prince of Wales bore down every thing before him. Having received this information, blind as he was, he commanded his knights to lead him into the hottest part of the battle against the young warrior. Accordingly four of them.

rushed with him into the thickest part of the battle, where they were all quickly slain.

The whole French ariny took to flight, and were put to the sword by the pursuers without mercy, till night stopped the carnage. The king, on his return to the camp, flew into the arms of the prince of Wales, and exclaimed, "My valiant son, continue as you have begun; you have acquitted yourself nobly, and are worthy of the kingdom that will be your inheritance." 'I'he next morning was foggy, and a part of the militia of Rouen coming to join the French army, were routed by the English at the first onset. Many more also were decoyed by the French standards, which the victors placed upon the mountains, and to which the fugitives resorted, where they were cut to pieces without mercy.

Never was a victory more seasonable or less bloody to the English than this. Notwithstanding the great slaughter of the enemy, the conquerors lost but one esquire, three knights, and a few of inferior rank.

The crest of the king of Bohemia was three ostrich feathers, with this motto, Ich Dien; which signifies in the German language, I serve. This was thought to be a proper prize to perpetuate the victory; and it was accordingly added to the arms of the prince of Wales, and it has been adopted by all his successors.

The battle of Poictiers was fought in 1356, between the Prince of Wales, and the French king John, but with greatly superior advantages in numbers, on the part of the French, who were totally defeated, and their king, and his