names for all the barons. He used to call one "Joseph the Jew" another, "the dog in the wood;" and a third, "the

old hog;" and so on. Twice did the barons compel the king to banish him, and twice did the weak king receive him back into favour; but at last a party of the outraged barons, headed by the earl of Lancaster, seized him and ordered his execution, which took place at Blacklow Hill, At a later

(near Warwick).

period of his reign the foolish

Edward chose a new favourite

named Spenser, to whom with his father he gave honours and estates; but at last the barons seized the Spensers, and hanged them on gibbets 50 feet high,

Owing to the disorders of the court and kingdom, a parliament met in 1310, sword in hand, to appoint a committee-known in history as The Ordainers-to 1310 draw up ordi

nances, or rules, for the better management of the king's household, and for the reform of abuses in the kingdom. Among the ordinances were the following: 1st.-That evil counsellors should be removed from the court: 2ndly.-That Magna Charta and all laws not contrary to it, should be strictly

observed: 3rdly. ARMS OF JOHN OF ELTHAM, SON OF EDWARD II. That the king should not go out of the realm, or under. take war, without consent of Parliament. By these "ordainers"

D

taking the duty off wool, cloth, and wine, and also by the invention of crockery-ware at this time, trade became improved. Bills of exchange were now also first introduced; but the in

EFFIGY OF JOHN OP

ELTHAM, 2ND SON

OF EDWARD II.

lingshire), by king

terest on money being 45 per cent, tended much to limit the bounds of commerce. Nor did the prosperity which followed the taking off of these duties, continue long: for a famine broke out soon after, so severe, that even for the king's table, bread could scarcely be had. Many were glad to feed on cats, dogs, and horses; while the poor ate roots and herbage. Want of food induced disease, and the land became ravaged by plague. The barons unable to support their numerous retainers, set them free; and these, finding no other means of subsistence, murdered and robbed on all sides. This state of matters stands in curious contrast to that of another part of this reign, when the people so gorged themselves with food, that Edward in order to prevent injury to health, passed a law forbidding the use of more than two courses at dinner. The usual dinner hour in those days, was 11 o'clock in the forenoon; and on one occasion we read of as many as 30,000 separate dishes being served up at a single meal. Their only food in winter, consisted of a vast variety of game and fish; for as they had no notion of fatting cattle in winter, they used in autumn to salt down the whole of their winter's supply.

In 1314, Edward marched an army of 100,000 men into Scotland, where he was met on the field of Bannockburn (in StirRobert Bruce at the head of only 30,000 troops. By a device of the Scottish king, pits 1314 in which were erected sharp stakes, were prepared in front of his line, and covered with turf resting on hurdles. advancing over these, the English cavalry were thrown into such disorder that at last they fled from the field in dismay, and were pursued for many miles. Thirty thousand of them perished, many of whom were drowned in trying to cross the Forth. "This brilliant victory completed the independence of Scotland."

In

In revenge for these repeated attempts to deprive Scotland of her independence, king Robert now sought to deprive the English of Ireland; and actually succeeded in placing his own brother Edward on the Irish throne, which he occupied for

two years; but in 1318 Edward was slain by the English 1318 in the battle of Tragher (near Dundalk.)

About this time, there arose certain religious persons known as "The Lollards." They got this name on account of their fondness for singing hymns. The word is German, and means to sing often, In an after age the term became applied, by way of reproach, to those who sought reform in the church.

In 1322, those barons who had so long been dissatisfied with Edward's conduct, formed an alliance with the Scots; but Edward defeated them at Boroughbridge (in York- 1322 shire), and their leader the earl of Lancaster, was taken

prisoner and executed. Many of the Lancastrian party were banished; and taking up their abode on the continent, were afterwards joined by Isabella herself, who had quarrelled with her husband. They raised a foreign army, and landed in Suffolk towards the close of 1326. The king fled into Wales, and was taken at Neath Abbey, (in Glamorganshire). In the following January, the parliament brought a series 1327 of charges against him; he was forced to resign the crown and Edward his son, a youth of 15, was made king,

After being removed from one prison to another, and enduring much harsh treatment for eight months, Edward II. was murdered in a most cruel manner at Berkeley Castle (in Gloucestershire,) in the 44th year of his age, and the 21st of his reign.

Edward III., as you have seen, was made king in 1327, when only 14 years old. But the actual government of 1327 the country was in the hands of the queen, his mother, a most faithless woman, and of Lord Mortimer, her worthless favourite. The guilty couple chose Nottingham Castle as their residence, thinking it safer than most places. But the governor of that castle did not like Mortimer. So when parliament met in 1330, in that town, he told the king's friends of a secret entrance to the castle (now locally known as "Mortimer's Hole);" and Mortimer was seized, taken to London, tried for usurping the royal authority, and executed at Tyburn.

Edward being now eighteen, took the government into his own hands, and proved himself to be a wise, brave, and good king. In the same year he married a most excellent and heroic princess -Philippa of Hainault (in Belgium.) The splendour of their court and the virtue and affection of their domestic life, commanded the esteem of all. Edward was surnamed or WINDSOR because that was the name of his birth-place; and to commemorate it as

such he afterwards built a castle there, which still continues to be the chief residence of Royalty in England. He also built the chapel of St. Stephen's at Westminster, that the Commons might have a chamber to meet in separate from that of the

ENGLISH KNIGHT AND FRENCH MEN-AT-ARMS, A.D. 1341.

Lords; and as this new arrangement required a chairman to be set over the Commons, such an officer was now first appointed, and got the name of "The Speaker," because he puts the questions to the house and reads the bills. Other constitutional