XIII. CHAP. tuted for the improvement of the woollen manufacture, and the vending of the cloth abroad, particularly at Antwerp. For the English at this time scarcely thought of 1307. werp. any more distant commerce. THIS king granted a charter or declaration of protection and privileges to foreign merchants, and also ascertained the customs or duties which those merchants were in return to pay on merchandise imported and exported. He promised them security; allowed them a jury on trials, consisting half of natives, half of foreigners; and appointed them a justiciary in London for their protection. But notwithstanding this seeming attention to foreign merchants, Edward did not free them from the cruel hardship of making one answerable for the debts, and even for the crimes, of another that came from the same country." We read of such practices among the present barbarous nations. The king also imposed on them a duty of two shillings on each tun of wine imported, over and above the old duty; and forty pence on each sack of wool exported, besides half a mark the former duty." In the year 1303 the exchequer was robbed, and of no less a sum than 100,000 pounds, as is pretended.b The abbot and monks of Westminster were indicted for this robbery, but acquitted. It does not appear that the king ever discovered the criminals with certainty; though his indignation fell on the society of Lombard merchants, particularly the Frescobaldi, very opulent Florentines. THE pope having in 1307 collected much money in England, the king enjoined the nuncio not to export it in specie, but in bills of exchange. A proof that commerce was but ill understood at that time. c EDWARD had by his first wife, Eleanor of Castile, four sons; but Edward his heir and successor, was the only one that survived him. She also bore him eleven daughters, most of whom died in their infancy: Of the surviving, Joan was married first to the earl of Glocester, and after his death to Ralph de Monthermer; Margaret espoused John duke of Brabant: Elizabeth espoused first z Ibid. p. 146. y Anderson's History of Commerce, vol. i. p. 137. a Rymer, vol. iv. p. 361. It is the charter of Edw. I. which is there confirmed by Edward 11. b Rymer, vol. ii. p. 930. c Ibid. p. 1092. earl of Here- CHAP. He had by his John earl of Holland, and afterwards the XIII. 1307. 1,92 CHAP. XIV. EDWARD II. CHAP. 1307. Weakness of the king-His passion for favourites-Piers Gavaston-Discontent of the barons-Murder of Gavas ton-War with Scotland-Battle of Bannockburn-Hugh le Despenser-Civil commotions-Execution of the earl of Lancaster-Conspiracy against the king-Insurrec tion-The king dethroned-Murdered-His character— Miscellaneous transactions in this reign. THE prepossessions entertained in favour of young Edward, kept the English from being fully sensible of the extreme loss which they had sustained by the death of the great monarch who filled the throne; and all men hastened with alacrity to take the oath of allegiance to his son and successor. This prince was in the twenty-third year of his age, was of an agreeable figure, of a mild and gentle disposition, and having never discovered a propensity to any dangerous vice, it was natural to prognosticate Weakness tranquillity and happiness from his government. But the of the king first act of his reign blasted all these hopes, and showed him to be totally unqualified for that perilous situation, in which every English monarch, during those ages, had, from the unstable form of the constitution, and the turbu lent dispositions of the people derived from it, the misfortune to be placed. The indefatigable Robert Bruce, though his army had been dispersed, and he himself had been obliged to take shelter in the western isles, remained not long inactive; but, before the death of the late king, had sallied from his retreat, and again collected his followers, had appeared in the field, and had obtained by surprise an important advantage over Aymer de Valence, XIV. 1307. who commanded the English forces. He was now be- CHAP. come so considerable as to have afforded the king of England sufficient glory in subduing him, without incurring any danger of seeing all those mighty preparations made by his father fail in the enterprise. But Edward, instead of pursuing his advantages, marched but a little way into Scotland; and having an utter incapacity and equal aversion for all application or serious business, he immediately returned upon his footsteps and disbanded his army. His grandees perceived from this conduct, that the authority of the crown, fallen into such feeble hands, was no longer to be dreaded, and that every insolence might be practised by them with impunity. for favour vaston. THE next measure taken by Edward gave them an His passion inclination to attack those prerogatives which no longer ites. kept them in awe. There was one Piers Gavaston, son Piers Gaof a Gascon knight of some distinction, who had honourably served the late king, and who, in reward of his merits, had obtained an establishment for his son in the family of the prince of Wales. This young man soon insinuated himself into the affections of his master, by his agreeable behaviour, and by supplying him with all those innocent though frivolous amusements which suited his capacity and his inclinations. He was endowed with the utmost elegance of shape and person, was noted for a fine mien and easy carriage, distinguished himself in all warlike and genteel exercises, and was celebrated for those quick sallies of wit in which his countrymen usually excel. By all these accomplishments he gained so entire an ascendant over young Edward, whose heart was strongly disposed to friendship and confidence, that the late king, apprehensive of the consequences, had banished him the. kingdom, and had, before he died, made his son promise never to recal him. But no sooner did he find himself master, as he vainly imagined, than he sent for Gavaston; and even, before his arrival at court, endowed him with the whole earldom of Cornwal, which had escheated to the crown by the death of Edmond, son of Richard king of the Romans. Not content with conferring on him d Trivet, p. 346. Walsing. p. 96. VOL. II. d Rymer, vol. ii. p. 1. Heming. vol. i. p. 245. C c XIV. 1307. CHAP. those possessions which had sufficed as an appanage for a prince of the blood, he daily loaded him with new honours and riches; married him to his own niece, sister of the earl of Glocester; and seemed to enjoy no pleasure in his royal dignity, but as it enabled him to exalt to the highest splendour this object of his fond affections. Diseon tent of the barons. THE haughty barons, offended at the superiority of a minion, whose birth, though reputable, they despised as much inferior to their own, concealed not their discontent; and soon found reasons to justify their animosity in the character and conduct of the man they hated. Instead of disarming envy by the moderation and modesty of his behaviour, Gavaston displayed his power and influence with the utmost ostentation; and deemed no circumstance of his good fortune so agreeable as its enabling him to eclipse and mortify all his rivals. He was vainglorious, profuse, rapacious; fond of exterior pomp and appearance, giddy with prosperity; and as he imagined that his fortune was now as strongly rooted in the kingdom, as his ascendant was uncontrolled over the weak monarch, he was negligent in engaging partisans, who might support his sudden and ill-established grandeur. At all tournaments he took delight in foiling the English nobility by his superior address: In every conversation he made them the object of his wit and raillery: Every day his enemies multiplied upon him; and nought was wanting but a little time to cement their union, and render it fatal both to him and to his master.f IT behoved the king to take a journey to France, both in order to do homage for the dutchy of Guienne, and to espouse the princess Isabella, to whom he had long been affianced, though unexpected accidents had hitherto retarded the completion of the marriage. Edward left Gavaston guardian of the realm," with more ample powers than had usually been conferred:' and, on his return with his young queen, renewed all the proofs of that fond attachment to the favourite, of which every one so loudly complained. This princess was of an imperious and f T. de la More, p. 593. Walsing. p. 97. Trivet, cont. p. 3. h Rymer, vol. ii p. 47. i Brady's App. No. 49. g T. de la More, p. 593. Ypod. Neust. p. 499. |