tion of his subjects; and at length an event happened which cost him his crown and life. A quarrel having arisen between the Dukes of Hereford and Norfolk, Richard ordered them to decide it by single combat. When they entered the lists Richard would not allow them to fight, but banished them both from England-Hereford for ten years, and Norfolk for life. Soon afterwards, Hereford's father, the Duke of Lancaster, died, and Richard seized his estates. When Hereford heard of this, he was so enraged that he resolved to attempt the King's destruction. He landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire with a few followers; and finding the nobles very much in his favour, soon raised an army of 60,000 men, and entered London.

42. Richard was at this time in Ireland, and when he returned he found that his kingdom had changed hands; and he who left England as King was compelled to surrender himself a captive to Hereford, who was now become Duke of Lancaster. He was conveyed to London, where he gave up the crown; and afterwards confined in Pontefract Castle, where he was murdered, in the thirty-fourth year of his age and the twenty-third of his reign.

43. Richard II. was fond of show, and lived in grand style. There were in his whole household ten thousand persons-in his kitchen, three hundred. During his reign the great Reformer John Wycliffe lived, and preached against the errors of the Romish Church. He translated the Bible into English. followers were called Lollards.

His

e. Under the Plantagenets proper the language became changed from Norman and Anglo-Saxon to English. Learning was chiefly confined to the clergy, who were also the best gardeners and farmers. The nobles cared more for war and sports than for learning. Few of them could either read or write. The population of England was only about three millions, a number now exceeded by London alone.

CHIEF AUTHORS OF THE EARLY PLANTAGENET PERIOD.

JOHN GOWER-moral poet-died A.D. 1402.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER-father of English poetry-wrote Canterbury Tales-died A.D. 1400.

JOHN WYCLIFFE first English Reformer-translated the Bible-died 1384.

QUESTIONS ON THE PLANTAGENET PERIOD.

1. How many years does the whole period include? Give the first and last dates? How many Kings? Name the Plantagenets proper. Give the dates of their accession.

2. What was the surname of Henry II.? How long did he reign? Whose son was he? What relation to Henry I.? What is said of his power?

3. What was his first care? What means did he use? What was his next attempt? Whom did he take into favour? To what dignity was Becket raised? What was his conduct? Whose part did he take? What effect had this on Henry? How did he express his anger? What was the consequence? Where was Becket murdered? How did it affect the King? What did he do to atone for the murder?

4. What country did he conquer? What was now the condition of Ireland? Describe its former state. What caused Henry to invade it? Give the date.

5. Name Henry's sons. What was their conduct? Whom did they ask for help? Were they successful? What caused Henry's death?

a. What was the former capital of England? Why was the change made? Name two other improvements.

6. Who succeeded? How long did he reign? Give dates. Did he care much for his people? Give proof.

7. In what wars did he engage? How did he raise money? What is said of the sufferings of the Jews?

8. Who joined Richard in the Crusades ? What city was taken? Whither did he next march? What did he gain there?

9. What happened on his return? How did he try to get home? What befell him in Germany? Who discovered the place of his confinement? How? What afterwards took place?

10. What was the state of the country during his absence? How did he come by his death?

11. Who succeeded? What relation to Richard? Whose son was John? Was he the rightful heir? Why not? What was his first care? What means did he use? What effect had this murder?

12. With whom did John quarrel? About what? How did the Pope act? Who threatened an invasion? What effect had this upon John? 13. How did John now treat his subjects? Whose anger did he thus rouse? How did they act? What was the deed called? Why did John sign it? When? Where? Where is it still kept?

14. What was John's conduct when he had signed Magna Charta? Whose protection did the Barons seek? Did he come? Where did he

land? What did John do? What occurred on his march? What effect had it upon him? Where did he die?

15. Who succeeded? How long did he reign? Give dates. Whose son was he? Who was made Protector?

16. What became of the French King? Where was he defeated? What became of his fleet? How was it defeated? What did Henry then do? Was he successful?

17. How did he lose the esteem of his people? What followed? What battle was fought? With what result?

18. What took place during the King's confinement? Relate the particulars.

19. How did the Prince escape? What battle followed? What base act did Montfort commit? How was the King saved? What became of Montfort?

20. Whither did Edward afterwards go? With whom? How did Eleanor save his life? What happened in his absence?

b. What manufacture was introduced in this reign? Name three inventions. Who was Roger Bacon? What improvement was made in London? Where was coal dug? When was its use forbidden? Why?

21. Who succeeded? How long did he reign? Give dates. Whose son was he? What was his character? How did he begin his reign? 22. What country did he subdue? What prince was slain? What Icruel act did Edward commit?

23. Would the Welsh consent to acknowledge Edward as their King? Whom did they agree to obey? Where was the first Prince of Wales born?

24. What was Edward's next step? Who opposed him? What battle was fought? With what success? What afterwards became of Wallace? 25. Who was the next Scottish hero? What did he do? How did Edward act? What took place on his march? What was his last request?

c. What law was made in this reign? Where was the first church-clock set up?

26. Who succeeded?

How were the Jews treated?

How long did he reign? Give dates. Did he

obey his father's wish? What did he do instead?

27. How did he offend the nobles? What was the result?

28. What war was renewed? How many English crossed the Border? By whom was he met? Where? Who won ?

29. Who was Edward's wife? What was her character? With whom did she keep company? What ensued? How did Isabella then act? What was the consequence?

30. How was the King treated?

what took place there?

Where was he at last confined? And

31. Who succeeded? How long did he reign? Give dates. Whose son was Edward III.? His age? Who had the power? What became of Mortimer afterwards? How was the Queen treated?

32. What was Edward's next step? What battle was fought? And with what effect?

33. What was his greatest desire? What means did he use? What great battle was fought? Who gained the victory? Through whose bravery?

34. Who now invaded England? Who opposed him? With what effect?

35. What siege took place after the Battle of Crecy? How long did it resist? How did Edward show his revenge? Who just then arrived at Calais? What act of mercy did she do?

36. What stopped the war? When? How many died of the Black Death in England?

37. When was the war resumed? Under whose command? What battle was fought? What was the relative size of the armies? Who won? Who were taken prisoners?

38. What took place in 1376? And the following year? What was Edward's character? What Houses sprang from the sons of Edward III.? Who was the head of the House of York? Of the House of Lancaster?

d. What change in Parliament was made? What title came into use? To whom was it given? What is said of Windsor Castle? What manufacture was introduced? Name two inventions. Who invented gunpowder? Where were wild beasts kept?

39. Who succeeded? How long did he reign? Give dates. Whose son was he? How old? Who ruled during his minority?

40. What was the first great event of his reign? What was the cause? Who headed the rebels? What damage did they do? Where did the King meet them? What was Tyler's conduct? How was he punished? Describe the conduct of Richard. And its effect. Were the rebels punished?

41. What was Richard's character when he came into power? What two nobles quarrelled? How did Richard act? For how long did he banish them? What took place in Hereford's absence? What effect had it on Hereford? Where did he land? To what number did his followers increase? What did he then do?

42. Where was Richard at this time? What did he find on his return? To whom did he surrender? Whither was he taken? What became of him? In what castle was he murdered? In what year of his age?

43. In what style did he live? What great Reformer lived in his reign? What good works did Wycliffe do? What were his followers called? e. What change took place in the language during the Plantagenet period? What was the state of learning? What was the population? f. Give events for the following dates, viz.-1172, 1190, 1215, 1264, 1265, 1282, 1306, 1314, 1333, 1346, 1347, 1356, 1381.

2. Henry IV. having obtained the crown by unjust means, found it no easy task to manage the fiery spirits of the nobles. Many were the quarrels and disputes amongst them, and many were the plots laid to deprive him of the throne; but he was watchful and active, and well knew the temper of the people he had to govern.

3. The greatest rebellion of his reign was that raised by the Earl of Northumberland, who, with his son Harry Percy, surnamed Hotspur, raised an army, and, assisted by the Scots and Welsh, fought the bloody Battle of Shrewsbury. The rebels were defeated, and Hotspur slain.

4. Henry's latter days were troubled by the vices and follies of his son Henry, called Madcap Harry. This youth, though brave and generous, was fond of low company, and with his riotous companions often got into mischief. On one occasion they even went so far as to commit a robbery on the highway. Some of his companions being overtaken, and brought to justice, Harry went into court and requested their release, and being refused, struck the judge in the face. He was immediately sent to prison, and seeing he had done wrong, quietly submitted to the punishment. When the King heard of it he said, "that he was happy in having a judge with courage to execute the laws, and happier still in having a son willing to obey them."

5. Henry died in a fit of epilepsy. During his reign the Lollards were much persecuted, and several of them burned to death in Smithfield.