cution, it is fuppofed, was occafioned by fecret orders from fome perfons of great confequence in England, to prevent a discovery of their fhare in the guilt. Mautravers concealed himself feveral years in Germany, but having rendered fome fervice to Edward the Third, he ventured to approach him, threw himself on his knees, and, humbly fubmitting to his mercy, received a pardon from that too-generous Prince.

The character of Edward the Second appears to have been intirely free from any crime that could render him deserving of so tragical an end. Unqualified by nature to govern a fierce and turbulent people, he was obliged to devolve on others the weight of Indolence and the want of government. penetration led him to make choice of minifters and favourites who were not proof against the intoxication of delegated power. The feditious and ever-restless Barons, taking advantage of this imprudence, under pretence of attacking his minifters, infulted his perfon

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perfon and invaded his authority; whilst the impatient and ill-judging populace threw all the blame on their Prince, and increased the public diforders by their faction and violence. The unlimited confidence King Edward placed in his favourites, and the unbounded profufion with which he rewarded their attachment, to the difguft of the whole nation, warranted in some measure this opposition. The partial fmiles of a King, if bestowed on an unworthy perfon, generally carry with them a poison, which for a time apparently invigorates, but at laft proves fatal. fatal. The English history affords more inftances than this before us, of the danger that refults from fuch an imprudent partiality. The Prince, who deaf to the complaints of his People, liftens only to the representations of his favourite, and, those fubfervient adherents which during his temporary exaltation attach themselves to him, will find too late, that the opprobrium and punishment due to his oppreffive acts are not confined to the abufers of his confidence alone; but that they will reach

reach even Majefty itself, and involve him in the certain and not unmerited ruin. Even the well-meaning Edward, in whose breast tyranny and oppreffion appear not to have found a kindly foil, by blindly pursuing the councils of his rapacious minions, found himself entangled in their guilt, and its confequent deftruction.

But though this unhappy Prince could not escape the fatal confequences of his infatuation, yet the Queen and Mortimer, by whose direction they were put in execution with fuch horrid aggravations, drew on themselves the displeasure of every rank. As they kept the young King furrounded by their creatures, and had by every difgraceful fubmiffion fecured peace with the neighbouring kingdoms, they for a time enjoyed without interruption their unjustly acquired fupremacy. The Princes of the Blood, and all thofe Noblemen who felt for the honour of the nation, and opposed the tyranny of Mortimer, were, through his contrivances, imprisoned or destroyed,

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stroyed, and their estates appropriated to his own ufe. By this means his power grew formidable to every one; and he affected a ftate and dignity superior to his Royal Master. The whole nation now bowed before him; not one of the Barons daring to difpute his will, except the Earl of Kent, who on that account he refolved to remove out of the way. To effect this he fpread a report throughout the kingdom by means of his emiffaries, that king Edward the Second was ftill alive in Corfe caftle, but visible only to a few particular perfons. As he knew that the Earl of Kent had always entertained a moft cordial affection for his unhappy brother, and fincerely lamented his death, he doubted not that he would exert himself in his favour, could he be perfuaded that he was really alive. Mortimer was not difappointed in these expectations. The Earl of Kent no fooner heard the ftory, which was now become the general topic of converfa tion, than he began to inquire into the foundation of the rumour. He examined

Sir

Sir John Deverel, the governor of the castle, who, having received private inftructions from the minister, confirmed the truth of it, infinuating at the fame time that he let him into the fecret through friendship. Many other perfons of diftinction firmly believing the report, and expreffing their defire of feeing the unfortunate Monarch, and replacing him on the throne, the Earl of Kent wrote him a letter; affuring him, that he would ufe his utmost endeavours to procure his liberty, and that the principal Noblemen were determined to exert their power in restoring him to that dignity of which he had been fo unjustly deprived. Sir John Deverel promifed to deliver this letter to King Edward, but put it into the hands of Mortimer, who refolved to employ it as the means of accomplishing the Earl's deftruction. He accordingly directed the young King to convoke a Parliament at Winchester: when, as few attended befides his own creatures and dependents, the freedom of these affemblies being destroyed by his arbiratry proceedings,

he