fperous part of his reign, Edward was quickly wafted to the fhore where fuccefs and glory awaited his arrival; but the tide once turned, in vain he ftrove to reach his more fuccefsful enemies, who in their turns now enjoyed the smiles of the deluding Goddefs. There being no poffibility of arriving in tîme to prevent the furrender of his fubjects, agreeable to the convention, he failed back, and in a few days re-landed his troops in England. The confequence of this unhappy voyage was the lofs of all Poictou and Sanctoigne.

The Prince of Wales now feeing that it was hardly poffible for him to recover any tolerable degree of health, fo as to be enabled ever to take the field, he furrendered into his Father's hands his principality of Acquitain, which from that time the King governed by Lieutenants. He now retired to his eftate in Hertfordshire, and for the four fucceeding years, for fo long was his existence continued to him, he took very X little

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little share in the national concerns. The preparatory fteps for fecuring the crown to his

Son Richard on the demife of his grandfa

ther, chiefly employed his attention. He knew how apt those who stand nearest to a throne are to feat themselves on it, if they can take advantage of the youth or inability of the lawful heir. To prevent any attempt of this kind, which was greatly to be feared from the ambition of his Brother the Duke of Lancaf ter, he was careful to have his Son publicly declared fucceffor to the throne after the deceafe of his royal Father and himself. people had fuch veneration for the heroic virtues of the Prince of Wales, that the Lords and Commons agreed to the propofal with the greatest readiness, and paffed an act for that purpose. The King and all his Sons likewife fwore to maintain the right of the young Prince after his Father's decease.

The

The fickness of the Prince of Wales was no lefs fatal to the kingdom than to himfelf; for the King, in his old age, feemed

to have loft all thofe virtues, which, in his younger years, gained him the character of one of the braveft and wifeft Monarchs of the age: the decline of his life correfponded not with the fplendid fcenes which had graced the former periods of it; besides, beholding the lofs of his foreign dominions, the fruits of many a well-fought field, and being unsuccessful in every attempt to defend them, he felt the decay of his authority at home. During the vigour of his age the pursuits of war and ambition had employed his thoughts; but now at an unfeasonable time of life he began to indulge himself in pleasure. The Queen being dead, he attached himself to dame Alice Piers, a lady of great sense and high spirit ; by thefe fhe acquired fuch influence over his Majefty, that the whole kingdom were difgufted at it; and in order to filence the remonftrances of his Parliament, he found it neceffary to remove her from court. The indolence alfo naturally attendant on old age and infirmities had made him in a great X 2 measure

tain, yet, when the fatal hour arrived that was to level to the duft the man whom the loved with unabating ardour, her fortitude forfook her, and the bewailed his lofs with all the fofthefs of her fex.

Never was a tribute of grief more juftly paid than to this deferving Prince, who, from the earlieft period of his life to the hour of his diffolution, excelled in all thofe virtues and accomplishments which entitled him to the character of a great and good man. In private life he enjoyed, in an eminent degree, all thofe qualifications that enabled him to perform every focial duty; and fo greatly was he beloved by thofe whom he honoured with his friendship, that the Lord Greilly, Captal de Bufche, at that time a prifoner in France, bemoaned his lofs in fo fingular a manner, that his death, which happened foon after that of his royal Mafter, is fuppofed to proceed from his excels of grief.

As

As a Prince, he was adorned with all thofe fhining qualities which caft a luftre on his exalted station: his turn of mind was exactly fuited to that propenfity for martial deeds, which was fo much the tafte of the age in which he lived; but though he commanded armies, and gained unparalleled victories, when others begin to learn the art of war, yet his mind was not elated with conqueft. His valour and military talents, great as they were, formed the smallest part of his merit; his generosity, humanity, affability, and moderation gained him the approbation of the whole world; and the moft fhining of antient or modern history never produced a character in which virtues centered untinged by any vices. Though defervedly renowned for wisdom, juftice, and liberality, the chief of all his mental accomplishments were humility and piety; from thefe he derived that fortitude and refolution which enabled him to brave unnumbered foes, whilst they induced him to afcribe to Omnipotence the glory

fo

many

X 4