PRINCE EDWARD GOES ON A CRUSADE.

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with this exercise, he raised himself erect in his saddle, and telling his guards "he had long enough enjoyed the pleasure of their company, and that he now bade them adieu," he put spurs to his horse, and was soon beyond the reach of pursuit.

8. As soon as his escape was known, the loyal barons flocked to him, and he was thus at the head of a numerous army. Leicester obliged the old king to issue a proclamation, declaring the prince a traitor. He also sent for his eldest son, Simon, from London, who accordingly set out to join him with a great reinforcement.

9. But Prince Edward met and defeated him at Kenilworth; and before Leicester could hear of his son's overthrow, Edward's army appeared in sight, bearing in front the banners taken from young Simon. This led the earl at first to suppose that the reinforcement he was expecting had arrived.

10. But when the prince advanced near enough for him to find out his mistake, he exclaimed, "Now God have mercy on our souls, for our bodies are Prince Edward's!" The battle soon began, and poor King Henry was placed by Leicester in the front of his army. He received a wound, and was near being killed, but crying out, “I am Henry of Winchester, your king, don't kill me," he was led to his son, who put him in a place of safety.

11. The victory of the prince was complete. Leicester was killed, and the confederacy of the barons was broken up. This important battle was fought at Evesham, May 4th, 1265. One powerful baron, named Adam Gordon, still held out against the king, and the prince was obliged to lead an army against him.

12. He found the rebels in a fortified camp, which he at once attacked. In the ardor of the battle, Edward leaped over the trench, and encountered Gordon in single combat; after a sharp contest, the latter fell from his horse, but the prince generouslj gave him his life, and was ever after faithfully served by him.

CHAPTER LXVII.

Prince Edward goes on a Crusade.-Death of Henry III.-About Paintings, and Illuminated Manuscripts.

1. As there was no more fighting to be done at home, Prince Edward, who could not bear to be idle, set out on a crusade against the Infidels. He embarked at Portsmouth, May 4th, 1270, meaning to join St. Louis at Tunis. On his arrival there, he found that Louis had died of the plague.

2. Not discouraged by this event, Edward resolved still to pursue the enterprise with his own little army. Proceeding to the Holy

How did Edward effect his escape? 8. What did the king do? 10, 11. What of the battle of Evesham? When and between whom was it fought? 12. What anecdote of Prince Edward's gallantry?

LXVII.-1. When did Edward leave England to fight the Infidels? 2. What was hi

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DEATH OF HENRY III.

Land, he distinguished himself by many acts of valor; and struck such terror into the Saracens that they employed an assassin to murder him.

3. This man, under pretence of having a secret message, was admitted into the prince's chamber, and then attempted to kill him with

a poisoned dagger. Edward wrenched the weapon from the man's hand, but in the scuffle he received a wound in the arm.

This might

success? 3. Relate the incidents of the attack on his life. 4. What was the state of

ARCHITECTURE OF THE AGE OF HENRY III.-1272. 121

have proved fatal, had not his affectionate wife, Eleanor, who had accompanied him to Palestine, sucked the poison from the wound.

4. Whilst the prince was thus perilling his life in foreign lands, affairs were going on very badly at home. King Henry had become old and feeble; his government, never much respected, was now totally despised, and riots, robberies, and excesses of all kinds were perpetually committed.

5. At last the king, worn out by infirmities, died on the 16th of November, 1272, in the sixty-fourth year of his age, and the fiftyseventh of his reign, the longest reign in the English annals, except that of George III., and one of the most inglorious.

6. Although Henry was so deficient in the abilities necessary for a ruler, he was not altogether wanting in sense. He was a promoter of the fine arts, and the art of painting improved greatly during his reign. It became the fashion to adorn the walls of rooms and churches with historical pictures.

7. Antiquaries are very much puzzled to know what colors were used in these large paintings. There is reason to believe they were not merely water colors, and yet it is commonly supposed that the art of painting in oils is of much later discovery.

8. The only pictures which we can rely upon, of this age, are those we find in Missals, or Roman Catholic Prayer Books. These are often ornamented, or, as it is called, illuminated, with paintings, beautiful from the brightness of the gold and colors, and curious from the exceeding delicacy of the execution. Many of these books are still in excellent preservation.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

Architecture of the Age of Henry III.-Trade and the Merchants of England at the same Period.

1. A CHANGE was also made in the style of architecture, and some of the finest Gothic buildings of England were built in the reign of Henry III. The heavy Saxon was now succeeded by one of much greater elegance, and richness of ornament. The pillars, instead of heavy thick shafts, had one small shaft in the centre, surrounded by many slender ones, so as to form altogether one bulky pillar composed of many parts.

2. The carved work of all kinds was more elaborate, and the outsides of the churches were adorned with pinnacles, and with loftier steeples than formerly. Such very curious and complicated buildings could not be executed by common workmen. A number of the best artificers, therefore, incorporated themselves into companies, and went about from place to place, as they were required.

What was his age?

England during his absence? 5. When did Henry die? How long did he reign? 6. What is said of the art of painting? 7. What of the colors? 8. What is said of the Missals?

I.XVIII.-1. What change had taken place in the architecture? 3. What were the

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STATE OF LEARNING.-1272.

3. They lived in temporary huts, near the great buildings they were employed upon, and called themselves free masons; and this is the origin of the society of free masons, which has been so great.y extended.

4. Although so much had been done to secure the liberties of the nobles, little change had taken place in the condition of the common people. Slaves were bought and sold at the fairs, and å man would bring a less price than a horse. These fairs were markets, held at stated periods, for the sale of various articles of merchandise; for there were no regular shops, and the merchants and traders travelled from place to place, attending the fairs to dispose of their goods.

5. The foreign trade of England at this time was chiefly carried on by Germans. The principal commodities were wool, lead, and tin. These were brought to certain towns in different parts, called the staple towns, where the collectors of the king's customs were appointed to receive the duty.

6. The goods were then sold to the German traders, who were called the merchants of the staple; and these people exported them abroad, and imported gold, silver, and various goods in return. The Lombards, also, were another set of foreigners who settled in England. Their business was chiefly to lend money on interest.

7. The native merchants made a serious remonstrance to Edward, after he became king, begging that the "merchant strangers" might be sent out of the kingdom; but the answer they received from him was, “I am of opinion that merchant strangers are useful to the great men of the kingdom, and therefore I will not expel them." In fact, they not only imported silks, wine, spices, and other luxu ries, used only by the nobles, but also lent them money.

CHAPTER LXIX.

Of the state of Learning in the time of Henry III.—Friar Bacon.— Judicial Astrology.-Trials by Combat.

1. ALTHOUGH four of the present colleges at Oxford were founded in the reign of Henry III., yet learning was still at a very low ebb. There were a great number of students, but they learned little except bad Latin, and worse logic. They disputed without end and without meaning about the plainest truths. These frivolous contests were conducted with so much eagerness, that from angry words the disputants sometimes proceeded to blows.

2. But there was one person of this age who is distinguished for more useful inventions than any other man who ever lived. This was Roger Bacon, a monk of Oxford, and the most learned man of his time. He applied his learning to the discovery of useful knowledge. free masons? 4. What is said of the condition of the people? 5. How was trade carried on? 6. By whom was the foreign trade carried on? In what manner? What were the principal commodities? 7. What did the native merchants do to rid themselves of the foreigners? What was the king's answer to their application?

LXIX.-1. What is said of the state of learning? What was taught? 2. What is

FRIAR BACON.-JUDICIAL ASTROLOGY.-1272.

123

3. He invented telescopes, reading-glasses, microscopes, and many other astronomical and mathematical instruments. He discovered gunpowder, but he considered it as an object of mere curiosity, and not applicable to any useful purpose. The same discovery was afterwards made by Swartz, a German monk, about the year 1340, and, as he was the first who applied it to its present uses, he has the credit, and perhaps deservedly, of being the original inventor.

4. Friar Bacon, as he is commonly called, also wrote several books; and made a map, a thing which excited great admiration. This was not a map of England, as we might suppose, but of Tartary; and was formed from the descriptions he obtained from some travellers, who had been there.

5. In short, his genius soared so far above all his contemporaries, that he was looked upon as a magician, and thrown into prison, where he was kept many years. He at length returned to Oxford, and died there, a very old man, in 1292.

6. At a period a little earlier than this, judicial astrology, or the science of the stars, was the favorite study. The astrologers pretended to foretell events by observing the heavenly bodies. There was hardly a prince, or even a nobleman, in Europe, who did not keep one in his family.

7. The most famous of the astrologers published a kind of almanac every year, with a variety of predictions concerning the weather

said of Roger Bacon? What were some of his discoveries? Who has the credit of inventing gunpowder? Why? 5. What misfortunes did Bacon's learning bring upon him? When did he die? 6. What is said of judicial astrology? 7. What did the most