as well as the public events that were to take place. Their predictions were generally given in very general and artial terms. By departing from this prudent conduct, they brought themselves inte temporary disrepute.

8. For, in the beginning of 1186, all the great Christian astrologers agreed in declaring, that from some extraordinary positions of the planets, which had never happened before and would never happen again, there would arise on Tuesday, the 16th of September, at three o'clock in the morning, a most dreadful storm, which would sweep away great towns and cities.

9. They further predicted that this storm would be followed by a destructive pestilence, bloody wars, and all the plagues that ever afflicted miserable mortals. This direful prophecy spread terror and consternation over Europe, though it was contradicted by the Arabian astrologers, who said there would only be a few shipwrecks, and a little failure in the harvest.

10. When the awful day drew near, the Archbishop of Canterbury commanded a solemn fast of three days to be observed. But, to the utter confusion of the poor astrologers, the 16th of September was uncommonly calm and pleasant, the whole season remarkably mild and healthy, "and there were no storms that year," says a pleasant writer, "but what the archbishop raised in the church by his own turbulence."

11. We will mention one other incident of the reign of Henry III., illustrative of the manners of the age-the trial by ordeal. The Normans, although they had hitherto retained this custom of the Saxons, had a method of their own of referring the decision of questions to the Judgment of God.

12. This was by the trial by combat. The parties to a lawsuit, instead of battling in words, fought it out with swords, and he who came off best in the contest, gained his cause. Even abstract questions of law were referred to the same decision. A champion was selected to maintain each side of the question, and the decision was given in accordance with the result of the combat.

CHAPTER LXX.

Edward I., surnamed Long-Shanks.-Tournaments.-The little Battle of Chalons.

1. WE have already seen enough of Edward I. to know that he proved a king of a very different character from his father. In his person he was unusually tall, and his legs being somewhat out of proportion, he had the surname of Long-Shanks given to him.

famous astrologers do each year? 8, 9, 10. Relate the incident which brought them into disrepute. 11. What custom was abolished in the reign of Henry III.? 12. What is said of trials by combat?

LXX.-1. What was Edward I. surnamed? Why? Describe his personal appear

TOURNAMENTS.

-1272.

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2. He had a fine open forehead, and regular features; his hair and complexion were fair in his youth, but became darker in his middle age. His air and carriage were very commanding; he delighted in all martial and manly exercises, and was an excellent rider.

3. He had great courage and military skill, and his understanding was of a very superior order. He was an excellent son, husband, and father; and yet this man, with all his fine qualities, was the occasion of infinite misery to many thousands of people. The desire of possessing himself of the whole island of Great Britain had so beset his mind, that every other consideration gave way to it.

4. Edward did not remain long in the Holy Land after the attempt on his life which we have mentioned. He had reached Sicily, on his way home, when he heard the news of his father's death. He set out at once for England. As he passed through Burgundy, he received an invitation from the duke of that country to a tournament which he was then preparing.

5. Edward possessed too much of the spirit of a knight to decline any opportunity of gaining honor, and he was glad to display his skill in these martial exercises to the foreign nobles.

6. A tournament was a great entertainment given by some king, or rich prince, at which a mock combat was held, for the knights to display their skill in the use of arms. When a prince had resolved to hold a tournament, he sent a messenger, called a herald, to the neighboring courts and countries to publish his design, and to invite all brave and loyal knights to honor the intended solemnity with their presence.

7. This invitation was accepted with the greatest joy, and a vast number of ladies and gentlemen commonly assembled. All the knights who proposed to enter the lists, that is, to take part in the exercises, hung up their shields, each of which, as we before stated, bore the particular device of the knightly owner, on the walls of a neighboring monastery, where they were viewed by all.

8. If a lady touched one of the shields, it was considered as an accusation against its owner, who was immediately brought before the judges of the tournament-who were generally some old knights whose fighting days were past-tried with great solemnity, and if found guilty of defaming a lady, or of having done anything unbecoming a true and courteous knight, he was degraded and expelled the assembly with every mark of infamy.

9. The lists, as the space enclosed for the combat was called, were surrounded with lofty towers, and scaffolds of wood, in which the kings and queens, princes and princesses, lords, ladies, and knights, with the judges, marshals heralds, and minstrels, were seated in their proper places, all arrayed in their richest dresses.

10. The combatants, nobly mounted and completely armed, were conducted into the lists by the respective ladies in whose honor they

ance 3. What of his character? 4. Where did he hear of his father's death? 5. What delayed him on his way home? 6. What was a tournament? How was the intention to hold one announced? 7. What did the knights do who proposed to take part? 8. What followed if a lady touched the shield of any knight? 9. What were the lists? 10.

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EDWARD'S ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND.-1274.

were to fight, with bands of music, and amidst the shouts of the numerous spectators. In these exercises, representations were given of all the different feats of actual war, from a single combat to a general action, with all the different kinds of arms, as spears, swords, battle-axes, and daggers.

11. At the conclusion of every day's entertainment, the judges declared the victors, and the prizes were presented to the happy knights by the noblest or most beautiful lady present. The victors. were then conducted in triumph to the palace; their armor was taken off by the ladies of the court; they were dressed in the richest robes, seated at the table of the sovereign, and treated with every possible mark of distinction.

12. These tournaments were considered merely as friendly trials of skill. But the lives of many brave champions were lost in them. Sometimes the passions of the combatants became excited, and the mock combat gave occasion to one of a more serious character.

13. This was the case at the very tournament of Châlons, to which Edward had just accepted an invitation. He and his companions were so successful, that the French knights, provoked at their superiority, made a serious attack upon them, which was repulsed, and so much blood was idly shed in the quarrel, that it has received the name of the little Battle of Châlons.

CHAPTER LXXI.

Edward after his return to England.-Reply of Earl Warrenne to an Inquiry of the King.-Conquest of Wales.-Massacre of the Welsh Bards.

1. EDWARD did not arrive in England till May, 1274. His first business was to restore order in the kingdom, and to put a stop to the robberies and murders which were being constantly committed in all parts. During the reigns of the late weak monarchs, great encroachments had been made upon the royal estates by the nobles.

2. Edward therefore appointed commissioners to inquire into the titles by which all persons held their estates. Among the first, Earl Warrenne was asked to produce the instrument or title by which he held his.

3. "By this," said he, drawing an old rusty sword out of the scabbard; and added, in a tone of determination, "William of Normandy did not conquer the kingdom for himself alone; my ancestor was a joint adventurer in the enterprise and I am resolved to maintain what has from that period remained without question in

What of the combatants? 11. What happened at the conclusion of each day's sports? 12. Were lives ever lost at the tournaments? 13. What of the tournament at Châlons? LXXI.-1. When did Edward arrive in England? What were his first acts? What inquiry did he set on foot? 3. What was Earl Warrenne's reply to the inquiry? 4

CONQUEST OF WALES.-1282.

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my family." This answer made Edward sensible of the danger he was incurring, and he put an end to the inquiry.

4. Edward appears to have always had a great dislike to the Jews, and this was very much increased by his expedition to the Holy Land. One of his first acts after his return was to confiscate all the property, and to banish from the kingdom all the people of that nation. Since that time there have been very few Jews in England, and the business of lending money, which had hitherto been confined to them, was now taken up by the Lombards, and other foreigners.

5. Edward could not long remain without some employment. So he resolved to chastise the Welsh, because they had taken part with the rebels in his father's reign, and because their prince had refused to do homage to himself as his sovereign.

6. Advancing into their country with an army, he completely defeated them in a battle fought December 11th, 1282. Their prince, named Llewellyn, was slain, and his brother David taken prisoner, and executed like a common traitor.

7. Edward now took undisputed possession of Wales. Fearing that the Welsh Bards might, by their music and poetry, in which were celebrated the heroic deeds of their ancestors, revive in the minds of their young countrymen the idea of military valor and ancient glory, the conqueror barbarously ordered them all to be put to death.

8. It is said by the old monkish historians, that Edward, having assembled the leaders of the Welsh, promised to give them a prince

What is said of the Jews? 5. What expedition did Edward next engage in? 6. When was the decisive battle fought in Wales? 7. What of the Welsh Bards? 8. What did Edward promise the assembled Welsh leaders? 9. How did he perform his promise? What is the title of the king's eldest son?

128

THE MAID OF NORWAY.-1286.

of unexceptionable manners, a Welshman by birth, and one who could speak no other language. Captivated by this description, they poured forth violent acclamations of joy, and promises of obedience.

9. The king then presented to them his second son, Edward, an infant, who had lately been born in the castle of Caernarvon. The death of his eldest son, soon after, made young Edward heir to the crown; and from that time the principality of Wales has given the title to the eldest son of the King of England.

CHAPTER LXXII.

The Maid of Norway.-Edward interferes in the Affairs of Scotland.

1. WE have now shown how well Edward succeeded in part of his plan to unite the whole island under his own dominion. We shall next see how nearly Scotland also was thrown into his grasp.

2. The kings of Scotland and England had lived for a long time in singular harmony, considering how apt neighbors are to quarrel. Alexander III. had married Edward's sister, who died, leaving one child, Margaret, who married the King of Norway, and died, leav ing an only daughter about three years old, commonly called the Maid of Norway.

3. Alexander himself died in 1286, and his infant grandchild became heiress of his dominions. Edward proposed to the King of Norway that the Prince of Wales should marry his daughter, the little Queen of Scotland. Such early marriages were then not un

LXXII.-2. Who was the Maid of Norway? 3. What proposal did Edward make in re