He came with haughty look,

A dark glance high and clear,

But his proud heart through its breastplate shook When he stood beside the bier.

He stood there still with a drooping brow,

And clasped hands o'er it raised,

For his father lay before him low, "Cœur de Lion" gazed.

It was

He looked upon the dead,

And sorrow seemed to lie

A weight of sorrow even as lead
Pale on the fast-shut eye.

He stooped and kissed the frozen cheek,
And the hand of lifeless clay,

Till bursting words, but all too weak,
Gave his soul's passion way.

Speak to me; mighty grief

Ere now the dust hath stirred.

Hear me but hear me ! Father! Chief!
My King! I must be heard.
Hushed, hushed-how is it that I call

And that thou answerest not?
When was it thus ? Woe, woe, for all
The love my soul forgot!

"Thou wert the noblest King
On royal throne e'er seen,
And thou didst wear in knightly ring
Of all the stateliest mien.

And thou didst prove, where spears are proved,

In war, the bravest heart.

Oh! ever the renowned and loved

Thou wert-and there thou art."

MRS. HEMANY,

CHAPTER VIL

RICHARD I. (Surnamed Coeur de Lion), 1189-1199.
Married Berengaria of Navarre.

RICHARD I. spent a great deal of time out of England, and his wife, a Spanish lady, never came there at all. As you read in the last chapter, Richard and his brother had behaved very ill to their old father. Certainly, although Richard had been less to blame than the others, he had been enough in the wrong to make him very miserable when the poor old king died.

Perhaps remorse made young Richard restless; perhaps he really thought it better to go to the Crusades than to look after his people at home. At any rate, for some reason or other, off he set to the Holy Land, joining his troops to those of Philip, King of France, and the Duke of Austria. Richard and Philip were so unlike, that they could not long remain friends. Richard was passionate, but open and true; Philip was sullen, sly, and cunning. So they did nothing but quarrel, and at last both Philip and the Duke of Austria deserted Richard, and left him to get on as well as he could alone. He knew that he had not soldiers enough to enter Jerusalem; still he fought bravely, so bravely that he has been surnamed

Lion-Hearted, and little Turkish children used to be told when they were naughty, that King Richard would take them. But one misfortune after another camé upon him. He lost his allies; many of his soldiers died; and at last he became very ill.

All this time Philip was putting up John, Richard's brother, to make as much disturbance as possible in England. Finally, poor Richard, being obliged to make peace, determined to return home. But this was easier said than done. Richard had, on his way, to pass through the Duke of Austria's country. He disguised himself as a pilgrim that he might not be known, but he was discovered, and thrown into prison. No one in England knew where he was. At last, one of his servants, who was very fond of him, determined that, if. his master were above ground, he should be found. So this man, whose name was Blondel, travelled about the Continent to get news of Richard. At last, as he was passing by a castle wall, he happened to whistle a tune which he had heard the king sing. Blondel had whistled two or three bars, when the tune was finished by another voice. "Well," thought he, "how odd, that these foreigners should know our songs!" He listened again, and then the idea flashed across his mind, that the voice was as well known to him as the tune. "Surely," thought he," that is my master's voice, and it is Richard of England who is singing." And he proved to be right. Full of delight, the faithful servant returned to England, and told Richard's old mother what he had heard.

Mothers (even cross ones) are not apt to think their sons dear at any price, and she eagerly inquired for what

sum of money Richard could be set free. A large ransom was named, but the English people were wild to have their king at home again, and money poured down like rain. Those who could not afford money gave jewels and other valuable things. At last the price was paid, and Richard was free. His brother John came and asked his forgiveness. Richard gave it, saying, "I wish he may not forget my forgiveness as quickly as I have forgotten his fault."

Richard might have lived happily in England for many years, but, unluckily for him, one of his tenants found some treasure in his field. Of course, as this treasure was found on the king's land, it belonged to him. Richard thought it no trouble (he loved war) to besiege the castle where this tenant, or "vassal," as a tenant was called in those days, lived. An archer shot an arrow from the walls which wounded Richard so severely that he died, after a reign of only ten years.

CHAPTER VIII.

JOHN, 1199-1216.

Married Isabella of Angoulême.

Children:-Henry, Richard, and three daughters.
Principal Event :-The Signing of Magna Charta.

We have only had one king of the common English name of John. Certainly this king was as unlike a John Bull as possible. When the throne of England became vacant by Richard's death, the right heir was a lad named ́Arthur, the son of John's elder brother, Geoffrey. How

Now at

ever, John contrived to get himself called king. that time a good deal of France belonged to England, and so it came about that in France, Arthur was called King of England, while in England, John was crowned. But John did not long remain contented with this arrangement. A few years after he became king an opportunity arose for taking Prince Arthur prisoner. After some time the poor boy was murdered-some people say by his uncle John's own hand, others only by his orders.

About this time Philip, King of France, made war upon John, and took from him nearly all his possessions in France. John then asked his people for money, and said he would never rest until he had won back his lost property. All he did, however, was to land at Rochelles, in France, and to burn one town. Then, hearing that Philip was after him, he ran away as hard as he could.

Next he quarrelled with the Pope, about who had the right to choose the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Pope selected a very learned man, named Stephen Langton, for the vacant post. John declared that he should never set foot in England. And then ensued a violent quarrel. The Pope in those days was very powerful. It was considered that all Christian kings were bound to obey him. So the Pope excommunicated John, and laid the kingdom under an interdict. Two hard words which must be explained. Being excommunicated meant that no Christian was allowed to speak to John or to do anything for him. And the kingdom being laid under an interdict meant that Church services were stopped.

However, no clergyman in England was bold enough