by showing them his child, a baby, who of course could not speak a word of any language. Since that time the eldest son of the King of England has always been called Prince of Wales.

Edward next set his heart upon Scotland, and thought it a fine thing when the Scotch took to quarrelling about who should be their king, and kindly asked him to settle which of three claimants had the best right to the throne. Edward selected one whose name was John Balliol, who consequently was crowned. However, not long afterwards, Edward said that John must do homage—that is, say publicly that Edward was his master, and that Scotland was inferior to England. Balliol said that he should not do anything of the kind; whereupon Edward, nothing loath, marched off to Scotland, fought a battle, took Balliol prisoner, and brought him and the stone on which he had been crowned to London. It was a great trial to the Scotch to lose this stone, on which their kings had been crowned from very early times.

Edward next went to war with the French. Now, as you know, while the cat is away the mice will play; and no sooner was the cat Edward safe on the Continent than the Scotch mice, headed by William Wallace, began to try to regain their liberty. Wallace was a noble man, for he seems to have cared himself, and to have had no idea of ambition as far as his own good was concerned.

about his country and not

However, as soon as Edward heard of the Scotch rising, back he came, and defeated them in a great battle at Falkirk. After this he did not go near Scotland for many years. Wallace fell into his power, and was put

to death. The Scotch then chose a man named Robert Bruce as their king. Edward was then nearly seventy years old. Still the love of power was strong in him, and he set off once more to Scotland. However, he did

not live to get there, but died on the borders, leaving orders for his son to continue the war.

CHAPTER XI.

EDWARD II., 1307-1327.

Married Isabella of Hainault.

Children:-Edward, John, and two daughters, one of whom married the King of Scotland.

EDWARD II. did not care about war, having probably heard of little else all his life. So, when his father died, he contented himself with just marching into Scotland; but soon returned to England, and married the worst wife ever man had. Edward was a silly, weak creature, and, like his grandfather, too fond of favourites.

In the year 1314 he went to fight the Scotch, and was totally defeated at Bannockburn. The English numbered one hundred thousand, and the Scotch were only thirty thousand. I suppose the Scotch cared to fight for their liberty and country, and the English probably did not care whether they were successful or not. Edward returned to England, and quarrelled with his barons and his wife. She went to France, and it is a pity she did not stay there; for, returning to England, she contrived to have her husband taken prisoner and carried to Berkeley Castle, where he was most barbarously murdered in the year 1327.

CHAPTER XII.

EDWARD III., 1327-1377.

Married Philippa of Hainault.

Children:-Edward (the "Black Prince"); Lionel, Duke of Clarence; John of Gaunt; Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester; three other sons who died young, and four daughters.

EDWARD III. was only fifteen years old when his father was murdered. He was not allowed to govern for three or four years, during which time his mother and a very wicked man named Mortimer mismanaged the kingdom as they liked. Amongst other pieces of wickedness they killed Edward's uncle, the late king's brother. When Edward was eighteen he began to rule in earnest, and his first business was to have Mortimer put to death. Queen Isabella was allowed to live, but was put into prison, to prevent her doing further harm. When the king was about twenty-eight years old he made war with France, saying that he had the best right to rule over that country.*

This was not true; but he went into France with a large army. A terrible battle was fought at a place called Cressy, where the French were entirely defeated. Edward's eldest son, who was called the "Black Prince," because he wore black armour, fought most bravely. At one time it was thought that the part of the

army

in

* Edward's mother was the daughter of a French king. Through her he claimed the throne. But it was an unjust claim; for, as the law of France forbids a woman to reign, it was impossible for Queen Isabella to transmit to her son a right which she had never had.

which he was would be conquered, and some of his friends went to the king and asked for more assistance. But he refused to send any, saying that he wished his son to have the pleasure and honour of the victory. In the battle of Cressy the English only lost three knights, one squire, and a few hundred privates. The French lost thirty-six thousand men, amongst whom were twelve knights, many nobles, and two kings. One (the King of Bohemia) was quite blind, but had insisted upon being led into the battle. His crest was three ostrich feathers, with the motto "Ich dien" (I serve). In memory of the conquest the Black Prince took this crest as his own, and ever since that time the crest of the Prince of Wales has been three ostrich feathers, and the motto "Ich dien."

Edward next besieged the town of Calais. The people of the city contrived to keep the English out; but at the end of eleven months all the food was gone, and no more could be brought into the town, on account of the army outside. Still the brave inhabitants would not give in, although their only food was the flesh of horses and dogs.

At last Edward sent word that if they would yield he would spare every one in the town, excepting six of the principal gentlemen, who must be given up to him. This was a terrible message; but six men were found noble enough to say that they would give up their own lives to save those of their neighbours and friends. The first who offered himself was a man named St. Pierre. There have been some verses written about him and his fellow-citizens, one of which is—

"The name of this true hero

We will keep with reverent care;
Let it never be forgotten,

It was Eustace de St. Pierre."

The six burghers, as they were called, came up to Edward with ropes round their necks, and the keys of the city in their hands. They would have been hung, had not good Queen Philippa thrown herself down on her knees before her husband, and begged for their lives, as if she had been begging for her own. And so the burghers were allowed to go back to their wives and children. Moreover, Queen Philippa gave them many beautiful presents.

The next war was with Scotland; for the King of France, in revenge for Edward's behaviour to him, put the Scotch king up to quarrelling with the English. The English got the best of it though, and the Scotch king was brought a prisoner to London. Then more fighting went on in France, where the Black Prince again won great credit. At a battle called the battle of Poitiers the King of France was taken prisoner and brought to England. He was treated very well, and after a time a treaty or agreement was made, which allowed him to return to France, on condition that a certain sum of money was paid to the English within a given time. But the poor French king could not contrive to raise it, and, as he was very honourable, he came back to England, and stayed there till his death.

Edward, in the year 1376, had a great sorrow-the death of his brave son, the Black Prince, who died after a long and painful illness, leaving a child, who afterwards