named Joan of Arc. Perhaps the travellers stopping at the inn told her what a shame it was that English people should hector over the French, for although Charles the Victorious had been chosen king, most of the land was in the power of the English; and it was the English infant and not the French youth who had been crowned. Perhaps Joan had a strong love for her country, and hated the English. However this may have been, one thing is certain. Her head was full of one idea, and that idea was a hope and determination that the English should be turned out of France. If people think of a thing much, they are very likely to dream of it; and so Joan thought of driving out the English by day, and dreamed of it by night.

At last, she declared that she felt sure that God sent her these dreams to show that He had chosen her to set her country free, and to see that the French king was crowned, as kings before him had always been, at a town called Rheims. So this poor peasant girl went to see the king, and entreated him to let her command his army. And she got her way. The soldiers fought so bravely under her that the English lost one town after another, until they were glad to make peace. Poor brave Joan came to an unhappy end, for falling into the hands of some English soldiers, they called her a witch, and burned her alive, one of the common and cruel punishments of those days.

Henry VI., when he grew up, was another instance of a weak-minded king. His wife was more of a man than he was, for she was brave, and loved fighting as much as any of our most fighting kings. But in Henry's reign there

was that terrible plague to any country, a civil war; that is, a war between two parties in the same country. So that sometimes even brothers fight against each other, and fathers against sons. But how did this civil war come about? You remember, or you ought to if you do not, that Henry IV., Henry VI.'s grandfather, had no right to the crown, but had snatched it away from Richard II.; and now a man, who was descended from the second son of Edward III., wished to take it away from Henry VI. This man's name was Richard of York, and undoubtedly he had a better right to the throne than Henry VI. had. But Henry did not want to give up his crown, and would not, without a struggle; which struggle lasted forty years.

You can hardly understand the misery of forty years' fighting. These wars were called the Wars of the Roses, because the Yorkists wore white, and the Lancastrians red roses in their hats. King Henry was taken prisoner; but then his wife went on fighting battle after battle, until in one Richard of York was killed.

Unluckily for the peace of England he left a son, who was just as anxious to reign as his father had been. At a great battle, called the Battle of Hexham, Margaret got the worst of it, and ran off, with her son, intending to go to France. But she lost herself in a forest, and there met a robber, who was going to steal her clothes. But the poor queen told him who she was, and instead of ill-using her, he helped her and the young prince to escape to France, where they stayed for nine years.

During this time Edward of York reigned under the name of Edward IV. But he grew unpopular, because

he favoured his wife's relations, and Margaret was told by a very powerful Englishman (the Earl of Warwick), who has been sometimes called "the king-maker," that there was a good chance for her. So poor Henry VI., who had never been very wise, and was now half silly, was

dragged out of prison and again called king. Margaret and her son came over from France with a large army, and another great fight took place. Her army was cut to pieces, and she and her son were taken prisoners. The lad was brought before Edward, who said to him, “ What brought you to England?" The prince answered, "To get back my crown and my father's." Whereupon Edward, being in a passion, struck him, and the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester killed the poor lad with their swords. Poor King Henry died, or was murdered, in 1471, and then Edward IV. reigned, without any one to dispute his right.

CHAPTER XVII.

HOUSE OF YORK.

EDWARD IV., 1461-1483.

Married Elizabeth Woodville.

Children:-Edward; Richard, Duke of York; and five daughters, of whom the eldest, Elizabeth, married the Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry the Seventh.

Principal Event :-Printing introduced into England.

THERE is very little to be said in favour of Edward IV. The last chapter will have shown you that he was a cruel prince, and he did not improve when he became king. In fact, there was not much to choose between him and

his two brothers, both of whom were very bad men. In 1478 one of them (the Duke of Clarence) spoke saucily of the king, and Edward, who had never liked him, had him put to death.

There is a story that the duke was allowed to choose his own death, and that being fond of Malmsey wine, he asked to be drowned in a butt of it; but this seems hardly likely to be a true tale.

Edward seemed unable to forgive any one who had sided with poor foolish Henry VI., and tried to kill all the Lancastrian party. He succeeded in catching a great many of them, and then gave himself up to every kind of self-indulgence. He pretended to wish to make war with France; but it ended in his becoming like a saucy beggar, and asking for money to keep away, which the French king, from time to time, gave him. Next Edward set his heart upon a marriage between his eldest daughter and the eldest son of the King of France. But this marriage never came off, and it is said that the disappointment caused Edward's death, which took place in the year 1483.

In this reign printing was first introduced into England. Of course until this time there were very few books, for it took a long, long, time to write books by hand. Most books were copied by the monks or clergymen, and were written on parchment.

CHAPTER XVIII.

EDWARD V., 1483.

AND now comes the shortest reign in our history ;-the story of an uncrowned king. Little Edward V. might have had a long and happy reign, for the people were ready enough to make him their king. You remember, though, that Edward IV.'s two brothers were as wicked as himself. The Duke of Clarence, as you know, had been put to death; but Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was still alive, and he did not intend to let his little nephew be king. But he had not the courage to try to seize the throne by force. Oh, no! Richard, like most cruel people, was cowardly.

When Edward V., on the death of his father, came to the throne, he was staying with his mother's brother, Lord Rivers, at Ludlow. Now Richard's first scheme was to meet the lad, who was on his way from his uncle's to be crowned in London. The young king had not many people with him, and so Richard easily overpowered them. Lord Rivers and three other gentlemen were sent to Pontefract, and there imprisoned, and all the rest of the king's followers were dismissed, and told they should be put to death if they ever came near the court. Poor little Edward was dreadfully frightened; but his uncle assured him that all he had done was from the best motives. But the poor queen, Edward's mother, who had always distrusted the Duke of Gloucester, was terrified when she heard what had happened,