VIGNETTES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY. keep him in all places whither he should go. In this hour of his peril he knew that the Lord was nigh to him, and he acted as became a man who had at last learned, though by a painful and dearly-bought experience, to trust in God. He seeks the help and protection of Heaven by prayer, and his prayer is in harmony with his character and his relation to God. (Gen. xxxii. 9, etc.) It is one of the first recorded personal prayers, and possesses on every account great interest. It is addressed to the God of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and recognizes the Divine call which he had received to return to his country and kindred. It is touchingly penitent and humble. Son of Abraham and Isaac as he is, and also heir of the promises, yet he confesses himself unworthy of "the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth," which the But as the Lord had Lord had showed him. prayer in the promised to do him good and bless him with THE Vignettes from English History. No. XII.--EDWARD III., OF WINDSOR. [1327-1377.] THE heir to the throne was but a lad of He fifteen years when his father died. was born at Windsor Castle, November 13th, 1312; was proclaimed King on the deposition of his father, and crowned within a week after, on the 29th of January, 1327. A Regency was appointed, but the Queenmother, Isabella, really swayed the sceptre. An annual allowance of twenty thousand pounds was allowed to her by Parliament, and her wicked paramour, Mortimer, was created Earl of March. The following year the young King was married to Phillipa, second daughter of the Count of Hainault. On the 15th of June, 1330, the youthful monarch rejoiced at the birth of a son, who afterwards became known as the famous Edward, the Black Prince. The King thought that the time had now come for him to take the reins of government into his own hands. The nation had become very dissatisfied with the rule of his mother, and were indignant and disgusted at the unconcealed intimacy between her and Mortimer. The Earl had brought public dislike upon himself too by the part he had taken in drawing the King's uncle, the Earl of Kent, into a treasonable conspiracy, which issued in that unfortunate nobleman's execution. While the Parliament was sitting at Nottingham, Mortimer was secured in his lodging at the castle. He was immediately convicted of having instigated the murder of King Edward II., and was afterwards executed at Tyburn. The Queen was deprived of her handsome annuity, and retired to the seclusion of her own estate at Castle Rising, in Norfolk. The period of this lengthened reign is marked by the warlike spirit which possessed both the King and the people. At first the military schemes of Edward were brilliantly successful, but in the main the popular rage for foreign warfare was disastrous. National advancement was retarded, trade and industry crippled, thousands of lives destroyed, and an enormous expenditure incurred. At the end of the reign, the small seaport of Calais was all that remained as the prize won by a lavish expenditure of blood and treasure. The The King's first enterprize was in support of Edward Baliol, who was contesting the succession to the throne of Scotland with David II., the son of Bruce. A battle was fought at Halidon-hill, near Berwick. Scotch were routed, Berwick was captured, the cause of the usurper secured a temporary triumph, and the young King David retired to the continent. When, however, Edward's ambition led him into a war with France, and his support was withdrawn from Baliol, Scotland recovered its independence, and the heir of the great Bruce was restored to the throne. It was characteristic of the wars of this period that they were undertaken on the most 72 VIGNETTES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY: trivial and unjustifiable pretexts. Edward laid claim to the crown of France through his mother, who was daughter of Philip IV. Isabella's three brothers had severally succeeded their father, but all dying without male issue, upon the decease of the last brother, Charles IV., the crown passed to the nearest collateral male descendant, who was Philip of Valois, nephew of Philip IV. The Salic law excluded females from the succession to the throne of France; but Edward pleaded that it did not exclude their heirs, Edward assumed the style and title of King of France, and quartered the fleurs-de-lis with the lions of England. Immense preparations were made on both sides for the impending contest, each leader seeking to secure as many allies to his cause as possible. Warlike operations commenced in 1338 in Flanders, but Edward's expensive expedition thither was without much result. Next year he crossed the frontier of France, and laid waste the border-country. Edward's way into France was facilitated by EDWARD III., OF WINDSOR. cause would have been ruined but for the devotion and bravery of his wife, Jane of Flanders, who, presenting her infant son to the citizens of Rennes, claimed their support for the last male heir, and gained their allegiance to his cause. On one occasion she herself headed a force of three hundred men and went to the rescue. In June, 1340, a naval engagement took place between the French and English fleets near Sluys. The French fleet was nearly annihilated, thirty thousand Frenchmen being cut down or drowned, while the English lost but four thousand men. 73 of Paris. Philip pursued him, and at Crecy the two armies met in deadly conflict on the 26th of August, 1346. The French were terribly defeated, forty thousand being slain, among whom were the Duke of Lorraine, the Count d'Alençon, and the King of Bohemia. It was at this time that the Prince of Wales adopted the crest and motto of the Bohemian sovereign, and the feathers with Ich dien, which still adorn the armorial bearings of his successors. In less than a week after the battle of Crecy, Edward laid siege to Calais. The town held out for nearly twelve months, Edward next advanced into the French territory, but the campaign was a failure, as Philip continually declined battle. Edward's operations were greatly crippled by his financial embarrassments, until the clamours of his creditors and the failure of supplies drew him back to England. Every expedient was employed in order to raise money. Collecting a force of fifty thousand men from his own subjects, Edward, accompanied by his son, the Black Prince, embarked in the summer of 1346, and landed in Normandy. Marking his progress by a fiery and bloody track, Edward advanced almost to the walls during which the inhabitants endured terrible hardship, and were reduced to the greatest straits. The governor then proposed capitulation, on condition that the lives and liberties of the besieged should be preserved. Edward would listen to no conditions until six burgesses, bare-headed, and bare-footed, with halters around their necks, came forth and delivered up the keys. It is said that on the intercession of Queen Phillipa their lives were spared; and Calais thus became a part of the English dominions, and so remained for more than two hundred years from that time. 74 TASKS NEEDING DAYLIGHT. Weary of war, Edward and Philip concluded an armistice, and agreed to a suspension of strife for six years. In 1348 torrents of rain deluged England, and completely ruined the harvest. Famine was attended and followed by a mysterious plague, called the Black Death, by which, it is said, twenty-five millions of the people of Europe perished. In London alone, 100,000 were swept away. Burying-grounds were filled; and in London alone thirteen acres of land, the site of the old CharterHouse, were appropriated for burials, and two hundred corpses were deposited therein daily. A general panic took possession of the population; the rich secluded themselves in their mansions and castles, and even the courts of justice were closed. So great was the mortality, that men were with difficulty found to work at handicrafts or agriculture. At the end of the six years' truce with France, both monarchs were willing to conclude a perpetual peace. But Edward desired to retain sovereign possession of the southern provinces, and, this being objected to by the French, war was renewed. This continental war was chiefly conducted by the Black Prince, the King being engaged in a raid on the south of Scotland. During the Scottish campaign the King's forces laid siege to Dunbar Castle, which was bravely and successfully defended, in the absence of her husband, by Agnes, the heroic Countess of Dunbar, for six weeks. The progress of the Prince in France was marked by carnage and devastation. In seven weeks five hundred villages, towns, and cities were consumed with fire, their inhabitants being put to the sword. On Monday, the 19th of September, 1356, the two armies met at Poitiers, where, notwithstanding the excess of numbers on the side of the French, the Black Prince gained a signal victory. King John, with his son Philip MUCH and many nobles of France, were taken prisoners. A truce of two years was at length concluded, and the victorious Prince returned to London, where he was met with enthusiastic demonstrations of welcome and rejoicing. The French King remained a prisoner till the year 1360, David of Scotland being also the captive of England from 1346 till 1357. The Black Prince and his wife, daughter of the Earl of Kent, kept court at Bordeaux with much magnificence, and it was here that the Prince, afterwards Richard II., was born. Prince Edward engaged in war on behalf of Don Pedro, who was contending for the crown of Castile, but though he enabled the tyrant to regain his throne, the end of the campaign found him bankrupt in purse and broken in health. The splendid successes at the beginning of the reign were followed by defeat, disgrace, and trouble towards its close. Nothing remained of all the continental conquests but Calais, and the King's ancestral possessions had been diminished to a few towns. In 1376, Edward the Black Prince died, and was buried in Canterbury Cathedral. His father died June 21st in the following year, at Richmond. Brave, accomplished, and popular; a patron of architecture and literature, and an encourager of scientific inquiry, there was much to distinguish Edward III. above his contemporaries, and to place his name high in the roll of powerful and illustrious sovereigns. Ambition led him into cruel and costly wars; and it is difficult to estimate how much the nation might have saved and gained if, during his long reign, the talents and energies which ofttimes made Edward successful in the field had been devoted to promoting the interests of his country and his people. Tasks needing Daylight. work, in our times, is done by artificial light. Some of this, doubtless, had better be done by daylight. Can it be wise during some months of the year to spend two or three hours after sunrise each morning in bed, and work two or three hours each evening by candlelight or gaslight? Those who consume candles or gas are required to pay for them; but those who take advantage of the rosy light of morn never receive any invoice thereof. Eyes need not JAMES YEAMES. be strained so much when we use the natural light of day, as when we employ any light of human manufacture. As a rule, the task which is performed while the sun is shining is likely to be better done than that which is accomplished by the aid of artificial light. But, certainly, much work is done after sunset, and some of it must be accomplished then if at all. So we have reason to be thankful for artificial light of all sorts. Some tasks, however, really need daylight. TASKS NEEDING DAYLIGHT. It is not a question of expense, or strained eyes, but of success in our efforts. What artist would mix his colours or proceed with any important part of his painting by candlelight? What can a photographer do after sunset? Even the sempstress reserves portions of her work for daylight. In general, when our performances will be critically examined by daylight, we had better attend to them while the sun is above the horizon. 66 such lantern as they find indispensable from The most important task in which we are ever engaged is that of securing a religion which will be approved amid the clear light of eternity, when inspected by God, infinite in knowledge and purity. We need to be made righteous by the pardoning and sanctiEarnestly implore the shining of God's Spirit. They which are written fying grace of God. -Without the aid of the Holy Ghost we shall in the Lamb's book of life," and they only, will be most assuredly fail to comprehend even the admitted to the holy city. Hence weare Divinely plain teachings of Sacred Scripture. To the taught that the city hath gates, "And there intellect these may appear clear, but the shall in no wise enter into it anything that heart will remain dark, and the soul enslaved. defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abominaWe shall therefore fail to secure that Divine "Blessed are they tion, or maketh a lie." approval which will speedily be all that rethat do His commandments, that they may We are spiritually mains important to us. have right to the tree of life, and may enter There blind. We need that the hand of the Great in through the gates into the city." "The glory of Healer should be laid on our eyes that we shall be no night there." may see. The Holy Spirit will thus bless Let us ask for God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the us, if we implore His aid. No darkness is there which light thereof." No dim- such help and sanctifying energy as those Our work is might prevent impurity being seen. who know its priceless worth. ness which might render a slight stain imWe cherish to be eventually inspected by God amid the All is radiant. perceptible. clear light of eternity. We are now engaged the hope of walking there with the ransomed in that work. of the Lord. In such case our character, formed on earth, must bear that all-searching scrutiny. Ought we not to avail ourselves of the clearest light provided for us on earth? We would work out our salvation in sunWe ask for daylight, shine, not in shade. not gloom. So shall our work abide. Thankfully receive the light furnished in God's Word. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." "Through Thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." The reason why many worldlyminded and sinful people dislike their Bibles is, that the Word of God sheds a clearer light "This is the condemnathan they desire. tion, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Men of honest purpose prefer the lamp which gives the best light. But some do not wish for a clear light. Dealers in spurious merchandise would be satisfied with rushlights when they were selling. Burglars strive to prevent Employ the brightest hours of life's day.— The painter who idles away the period of sunlight, and only approaches his canvas when the evening twilight has become dim, is not likely to excel. He may succeed in accomplishing that which would escape scorn or censure in similar light; but who will be likely to admire his work? In candlelight he may so blunder as to make the sky green and the grass blue, and his error shall, in that light, be undetected. But all will be disclosed when the sun rises. Unhappy the man who neglects life's great task until the twilight at the close of life's day. At best a painful uncertainty rests on his doings. We judge not, but solemnly wait the dawn of eternity. Work in clear daylight. Avail yourselves of the brightest hours of life's day, of the light provided in God's Word, of the shining of the Holy Spirit. Thus work out your salvation. So shall your work be approved, and you shall be permitted to walk among the ransomed of the Lord in the Heavenly Jerusalem. B. S. |