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RODKRTSOX, li. \., i.i^b.^ AM) PUBLIC SCHOOL HISTORY OF CANADA l!V G. U. HAY, I'h.R, n.Sc. ^ixihor, ^b for «5r ." the .^dioolo of JUnu .^cotia A. ."v W. Mm KIM.AV, i< UJKAX, N.S. TFIE or "Iari; cirnvwy, 'OlMNIO. i.nrrTKi*. Enl.«.l «„„l|„, u, Act o: tn. n,r,l.m™t n C.n.a.. 1„ -.h. ,.„ „„, ita,,^,^ r.r err' "■■ <^"'- "-" ""-"• '•■-"»••'■■ "■• — -r % I EXPLANATORY. Th.,s httle book is intended to lead „p to the High School IIi«. tory jus^ as the High School History le.uLs up to Green's Short History of the Engl.sh People. The language has been made as simple as possible, especially in the earlier portion of the „...rk s. thnr no needless obstacle .ray be placed in the path of the young ctuld s progress. * ^ The author is largely indebted to Miss Buckley, an.l (Jardiner - (.reen, Fr.en.an, and Justin McCarthy, for facts and suggestions' Nevertheless, he has very freely departed from any or all of these , Hutho,-s, where, in his opinion, circumstances demanded a difierent line of treatment. I I PUBLIC SCHOOL. HISTORY OF ENGLAN^D. CHAPTP]R I. BRITAIN BEFORE ENGLAND. T }' ^^}l ^"*ai»--Th« land we call England is that part of t:,e Island of Great Britain south of the River Tweed, witii the excep- tion of a small area ou the western side, known as Wales. En.-land covers about 50,000 square miles, and Wales a little over 7 000 Yet a great many people live in tliis little space, and a great many more have left its shores and settled all over the globe The in- habitants are called English : but this was not always the case for long before there were any English in England, tlie land was mhabited by at least three different races of men. A great many years ago, when the surface of the country was very different from what it is now, and lions, tigers, elephants, and elks roamed over its plains and through its forests, a rude people, with little knowledije of tools and weapons, occupied the country Then came another race with better weapons and some know- edge of cooking, and the care of domestic animals. Both races however, made their weapons of stone, and for this reason are called the men of the "Old and New Stone Age." These tliin-^s we know by the remains found in mounds or barrows of earth and m caves and river-beds. Then came another race, evidently from the East, near Persia, that had some skill in working metals, such as bronze and iron. These people we call -Celts," and they were the inhabitants found in Britain when written history first teUs anything about the island. About 600 B.C. the Phoenicians, a trading people from the Mediterranean Sea, visited the country in quest of tin; then, a 2 HISTORY OP ENGLAND. hundred yeaij later, came the Greeks from Massilia or Marseillea m France It was about this time that the name "Britann^l' was given to the island of Great Britain. •'^ncanma 2. Roman Conquest.-At last, in the year 55 B.C., a great aZ'TTc 'T^'^'^r''^ -™« — the Channel from F^^e (then called Gaul) w,th an army, and defeated the Britons who had gathered on the coast to keep him from landing. He soon \TTL^ ?"'' ''"' ''""' '^"'^ '""^ "-' y«-' -d once more defeated the Bntons. Again he left the island-this time to retur^ ocI!'T-?"'"""r"''f ^"*"''^ ^' ^"""^ *^« P«°P'« "" the southern coast fairly c.vihzed. They had wur-cliariots, and fought with tolt . "" r' '" "''""*'' ""*^ ^""^''^ °f ^'«th such as wer; worn by the people on the opposite coast of Gaul. In fact, these nethbl r *'",«""f-" --* J^ept "P a trade with their neighbors, the Guuls who were at this time much more civilized than the people of Britain living inland. The latter were a very tTirth tI^' P^'^P^^'^.-^-o^ - wretched huts, or in caves i^ the earth T) ey dressed m skins of beasts, their food bein-^ milk and meat, and further north, roots, leaves, and nuts. The^no e savage wore no clothing but stained their bodies and limbs aome- m r Zv '"'''Jr^'J!'' ^ the North American Indians do. Their religion was Drmd..sm, and the oak was their sacred tree under which they worshipped and offered up sacrifices. Thes^ ..cnfices were o te.i human beings, who were burnt in large cages of w cker work at the command of the Druids, or priests, who iLi great influence over the people and made their laws. Tlie Romans, who were to play an important part in the history o Bntani, came from Italy and had for their chief city, Rome They were a very stern and hard people, and at the tin e when Caesar visited Britain, had conquered nearly all the known world rbe'^tjm ' '"^ '"'''' '^' P^°P'« ''''y ■^"b'i"^^ to After Caesar left Britain, the Romans made no further efforts to conquer it unti 43, A.D., when their Emperor Claudius cime with an army, and after much fighting took possession of the south o the «laad. The British chief. Camctacus, fought bravely agains ». BRITAIN BEFORE ENGLAND 3 Kome. Then Boadicea, queen of one of the tribes, strove tu free the country rora the invaders ; but she. after winning a great ntVlI was a so defeated by the Roman generals, and, it^sC kmti herself to escape ill-treatment at their hands. Thus nlfv all 13ntam from the southen» coast to the Firths of Clyd a"d F^h Ww '. ?^ ^"*^°' ^"""^ * ^^^^ people, and as the RolnTr^f -^*h f-e««» and bogs, it was difficult for the Roman soldiers to pursue and attack the natives. The Romans did not ill-treat the Britons, but they did not allow ^ to carry weapons or to fight in their own defence They bmlt good, straight, solid roads for their soldiers to pi frZ Tto b'^ f'"".'' •'"' ''' ""^°« °^ *^«- --J« -d IZpsZ 00 w r-u '" r"^ ^^ °^ ^"='^"rl, a man of higher birth and greate; wealth than the rest. TJien came the CearL churl, a freem^^J lower birth, who nevertheless had his own house and tyrh's^wn piece of land Last of all we have the daves, either Britons olZl who had sold or lost their freedom, and who might be sdd ouT of the country by their masters. Only freemen were allowed to take TerlTettd /' "1 ^' TI"^' "'^^« *" ^^^^''^^ - ^^^ 21 u ^°""^ ^"^^'^ ^y ^'« ^^"«^» °f ^ «rime usually getting his neighbours to swear he was an honest man. ThU wi called '^cornp^^jatiou. " Otherwise he had to undergo the ««ordea^^ which consisted in walking blindfold with bare feet over hot i^o^gh- after this 'ordeal he was declared innocent. The villages were some distance from each other; but when any important matter of peace or war had to be cons dered men from several villages met in what was called the "Folkmoo; "or EoTf f *A\*'''" '''^"^ *'^^ '''^^^ *heir aldermenW the Boris, to lead them to battle, or to speak and act for them^ th! great meetmg of the wise men of the tribes known as the " Wil^e mot. Af er a time the Witangemot began to choose one man from the alder.nen to lead-and he was the «kin^ " H« T always elected, and could not appoint his succelr ; but the cLtom ^s to choose the king from the same family on ac<;>unt of ir.uT posed descent from Woden, their god of war. ^ a The English become Christians.-When the Angles Saxons and Jutes came to England they were heathens, and Sie^^ i^' 8 HISTORf OF ENGLAND. gods, water-Bpirits, and wood- demons. Their chief god wa.s Woden who rewarded them after deata for their l.iavery and for the number of their enenues they killed. Heaven was to them a place wliere they could fight and carouse, for these German tribes w^re very f.md of eating and drinking. From the names of thoir gods we get our names for the days of the week, such as Wednesday or \V odensday, froiu the god Woden. It took some time to get the English to acc-^pt Christianity, for being a steadfast race they clung to their own customs and religion At last, as the story goes, some Englisli slaves w(3re taken to Rome to be sold, and Bishop Gregory the Gre;it, Bishop of Kome, when a young man, seeing how fair and beautiful they were, asked whence they came, and was told they were Angles. ' ' Not A i.-les " said he, "but Angels," and when he became bishop he sen^t, in 596, a misr-onary named Au-ustine, with forty monks to conve . the English. Augustine landed in Kent, and his first convert was Mhelbert, King of Kent, whose wife was a Cliristian from France Afterwards, many of Etlielberfs people wore baptized as Christ- ens, and Augustine became the first Archbishop cf Canterbury From Kent the Roman missionaries carried the new reli<'ioa to Northumbria, where King Edwin ruled. Edwin called lus°Witan together and, after listening to the missionaries, they also accepted Chnstianity. '■ But other Christian missionaries had been busy in the north of Engla d before Augustine came to the country. These came from the small rocky island of loiia, on the west coiist of Scotland, where a mission station had been planted by Columba, an Irish monk. For the Irish had become Christians under the teaching of St Patrick more than a hundred years before, and Irish missionaries made their way to the north and m-'ddle of England and did much to introduce Christianity among the fierce and heathen English. After a time, in GW, tue Irish missionaries and tliose from Rome having disputed about .ome trifling matters relating to church services, the King of Northumbria decided in favour of the latter, and the work went on under bishops in sympathy with the Roman usages. The effect of their teach- ing wa^ soon seen, for the rude and restlcs En^dish settled down to steady work, began to learn trades, and to build up amail towns around the monasteries which now 'sprang up in STRUGOLE BETWEEN ENGLISH AND DANES. f Ae land The Engli.1, also lost much of their fierceness and love 4. Supremacy of Wessex. For a long time after the English camo they re.aa.no.' divided under their several kings. u7o north there was a i„.verful kingdom called Northumbria, in h! mland another calkd Mercia, while in the south and wesr wlfi^ ^.other called Wessex. Indeed at one tin.e there were seven o these httle kingdoms, known as the "Heptarchy- but theL boundanes were con tinu.ally changing through the «;rs waged W ^T . ?; ^'?"- ^^''^'^ °"« ^"^» ^^'^•"^ stronger thin thi o hers he held a kmd of supremacy over them, and was known wall' » thf Tf K ""'/^^ *'^ ^^"^ ^' Northun.hria was «'Brr wahla, then the King of Mercia, and finally in 827, Egbert, King to tlu3 Firth of Fortlu He was also king of all the English south P f TuT:-' ^" '^''^ ^*^^' * ^'"g ^^ "ot called King of ^«^K but King of the ^«,^.-.;.. So, for over 200 yea« t£kWs of Wessex held the chief power over the English people ^^^^ CHAPTER m. STEUGGIE BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND THE DANES. 1 The comi^ of the Danes.-But peace did not come to the Eiigli^h when Egbert became king, for new enemies Tppe^red These «rere theDanes, a people of the same blood as the i^ul' but L,, ,„ Denmark and Norway. They were call d North! men or Non^emen, and unlike the English, had remained heathens They were as fi.rce and warlike as the English ha^ W 1'";; Chnstiamty changed their habits and soTtened their InnlT They came .n great numbers in their boats, and landin on th^ iZb^ .""''"'' '^^"^"^'' ^^^^^"^' -^ Fx^nce, pltder^ He inhabitants, canning off prisoners, and burning tleLmes of ih! defenceless people. They specially delighted i/robbing^d bu!" mg monasteries, partly because they were the homes ofVpr'ests 10 BI8T0BT OF UTOLAITD. «tSL^"" «"'^*'"' *"^ P*^^^ ^^"^ °«»«h wealth vnv, great part of England was subdued by the Danes. Northumbna tu^ed their arm. against Wessex. Here four grandsons of Egbert ZT "? *"«*'«'»''^»^ *"^ "trove to keep back the Danes. The kst of these kings was Alfred, who began to reign in 87i. He t^ chosen king over his brother's son. who was a mere lad. be J e die English wanted a brave leader at fhis perilous time, and S had shown his courage in many a fierce fight with the invaders. All^^f ?'\^"**'~"^^'' '''"^ ^'^^^ b^^'^ «"<=h good rulen. ae Alfred, and few have Ud so many difficulties to overcome, ^e^ jjuit^ a httle lad at his mother's knee he was fond of reading and banung althougU books at that time wore veiy scarce^! wa^ aentto Rome when four years old, and there lean .d much whTc^ he^p^ hun gready afU. he became king. He was trebled ^ Lt had to do battle against the ravaging Dap... But he bore himself ^vely and manfully at all times, although for the fii.t sevenTel" of his reign he met with nothing but defeat in his stru^ •gainst the enemy In 878, so great was his distress, he had to fly in disguise to the marshes and woods of SomersetshiU Ther^ It 18 said whde hiding in a swineherd's hut, he allowed the good wife 8 cake8 to bum. so intent was he on thin^ :ng out a plan by means of which he could save his country. At last he gathered ^ scattered followers together in Athelney. an island in Sor^er^ Ta Ti^fr^l '^'"^ "^'^ ^^ *'^" ''"P« '^"d courage, attacked and defeated the Danish leader, Guthrum, at Edingt.n He hen made him sign a treaty, caUed the Treaty of Wedmore wherebv the Danes kept that part of England north of a line wT,ndon to Chester, while Alfred kept all south of that line. Brhis^tv ^ W" W ^°f?"-^-' ^t ^"gl-. a-d part olMei^irrnJ this landbecame known as the Danelagh. Many of the Danes became ^tians. and Alfred's supremacy over the Dane^h wL recognized. This treaty ga.e the ' ^ oeace for many y^ I^ 8TRUOOLE BETWEEN ESOLI H AWD DANES. 11 of his people, and to give Alfml now tried to improve the conditi tliein good laws. 3. Alfred's Oovernment.-AmonR oth^r good things that Alfred did ho collected the old laws of the Engl h and added ..ther.s from the Ten Commandments and the laws of M ses, and these ho put in force. He bu.lt monasteries and schools and sought to fill them with pupils under wise and learner' ttuchers. He translnte« «h>^h "»0tth6 nght of th»cl,rgy to marry, D„„„„„, ,h„ f„,^ ° ™m«ned *r«y, ret^j .„ c«,terbury. .„d a ,„ yearTtC h. wo„M „of :iLt^ ^c;TX2r rt" 't- I>enn,„l,.„d Norway .ere kept off bT, Lw Eftl^"' ' •'""' P-P.e wo„M help hta .gainT ho^e7 ;t^:«t 17 .*"' "'' revenge his sister, Swegen came over with a l ^^'"^ ^° s ^eTto^s '^ 'Tz^^r^^ died, and tl.e„ On„t becaJking ol,!!; ttooun^"""""' '■°""'"' English h.., and tried to «„pT ^t^,e■ • ",1''"T°'' '^ "^ between Bristol and Ireland Pn^iLk , A ' ' ""="' ">■> -d for eighteen y.a"^L t^ ?,::,' ^rn"''"' "'S^'"'"™- '»me to an end in 1031!. f*"™- "« reign Can. had married Emma o, Normandy, Ethelred'e widow, and I 1 14 BISTORT OF ENGLAND. by her had two sons, Harold and Harthacnut, who in turn soc- ceeded him. They were wild, vicious, and brutal young men. Fortunntely their reigns were soon over, Harthacnut, the last tc rule, dying in 1042. The English then sent over to France foi Edward, the son of Ethelred and Bnuna, and once more an English king ruled in England. CHAPTER IV. I THE NORMAN -- «-ter and during Edward's reign really did most of the ruling, fo; Edward spent his time in religious duties, and looking after the bmlding of a great abbey called Westminster, on thf banks of he flames. Shortly after Edward's reign began, Godwin and the king became unfriendly towards each other on account of he influence of Edward's Norman favourites in the land. I happened that a quarrel arose between the people of Dove; and some Normal^ in which several Normans were killed, and lTcau"e Godwin would not punish his own countrjonon without a fair tr"l Godwin and his sons had to leave England f,.r Flanders. While he was away the Normans did much as they pleased, and there was to return. The Normans saw that their influence was at an end and most of them went back to Normandy. Godwin now was th^ chief man ir England, and when he died a few years later his «on Harold succeeded to his power, and ruled well for Edward who cared little for aught save his religious duties. 3. Harold -Edward had no children, and the English people had begun to look to Harold as their future king. VVilliam^of Normandy expected to be made king, but Edward invited over from Hungary, Edward, the son of Edmund Ironsides, to succeed him. This man however, died, and left a young son, Edgar known af erwards as the Atheling. Harold and William iore now the nval claimants for the throne. A story is told that once Harold was shipwrecked on the coast of Normandy, and falling into \Vill.ams hands was forced to take a solemn oath that he would help Wilham to become king of England. To make the oath still mor. solemn, William, it is said, secretly placed sacred relics under I il 16 niSTORT OF ENGLAND. the altar. However, when Edward was dying in 1066, he named Harold to succeed him, and the Witan gladly chose him to be their king. 4. Norwegian Inyasion. — Harold was scarcely crowned before he had to do battle for his kingdom. Among his enemies was his own brother Tostig, who, having been exiled some time before, had gone to Norway. He now came back with the Norwegian King Hardrada, and sailing up the Humber landed with a large army in Yorkshire. Harold was watching the southern coast for the army of William of Normandy, who had gathered a large force of des- perate men from different parts ol Europe to invade and plunder England. William had sought and obtained the blessing of the Pope on his enterprise, because Harold had broken his solemn oath. As William did not immediately arrive, Harold marched to meet the Norwegian king. A great battle was fought at Stamford Bridge, in Yorkshire, in which Tostig and Hardrada were both killed, and the Norwegian army defeated. 5. Battle of Hastings.— Hardly, however, had Harold's army recovered from the effects of this battle when a messenger came to tell him that William had landed at Pevensey in Sussex. At once Harold hastened to meet this new invader, gathering, as he inarched, the men of the south to his side to defend the country He found the Normans encamped at Has* ii -s, and at once began preparations for battle. In this Harold was not wise, for his men were worn out and tired with travel, while the Normans were fresh and strong. Harold was advised to lay the country waste, and starve William out ; but this he would not do. On the 14th October, 1066, near a hill called Senlac, i^ little distance from Hastings, a famous battle began. It was to decide whether England was to be governed by the English or by the Normans. Both armies were brave and stubborn, but they fought very differently. The English fought, like their forefathers, on foot, closely ranked together, and defended by a breastwork of shields and palisades. Their weapons were javelins and two-handed axes. The Norman knights were used to fighting on horseback, man and horse being clad in mail. Besides, the Normans brought into battle archers whose arrows did deadly work. The English were posted on the face of the hill, and so long as they refused to stir the Normans could not break their ranks. n THB EAKLY NORMANS. •• ance of Harold's men that the Nn '^"'^^r'^ ^^'^^ ^^ the reaiat- cr, arose that ^y7^r^TJ:llT',^^r *"^^« "^^' ^^ a helmet to shov. his fXwe" ttath f '™ '"**^^^^ ^^ hi« his wamorspretend toZ:UdtelL7- W "'' '"'^ *'^" "^^'^-g an opening being made amllg^S^^^^^^^^^^^ '^^-' turned, rode in and cut tl,« Pv, r , '°"^" shields, the horsemen battle lasted for manv Ws f" ''^^ ^ ^'''''- Nevertheless, the gathered -nd thel^lTl^t trx'^^^^ °' ''"'^''^'^ '"- William ordered his archeS ^1 T ., '"^"^ ** *^^- '^^hen coming down they would sTritet^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^^-^ these arrows pieLd llto d s eye Sd he feU k'"'" "^"^ °^ stubbornly over his body, seekinfto r^^ .. • , ^'' "^'^ ^""^^^ cut down. At last Hardd ^f 1^^^^^^ ^"^"^' ""^'^ '^^y -- the battle was won by Willlm H./u v. .""""" '^"'S^*^' *"d mother by the victor to beared if r 1 ' ..!."" ^"" '-^ ^'« stones near the battlefield ^'^ '"^ '^"•^^^ * ^«*P «f CHAPTER V. THB BABIY NOEMANS. King .« Eng,.na rcLt^T'CS'.ttS ^ °"""°'' 18 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. the English, although in some instances he acted very sternly and tyrannically. But he would not allow any one else to oppress the people, and his strong hand kept his Norman followers under control. 2. Feudal System. — The men who helped William to gain the Battle of Hastings did so in the hope of gaining rich estates and fine homes in England. They fought for gain, and now that William had become king they looked to him to give them their reward. This William found he would have to do, as the English in the North and West were not fully conquered, and without the aid of his knights he could not keep his hold on the land. On the plea that all those who had fought under Harold were traitors, he took their lands and divided them among his Norman friends. Whenever a rising took place against his rule, he would crush it out with great cruelty, and then would keep the estates of the unfortunate rebels, or give them away to his friends. In this way most of the land of the English passed to the king and his greody followers. But William did not give these lands for nothing. He made each landowner take an oath that whenever called upon he would aid the king with men and money, and under no circum- stances would rebel against him. To prevent these Norman barons from becoming too powerful, he gave them their lands in different countic , so that they could not unite against him, or have too many followers in one place. These barons in turn gave out a portion of their estates to their followers, who also had to give aid to their " lord " when called upon. But William was afraid that his barons might get then men to fight against the king, as often happened in France and Germany, and so made each landowner take an oath to obey the king firat, under pain of forfeiting his estates. This was all very different from the English system, by which each freeman held his own land. Now all the land was held from the 1 ing, directly or indirectly, and the " vassal " had to kneel bareheaded before him and place his hands in the king's hands, and then swear to give faithful service. He then pot from e king his "fief" or " feudum," which was to belong to him d his heirs ,*nr ever. This mode of holding land is called the Feudal Systbui." It was slightly known in England before William became king, for the English kings had been wont to ^m THE EARLY NORMANS. 19 th~f to^'r'"'* *'' Normans.-It took William more than t ree years to become master of all England. Shortly after his h r^r. 'f t"*"" ^ ^«™-^y' -d while he was absen ole a f nst t"h "^ '"' '''^^'' ^''^^^ ^^ "'« ^cots and Danes rYor ?nVw-n"^Pr'°"- ^™^«-«re of Nonnans took plac^ at Yor. and WUham hastened to take a terrible revenue Ck was retaken from the English, and then WilUam, to put a baW between hI„^self and the Scots, laid desolate th; whole couZ between York and Durham. Everything was destroyed-Z ,7 villages, crops, and cattle-and the poor inhabitants were lefr ,' Se iTstTeiT" into Scotland. More than 100,000 " moee manyyi;:! " ' "^ ''' '"^' ^^"^'^ *° ^« ^^^^-ated for h„n^' ^^yP^^^n'^ ^ho now held out against William were a few hundred English outlaws under the leadership of MoTkere and wW .h ^ **^^^' ^^'^^^"^ ^«f"g« in the Isle of Ely Ir^l nfl: rofThiTlnV'T ^" r^^^--^<^ ^-P^-e AT rl f T ? , ^ ^*^ ^*""«"' but some of it was fertile tt "t^dir-^nd '"' ^" ;* "^" '"^^" ^-- William W.^ to ha.eii .^s Tut ::t' ™'?: n' '"""f '^ «^™« -- -^^--^ than a nmn. ^ ^' ^"^^^"^"^ "^ "^^^^ "'^^ ™<^r« valuable Another change of a different kind was the .urvevin. of all Fn.= >^ t bo;\:T;"^ rV^'' """ cultivated, 'and how ml ortst, bog, and fen. In this way William was able to tell what taxes each person should pay. All these facts were written in a 20 BI8T0UT OP ENGLAND. book caUed Domesday Book, because it was the book by which the Doom or final decision of the judges was given. It is from this book we get most of our knowledge of the condition of England at this time. It was prepared in 108G. 5. Chief Effects of the Norman Conquest.-Besides the New Forest and Domesday Book there were many other important results of bringing the Normans into England. William ruled with a strong hand, and by allowing complaints to be made before the Knig's Court he kept his barons from oppressing the English Sheriffs wore appointed to look after the royal revenue from the shires where the laws of tlie English were allowed. He kept the Church under control, but allowed the clergy to have their own courts. Strong castles were built all over the land to keep the English in check. One of these arose on the banks of the Thames and is called the Tower of London. But most important of all were the changes miule in the social habits and customs of the English. The Normans were a courtly, refined people, with a love of music, art, learning, and architecture, while the End order in the land brought in people from abr.jad. Amoug others were tlie Flemings, who introduced the art of weaving wool. 13. Henry and the Church.-Henry, like William Rufus, had a dispute with Ansi'lm, who had returned to England It was about the right of electing bishops. Rufus had kept the bishoprics vacant, and to prevent this Aliselni wanted to have the bishops elected by the clergy. Henry, on the other hand, wished Anselm to do "homage " for the land of his See, or Archbishopric and this Anselm at first refu.sed to do, as it seemed to give Henry to,, nmcli power -u spiritual matters. Finally the matter was settled by Henry a^. ing to the election of bishops by the clergy of the «itliedrals, and by the bishops doing homage to the king for their lands. 11 Death of Henry, 1135 A.D.-The last days of Henry were very sad. His oiJy son William was drowned while attempting to cross from Normandy to England. He then wished his daughter 24 HISTORY or BHOLAND. by . .„L„. t^; C; tl', 1 "t "'°°«'" ■" '""8 '"■«" Una w» <,„cel„r, H,"l T' 7 "''"'^""^ '"•■■■'• ""J 'be »<»k and good!^I„°I »^dl°M .t-'r "'" ^'^•1*™ »•» •hoi, „„„ lay. i S '.to Tme " E,;"f°'.*T """' '"™'-' king in Matilda', .b.e„ceB,rM!Hn ^"«'''"'' •"<• "«» '"""e' with the help of .ome ofthe Ur ' ' "'"' °' ^'=""'"<'' Matilda, dia«,„™g.d, left En^rdfotfw '"""'"• "" "* n.nfh ^zi,iTJ7tr^z:z '"■' r ^^« -"" - o. Stephen. The at„,gg,e bet^X n::^'S.';";r?:ftT barons to do much as thev liked Th^^ k u . *-^^"^fla 'eft the money, and ™ade war a^at^f ™e t^tk!:;^' ^'Sr":^ "'^ their caatle, and there they tortn^ht. J T^J-'""' ""'" where his money was tZJTa '°'^° ■""■ '^'^^ smoked them JhTnl ^Zj^teT "? ''^"'^ "'^ ■"" tbeir feet." o^eVo^ie 3^2^^^;:? b':::„':°^ °" *" Wp can.. " Men «id openly that Chriildtu ::^: ^^r THE CROWK, THE CHUBCH AND THE BARONS. 25 17. Death of Stephen, A.D. 1161-Afc la«t, after nineteen yean of Buffering, relief came. Stephen's son died, and Henry, Matildas son, landed with an army in England to fight his own battles. ITieoKiM, the Archbishop of Canterbury, now used his influence with Stephen to put an end to this wretched strife. Stephen saw that he must, sooner or later, yield, now that he had no son to succeed him, and agreed that Henry should have the tlirone after his death. N..t long after Stephen died, and Heniy became king peace was once more restored, and as we shall see, with peace and a strong ruler, the miseries of Stephen's reign came to an end. CHAPTER VI. THE CBOWN, THE CHURCH, AJJD THE BARONS. 1. Henry n.-Henry was only twenty-one years of age when he came to the throne ; but he was ab-eady a statesman and an able ruler. He was a stout, strong man, with red hair and grey . • • and was so restless and active that he could scarcely find time t^ eat his meals. He loved order and good government, although his temper which was fiery and passionate, sometimes made him cruel and unjust. He ruled over England, Normandy, and Maine, his grandfathers possessions; and, besides, had Anjou and Touraine from his father, Geofirey, Count of Anjou ; Brittany, through Con- stance, wife of his brother Geoffrey; and Poitou, Aquitaine, and Gascony by his wife Eleanor, a woman who had been divorc ' .m Loms ^^I King of France. Thus Henry rule' er more Frr .ch ^mtory than the king of France himself, toniy was t1 ^-st of the Plantagenets, a line of kings whose name arose from the fact that Geoffrey of Anjou, Henry's father, had worn a sprig of broom planta gemstaas his device during the crusades. Another name for the same Lne of kings i. .ne Angevin, because they had for tbeir family possession, Anjou. Jt ^r^' Reforms.-One of the first things Henrjr did was to make the barons pull down their castles, so that they could no longer use them as strongholds in which to carry their plunder and BnroBT or iiroijurD. tn CROWN, TBS cmmcH, and th^ barons. 27 torture tbeir victims. Hi- grandfather, Henry I., had made a begmmng m sending out judges on circuit, an.l Henrys U followed and extended h« plan. Judges now „,a,le thdr circits m..re regu- larly and it was arranged that in each shire there shoul.l he four kn.ghts. and m each nei^.hb<,urhood twelve men, who should phu^e be ore the judges all ca.ses of evil-doing, and should swear to the Thiswasthebegimungof the Grand Jury of to.«nd. than ho .u^poS tri^:Z^'t T"""^ '° ^"'°- king's son. Then Henrv .h^ '^ °* '""^ """ning tl.o knights, w'ho „,^ onwZ^li^uf^fV":'''''''"* """" ' " I^"" Franco, „hor« IW was e ° ™ ""* "" «™". '* Beoket in his .^Tzzz^^i::::' y--"- -•" "'"■^-" for what his foolish Da.^.mn 1, ^1, f-^" '""'^ '^'^ very sorry sent a messenger to S^^ ^t^^f'^''''^ ^"^ ^'""-'-^^^^ without his consent T .f i T^ ^ "'"'■^^'' ^^« connuitted agreatcrin.e::rsLt:te:n";lrf^f'^ 'T- ^'^' ''-^^'' a church, Henry did penanrat S S^ - be scourged on his bare back by the monk; ' "'"^ ^"^^" *« ^":^:'^:iJ:^^-^- r/^^ - ha. a„ was found in the scate of Sand This ,"f , ' "^' " ^''*^' «"« people of the same race as the ilnltd r /'I "'f''*^' ^^ troubled with attacks from the D^noJ I ^'^^^"""^ '"*•* ^"«" ing on the eastern coast^ Th Ir^^ll^^ "-"r ' *" «^* '^ '^'■ them out, although they fo,lht n ^TI','""^'^ "°*= ^^""^ d"^« wa:. had a bod Effect 1 "^'^^^^^^^^ f V'^"" '^^«« peace, the Irish chieftains fon!ht a ';t,"^ "'"^"^^^ ^' w fro^ai.,^. ^ -rtiX'-s^raLj^Zs!:: THE CROWN, THK CHURCH AND THE BARONa 29 ^..in.t„„.oe ,. „„„„..„: h::;:c,s;:::^ : z't Strongbow," to go and to t.ikc alonij with liim ■. «. li r No^an adventurers. Strongbow stolid D LrL:' and marryxng Derm..t's daughter, settled d„wn as his e r He conquered so much territory in Le„.ster that Henry tI.ou!h it wl to cross over and get hia. to acknowle» tt-K"- Ho took r 1 32 HISTORY OP ENGLAND, Pope s fee promumg to be his vassal a,.d pay him a sum of money early Hx token of his supre.nacy. By this act John put himself under he Popes protection and Philip had to withdraw. John now felt free to give full vent to all his wicked passions, a.d the barons .vere powerless to stop his outrages. Fortunately for them aJ f.T E„.i,„ J T,, t..„ ,^^ ,,^^ Archbishop, was a true patriot, and determ.ued to do all he could to free Ine people from John' oppressive rule. Tie nation now was becoming nore united; Lnghsh and J^orman met at the Universities as equals, and in many other ways the old distinctions between the two peoples were fachng away. It was well that thi, was so, for now all classes had to unite against a cruel and tyrannical king. of\\e^'^* ^^T^' ^■^- 1215-Langton now became the leader of the barons. He brought forth the charter containing the laws of Henry I and urged the barons to demand that John should agree to be bound by them. John delayed his consent, hoping to collect his foreign troops, and then crush his opponents. But th« barons were much in earnest, and hearing of John's treachery, took up arms, aiul forced John, who was quite .nprepared for - L, to s.gn the Great Charter, or " Magna Charta." This famou.. ciJter JJJis signed at Runnymede on the Thames, on the loth June, 1215 Most of IS provisions were old, and had been in other charters,' uch as that of Henry I. But the Great Charter is importan; because it was wrung from an unwilling king, and because it states very clearly and positively the rights of the people. It contains a groat many clauses, of which the principal are : first, that the king could levy no taxes without the consent of the bishops and the barons ; second, that no man could be imprisoned, dispossesses^ of his land or otherwise punished, without a fair trial by his peers or e.iua s^ Its two great principles are the right of the people to con- trol their own taxation, and the right to be free from the king's arbitrary arrest and punishment. It also maintained the freedom of the Enghsh Church, and the right of towns and cities to Z management of their own affairs. thfci^?*^ °^'^?^' I216.-The Barons were so anxious to have the Charter carried out, that they appointed twenty-five of their own number fc« watch the king, and if h. refused to do as he hi prom not mtend to keep his word, an.I putting off the barons with excuses ho manage, to get his paid troops together, and t.h.n beg.„ a ciS DE montfort's parlmment. 33 war. Tlie barons were not able to cope with him, and called in , Louis, Che son of the French king, to come to their aid with an army and t. be ti.e.r king. Louis landed witli a large force, and it looke.i as It i^ngland w.us «nce more to be ruled by French kin-^s Fortu- nately, John, sorely vo.ed at losing his baggage, jewels,''and crown whde crossn.g tlie Wash, took ill and died. His son, Henry, a lad lime years old, was chosen by the barons to succeed Ijini CHAPTER Vn. ^ i>E montfort's parliament. LHenry III.. A.D. I216.-Henry HI .s chosen king by a few of the barons, although only a child. o was, howevor no choice, except between lum and the French I nee Louis theii m England with an army. The barons preferred Henry, fearin<. that Lums would give their lands to his French followers- nd Louis, finding that the barons had deserted him, returned to France wita his army. As Henry was too yo-.ng to rule unaided, the governing power was given Into tlie hands of William Marshall Earl of Pembroke. The (Jreat Charter was again agreed to, but the clause providing for the peoples consent to their own taxation was left out. The Earl of Pembroke died In 1210, and then Peter des Roches Hubert (le Burgh, and Archbishop Langton governed for Henry In 1227 Henry began to govern for himself, although he k,.pt advisers, and this, some say, marks the beginning of tho English "Privy Council." " 2 State of the Country .-Wc must now see how the country and people had prospered since the Norman Conquest. In the time of W ilham I. and his son Rufus, the people suffered at the hands of their kings, through heavy and unjunt taxon. Matters were better in the reign of Henry L, altliough taxes were still very heavv, but better laws were put in force. Tiie reign of Stephen was fuU of mm.'dksMi- 34 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. mtseiy and wretchedness ; but it was followed by the wise and firm rnle of Henry II. Henry's sons. Richard and John, governed biully, and the people had to endure heavy taxation and civil war. Highwaymen, like Robin Hood and his companions, infested the woods and roads, robbing and sometimes murdering travellers. Wealthy men, especially abbotts and monks, were the chi-f victims, for Robm Hood often took money from the rich and gave it to the poor. IJ. thought the rich Normans and monks were oppressing the poor English, so he took this way to make things more equal. ° As a rule the harvests were good and food was plentiful. Even laborers had oaten and wheaten bread, barley beer, herrings, and clieese. The yeomanry wove their own clothing, and made their own tools in the winter months. They practised wrestling, archery and other manly ganies and sports, and for a more serious pastime attended their manor and other courts, where their local aflfairs were ..oked a ter. In the towns, trade increased, although the king too requent y levied heavy tolls. Fairs were held annually, and at these the people met, bargained, and indulged in games and sports, such as arcliery, whicli was encouraged by law. As the king took tolls on all goods sold.he was sometimes tempted, when in want of money, to call ^ Z'lT V""" "'•* "'""^ ''''^'^- ^f*^' Stephen Langton died m 228, the Pope filled English bishoprics and other good positions m the church with Italian priests. He also sent to England for money to carry on his wars in Italy and elsewhere. The Black Friars and White Friars, men who had made a vow to live a life of poverty, came to England, and went around barefooted and poorly cLvd, teaching the people. One of these Friars, Roger Bacon, was a great thinker and discoverer in science. 3. Simon de Montfort.-When Henry began to govern alone, it was soon seen how weak he was and how unfitted to rule. Like many other weak men, without intending it, he succeeded in doing a great deal of harm. He was much like Edward the Confessor, fond of architecture and church building, and easily ruled by favourites. Like Edward he brought into the country a host of foreigners who got from his hands the best gifts, lands, houses, othces, and English heiresses. First, he had a swarm of his mother s relations from Poitou: and thon, after his marriage wi,,h Eleanor of Provence, another swarm from his wife's native land I OE MONTFORT'S PARLIAMEaTT. 35 Ilenp was % ary extravagant, and to get money had to call together h.8 barons and bishops. These assembhes came to broiled Jurhaments, from the French Parhr, to speak. The demands for money camo so often, that the barons lost patience, especially Mon";rV ,M Tu^ '''^"* '"^ foreigners. At la«t, Simon de Montfort although the son of f,;reign parents and married to the kmg s sister, determined to check the evils of Henry's weak rule. De Montfort was a man of great ability and moral worth, and was known in his time as Sir Simon the Righteous. A good reason for action was given when it was found that Henry had foolishly S4uandered a lai-ge sum of money in a war in Sicily, for the sole benefit of the Pope. In 1258, Parliament was called at Oxford to raise money to pay the Pope, and the barons came to the meeting armed, and prepared to force the king to accept advisers w^ would reform the Government. By the "Provisions of Oxford " Henry had to accej^ a council to advise him ; to give back the castles taken from Englishmen ; and to hold tliree Parliaments a year^ The king s son, Edward, agreed to these " Provisions," and De Montfort was among tlie first to give up his castles. 1 De Montfort's ParUament.-But no real improvement was made in the g..vernment of the country. Some of the barons were satisfied to get back the castles, and to have the foreign favourites driven out of England, whilst others were jealous ofthe power and influence of Earl Simon. So in a little thile matters werno better than be ore the "Provisions" were passed, and Henry had recovered nearly all his lost authority. At last, civil war broke out, and Eari Simon supported by fifteen thousand Londoners, defeated thekmga the Battle of Lews, (A.D. 1264), and took him prisoner Shortly afterwards Pnnce Edward, who played a gallant p4 in the battle, surrendered himself to the Kirl. De Montfort now ruled for over a year, and in that year made » Z7SrTV :^"' ^"''' *'" "•"^' "° °°« ^^d been sum- moned by the king to grant money in parliament except the barons bishops, and grea landowners. The people of the towns Z cities, and the smaller landowners, were taxed without having any ^presentatives in parliament. In fact, all that parliaments wori caUed f or was to get grants of money from the people. Now how- «ver. Earl Simon called a parliament, and ^aoi^oSien, .^Z^i n '' 96 HISTORY OP ENGLAND. two knights from each shire or countv an^ f Wough or town. This w^rthlT *''*'^^"' ^'"^'^ ^^ -cut, „. .hi.h there a^ ^ e t^vlr,;' ,"" '""'"^"^ ^'^^"^ But in Earl S„„on. ti.ne, a:^^ ;:^;Vl:^.;^^;;';: "^ P'^" knights, and burgesses all sat in th ' '"shops, barons, «herc.a.s now, they sifc ^ '""" "'""" *"^ ^"^-^ together ; separately. ^ ' '" *"^^ ^««'"«' "^ ^han.bers. and vote hii'ire^tr:,^;,:^^^^^ barons . .re jealons 7Z ^: ^r TZ ^^'''''' ''"^ ''^ were tendu,,, n.anu.ed tot Je l^L k ' "^'^ ''T '"" "'"'^^ own an.I his father's friend, ,!! i , *'^'''''' ^"^^ '■•'^"^^"g ^^^ large force S 1 w t ^""'' ''"^ ««"» ^^ ^^^ ^^ad of a refuge w th i^W:iZ^::l^'''n '^^ r ••^**^'^^' ^"^ ^'^^ ^'^ ^^^ sonatKenilworth and "en . T '"• • ^^""^' ^'ef-ted Simon's in front <.f his I n " e wL IlH ''"^""^ ^"""^ ^'"^^'^'^ ^^ « before he was i:^ .f^.e ^^71^' ^'^^t "T "''^ "^'^ Evesham, in Worcestershir Sm ^saw Z ' ""' ''""' ^* " Connnend your souls to God 'he Lid I """T. •''PP'-"-^""^- ciplined AVelsh, " for our b ' . ' ""''" ^"'"'^^ "^ ""^is- that followed. Sir S mon till r' U " ^"""'•" ^" "^ ^^^^^ sadly mutilatJd. InZtil v^' h"'".;" ■'^'•■''"' '"^"^ ^'« ^^^^ the peace of Kenihvort Lg^.e Ck to ttll "" "T "'^^' ■''"' ^^^«" restored order in the land. ^m^Zl^rT'T' reign, m which much harm, and some ittll „ ] ' ^^" * '°"g will be remembered by Wes 1^" A hi ^ lu "'^" ^""'^ ^« which he be. a and L ih T 1 ^^^' *^^ rebuilding of English parliLnent ' '"' *'*' "^ ^ ''^^ *- ^^^l^t CHAPTER VIII. 8TEUGG1E WITH WALES AND SCOTLAND. the ^:T^--T;Z'r^ :\^i '™°" -^ «■« "^-^ «• . li tTBUOGLB WfiH WALES AND SCOTLAND. Jf one of our best kings. He was a tall and powerful man, a great warrmraudBtatesmau-one who loved hLs people, although some nnes harsh and unjust. He had been a good son. and wasan affec tionate husbaml and fntber. In his reign many wise and good laws were imide From K.rl Simon he had learned much, and now when he was made king he put Simon's teachia.gs in force. He bec^an at once to^stop the abu.es carried on by tlie barons, who drove the farmers cattle away witliout paying for them, and took money from the people unjustly. Ho had silver halfpennies and fartlungs made mto coins. Before his time the silver pemiy was made with a dee., cut in the shape of a cro.ss, and when a halfpenny or farthing was needed the com wjw broken into two or four pieces. 2. Conquest of Wales.-Edward was fond of war, for he was a good general, and loved to do daring deeds and win fame. So we find that he had been king but a short time before he determined .o conquer the northern part of Wales. The Britons had by this time lost nearly all the land they held after the English conquest, and now only North Wales remained to them The kings of England claimed that the Welsh kings should do homage to them, and some- times they did. But Llewellyn, the Welsh prince of Edward's reign, refused to do homage, and Edward marched into Wales with an army to force him to submit. Llewel'yn after a sharp struggle agreed to recogi.iz, Edward as his feudal lord. But after four years of sul^mission, the brave and high-spirited prince once more sought to gam his independence. Edward again marched against lum, and took a number of Swiss soldiers accustomed to fi-^litin-' in a hilly country to contend against and pursue Llewellyn in°his mountain strongholds. How it would have ended we know not, but Llewellyn was killed in a skirmish and then Wales was con- quered. To please the Welsh, Edward gave them his son Edward as their prince. From that time, the eldest son of the sovereign has been called the Prince of Wales. 3. Eefom in the Laws.- For nothing is Edward's reign more noted than for its wise laws. The land laws were improved, and a measure was passed to prevent too much land being held by the church or by religious bodies, ^^■ho gave nu feudal service for it The law courts were now changed. The otnoe of Justiciar was abolished and inatead of oae court we liavo now three : the King's Bench, the ■WB"^- 38 Bistort of Ksauntj^ appeal from ,„„ „t ,|,.„ ^..^^ , ., C^' f « ""''Jit' »uld 4. Expulsion of the Jews -Eriwarri i, just to his subjects. One^r'nof f r '. T-T""' ^"^ ""' '^^^«^» were many Jews the firsCf ' h ° ' ^"'- ^" ^"^''''^"'1 *here Conqueror ThLweroanl kT T ""^ '" "'« *'"'« ^^ *'- their religion and race, and^ yt he J^ I^h ' "'^f^^ ^ lending money, and charging high rates on I i ^ °^ nobles were often rrkd *, K ^"/**^^ "^ '"^'-'-est thereon. Needy kne.that he™^^^ -d as the latter be paid, if pay^„rco;rbt ^oid;: t:ci:;7r" ^"^'' -^^ m return for the risk they rwi In fL ^ ^ ''^^^ '"*"'"^«* bered, taking interest, oT " tl WkJ' ^' ™"* '^ ^^""^«^- sinful by many people ThJT' , ^"^ ^ '"'•°"=' ^^^ not aUowed to h™rEi«tat "'""' ^'"" '"'"' '"" -"> 6. First Ml Parliament.-Edwanl «rt.j • , Mlowi„g tl„ e,a„.,.,o of Staon dlvWo-tTe '"71 '''™' English Parliament in 1295 LikI Si!? ;: ''^ * "''"' knights from each shire Lh , u "' ^' '"•^•"ooed two and burgesses by the shorifT, ^.nJf ' *"® kmghts .hat Who; all h.C;C m^nr ;hat 'ir mT"' a voice in erantins tl.,.«o +n^ , ° "•" ^bouldhave burgesses wJ,Lt:^pL^Lnen?:*'°r;d%"'''f,'"'^''''"""' to-day. Eve,7 time ParliaTen; ::r tie^ „tTLr,°7 °' The l»ople th.t sent the member had to pa^r^^r , td J^ ;w^m;r-^¥'«'3rsiK^^ STRUOOLE WITH WALES AND SCOTLAND. 39 that reason, and also Inicatise it was known that Parliaments wore calle.l ..Illy to jr.-t money gmntH, Udh niemljcrs and i.e<.{)le lia.l but little love fc:- tluiii. 6. War With Scotland. From these reforms ami changes whicli concernc.l En-laiul alone, we must now turn a vay to Edwanl's dealings with Sctland. In 128(5, Alexander III., king of Scotland, fell over a precipice and was killed. His grand-child, Margaret' daughter of the king of Norway, was his nearest heir. This littlJ maid wa.s going to Scotland to be made qui-en, when she died, and the throne was left vacant. There were many claimants among the late king's relations, those having the best claim being John Rrdliol and Robert Bruce. The Scot-h lords could not agree upon a king and asked Edward to decide. Vhe English kings always claimed to have the supremacy over the Scotch kings ; but this claim was not always allowed. Before Edward would consent to decide who should be king, he called the Scotch Parliament together at Nor- ham, near the border, and made them promise that whoever shoidd be chosen, should give him homage as the feudal lord of Scotland He then decided in favor of Balliol, who did homage to Edward and became king <.f Scotland. Edward was an exacting lord, and wished to have cases, which had been tried before Scotch courts iucen to English courts for linal settlement, and this demand the Scotch resented Very soon Balliol found his position very unplea.sant, and taking advantage of a war going on in France between Edward and the French king, threw off Edward's yoke crossed the border, and ravaged Cumberland. ' Edward was now ry angry, and marching north with a large force, Btonned Berwick, and massacred its inhabitants. He then seized Edinburgh, Stirling, Perth, and Montrose. At Montrose he took Balliol prisoner, and then appointed an English Council to govern m his stead. To humble the Scotch still more he carried off to England the crown jewels, and the " sacred stone," on which the Scotch kings were wont to be crowned at Scone. This stone, it was said, was the very stone on which Jacob had rested his head at Bethel, when he saw the angels ascending and .lescending the ladder from heaven. The stone was put into the seat of the royal chair at Westminster Abbey, and on it kings and queens have been crowned to this day. Wherever this stone went, according to a .f^J» 40 HISTOKY OP ENGLAND. Scoteh prophecy, there would a Scotch king reign ; and, so it liiippened in Enghuid, about throo Imndred years after. For a time tlio Scotch Huhniitted to Kl)ert Bruce, the gn.udsou of Balliol's rival, escaped from the English cuurt, and goiag to Scotland, met and killed in a church at Dumfries, his rival and enemy Comyn. Soon Bruce had a band of desperate Scotch nobles around him, and a little later he was crowned at Scune. When Edward, now aged and ill, heard of this now revolt, he hastened to chastise Bruce and the Sc(jtch. Swearing to have his revenge on Comyn 's murderer, he travelled slowly north- wards. When nciii= Ihu bi.rder he sent an army ahead which drove Bruce back to the Grampian Hills. He was busy taking I i i i>-.,t- 8TRUOOLE WITH WALES AND SCOTLAND. 41 vengeance on Bruce's supporters when (U-.ith seized him, at Runrh- on-Sands, A.D , l;507. He was succeeded J)y his cldst sou, Edward Caernarvon, Prince of Wales. 7. Edward n.— The new king had few of his father's great quahties. He was im idle, frivolous youth, fund <.f f^nivty and low conij>anions. He w:i.s brave enough wh.n roused ; tiiat, hnw-tver, seldom happened. His father hatl left hiiu ♦liivo conunands : to subdue Scotland, to send his heart to the Holy Lind, and n-vor to bring back Gavest^m, a banished and {jroHigare favourite. Not one of these did he carry out. He left the Scotch war to tako care of itself, and so Bruce won back nearly all ho had lost to Edward I. He buried his father at Westminster, and he recalled Gaveston. (iaveston soon got Edward into trouble by his i'lsolence ind wastefulness. He was twice Imnished, but Edward bnmglu him back. Then Parliament put the goveriuuent into the hands of a number of bi.<»hops and peers, called "Ordainers." who trieil to control the King. Once more Gaveston vras exiled and recalled, and tlien the barons took the law into their own hands and be- headed him. 8. Battle of Bannockbum. Jtine 24, 1311— Bruce in the mean- time had been winning town after tinvn from tlio English, untd near all Scotland was in his hands, save Stirling Castle, whicli was closely pressed. To save this fortress Edward went into Scotland with an army of 100,000 men. He met Bruce with his army of 30,000 Scots at a little stream or burn caUed the Bannock, near Stir- Ung Castle. The battle was fought on June 24th, 1314, and was to determine whether Scotland was to be free or not. Everytliinc seemed in favour of the English, with their largo army of brave knights and archers. Bruce, however, had dug pits in the s{)aco between his army and the English, and in them had placed sharp stakes, the whole being covered over with turf. The Bannock flowed between the armies and on each side of it was a low boggy piece of land in which horses sank. Bruce knew he had most to fear from the English horsemen, and made his spearmen in the front rank kneel to meet their charge. When the English kniglits charged the Scots, after the Engliah '.--.vmLii ha.i thinr.. .1 their ranks, choir horses plunged into the concealed jiits, and floundered in the oogs, and so became an easy prey to the Scotch archers and spearmen. 42 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. The Enghsh sought a way around this bog and the pits to attack the Scotch ; but at the moment when the Scotch cause was in the greatest danger a number of camp-followers came over the hills on the Scotch flank waving their garments and giving utterance to shnll cries. In their confusion the English thought this was a new f^S fl /Trr? "^ *^' ''''"'' ^"'^ panic-stricken they turned and fled. The battle was won, and Scotland was free. Ja ^^''^^f. ^"^^ n.-Edward escaped from the battle-field kiUed then and there. The rest of his reign is a tale of intrigue misgovernment and misery. Tlure was fSiiine in the land and many died The king took new favourites, and this led to n"w qtiarrels with the nobles. The only good thing to be told is thaT owing to these quarrels Edward gave the Commons a share h making the laws, as well as a share in paying the taxes. So ZZ did these quarrels become that Edward's queen, Isabella, turned against hxm and went to Prance, where she carr ed on a siameul mtrigue with Lord Mortimer. In 1326 she came back with aTmal army, and being joined by the barons, took the king prisoner pu his favoorites to death, and made him agiae to give up his crown L his son Edward, a lad of fifteen yeax. of age. T^n he'wrsrenrvc^ from pnson to prison and finally to Berkeley Castle, where he w2 barbarously murdered A.D. 1327. CHAPTER IX. THE HtmDRED TBAKS' WAR— THE PEASANTS* REVOLT. 1. Edward m-For four years young Edward was a king in name only the power being in the hands of his mother and her favovirite, Lord Mortimer. Edward w.s early married to Philippa of Hamault a noble and brave woman. In 1330, seeing h.nv Mortimer abused his position, he had him seized and put to death. He then began to rule for himself. A. '>' r^&iT : !» . mmp^sJs:ii^»3m'maiffmxsFwmmmi-: tr.> r^^i THF HUNDRED YEARS* WAR— THE PEASANTS* REVOLT. 43 Edward III. like his grandfather, Edward I., was fond of war, and tried to bring Scotland under the control of England ; but in this he did not succeed, although for a time he placed the son of Balliol on the Scotch throne. His invasion of Scotland led to trouble with Philip VI. of France, who was an ally of the Scotch. Philip attacked Gascony which belonged to Edward, and Edward made this attack, and the French interference with the Flemings, an excuse for beginning a war with France, which lasted on and off nearly one hundred years. The English were very anxious that nothing should stand in the way of their wool trade with Flanders. This trade was a great source of wealth to many English farmers who kept large flocks of sheep and sold their wool to the Flemish manufacturers. 2. Beginning of Hundred Yeaxs* War.— Not content with fighting the battles of the Flemings, Edward claimed the crown of France. He said his mother, Isabella, had a better claim to the throne than Philip VI., as she belonged to an elder branch of the French royal family. This claim was worthless, for by French law no person could succeed to the throne through a woman. Edward knew this but he was anxious to win fame and gain territory in France. The English nobles and knights, who were fond of military displays and feats of arms, encouraged Edward" in his claims, as it gave them a chance to win renown. It was a sad war for the French peasants and labourers, whose fields and homes were des- troyed and burned without mercy by the gay lords and knights. It was also a bad thing for England whose men and money were wasted on a war that could never bring any good to her people. 3. First Campaign.— The war began in 1338, and the first campaign ended in 1347. In 1340, the English won a famous naval victory at Sluys, off the Flemish coast, when thirty thousand French were lost. In 134G, a still more important battle was fought at Crecy, in the north of France. Several things make tliis baitle noteworthy. At it Edward, Prince of Wales (called the Black Prince, on account of the colour of his armour), by his daring and skill, won his knightly spurs— although only a lad of sixteen "years of age. At it, too, the English archers proved that they were more than a mat^h for mounted knights clad in heavy armour. Gun- powder is said to have been first used in thia batUe. Next camo 44 HISTORy OF KXGLAND. the inl.bit.nts.n:ae^h';t h?:^^ angry at the resistance citizens who offered themselves w hllll ^^ '^' '^''^ a sacrifice for the people had not O ^^^^^^/'•""n^i theirneck, as and Edward, to pLeLr«;t?^,^^^^^^^^^^ were, however, turned out of fh. , ^' '■^"°'' inhabitants their place, so katlc^^^nltei^^^^^^ ^^' "' French in 1558. "^"^amed English until reta' by the led the English. 1 oJcf 2r:^LXiisl^ f -\^^--- skill and prowess by defeatinra ll ° *'''"'' "'^'^^^^^ *^>«'^ of French clUvalry,^atl?SlVo\^^^^^^^^^ had but 12,000 men to the French 60 .0 k 1 J''*" ^"°^''^^ drew up his men at the end of a nar! f ' *^" ^^^'^ ^""'^ and posted his archers so that th TZ^^' ^'"""S ">« vineyards they came on. Sad hlv^ wl^"^ T^ ^'T' '^"" '^' ^--'^ «* who fell from thei^hors" anTcumt "\"" .""'^ "' '^'^ ^-«'»^ offer but little resistanTe' ^ng J^n^ltT '''''' "™°"^' ^"'^^ to London where he died T , "^"'"''^^^"'i^^ri-^ courtesy were slown to then ''""'' ''""^^^ ^-'^^ -"^ the ravages and cTu^l'ti:: a^;!^::^;^^;^ ^ "^^ '"* Bretigny was made in 1360 aiid Fdt , ^' '''*' "'" ^"'""^ °^ French crown, keeping holder Aoulf-^'"p"^ '^ ^'^^ ^-^ *^« Calais. ^' "'*"'^''®'^' ^*l"itame, Poitou, Gascony, and war in Spain, and the Freu h W ChT v '"''^ ^^""^'^^ ^"''^^ to recover his lost terSTrt^'r^ ;;*'"' ^^^^"^^^^ battle, but harassed thrE^sh^n^^^^^^^ ^'""^ ^^ «P- Prince was ill, and this maT« hi 7, ^""''^^*' ''*^- ^^^^ ^^^^^ turned from him Fi X he h!d7 "f T^' "'^ *^^^P««Pl« the English graduallyl^'^tV nt'irirL:^"''*^^^ *'^" gone except Calais, Bordeaurand B "tnne ITZ" fT ""^ attempt to win a French kingdou, ' ""^^ ^'^ ^^'^^^ Edward's tht f^lLw! foTwar''7H^:"''°^^^^''-'»««-^ -"^^"^ ''"''^^ '"^- The barons and knights spent a great il THE HUNDRED TEARS' WAR-THE PEASAXTS' REVOLT. 45 ttnl TeiM Tf r' ™"' "' *'^" "^''"^y-- obtained by leasing their lands for long terms of vears. The. r.^„* -j ..lled/eo..: hence the naiof/a.. ^.^e^o th?L^^^^^^^ They also allowed their villeins or serfs to buy their freedom jrir^r^' ^'""^^^ *'^^'* ^^^'^'^ from Flanders who stftltar'^.'V"^' their own wool into cloth, inst Ld of sencmg it abroad to be woven by others and then broucrht back again to be worn. Trade grew with Normandy. Fillers a"d Gold coins also came into use, the first being used in 1344 plrl a" ment now began to meet in two sepai^te chambers ; the Ste and burgesses m one, and the bishops and barons in the other! FLfn*^*"^?. °^ Labourers.-In 1348, a great calamity came upon England. This was a dreadful plague, known as the «' Black Death " dts:o;eTrneT:/tr ^ 't?-*'^ ""--'^ '^-^^ -^^^^' ^^ ^^^^'^^ ast that It ..a. difficult for the living to bury the dead. One effect of the plague was that there were not enough people left to Sf the soil and harvest the crops. Labourers w^re now L g^eat de mand, and natun^lly, they asked for higher w.^es. But throlt La u^e^" bTwh : '*"'• ^"' *'^^ '''^^' *^« "«^*"^ " i^abourers, by which wages were not to be increased Th« labourer tried to escape from places where wages w re low to where they were high, so it was enacted that a labou/er shiu d with the let er F (fugUive) ,m his forehead. If a labourer was l^nind unemployed, a,^ land owner could make him work Ir ^r These unjust laws made the people very unhappy and discontented' 8. Caiaucer, Lajigland, and Wiclif-We see this by the writ- ngs of a great poet, Oeoff^ey Chaucer, who lived at this Le Tuo V. .e for the people, we find this discontent voiced in verv plam and bitter words. At this time. too. lived John WicHf^ great religious reformer. Wiclif was a learned clergyman who .eemg how the priests neglected their duties wn>te ^^t thei^ i f 46 HISTORY OF ENGLAND, greed and hypocrisy. He translate^' the Bible into English unA sent out 'poor priests " to teach the people. His follow 7w^ accused of makin, the people discontented with their condition by pointing out how harshly they were treated. ^ 9. Statute of Kilkenny-1367.-Besides the " Statute of Labour- ers, m«ny other important measures were passed in this rei«n It was enacted that the Pope should not give livings in En^llnd to foreigners ; that the people should not take quistions oF W to of the French should be used in the courts of law. Ireland, which was only partly conquered, was treated cruelly and unjustly. In 1367, the Statute of Kilkenny was passed. Its pur- pose was to prevent the English in Ireland from becoming Irisli in Srin^r^"^ "'*"™'' '"^ ^'■"" "»t~rying with the Irish. In those days a price was set on an Irishman's head, just as If he were a wolf or a bear. But these laws had very littk effect I^onTT.. T . ''"^'"'' ''^ '''' ^"S^^»^ ^'^^^ ^^«"t to Ireland adopted the Irish ways and customs. 10. Last Days of Edward IH.^As Edward grew old, his mind gave way, and he passed under the influence of bad advisers and unworthy favourites. Queen Phillipa was dead, and a bold wicked woman, Alice Ferrers, gained great control over him. The Black Edward s third son; John of Gaunt, or Ghent, Duke of Lancister fnd Z7 T ' """^ °"^ ' ^"' '■" ^^^'«' I'-liament met, and tlie Commons for iho , . time impeached the kings ministers • hat IS. had them tried before the House of Lords, who acted as' judges. The mmisters were removed and Alice Ferrers was driven ^ay from the poor old king, but they soon came back again. The 1^1370 Tr; I ""^"'^ '^'"^ ^^^'^''"^^ "^" ''^ he lived, died n 137C. He left a young son, Richard, a lad of ten years of a^e us heir to his grandfathers throne. In 1377, Fariiam'ent unde^r the guidance of John of Gaunt, put a poll-tax on the people, that is. a tax of so much a head on every person in the land, over a certain ^ha^:: s^^^is^ ^'^'''' ''-' ''-'' -' '^'' '- «-^^- U. Kichard II-Kichard, the Bon of the Black Prince, came to f l-^j^' i| THE HUNDRED YEARS' WAR— THE PEASANTS* REVOLT. 47 the throne when ele...„ years „f age. A council was ap,„.in,e,l to hei^ huu to rule ; and although not on the council, the kin.s uncle (.aunt, had great influence. The oppressive polf-tax was agam ,,,aced on the people, and was made so luavy that .neat dis- content spread anu>ng then. Wiclifs followers, the "£„llHrd;" went through the country and helped to n.ake the labourers villeins, and smaller firniers, more and more restless. 12. Peasant Revolt, 1381. -When a people are in a diss,.tisfie,l mood It t.kes but little to make them do acts ofM^nc S kitrtl Z '^'Zr^''^'' ^^- ^-'sHter of a tiler, ^T,.^ k lied the ruffian. This was a signal for a general risi .<, in Yo^k- slure, Kent, Essex, and other counties. Wat Tyler headed ft men of Kent and John Ball, one of Wiclifs priests, pr il t the angry multitude at Blackheath, askia, theui the auition "When Adiim delved, and Evo span, Who then was the gentleman ? " Under Jack Straw, a thatcher, came the men of Essex armed wUh scythes, clul«, and other rude weapons. The mob m;v:d to London opened the doors of the prison, and burnt and destr ye many builclings. No one among the nobles and ministers seeme o know how to treat these misguided people. The kin. a . although a mere lad of sixteen years, kept tool and undi^nav d He rode out to meet one body of the rioters, and asked then wl t they wanted. They asked to be freed from the hated poll-t . have the market dues taken off, to be allowed to pay rent ii ItL-u .^ working for thdr lonls, an.l to have the viileinsl^ f,v^ " ^^ the king promised to do these things, the people, d,,! ,fc 1.,,^, wen h.nne. But while Richard w.s treating ' with th e .' ' another body broke into the Tower and murdJred ,he Ard bis ', of Canterbury and the Treasurer; while a tlnrd body rom^ under Tyler ni London. Rioliard went out to Tyler's m " sought to, met them. Tyler placed his hand on he re if T Kiuea luni. The mob won d have ki!!<..l ih l-u > -v • I. J i T»- . , "'III. Kiiieii tile kiii:r ;ii;,; naiwortii had not Richard cried out : '< I am your Captain, f.^low me. " 1' ku g then led the way, and the crowd followed him ... ..ng by Parliament. Of Richard's end we know nothing with certainty, but his body was shown to the ^eopTe a yTr CHAPTER X. THB HOUSE OP L4NCASTEE. clh^l^.^T^'""'' "°" "' •'°'"' "f «»">"• "' "» tot king 1, ..\ t!'^ L."c«er, so-calW from the duohy of Lanca.^? which he held through h,a father. Henr,'. title to^e om^rw" ^st=^^h!r/ij,:zirr5ft:e':-^i~ i-fi- 50 BISTOBY OF ENOLAMD. ii The early years of Henry's reign were full of plots and rely^niors. Tiio great nobles, who made Henry king, were not very obedient, and if Henry displ.-ased them, they to..k up arms against him first there was a plot to restore Richard, and then Uwan Gleu- dower rebelled in Wales. While Henry IV. with the aid of his bravo son Henry, Prince of Wales, was trying to subdue Glendower, the two Pcrcies (the Duke of Northumberland and his fiery son Harry Hotspur), angered because the king had not treated them' well m the matter of some prisoners taken from the Scotch, joined the Scots and Glendower against him. A great battle was fought at Shrewsbury, in 1403, in which the king defeated his enemies, and Harry Hotspur was killed. Two years later. Northumberknd «-as killed in battle. Glendower, too, was subdued by the Prince oi Wales, and peace once more came to England. 2. Important Measures.-Henry knew that he could not depend on his nobles, and therefore tried to keep on good terms with his parliaments, and with the church. This led to some very important measures being passed. So much money had been spent on the French wars, that the people were now unwilling to give large grants, and Parliament took advantage of the weakness of the king's hold on the throne, to make him do much as they wished They also forced the House of Lords to give them the sole right to make grants of money to the crown. This was a step in advance. Not so, however, were the cruel laws against heresy passed to please the church and the great landowners The church feared the teaching of the J-" ^ ^ -nd f he landowners blamed them for stirring up the peasa-.t.- and villeins to revolt. Both church and landowners were afraid ox the people rising and taking away their property. So, in 1401, a law was passed that any one continuing a heretic after due warding should be burnt alive. In February of that year, William Sa^rtre, a rector of Nor- folk, was taken to the stake, and there gave up his life for his beUef. 3. Henry V.-Henry's reign was a short one. He died in 1413 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Henry, Prince of Wales! He had other sons, all able men, the ablest being John. Duke of Uedford. Henry V. wi but twenty-five when he came to the throne, and had already earned the reputation of a great general. He is also THE HOUSE OF LAMCA8TBB. 5| said to have been notorious for his wild and reckless doiii^ Once we are old, he was sent to prison by Judge Gascoigne, Ecause he behaved n^solently to the judge in court. Whatever faults he n,ay havehad asapnnce we know that he was on the whole a good king, and much loved by his noople. He was too fond of war. and he persecuted the Lollards ; these were his chief faults. But he was exceedn^gly brave, true to his word, and put the good of his people foremost in all his acts. nf^'/^^.^^'"'**"* '^'^^^ ^^ P^'™^"^^ Parliament to make. Henceior^h the petitions of the Commons to the king were not to be altered by hun before he gave his assent to them. After altT Uonor6i« had received the king's assent.it became a .Lit; H!;f***\°^ *^^ People.-There was but one feeble plot against Henry, so strong was he m the good-wUl of his people. The Zn .'^t UOr S ^"'"Ti'f '"'" *'" ^'"'^ ^-*^' ^-h^^^ ^-» -it^d and the yeoman could no^v pay rent for his farm ins; .ad of giving ^our to b,H lord. That the condition of the labounng claSl^ greatly unproved is shown by the laws against extravagance i^ dress. Trade with other countries was extending, and thlsled Z an nicrease .n shipbuilding. The coal trade of Newcastle t^ growmg. and many merchants were becoming rich. Against this bright side of the picture we must place the rest- lessness among the people, the blame of which the Church and^ nobles pu upon the Lollards. Tl. result was that Hen^'utt force the laws against heresy, and, among others. Sir John Old castle. H leading Lollard, was hanged in chains and burnt. tol^' ^'?f^ T^' ^^'^^^^d.-To keep his nobles quiet, and to call away the attention of the people from their grievances Henry renewed the war with Fmnce. There was no good reason for attacking France ; but Henry loved war. and his nobles loved plunder. The King of France was insane, and his unhappy country -v . rr. by strife among the great French nobles. The opportu. :fcy t- . recover the lost territory was too good to be ne- «lect d, . t?enry revived Edward IH's chum to the French In A'jfc.jrt, 1416. Hemy landed in Normandy and laid aiege to 52 BISTORT or ENGLAND. Harfleur. It wae a terrible siege, and the English lost many men through sicknesa in the array. Having taken Harfleur, Henry marched towan. Calais, and in Oct. 1415, on the plains of Agin- court, with nine thou-sand men he defeated sixty thousand French- men. It was the battle of Crecy over again ; the English archers over- throwing with dreadful slaughter the French knights and nobles More than one hundred princes and nobles were slain, and eleven thousand men were left dead or dying on the field. Henry's army was strong enough to win a victory, but not strong enough to conquer and hold the country. So Henry returned to England, and after two years spent in preparation, once more in- vaded France. He now conquered Normandy, and took Ruuen after a siege of six months, in which many women and children died through starvation. Everything at this time favored Henry's designs. The Duke of Burgundy, a French prince who ruled over a large territory, wiis treacherously murdered by some friends of Charles VL, the French king ; and his followers and subjects, in revenge, jomed Henry. It was not possible for the French to hold out any longer, and by the Treaty of Troyes, in 1420, Henry mar- ried Catharine, the daughter of Charles, and was appointed Recent of France. On the death of Charles, Henry was to become king. Henry now returned to England full of honors, and his people were proud of hU victories. But he did not live long to enjoy his conquests, for in 1422, at the early age of thirty-four, he died leaving a young son, Henry, only ten montlis old, to succeed him. 6. Henry Vl.-^ohn, Duke of Bedford, was left as guardian of his baby nephew, and was also appointed Regent of France and Protector of England. He was a brave man, and an able general and ruler. He did his work well, and continued his brother's conquests in Fra;.ce. The Duke of Gloucester, Bedford's brother Wi« left to rule in England, while Bedford was fighting in France. Gloucester quarrelled at home with his uncle Beaufort llie chancellor, and abroad with the Duke of Burgundy, England's best and strongest .ally. Bedford, with much difficulty, managed to keep for a time Burgundy on England's side, but after Bedford's death, in 1433, he returned to his allegiance to the French king. 7. Jeanne Dare- We must now tell the story of the ronumtic THE HOUSft OP LANCASTER. 53 rescue of France through the efforts of a poor vfllage girl. All France, nr.rth of the Loire, was in the hands of the English, and Bedford was clf)sely besieging Orleans. The French people were nearly h..i)eless, and it seemed but a matter of a few days when Orleans must yield, and with its surrender all hope of saving France from complete conquest would vanish. In a little village in Lorraine lived a young girl of eighteen, Jeanne Dare, the daughter of a lalwurer. She was very ignorant, and knowing little of courts and camps, but pure and pious. She saw the misery of the land and was filled with a great pity for her country. In visions she seemed to be told to go to Charles, the son of the French kmg, and to offer * crown him at Rheims. Her parents and friends tried to prevent her from going ; but her " voices " left her no choice. Guided by a knight, she made her way to the French camp, and told Charles her mission. It was his last Jiope and he gave her her way. Clad in white annour, and mounted astride of her horse like a man, with the French banner waving over her she led the rude French soldiery to the relief of Orleans, now on the point of surrendering. The effect was magical. Once more hope burned m the hearts of the French ; and the English soldiers looked on m surprise and awe while Jeanne led her troops through their ranks, and entered Orleans. Soon the siege was raised. The English thought her a witch, who put feai in the hearts of their soldiers ; while the French hailed her as a messenger from God come to deliver them from their enemies. Jeanne led her soldiers from victory to victory, until her mission was accomplished, and Charles was crowned at Rheims. Then she asked permission to go home ; her " voices" had left her, and her work was done. But Charles would not let her go ; he feared his soldiers would not fight well under anv other leader. Some of the French generals, were jealous of her, and at the siege of Compi^gne, in 1430, let her fall into the hands of the English. Charies made no effort to save her, and she was taken to Rouen, where she was tried for witchcraft. Condemned in 1431 to be burnt alive, her courage and faith never fornonk her. Her List word at the sUke, while the flames raged fiercely around her, was "Jesus." Her name yet lives green in the memory of the French people. 8. End of Hundred Years' War.-The war lasted some time \ f, 54 HISTOKY OP ENGLAND. atter Jeanne s death, hut the English stea.lily lost ground. Bed U.rd du3.|, and Burgundy went over to the side of Charles VII Year after year «iw new cmcjuests hy the ^rench until, in 1453 the war came to an end. and of all Henry V's possessions .n FrancJ notlung renuiued to the English but Calais. 9. Weak Rule of Henry VI.-He„ry was a feeble king ; kind, merciful, and generous ; but so weak in intellect that he was wholly unhtted to rule. In the early years of his reign England was di. trac ted by the quarrel, of his uncles, of whom Gloucester was the most m.seh.cvou8 and troublesome. Parliament, t<,o, had not so much power as in the days of the Plantagenets, and the right to vote for inoM.l>ers was now taken away from many people. Unseemly quarrels often broke out in Parliament; so much so that the members of one Parliament brought cudgels up their sleeves. Later on, when Henry began to rule for himilf, he was much influenced by his wife, Margaret of Anjou, a strong- nanded woman, who loved power and brought her foreign frie.1 with her. The peoj.Ie cared little who ruled so long as their money was not wasted. This, however, Henry's friends did and theZ^ •axes caused a rebeilicm. ^ 10. Jack Cade's Rebellion, 1450.-The men of Kent, always among the first to resist, led by Jack Cade, and aided by the men of Sun-ey and Sussex, came down in krge numbers to London, and demanded that their grievances should be righted. We hear nothing of serfdom or of wages, in their complaints, and this shows whatl change for the better had taken place since the days of Wat Tyler. Cade s followers asked for free elections, for a change in the king's advisers, and that the king's foreign favomites should l>e senTIt of f.ngland The nsing was soon at an end, and Jack Cade was killed shortly afterwards. 11. Wars of the Ro8es.-People began now to lock to Richard, Duke of York, to right the affairs of the country. Richard wai desc-nded on his mother's side from Lionel, Duke of Clarence second son of Edward IIL, and on his father's side from Edward Duke o York, fourth son of the aamu king. He thus had a^ good a claim to the crown as Henry VL When Henrv, in 1464 became msane, Richard was made Protector. Henry, however' partiaUy recovered, and then he drove the Duke away from his mmt 1.. I THE MOUSE OP rORK. 05 court. This was too much for York to endure, and he took up anns, clannu.g the crown aa his by right of birth. Then followed a dreaclh.l Ntruggh-, which lasted f.-r many ynirs. It ia known in history as the Wars of the Roses, because the Lauca-strians wore a red rose, while the Yorkists chose a white rose. Battle followed battle, sometunes one side being victorous, and sometimes the other Margaret had to do battle for the rights of her son an, husband, for Henry was often insane and always feeble and helpless. In 14.H, at St. Albans, the queen's party was defeated by York ; and he was again victorious, in 1460, at Northampton. But at a great battle at Wakefield, in Decemln^r 1460, the Duke of York was killed, and Margan t, in mockery of his claims, had his head, decked with a paper crown, placed on the walls of York city. Tlien Edward, son of the Duke of York, took up his father's cause. At Mortimer's Cross, in 1461 be defeated the Earl of Pembroke, and marching down to London' w .- uade kmg. In the same year the rival forces once more met' thi. ime on Towtou Field. In this blotxly b ,ttle 20 0(K) Lar - castnans, and nearly as many Yorkists, were kJle in despair, she fled ^th her son to Flanders, and Henry VI. lell into the hands of Edward IV., who treated him kindly. Pi rhaps this would have ended the war had not Edward displeased h s n.ost powerful supporter, the Earl of Warwick, by marrying Elizabeth Wood- ville, the beautiful widow of Sir John Grey. Warwick wished Hi 06 BiUSTORT OF ENGLAND. Edward to many a French princess, or a daughter of his own He waa angry, also, because Edward began to give good positions, to his wife's relations. On the other hand, Warwick's daughter married the Duke of Clarence, Edward's brother, and this dis- pleased Edward. About this time a rising took place against Edward, which led to the battle of Edgecote (1469), in which many Yorkists were killed. Edward blamed Warwick and proclaimed him a traitor. Warwick thouglit it wise to leave tl.e country, and he went to France where he met Margaret. Then an agreement was entered into that Mar- garet's son, Edward, should marry Warwick's daughter Anne, and th it Warwick should aid in placing Henry VI. once more on the throne. Warwick and Margaret now returned to England, and Edward IV., finding himself unable to withstand them, fled to Fknders. Henry VI. was taken out of the Tower and once more became king. For six months he reigned supported by Warwick the "Kingmaker," then Edward got help from his brother-in-law the Duke of Burgundy, and came back to recover his crown. He me'; Warwick at Bamet, and defeated and killed him. Then Margaret rallied her friends for the final strugjrle. At Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, she was totally defeated, and her son, Edward, was stabbed on the battlefield by Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Edward IV's. brother. Tliis battle was fought in 1471, and two weeks later the old king, Henry, died in the Tower, murdered it is thought by the command of Edward IV. 2. The New Monarchy. -And now England for a time had peace, and order was restored ii the land. Edward was a hand- some man, a good general, and a strong ruler ; btit he was selfish, cruel, and licentious. His base passions brouglit shame to many an English household. He loved power, and the people were so well pleased to have a strong government which could keep order, that they let him do much as ho liked. Most of the nobles had been killed in the Wars of the Roses, for the war was carried on almost entirely by rival nobles and their personal followers or retainers. The farmers, tradesmen, and merchants had taken no part in th» struggle, and went on their way as usual Nevertheless, the almost constant fighting did much harm to the industriei of the 'Ti; Il THE H0C8S OF YORK, 67 country, and bo all classas were glad to have peace restored. This Edward knew, and took advantage of it to demand money from merchants and rich people. This money was at first willingly paid as a "benevolence" or gift, but when the demands became frequent the people began to complain. They, however, could do nothing, as they were without leaders now that most of tlio nobk-s were killed, and Edwai-d called his Parliament t.^gether only once in eight yeax-8. By means of ' ' benevolences " and a pension from France in consideration of not invading that country, together with an income granted early in his reign, Edward could do"with- out parliaments, and so rule absolutely. This way of ruling was a new thing in England, and it continued through several reigns. To distinguish it from the rule of the Plantagenets and the House of Lancaster it is known as the " New Monarchy." 3. Oaxton.— Edward's love of power and his fea" of treason led him to do many cruel things. Ho had his brother Clarence im- peached and put to death. Clarence was fond of Malmsey wine, and Edward, in mockery of his taste, had him drowned in a butt of his favorite beverage. It is pleasant to turn away from these quarrels between the King and his nobles, to Edward's encouragen it of WUliam Caxton, tho first English printer. Caxton was a native of Kent, who ha/1 gone to Flanders in his youth, where he learned the art of prircing. In 1476 he came back to England with the first printing press, and opened a Jittle shop near Westminster, where he advertised that ho would do printing " right chepe." Edward, Gloucester, and many nobles patronized him. He printed service books for tho clergy, and histories of chivalry for the knights. Tho first book printed (1477) was the Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers. He not only printed books but translated them from foreign languages. Books before his time were very dear and little read, for new'copies had all to be written out by hand. Henceforth many ccnild aflbrd to buy books, and this helped to spread education among the people. 4. Edward V.— Edward IV., worn out by his vices, died in 1483, and at once a struggle for {.ower began between Mm q,Rcn and her friends on the one hand, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and his followers on the other. Richard said that Edward, Prince of Wales, and Richard, Duke of York, the sous of Edward, were not rr 58 HISTORY OP ENGLAND. legitimate, because their father had been betrothed to another woman before he married their mother, Elizabeth Woodville But before he put forward his own claim he seized young Edward, and after a short time placed him in the palace in the Tower Richard was appointed Protector, and the queen and her second son took refuge in the sanctuary at Westminster. Richard forced the queen to give up the Duke of York, and he was placed in the Tower with his brother. Then Richard suddenly turned on his former friend, Lord Hastings, and charging him in the Council with plotting against him, called in his men, who hurried Hastings out and beheaded him on a log of timber near at hand. A few days later Richard caused himself to be proclaimed King, on the ground that Edward V. and his brother were illegitimate. 5. Richard in.-Richard began his reign with the execution of Earl Rivers and Sir Richard Grey, uncle and half-brother of Edward V. This he followed up with the murder of his nephews in the Tower. It was said that he caused them to be smothered, while Bleeping, with pUlows. Richard III. was a brave man, a great warrior, and in some respects a good king. His enemies described him as deformed and repulsive, and called him the "Hunchback " His deformity consisted in one shoulder being somewhat higher than the other, and in one arm being partially shrunken. He had a thoughtful, delicate countenance, with good manners and tastes. If one half the stories told about him are true, he must have been very cruel. We must, however, remember that these tales are told by the enemies of his family. Richard tried to rule well, passing a law against "benevolences," protecting commerce, and summoning parliaments. Nevertiieless he was hated for his murder of his nephews, and his own peace of mind had departed with the cruel deed. Soon plots began to be formed against him, and the Duke of Buckingham, for taking part m one of them, was beheaded. Richard continued to rule till 1485 when Henry Tudor, Duke of Richmond, a descendant of John of Gaunt, on his mother's side, and Owen Tudor, a Welsh gentleman on his father's side, landed at Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire and claimed the crown. His title was a very weak one, but the Lancastrians joined him, and so did the Wehh, also many of Richard's most powerful subjects. Richard hastened to meet him. rrmmtwm^fS^j^ :mf'-^^'2^nm BO&SE OP YORK, 69 and the opposing armies met on Bosworth Field. W1,e . ti,, i,^ttle began, Lord Stanley and Earl Percy deserted Richard, , ' , > ,ave to the last, rushed into the thickest of the fight, eager to . xcban<.e With the Battle of Bosworth Field, in 1485. ended the Wars of the Roses. AV,th xt, too, began the famous line of kings and queens known as the House of Tudor. Henry VII., soon aftt^r his coron at.on, married Elizabeth, daughter of Edwa'rd IV., a:d t .o h the marnage was not a happy one, it unitod in the ;eigning family the Claims o both the Lancastrians and Yorkists, and so hflpeT o bring peace to the distracted nation. P " to 6. End of Mediaval Hi3tory.-With th, reign of Henry VII we pass into modern history. A great cha. ^3 now began to cor>;;; over the people of Europe. Their knowledge of the earti, wa.s greatly increased by tlio discovery of America by Colun.bus, and by he many voyages to the new world that followed. Navigators ma^le their way to Inda by sailing round the Cape of Good Hope. The knowledge of other planets was now extended by groat scien- tific discoveries ; and men's minds were aroused by the study of Greek literature, the '«New Learning." brought to Italy rom Constantinople by exiles from that city. The printing prL w.^ domgits^orkin making books cheap and thus spreJli ,g know! ledge Bu with all these changes for the better there w.s also the grow h o the power of kingship. Nearly all the nobles had he n killed m the Wars of the Roses, and the middle and lower clause, had no yet learned to fight their own polircal battles. g'J. powder had come into rse, and as the king had : ..-arly all the cann.M he could batter down the strong walls of the castles of the nobl..; and so keep them m subjection. So for several rdgns we .shall fiud that there waa very little control over the king. !• ; i I fW 60 HISTORY OF ENGLANDt CHAPTER Xn. HOUSE OF TTTDOK. — THE REFORMATION-. % m 1. Henry VII.— The first king of the House of Tudor wag a cautious, intelligent man, with little love for anything or anybody but himwlf. In France he had studied the methods of foreign kings in ruling without parliaments, and when he became king of England he tried to get as much power as he could. He saw that the best way to do this was to lessen the power and influence of the few nobles left after the Wars of the Roses, and to gather as much money as possible, so that he could do without parliaments. To break down the power of the nobles, he had a law passed against liveries and maintenance ; that is a law forbidding nobles to keep more than a certain number of men in livery or uniform He knew that these men would, if occasion arose, take up arms against the king in the interests of their lords. Tlio law was strictly put in force ; and Henry went so far as to have his friend, the Earl of Oxford, fined £10,000, because when Henry visited him, Oxford, to do the King honor when he left his castle, drew up in line a large number of men in livery. Henry had a court formed of some of the leading men in his Privy Council, to punish powerful offenders for breaches of the law. The ordinary courts did not dare to put the law in force against great nobles, who with their retainers, overawed judges and juries. This new court was called the " Court of the Star Chamber," because it met in a room whose ceiling had star-like decorations. For a time it did good service in punishing men for such offences as maintenance, forgery, and breach of the peace. It however, became a very tyran- nical body, and took away from the ordinary courts many of "their rightful duties. Henry also revived Edward IV. 's practice of raising money by ♦* benevolences " or forced gifts. Cardinal Morton was the chief instrument he used for this purpose. If a man made a great show of wealth, the Cardinal told him he certainly must bo able to give a rich gift to the king. On the other hand, if he lived in a poor hotise, and kept few servants, he was told that since he lived so frugally he must be hoarding money, and therefore was well able BOUSE OF TUDOR.— THE REPORMATION. 61 to grant the JtinR a goodly g„m. This artifice was known as "Morton's fork," for if a man escaped one tine of the fork, he would certainly be caught on the other. Heniy also took advantage of the confusion due to the civil wars, and of the defects in titles of property, to seize the estates of landowners, or else make them pay heavily to keep them. By such means and by forcing the French king to pay him a large sum to withdraw his troops from Boulogne, Henry gathered so much wealth that when he died he left nearly £2,000,000 in his treasury. 2. Lambert Sininel and Perkin Warbeck.- Although Henry had married Elizabeth of York in the hope of satisfying the York- ists, there were still many who wee dissatisfied with his rule. Henry had taken the precaution to put in the Tower the Earl of Warwick, the son of the Duke of Clarence, Edward F^'a brother. This, however, did not prevent an impostor, Lambert Simnel, from coming forward as the Earl of Warwick, and claiming the throne. r.a found many Yorkists ready to support him, but in a battle at Stoke, Simnel was defeated, and being taken prisoner was made a scullion in the King's kitchen. A more ssrious rel;llion arose when Perkin Warbeck, a native of Toumay, claimed the crown as Richard, Duke of York, second son of Edward IV. The Yorkists said this boy had escaped when his brother Edward V. was murdered in the Tower. A great many believed that Warbeck was the Duke of York. The kings of France and Scotland acknowledged his claim ; the latter, James FV., going so far as to give him in marriage his cousin, the beautiful Catharine Gordon, the "White Rose of Scotland." James, also, helped him to invade England in 1496; but the inva.sion failed, and Perkin went to Ireland. Thence he made another attempt to get a footing in England, this time in Cornwall. His courage, however, failed as Henry's army approached, and he tried to escape. Ho was taken prisoner, put in the Tower, and a few years later, with Warwick, was executed. 3. Foreign Alliances.— Henry saw that the kings of France, Aragon, and other iiutiona had much power over their subjects, and he sought to secure their support by making alliances with them. His elder daughter, Margaret, he gave in marriage to James TV. of Scotland, to keep that country from molesting his northern frontier. M '"iiMMt IT 63 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. Then to secure the friendship of Ferdinand, the crafty king of Aragoii, he arranged that his elder son, Arthur, should marry Katharine, Ferdinand's daughter. Arthur died a few months after the marriage, and then, Henry and Ferdinand, not to lose the benefit of the alliance, got the Pope's consent to Katharine marrying Henry, Arthur's brother, a lad six years younger than his bride. 4. Other Important Events of Henry VII's reign.— In this reign an important law affecting Ireland was passed. This w» Poyning's Act (1497) which said that English laws should have force in Ireland, and that the Irish Parliament should not make any new law without the consent of the King's Council. We must remember that only a small portion of Ireland along the Eastern coast, called the " Pale," was much under the control of the English at this time. The greater portion of Ireland was ?till unconquered, and was ruled by Irish chieftains. In this reign, too, Columbus discovered America (1492) ; and the Cabots, John and Sebastian, sailed from Bristol and discovered Newfoundland and Labrador. About the same time Vasco de Gama, a Portuguese, made the first voyage to India from Europe around the Cape of Good Hope. Not less important than these discoveries was the learning brought to Italy, and thence to England, by the Greeks who fled from Constantinople when that city was taken by the Turks in 1453. English students went to Italy to study Greek literature, and returning introduced the study of Greek into the great English Universities, Oxford and Cambridge. The New Testa- ment was now read in Greek, whereas formerly it was read in Latin only. Among the great scholars of this time who loved this "New Learning " were Colet, Erasmus, and Sir Thomas More. 5. Henry V ill.— Henry VII. died in 1509, and was succeeded by his only surviving son, Henry, a young man of eighteen years of age. Besides Henry there were two daughters, Margaret, married to James R'. of Scotland, and Mary, who married, first, Louis XII., the aged king of Franco, and after his death, the Duke of Suffolk. The descendants of these princesses were to play an important part in English history. Henry VIII. was a handsome youth, fond of pleasur» and ul, and thus taking away from the poor one means of making a livelihood The retainers of the nobles were now cast adrift, and, with other -n out of work, took to robbing and plundering. As the punishment for theft and robbery was death, many criminals, to escape detec- tion, murdered their victims. The minds of the people were unsettled by the religious changes going on in Europe. Martin Luther, a German priest, had begun to write and preach against some of the practices and doctrines or nOTT3E OF TITDOa-THB BEFOBJIATKW. 6T the Roman CatlioHc Church. He «nn», ^..A ftXrlha! H ^^°™^^\-^ ^— -- prepared t^to ^H further than Henry in making religious cluuges. The nioLteries had much wea th, and some of the monks in the smaller oo were i^oran and licentious. Cromwell and the King nTde t, ^r an excuse for destroying many of the monasteries, Id for se^« the. lands and money. Hemy gave away n.uch Jf this spoil t^U effect'^.? • "^^^ '' *'^ "^^ '^ ^"*> ^ ^- <>- ^---3^^^ O^^ effect of this spohation was tl.at now there were no places where the poor could be fed and sheltered, or nursed when sil Zt he' was the arousing of a strong feeling of discontent in the north and west, where the adherents of the Roman Catholic faith we very numerous. A rebellion, known as "The Pilgrin.age of Grace » broke out to restore the old religion and to get rid Tf Cromu'l Henry pronnsed to remove their grievances, and the reS Hon came to an end ; but after the rebels had gon^ home, oo^fw r^ sent among them, and their leaders were put to delth. 12. Death of Cromwell.-Meanwhfle, a sad fate had befaUen Anne Bole,-n. The crown she so eagerly coveted was not w" her possession^ Gay. frivolous, fond of pleasure and admiratL^ her levity excited Henry's jealousy. At last, in 1536. he accused her of unfaithfulness, and had her executed. The next day. HeTry married J.ne Seymour, a young lady at court. Ifc was now'Jhf .^ o Princess Ehzabetl,, the daughter of Anne Boleyn, to b. decW illegitimate by Parliament. J' , -o o« aeclared h Jr ^'-TT ^'"^ ^" ^^^'^' ^'"^S an infant son, Edward. She had been a Protestant, and her brother, the Earl of Hertford IZ also a Protestant He soon becaiae the leader of th.ZtZZ party at court, while the Duke of Norfolk and hi. aon, EariS^^ m 68 HISTORY OF KNOLAND. ill were afc the head ot the Roman Catholic partj-. Cromwell, to strengthen the Protestant cause, inade a match between Henry and the Princess Anne of ClevcH, a German Protestant. In this way he hoped to bring the Protestauo States of Germany into a closer alliance witli England. Anne was very awkward and homely, and Honry, as soon as lie saw her, took a strong dislike to her. In a few months lie liad put her away by a divorce, and had made Cromwell feel the fierceness of his disappointment and anger. Cromwell hail so many enemies in the King's council, t'.at he knew his fate was sealed when the King deserted him. Ciiarged with treason, he flung his cap on the ground, exclaiming, "This, then, is the guerdon for the services I liave done." He avjis at once attainted, and without being given a chance of niukin^' a defence, was hurried to the block. 13. Last Dasrs of Henry. Twice mot was Henry married. His fifth wife was a beautiful gii-1, Cath. n ;e H. vard, niece of the Duke of Norfolk. In a little while she was nliuwn to have been unchaste before her m-irriage, and, like A 11110 B^ RELIGIOUS STBU00LE8. gn he nan.ed Mary as Yd^.nuZc *", "^ ""' ^^^^'''''' heirs ; while El7j.ethlrt„ 7LtTJ u' T '^ x"' ^'^'"'"^ Hone's children died w irilVlhTn ^^d ^" T ''^ ^^ Henry's younger sister Mary w.rer'suct, %.'"*" °^ the Scotch -Icscenclants of 5Lr«aret thHld r • . "'^ T ''''' of the lino of auccession. '"'*^''' '"'"' ^*'^* "'" ft CHAPTER XIII. KKLIOIOUS STRPOOLES ' : '^7 •««■■ "»--»«'. liKe hi, father, al hoTgh "ke ll"";! .'■! been also very conscientious gn no seems to 4:;h;"'ciTet'r„:hc"z;::i,frThrr'' ^r ^" «-- n.o„r, Duke of Somerset, ^l^LC 1 rbLh"op li c ^h'''- Somerset soon persuaded Kdward to make h, " pL .''*"'«*""7- gave him peat power. Somerset Jas a weU ml' '"" """ m.h in haste to ^:::^Tr^ZZt' ""^°- ""• *<» their *o' ttw 1?'- 1 "'" '»'-,r '» -"^^ "'-«- '^ abolished, and the Church Service 3 in E„ .^ "" .""T ™ Wi. The screws a Henryrv'ii-v'tt't-r^.lS 70 HISTORY OP ENGr.AND. u were repealed, so also were the laws of Henry VITT. against Pro- teatants. Priests were allowed to marry, cliurches were despoiled of their lauds to satisfy the greed of the nobles, and Acts of Uniformity were passed to force everybody to accept the new form of worship. Most important of all was the drawing up of the "Book of Common Prayer," (much of wiiicli w:.;s a translation from the older Latin services) which stated how the people were to Worship. Articles of Religion were also set forth to guide the teaching of the clergy. With a few slight changes the doctrines and ritual of the English Cliurch of to-day are the same as those prescribed in the days of Cranmer and Edward VI. 2. Popular Discontent.— These changes were made before the people were prepared to receive them. In London and some of the lavge towns there were many Protestants ; but, in the country districts, while many did not wish to have the Pope interfere in the affairs of England, the people wished the Church services and other parts of religion to remain unchanged. So Somerset and Cranmer in their zeal made the people dissatisfied, and this discon- tent was incri'iised by the laws allowing landowners to take the common lands from the poor, and by the want of employment due to changes (already explained) in the method of farming. To these causes must be added the greed for plunder and for Church lands of Somerset and his friends. Somerset began to build a great palace in London, and to make room for it had to pull down cliurches and houses. The money for this mansion was really taken from the people. Then, we find that in Heii.y YIU.'s reign the practice was begun of debasing the public coin, that is, more biise metal was put into the silver coin than should bo there. By this means the poor were cheated out of their earnings, and the public treasury was filled at their expense. All these evils led to risings in different parts of the country, the most serious of w^hich was one under Ket, a tanner, in Norfolk. With 20,000 men, Ket defeated the King's troops, and asked ff)r a removal of the evils from w ich the people suffore.l. Somerset felt for the oppressed and did not like to use harsh means against the rebels ; and HO it fell to Lord Warwick to crush tlie rebollion by liired troops from (Jermany. Somerset's weakness and his love of power led to his downfall. Warwick was ambitious, and he induced tlie Coiuicil to force Somerset to resign the Protectorsliip. But War- wick was afraid that Somerset might recover his lost authority, and TT. RELIGIOUS STRUGGLES. 71 with the fallen and well meaning Protector by dipni.. their Land kerchiefs ,n his blood, as that of a martyr ^ ^ ^ ° ^"'"'^■ 30s.it., Herreii,i:;:i^r;i:;^^^^^^ and Ridley two Protestants, were appoinled in heir .^e s Roman Cathohcs were persecuted because they would n fc a '"d btLrp^trd^r "^ ™^- ---^' - ^° - ^-' -X J; -^^.f ?T ^^^'^^^d VI.-There is, ho;.ever, one bri«lu mng to be felt in education. In this reign eighteen grammar schools were ounded, and the Blue Coat Sdioof was stfr^d Ty Edward himself in 1553, for orphans and foundlings. ^ Edward's reign lasted only six years. Always a delicate lad his ^irttTis'r''" ''^^" t' — 'p'^-^^^ ^^^ a^id tlut his re.gn would soon be over. Warwick, (now Duke of Northumberland), and Cranmer, dreaded the sucoeslion of^iw Edward's sister. Mary was so strict a Roman Catholic that s7e h .d been kept under watch for some time in Hort.ordshire. With Mary on he throne, the Ro.nan Catholic religion would be restored and Northumberland's power would be gone. To prevent t" Northumberland persuaded Edward to leave the crown to Lad; Lady Jane although only a girl of sixteen, had been married and as she was a strong Protestant, ^Northumberland hoped through her to continue to rule. In July of 1553 Edward died. J-^^Y'~}^^^rn^diat.]y on Edward's death Northumberland and hi. friends offered the crown to Lady Jane Grey, ,vho accented it very reluctantly Steps were t.ken to sei^e Mar^ but, w^ned by secret fnends, she escaped to the Duke of Norfolk. The r.H,„le were much displea.sed at the plot to put Mary aside, and joined her m great numbers. .Soon she was strong enough to move on to London, where she received a hearty welcome. 80 sfrn„., wts ,he luohng in her favour, that Northumberland, who h../ gone to Cambridge, thought it prudent to throw up his cap for her This 73 HISTORY OF BNOLAND. 11* fl i pretence of loyalty decoived no one, and Northumberland ma arrested and put to deith for treason. Lady Jaiio Grey and her husband were tlirown into prison, there to await Mary's decision. Cranmer who had ccnsented to the plot against Mary was also imprisoned. Mary was now Queen, with the consent of nearly all her sab- jects. For many years her life had been a bitter one. Her mother liad been divorced and she herself di^^graced by Act of Parliamentv She had been kept under constant watch during Edward's reign because it w*8 known that she loved her mother's people, the Spaniards, .*nd her mother's religion. She thus, true to her Spanish »iature, came to hate her mother's enemies, and the enemies of her niotlier's faith. The bitterness due to ill-treatment was aji'gravated by ill-health, neglect, and a temper naturally harsh. At her accession she was thirty-seven years of age, small of feature and stature, with dark eyes full of fire, and a harsh man-like voice. Like all the Tudors, she was brave and self-willed to a fault. 5. Wyat's Rebellion. — Her first acts were to restore the Roman Catholic religion and form of worship, and throw into prison the Protestant bishops. She released Gardiner and Bonner, and made the first her Chancellor, and the second. Bishop of London. Most of the people were pleased to have the old form of worship restored, out not so anxious to have the Pope's authority over England brought back. However, she induced Parliament to allow Cardinal Polo, her cousin, to go to Westminstei where, in the name of the Pope, he pardoned the nation through its represent- atives in Parliament, for its heresies in the two previous reisfns. Parliament was willing to accept the Pope's pardon ; but, whan a demand was made for a restoration of C.iurch property, the mein- bers, many of whom had been enriched out of its spoils, promptly declared they would not give up the Chiu-ch lands held by them. Mary herself did what she could to rest/ore the property taken from the Church by the Crown. filary was anxious to strengthen the Roman Catholic cause in England by the aid of Spain. Partly because she had this end in view, and partly because she loved her cousin Philip, son of Charles v. , and now king of Spain, she listened eagerly to a proposal to marry him. When it was rumoured that Mary wsfS going to RELIGIOUS 8TRUUOLB8. 73 marry the king of Spain, great, alarm was felt by the people. Somu were afraid of the Spanish Inquinition, which under Philip was doing terrible work in Flanders, while others wore afraid that England, thus brought so close to Spain, would lose her indepen- dence, Spain being at that time the greatest nation in the v/orhl. Risings tcok place in many counties, and the men of Kent, under the brave soldier and accomplished scholar, Sir Thomas Wyat, marched down to seize Lf.ndon, and to put Elizabeth, Mary's sistur,' on the throne. So strong was the feeling in favour of Wyat, that Mary was urged to escape. Instead of that, however, she rode forth and called upon the peoplo of London to rally round their queen, promising not to marry without her Parliament's consent. Her courage aroused her subjects, and when Wyat, worn out with travel anu fatigue, reached Temple Bar, London's gate, he found it closed and Loudon guarded by a laige force. His followers were scattered, and with many others he was taken prisoner and executed. Mary now thought it unsafe to allow Lady Jane Grey to live. On the 12th Feb., 1554, Lady Jane sat at her window and saw the bleeding kwly of her husband brought back from the scaffold, and then calmly went forth to the executioner's block. Elizabeth, it is said, had a narrow escape, her life being spared through the influence of Gardiner and Philip of Spain. She was, however, closely watched all through Maxy'f reign. The rebelUon being ended and the rebels punished, Mary married Philip. The marriage was not a happy one. Philip remained in England a year hoping to have a son, but was disappointed. He was also annoyed because Parliament under Gardiner's guidance would not allow him to take the title of king, nor would it allow England to take any part in Spanish wars. So PhUip left England and did not return till 1557. His coldness grieved Mary and made her still more bitter towards her enemies. 6. Persecution of the Protestants.— Mary, in her mistaken zeal for her religion, now began to put to death those who did not believe as she did. Rowland Taylor, an aged and much loved vicar, was sent to the stake amid the tears of his Darishioners. Then came in rapid succession, Rogers, a canon ; Hooper, a bishop ; Latimer, the bold, outspoken preacher of righteousness ; and Ridley, a gentle' and devout man. Latimer and Ridley were burned at Oxford, tied I I I i f • if ■' ! a 74 BISTORT OF EKOLAND. back to back to the same stake. " Play the man, Master Ridley," said Latimer, " we shall this day light such a candle in England as by the grace of God shall never be pnt out." Then came the most noted of all the victims, Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Cranmer had taken a leading part in all the changes in religion made in the reigns of Honry VIII. and Edward VI., and he had also been party to the plan to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne. He was now called to answer for his deeds, and to save his life, recanted. Then finding his life was not to be given him, ho recanted back again. Taken to the stake at Oxford, he thrust his right hand first into the flames, because that hand had basely signed his recantation. Nearly three hundred people it is said perished in three years for religion's sake, most of the burnings taking place at Smithfield, near London. Bishop Bonner of London got most of the blame ; but Mary and Gardiner. Mary most of all, deserve the odium attaphed to these cruelties. 7. Loss of Calais.— The people were becoming horror-stricken at these burnings, and many fled to Geneva for safety. Marj's health was rapidly failing, and as her disease grew, so did her wrath and bitterness. Her husband visited her in 1557, to get her aid in a war against France, and Mary foolishly consented to join him. England was in no condition to go to war, her treasury was empty, her people discontented, and her army and navy a wreck. What was looked upon then as a great national disaster and disgrace befell the country. Calais, the last possession of England in France, was surrounded by French troops, and Mary, too intent on punishing heretics, failed to send it relief. In 1558 it surrendered, and Eng- land lost the last remnant of her conquests in France. -Mary, like a true Englishwoman, felt the loss keenly, and in the same year died- worn out by sorrow and disease. 3ml THE WISE RULE OF ELIZABF.TH. 75 CHAPTER XTV. THE WISE RULE OF ELIZABETH. 1. EUzabeth.-WTien Mary died, her sister Elizabeth Dccame queen. At this time she was twenty-five years of ajre, tall and queenly in figure, with fair hair and blue eyes. As a queen she had te.v faults ; as a woman she had many. In her c.nncil surrounded by wise and careful advisers, she weighed everything before acring, and as events proved, seldom made a mistake The good of her subjects was ever before her, an.l by her tact, ciution and skill m diplomacy, she kept the country out of war and gave it a chance to become rich and great. She was n<.t content to have England at peace with foreign nations : she also sought to unite the various warring sections of her people and to restore peace and order throughout the nation. How she succeeded events will show. As a woman, she was vain, frivolous, fond of flatter}- and the attention of handsome courtiers. Frugal, even stingy, in all else, she spent large sums of money on dress and fineoCleaving, It IS said, three thousand dresses in her wardrobe. Her greatest fault was her habit of using deceit and falsehood to bewilder and overreach her enemies. This she did because, as she aiid, she was "a weak woman" with many powerful foes at home and abn,a,l Her education had been well looked after ; for, not only was she an excello.it horsewoman, dancer, shot, and musician, but she was well read in Greek, Latin, and French, and could converse in Italian and Spanish. She was the friend of the great writers who lived in her day, and at her court they found a hearty welcome. 2. EUzabeth's early difficulties. -WTicn Elizabeth began her reign she found her people discontented, her treasury empty, her army and navy weak, and she had powerful enemies in the persons of Philip II. of Spain, and the King of France. To a.ld to her difficulties, Mary, the daughter of .Tames V. of Scotland, and 'rrand- daughter of Margaret, Henry VII I's elder sister, claime°l U.e crown of England, on the plea tliat Eliz^ibeth was illegitimat*. Mary was married to the Dauphin of France, and Scotland in her absence was ruled by her mother, Mary of Guise, who ac-tod as Ilegeut. French troops had been brought into Scotland to help > II 76 BItiTORT OF ENGLAND. the Regent against the "Lords of the Congregation," or Protestant nobles, who were now becoming very pt werful, and were much under the influence of John Knox and Earl Murray, Mary's half- brother. At this time great struggles were going on in Europe between Rorr.an Catholics and Protestants, Philip II. of Spain was the most powerful ruler in Europe, and he was, with great cruelty, trying to crush out a rebellion in the Low Countries for political and religious freedom. In France a fierce struggle was going on between the Huguenots, or French Protestants, and the French king. So when Elizabeth became queen, the eyes of all Europe were upon her to see whether she would be a Protestant or a Roman Catholic. At first she would not take the side of either religious party. The Protestants hoped she would be their friend, knowing the religious belief of Anne Boleyn, her mother ; wliile the Roman Catholics were encouraged by her apparent hesitation. Her first task was to free England and herself from the control of Spain. She made peace with France. Philip, who wished to marry her, and the Pope, who tried to get her to espouse his cause, were put off with e: cuses. At length, when Parliament met, it was ordered that the Prayer-Book of Edward VI, with some slight changes, should be restored to the Churches, and that the clergy should recognize the Royal Supremacy of Elizabetli. Roman Catholics and people of other creeds were not to be molested, provided they attended the service of the English Church. If any refused to attend they were made to pay a heavy fine. The Bishops for the mot ])art refused to take the oath of supremacy, and were, therefore, removed from their offices and moderate Protestants put in their places. Elizabeth did not like the extreme Protestants, and slie chose for her chief adviser in Cliurch affairs Matthew Parker, Arclibishop of Canterbury, a man of the same moderate views as her own. In the beginning of her reign, tlie Roman Catholics were more than half of the population, and Elizabeth had to be very careful, knowing that many of her subjects looked to Mary, Queen of Scots, who was a strong Roman Catholic, as the rightful queen. 3, EUiabeth and Scotland.— To u&et Mary's iuflueuce iu THE WISE RTTLE OF ELIZABETH. 77 England. Elizabeth aided the Protestant nobles, or "Lords of the Congregation," in Scotland in their struggle with Mary of Guise who sought to crush out Protestantism. Lord Grey with 8 000 men was sent to help the Scotch against a Freeh force, which'the Regent had brought over, and which was now besieged in Leith While the siege was going on, Mary of Guise died, and the French promised to leave the kingdom. Tlie Scotch Lords also agreed that Elizaljeth should be recognized as the queen of England, butMarv the Scotch queen, would not be In^md by this agreement. Shorti; after this her husband, Francis IL of France, died, and she returned to rule over her own kingdom. She was warmly welcomed by Protestants and Roman Catholics alike, ^nd her vouth, beauty, and winning ways made her a general favourite. Her most powerful subjects and her Parliament were the followers of John Calvin of Geneva, a great Protestant teacher, and Mary did not attempt to force her own religious opinions on her people. 4. England's Prosperity.-Elizabeth's enemies abroa.1, France and Spam, owing to tlieir jealousy of each other, left her at peace until they could settle their own quarrels. In the meantime the nation prospered greatly. Elizabeth's economy filled the public treasiu-y, and the order and good government she gave the nation encouraged the people to make improvements in tilling the soil and to engage m trade and commerce. Manufactures increased rapidly and new industries were intruducetl through the many people hat came to England to escape from the wa^s and religious persecutions in Flanders and France. Cloth-weaving was greatlv improved by the Flemings, wliile later on, through the French came a greater skiU in «ilk manufactures. Rtw gold and silve; were brought from America, gold dust and ivory from Africa, and silks and cottons from the East. Increase of trade caused an increase in shipping, and Elizabeth encouraged lier subjects to build ships for adventures in the far east, west, and north. Frobisher discovered the straits of Hudson's Bay, Sir Humphrey Gilbert tried to colonize Newfoundland, Hawkins opened up a traffic in slaves with the coast of Africa, an.l Sir Francis Drake, a famous s^a- captam, sailed round the worid in a little vessel, bringing home a great treasure, which he obtained by plundering Spanish Jtlements m Amenca. So great was the increase of wealth among all claaaes 'I !] 78 HISTORY or ENGLAND. of the people that many things now considered lucessaries, but which then were luxuries, came into general use. Carpets on the fli s, abundance of glass in the windows, pillows for the head, chimneys instead of holes in the roof, now became common, MoTiey was spent freely by the gay lords and ladies on tine dresses, jewels, feasts, revels, and pageants. Money was so easily got that it was recklessly spen*^. Even the poor gained under Elizabeth's rule. An earnest effort was now made to lesson the pjuperism that had so long existed. A law was passed making it necessary for each parish to provide for its own poor, an I power was given to the parish to levy taxes for that purpose. Work-houses and poor- houses were to be buUt, where work, food, and sheltor could be given to the needy, aged, and helpless. It was not, however, until near the end of Elizabeth's reign that the "Poor Laws" were completed. 5. Beligious Discord. — While the country was thus growing in wealth, it unfortunately was not at peace in religious affairs. There were two kinds of people that were not satisfied with the way Elizabeth tried to govern the Church. The Roman Catholics could not take the Oath of Supremacy, and they were forbidden by the Pope to go to the English Church services. On the other hand there was a growing body that thought the English Church was too near the Roman Catholic Church in its form of worship and church g( ivernment, and that wished to bring the English Church closer to the Churclies in Germany and Switzerland. These were the PvrUans^ who wanted, they said, a 2'it'e»* form of worship. Eli?;i'^eth cared little what people believed so long as they all attended the same Churcli services. She v ished to have one law in the Church for all classes of her subjects, just as there was but one law in the State So Parliament passed an Act in 1503, that no person could hold an oiRce, or be a member of Parliament, unless he would obey the Queen, and deny that the Pope had auj authority i.\ England. 6. Mary, Queen of Scots.- We saw that when Maty returned to Scotland she received a hearty welcome from her people. She was but nineteen at that time, and so hvauliful, fascinating, and rlever, that few people, even the sternest, could resist her charms. She had not been long in Scotland before she began to plot against Elizabeth for the English throne. Her subjects were ready to aid •~ 1 THE WISE nULE OF ELIZABETFI, 79 her ; so was Philip of Spain ; and so were some tf Elizabeth's subjects. Mary was Elizabeth's heir, and this made Elizabeth's friends anxious. They were afraid that some fanatic would imirder Elizji- beth to give Mary the crown. So they frequently urged Elizabeth to marry and give tliem an heir to the throne, SIio would refuse until sorely pressed by her Parliamenb, and then w. ild i>romiso t(i choose a husband. But she never married although she had nwmy lovers and suitors, who, for a time, were encouraged and then quietly rejected. Why she did not marry we do not know. - >me think she desired to marry Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicc.cr, who was for many years her favourite. She knew tlmt if she married a Protestant she would displease lier Roman Catholic subjects, whereiis if she married a R^jman Cittholic she wuiiM anger her Protestant subjects. So she i emained a " Virgin Queon " and found in the love and devotion of her people a partial recom- pense for the lack of husband and children. Tlie anxiety of Elizabeth's subjects was increased when Mary married, in 1565, Lord Darnley her cousin, Damloy, like Mary, was descended from Margaret, Henry VIII's sister, and his family were Roman Catholics. By this marriage Mary strengthened ler claim on the throne of England, and had she now acted with prudence, Elizabeth might have been driven frora the throne, or else com- pelled to recognize Mary as her successor. But Mary, with all her cleverness, could not control her passions, and by giving way to them she lost not only all chance or becoming queen of England, but also caused harself to be driven into exile. She S()!)n tii.d of her young husband, who was a foolish youth, and w. uted to Lucoiue • ing, and by his jealousies and follies gave Mary much 0,711 lyanotv She had an Italian secretary, David Rizzio, with whom sKe was so intimate that Darnloy grew jealous. Aided by a b aid of r M.;h Scotch lords he broke into Mary's chanibir at i.1 .ivron'' li-.i she was supping with Rizzio, Rizzio was dragged oiU and stabbi; -: death, and his botly flung down a staircase near Mary's cli-'-iulfri. May tried to save him but was held back by Dandey >■ hile the rir.uder took place. After a time she pre- tended to foi' iv) her husKind, and three months after the munler, her son, Jame-?. was born. Not long after this event, Darnley being ill, Mary had hiiu reiaoved to an old building, Kirk-O'-Field, not f 'i 80 BUTORT OF VSOLASD. i« ■I i far from Holyrood, for quiet and rest. One ni^rht when Tlary was attending '. dance given to her servants in Holyrooil, an explosion took place at Kirk-O'-Field, and the next morning Diuuley and his page wore found dead in ai' adjoining field. The house had been blown up witli j,'imi)Owder, and although Dariiley and the page had escaped from the house, they had been overtaken ami murdered. No one knew whi lier Mary had planned the deed or not ; but the servants of the Earl of Bothwell, a bold, profligate noble, were seen near the scene of the tragedy that evening, and a short time after Mary allowed herself to be carried olf by Bothwall to one of his castles and there married to him. The people of Scotland were horrified at the murder and the marriage, and at once her lords rose against her. She was taken prisoner, and forced to give up her crown to lier son. A year later she escaped from Loch Leven Castle, and gathered an army, but sho was defeated at Langside, in 1568, by Earl Murray. With diffi- culty Mary esciiped into England when she claimed the protection and aid of Elizabeth. 7. Mary in England. — What to do with Mary was more than Elizabeth could decile. Mary asked to be restored to her throne, and failing that, to be allowed to go to her mother's people in France. le Scotch demanded that she should be sunt back to be tried for tiie murder of her husband. Elizabeth knew tliat it was unsafe to allow her to go to France, and she was unwilling to hand her over to her Scotch subjects, as that would lodk like encouraging rebellion. So she kept Mary a prisoner in England refusing either to send her back or bring her to trial. For eighteen years was she thus kept until the numerous plots formed against Elizabeth's life, in the intere^it of Mary, made it necessary that something should be done. For Mary had not beon long in England before the Duke of Norfolk wished to marry her and put her on the throne. This plot was found out in time aid Norfolk was warned and sent to the Tower. Then a rebellion broke out in the north, which was put down at the cost of many lives. Then the Pope excommunicated Elizabeth and released her subjects from their allegiance to her. Parliament answered this by making -hict laws against the Boman Catholics ; and then another plot was fiirmed to murder Elizabeth, to marry Mary to Norfolk, and th/ough the aid of Spain to make niBBaw™™..' THE VriSB BULB 0» EUSABKTtt 81 on fur n^ny yeai-s till, in 1687, Anthony Tiabington enter^Tnf^ feecret«-y of State, and on the evidence he supplied. Mary was ^th ^ 7:.^""--\7 of I--andsentencedlde;th.^ir beth, for a time, would not consent to sign the death warra^ ajthough urged to do so by Parliament and her n.iniste™ IT W she signed it. and the sentence was at once carried ouT Mait ,td P^testing her nmocence, but the people b,.athed easier WtTa great danger was removed. "«**u8e a 8 The Spanish Armada .-Meanwhile Elizabeth had been able to keep England out of foreign wars. She was askeTto^Ld "e Netherlands against Spain, but refused to do «o op^X for many of her subjects did not want to have their trade with Sl^w Coa.tnes stopped. Nevertheless thousands of Englishn.en c^J over to the aid of the Netherlanders a, I fought in thei^ b^^ ZZ PhilSl-f '^- ^""« ''^^ ^'^ '^''''^ EngSh sll: was hir Phihp Sidney, a brave and noble man, and an accomnlishad courtier, author, and soldier. He was kil ed at tre 2tt 1^ Zutphen. The hatred borne the Spaniards at this Le by the Enghsh was shown m many ways. Tliere was no open war between England d Spain ; nevertheless English ships Ire ticted o^tt^ ^under Spanish settlements in America, and seize their tre^ur^ ships returning fro.u the rich mines of the New World. WeTJI abeady mentioned how Drake returned from his voyage round the ^>rld laden .ith Spanish tre.- .re. When ho reaohed\ome El^.! beth visited his Ship, made him a knight, and did not refuse to accent aWeportionofhisspoiL So it is not surprising that Philip of Sil was angjj, and only waited till his hands were free to atLk Eng land. Meanwhile new expeditions were going out against Spanish tt°aidT T\frT'^''i'' ""^ ^ anny t'.theLowCorries ^ Ou' tf deat"' "• , '''"'P "" '"^ '^"^ ^'^--^ Elizabeth had puu to death several priests who came tc England from a coUege at Douay in France to minister to the E^lish R^ma^ ^holies and to penmade them not to attend the Cil ^^ ~rvice« These pnerts we« accused of preaching <^oyalty^ MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART Nd. 2) 1.0 I.I ■^1 2.8 3.2 1^ 140 2.5 2.2 2.0 ^ APPLIED IIVMGE Inc ^^ 1653 East Mam Street gVa Rochester, New York 14609 USA •■^a (716) *82 - 0300 - Phone Bag (716) 288 - 5989 - Fox 83 HISIORT OF ENGLAND. stirring tho people up to rebellion, and for this many of them were executed, as well as for their religion. At length Philip's chance came to make the long deferred attack. Mary, Qneon of Scots, was dead, and Philip was looked to as the pr(){)or person to avenge the wmngs of the Roman Catliolics, and to take Elizabeths place on the throne of Englai^d. In 1585 he began his preparations, A great fleet, an ' ' Armada, " was to be made ready, and was to take on board 30,000 veteran Spanish troops under the command of the Duke of Parma in t'le Netherlands. It was then t- cross to England, and Philip hoped that when his army landed all the English Roman Catholics would join him. While the " Armada" was getting ready, Drake made a bf)ld attack on Cadiz harbour and burnt many vessels. This he called "singe- ing the Spanish king's beard." Elizabeth was slow to believe that the attack would be really made, and was loath to give money enough to make her fleet and army effective. What she grudged to do, her subjects did a; their own expense. Vessels were fitted out by private gentlemen and sent out to do battle for England's freedom. Lord Howard of Effingham was appointed chief Admiral, ' but he had by his side the great sea-captains, Drake, Hawkins, and Frobishor, who had fought many a successful battle against Spanish ships. At last, on the 12th July, 1588, the Armada, under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia, set sail. It consisted of one hundred and twenty-nine ships of great size, with thousands of soldiers and sailors on board. To oppose it was an English fleet of eighty small vessels, made up of a few of the Queen's ships and a number of privateers. Never was England in greater danger, and never were her people more true to their country and sovereign. Roman Catholics were as eager as Protestants to offer their aid and defend England's shores. The Queen's high courage did not fail her, and her a[>pearanco among her .soldiers was all that was needed to give them hope and confidence. Beacon lights flamed from the English headlands to give news of the Armada's approach. At last the great crescent of huge ships was seen coming up the Channel, and the small English fleet sailed out to damage it as much as possible. They hung on its rear and flanks to cut oflf any ship that might be f < )und separated from the main body. At night fire-ships were sent adrift into the Spanish fleet, and in the fear and confusion that followed several Spanish ships were captured and destroyed. The fi THE WISE RULE OF ELIZABKTH. b3 Spaniards fauiul that tluir vessels were so large and clumsy that tlieir shot passed over tho English ships, whicli could s;iil away or around tluMu at pleasure. In despair tlie Annada hegan to retreat, pursniv] l,y its active and vengeful eneuiies. To add t.. their misfortunes a great storm arose which cairied .the Spanish •essels past Parma's urniy, ami drove them far north. Rounding -e Orkney^ to return t; Spuhi the vessels were da.shtd on the r- kS, nd the shores of the north, of Scotland and Ireland were strewn with cori)ses. Some reached the shore alive only to he murdered by the savage inhabitants of the coast. Of all tliat grwit fleet only tifty-three vessels reached Spain. England was saved : the wind and the waves had fought her battles even more effectively tlian her sjiilors or soldiers. With the defeat of the A -mada passed away the long dread of a great danger, and the i,ati„n'3 joy and relief found expression in the glorious literature tliat followed. 9. Elizabethan Literature— Not since Chaucer hatl England a great poet, until Edmund Spenser wrote in this reign tho "Faerie Queen." Other great writers followed: Sidney, Raleigh, Bacon, Hooker, and greatest of all, William Shakespeare, who born in 1504 began to write towards the close of this reign his wonderful plays and dramas. To these men, great in an age of great men, Eliza- beth was a friend and counsellor. Such an era in literature the nation had not hitherto experienced, and it is doubtful if such another era has since como to the English people . The great events and the daring deeds and thoughts of the time seemed to demand a Spenser and a Shakespeare to give them voice. Nor must we for- get the eff-orts made by Sir Walter Raleigh, at once courtier, auc ...r, soldier, and voyager, to colonize Virginia. Though the colony wiis a failure in his time, he brought back to Europe the potato as well as tobacco, both of which soon came into use. In this rein there was a rebellion under Shan ( )'Neil, which was i)ut down by .Sir Henry Sidney in 1567. But the rebellion broke out again under Shan's son, Hugh, Earl of Tyrone, in lo!)."), when the Spaniards gave their aid. He defeated the English, and Essex, the darling of tuzabeth's old age, was sent against him. Es.sex made an unwise peace with him, and then returned to England for Elizjibeth's approval. She was very angry at his folly and ordered him to keep his horsi; for a time. Essex, in his vain pride, marched to London to seize the queen ; but was arrested, tried, and executed. Lord Mountjoy, an able man, was sent in his place to Ireland, and succeeded in suppressing the revolt. In the next reign, as we shall find, large tracts of land were taken from the Irish in the north and given to Scotch and English settlers. 11. Death of Elizabeth. — But the end of this greau reigii was now near. Elizabeth, after the death of Essex, became despondent. She had lost much of the sympathy of her people, although in memory of her great services they bore with her frailties of temper and disposition to nile arbitrarily. Nevertheless she knew wlien to yield to her Parliament and people. One of her last and most gracious acts was to abolish " monopolies " on a number of articles of common use. The Parliament had grown in power during these years of peace and prosperity, and it only waited Elizabeths death to begin again the struggle for its lost rights and privileges. Elizabeth's end was a sad one. Dejected and wretched, for days she would take no food, nor speak to any one. To tlie last she refused to name her successor. Asked if James of Scotland, IVIary's son, should succeed her, a slight motion of the head was all the sign of approval she gave. On the 24th March, 1603, England's great queen died. CBOWH AND PABUAHENT. 85 CHAPTER XV. OEOWN AND PAELIAMKNT. t James I.— EKaabeth was no sooner dead than CecU, the minister of her old age, sent for James VI. of Scotland, the son of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, to be king of England. No one objected, and James came down from Scotland to London and was crowned on the sacred stone of Scone in Westminster. So the old prophecy was fulfilled, and a Scotch king reigned in England under the title of James I. James was the first of the Stuart line, and, like all his race in England, was obstinate, self-willed, and filled with the notion that he ruled by "Divine Right" ; that is, he believed he held the throne from God directly, and not from his Parliament and people. To this belief he added another, viz., that bishops were divinely appointed, and that the kingship was not secure unless the Church was governed by bishops. As he said, "No Bishop, no King." Perhaps he got this idea from the fact that when king in Scotland he had to endure a good many restraints and rebukes from the Presbyterian clergy of that nation. At any rate, as soon as he reached England he cast his lot in with the EngUsh Church and left the Presbyterian body to which he had formerly belonged. James had a few good qualities and a great many bad ones. He was weU educated, and had read much on church history and theology. He loved to show his learning, and to that end wrote pamphlets against smoking (which was becoming fashionable) and witchcraft, and in favor of the " Divine Right o£,Kings." He had a canny Scotch wit and humour, and said many shrewd and pithy ' mg3. Nevertheless, he was a foolish king : "the wisest fool in ^nristendom," as a French statesman called him. He was easily ruled by favourites, and his court was often'the scene of drunken- ness and low debauchery. James himself was given to gluttony and drunkenness, and as in dress he was slovenly, and in person awkward and ungainly, he made himself contemptible and ridi- culous oy his actions. The EngUsh people had been accustomed to dignified kings and queens, and the change from the queenly Elizabeth to the ricketty James did not tend to make them quietly I !i 86 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. Hubmit to James' claim to rule " not by the common will but foi the common weal. 2. State of the Nation,— At this time, too, the people had be- come so prosperous under Elizabeth's rule that they had ucovered much of the old spirit of freedom which forced the Plantageneta to give Parliament the control of taxation. Elizabeth had felt this in the later years of her reign, and had unwillingly conceded many things to her Parliament. So, when James, with his awkward ways and foreign accent, began to dictate to his Parliament and people how they should be governed, they resented it, and soon made him understand that the English peopla did not want arbitrary rule. The nation was in an unsettled condition owing to the different views held by the people on religious (questions. The Puritans wanted changes made in the Church services, so as to bring them nearer the form of worship in Scotland and Geneva. They disliked making the sign of the cross in baptism, wearing a surplice, or giving a ring in the marriage service. They, also, were very strict about keeping Sunday, and about indulging in anmsements. In questions of stale they upheld the liberty of Parliament and the right of the people to make their own laws. Then there was the Church party which wished the Church to remain as Elizabeth had left it, and which was strongly in favour of giving the king a great deal of power. Lastly, there were the llcman Catholics, who wished to restore the Roman Catholic faith. They had been fiercely per- secuted in Elizabeth's reign and now looked to James for relief, because his mother had been a strict Roman Catholic. The hope of the Puritans that he would make changes in the Church services to pleaso them, was soon destroyed. James had been so sternly treated by the Scotch Presbyterians . hat he hated them and their ways ; and as the Puritans in many respects were like the Presby- terians, he, at a Conference at Hampton Court, roundly abused them when they asked for changes, and said if they would not conform he would "harry them out of the land." The only good result of this conference was the decision to issue a revised translation of the Bibl-., which was done in 1611. This is the version still in use. 3. The Paritans begin to Emigrate.— Now th»t it was seen — f CROWN AND PARLIAMEITT. 87 that James was wedded to the Church as it stood, many Puritans deteniiinod to leave tlieir native land an escape, but most of them wciv seized and put to death. The res ..t of this wicked and f(jolish plot was that the ,ws were made still more cruel and oppressive against liouxan Catholics. 5. Crown and Parliament.— Very soon James began to disagree with his Parliaments. He insisted on his right to collect taxes and place duties on goods without consent of Parliament ; and to please his favourites and put money in his treasury, he revived the monopolies which had been given up by Elizabeth. Nearly every Mi 88 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. !i i I i i (vrticlo of common use was mmlo tho subject of a "monopoly," and in this way tlio | pit liad to {xiy for wliat tliey used far more tlian the thinys weiu worth, .lames' expenses were heavy,f<)r lie had to keej. an army in Ireland. The people there were disoontente^ -r « \ i i i' 92 HISTORY OF ENOLAWn, patriot, who spoko words which Htirrwl tho hearts of bis fellow- meniljeis, moved to have Buckinghaiu impoaclied for wasting the king's revenues. Tho Commons were i)roceeding with the impeach- ment when Charles, to save his favcjuritt , ojico more dissolved Parliament. 3. Forced Loans.— Charles now tried to get money without asking his Pariiament's consent. He ha.1 much need of it, for urged by Buckingham, he had begun a war against France in aid of the Frerch Protestants of La Rochelle. So he began to levy tonnacfo and poundage, and to force people to lend him money although he b-- J no intention of ever paying it back. In this way he collected a large sum, although many refused to pay and were punished in various ways. Some were fined and imprisoned, others wei-o forced into the army and navy, or had soldiers billeted in their houses. In this way Buckingham got money enough to raise an army and fleet to go to La R«x;helle, where tho English were so badly defeated and suffered so heavy a loss that they had to return home. 4. Petition of Bight.— Parliament now had to be summoned to get supplies, and when it met, it at once began to complain of the way the king had collected money and imprisoned those who had refused to pay his forced loans. Sir John Eliot was again the chief spokesman, and under his guidance Parliament drew up a "Petition of Kight," in which they demanded the king tliat no man should be asked for a loan without consent of Parliament ; that no man should be sent to prison without cause being shown ; that soldiers should not be billeted in private houses, and that martial law should cease. The king did not want to agree to this petition, but he was so much in need of money that he finally yielded. On June 7, 1628, the Petition of Right became law, and the people were so de^'ghted - »at they rang the bells and lighted great bonfires. Parliament, ..,o, granted Charies the money he wanted ; but it did not cease its attack on Buckingliam, who now began to prepare another expedition for La Rochelle. This disturber of the peace of the nation was, however, to trouble them no longer. When on the point of leaving Portsmouth for France, he was stabbed to the heart by one John Felton, who had a private grudge against him, and blamed him for all England's woes. M! THE CtVrL WAR. 93 The king wept at the loss of hi.s favo.mto, but the people rejoiced *nd praised Felton for the deed. '' the\frf • tY E"<'--B"ekingham, whom .11 thought tl. cause of the king sUd government, uasdead, yot matters did not men.l. The king soon ceased to be bound by the Petition of R.^ht. and be«a„ once more to raise money by illegal meai. . ju.st as if he had never promised to wait the consent of his parUament. He also cause.l us people anxiety bj making William Laud. Bishop of London Laud wushed to enforce greater 'rictness in the observance of Charles ruled by Divme Right, and coul.l do as he wished without ask.ng the concent of his people. What with Laud's efforts to make changes m tho ' urch, and Charles' arbitrary rule, it was feared by the Puritans that England would lose her religion and he^ freedom. So when Parliament met in IGJO, there was great excitement, and Eliot dema,ided that the custom'-house officl'^ho had taken away the goods of a member of Parliament should be punished. Charles sent down an order to Parliament to adjoui^ Parhament refused, and to prevent the speaker or cha-nuan fro^ aving his place, two member, held him down whUe Eliot put a strong resolution to vote, condemning, as a traitor, any one who would make .ny changes in religion, or who sho J " ^ or ^ke custom duties without consent of Parliament. . vote had scarcely been t^ken when the kings gua«i appeared ...d broke up ?! ! n , u *^' ^^''"'■' ^'''"'•« 'h^«« y^^^ ^»J a half after he died. kiUed by the close confinement of prison life. Charles knew ^Lf::Zf/Z'''''' ''- ^"^^" '' i-pH.onment.. yet he wiL^'frr* "^^ Laud.-For eleven years Charles now niled without a parhament. Weston was his Treasurer ; Wentworth who had deserted his old friends, was his chief akviser ; wWi: ^rhlr r>, r"^f"''"'°P ^' Canterbury, r^led the Church. Perhaps Charles did not. at first, intend to go so long without .parhament ; but as the years passed he Lnd it'eaXt have his own way without a parliament thar with one. He had made peace with France, and Weston was a careful treasurer. soTib expenses were hght. Times, too, were better, and with the kwv^ Ill 94 BISTORT OF ENSLANa of trade came an increased revenue from customs ; and Charles found it n(jt at all difficult to make ends meet now that there was no war. The courtiers thought that the people were content to be governed in this way, and laughed when any one failked of the king's illegal ride. Wentworth, who formerly Imd stood by Eliot and Hampden for the Petition of Right, now aimed at making the king absolute. He wanted to raise a standing army, and force Parliamer.c to do the king's will. The king was afraid to tr such uieans, so Strafford (as Wentworth was now called) had himself appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, where he proposed to show Charles how a land could be nded by fear. While Strafford was in Ireland he made the Irish Parliament do whatever he willed, and so ruled that thf re was peace and order under his heavy hand. He allowed no tyranny but his own, and raised a standing army, which could be used, if necessary, in England against the English. In every possi!)le way he sought to create ill-feeling between the Irish and the English settlers in Ireland, and the fruits of this policy were soon to appear. One good thing he did he introduced tli; culture of flax and the manufacture of linen, an industry that has been very successful in Ireland. In the meantime Laud was emptying the pulpits of Puritans, and filling them with new men who taught the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings, and who believed in his ideas of public worship. This made the English people very anxious, for religion was more to them than civil liberty Charles greatly increased the power of the Star Chamber Court, which was now used to fine and punish men who would not submit to his tyranny. Laud, to carry out his plans in the Church, used another arbitrary tribunal, the High Commission Court, before which the clergy who would not preach and do as he wished were brought and punished. The Puritans were very strict in keeping Sunday, and would not allow any games or amusements on that day. This gave Laud a chance to annoy them. He induced Charles to order the clergy to announce from the pulpits that games and sports were to be practised on Sunday after the Church service was over, as had been customary some time before. Many honest ministciTS refused to do his bidding, and were driven from their pulpits. The Puri- tans began to despair of recovering their religious freedom, and thousands during these dark days left England for- ever, and settled in New England. Not Puritans alone, but THE CIVIL WAR. 95 f^^ T .^ ^^' ^""'' ^^"'^ ^ **»^ ^^« '^f North America. in 1634 Lord Baltimore founded the colony of Maryland, where one of the first laws was that religious Uberty should be aUowed toalL 7. Ship-money .—Charles now found a new way of raisint' money A fleet was needed in the English channel to protect English trade' but Charles had no money to equip one. A lawyer told him that ifc was once the custom for the coast towns to provide ships, and the kmg saw m the suggestion a means of keeping up a fleet and anny without any expense to himself. He, therefore, commanded the people livmg in the coast towns to provide him with ships. Ihe next step was to get them to pay him money to equip a fleet, and then as the people living inland were benefited by this fleet p^tectmg England's shores, he called upon them, also, to ^my a Uix When John Hampden, who lived in Buckinghamshire, refused to pay, he was brought before the king's judges, who decided by a vote of seven to five, that the king had a right to collect this tax although the Petition of Right said no tax could be levied without the consent of Parliament. Hampden lost his case, but his refusal to pay roused the people to a sense of their danger. 8. Laud and Scotland.-How long Charles would have ruled without a parliament, we know not, had not Laud by his excessive zeal brought him into conflict with the Scotch. Wentworth who was in Ireknd, and Laud had been writing letters to eacll other, and laying a plan by which the king was to be made absolute m the State, and the Puritans and Presbyterians were to be forced to submit to Laud's rule in the Church. This scheme wliich they caUed "Thorougli," proposed that a standing army slwuld be raised, and by it aU opposition to the kings will crushed out. Wentwort;h was carrying out pari; of this plan in Ireland, and Laud was anxious to try the rest in Scotland. So he persuaded Charies to appoint bishops in Scotland, and to order that a Prayer-Book, much like the English Prayer-Book, should be used in all the Scotch churches. The Scotch did not use any Prayer-book, an.l when an attempt was made to read the new service in a clmrcli in Edinburgh, an old woman, Jenny Geddes, threw her stool at the preacher's head, and there was a riot, which led to the church being cleared. When Charles heard of this he commanded the Scotch to submit ; but, 96 niSTORT OF BNOLAVD. f j^i^ instead of that, they signed the National Covenant, whereby they 8t)l«'mnly swore to defend their religion against all i^s enemies. Not content with that they gathered an anay, and when Charles niarched north tt) punish them, they at once crossed the Bonier, preiwired to give him battle. Charles now found liimself in a stniit. His army would not fight against the Scotch, and he had to return to London. He sent for Strafford from Ireland to help him, and whun Strafford cjime he advised Charles to adl Parliament to get mone. for an army, and then went back to Irelanvas onlered thata I'a.-lian.ent should ...eet. at least o: ee in e y Hhould not l,e d.ssulved w.thont its own consent. It passed laws aga...st dlegal taxati-n, an.l co,.de...ned the decision the ^dgir, g.ven .n the .ase of I,,...p,en a...I ship-n.onc y. The ch.-f le^tlji " Parl,a,..ent of th..se opposed to the ki,.g we.e Py.u and Ila.np.'le.. • and that arha.,.e,.t was excee.l.ng it.s rightful authority. Pyn and h.s follower, wanted to t.ke the com.nand of the arr..y a^.d nav> ar.d the appo.nt.ner.t of g.-eat officers in the State, out of he k.ngs ha..ds, as they could no longer trust hi,... These de.uands caused a great n.a,.y to go over to the k.ng's side, and such n.oderate n.e.i as Lo.-.l Falkland and Edward Hyde be begin the struggle with a supply of war nrnterial ready to hand. The king was supported by most of the nobles, gentry, and clergy, while Parliament had the great mass of the middle classes, the small farmers, merchants, and artisans on its side. The north and west were with the king, and the east and south with Parlia- ment. Tlie King's followers were called "Cavaliers," because many of them were skilled horsemen and accustomed to arms. They wore their hair long, whereas the Puritans who fought in the Parliamentary amy had theirs cropped close to the head, and so were called "Roundheads." The king had the best soldiers, but Parliament had the most money and the great advantage of having the rich city of London at its back. During the strif* THK CrviL WAR. 99 th,^weret™R.rli™™,,: the king's „t o^orf, u, which m„st north .03 hard pro»,c..l by tho royaliste. In » akTn!^ h ! rh I battle at ISc-wburyr, l,„rf p„,H„„j ,^ " Peace tl:j!. » r-^s^rCe^t^tir-itirr"."*'' "-^^ had aea^ely been aVawherp^'^ieS' '"" '»^'" """ ''^'■''. .antteX7"S;;t cLlweuTr","' '""r^" ""^ ^"«- farmer of Hnnti, gZh ^ W ^en^'r r^' ,"''''"" r"""""- and had watched the 2.,^ ^;i'°"?r '" '^""'"""■•"' coiinfmr \vj iu fa'^owmg ev ils in the government of the country. A\ hen the war broke out he formed a regiment of hors! that .he only way to fight the king was to mateh his cavahe s wul Ici at\ . t"' '■*'"' ^'^ "Ironsides" could do. For in 1644 at Marston Moor, in Yorkshire, Fairfax, aided by the Scots anr .romweU, met and scattered the king's troops under Prhl B .... .t. Tlus wa« the fix.t great batUe of the wL. and Crom'eU m I 100 HISTORY OF KNOIiANa proved that his " Ironsides " were more than a match for Rupert's cavahy. Cromwell now pressed to have the army reorganized, and suc- ceeded in getting Parliament to pass a "Self-Denying Ordinance," by which members of Parliament were not allowed to command in Battle -ncUM orth« Civil War. the army. Fairfax was made commander-in-chief, and by special permission Cromwell was allowed to remain with him. Strict discipline was now e^iforced in the army, and the " New Modil," as it was called, in a short time, proved how wise was Cromwell's advice and leadership by utterly defeating the king in a decisive n THE CTVIL WAR. 101 battle at Naseby in Northamptonshire. This battle reaUy ended the war, for Charles now fled to Wales, and thence to the Scotch army at Newark, where he hoped to be kindly treated. Parliament would have allowed the king to come back h -d he been willing to surrender the command of the an.:y for twenty years, and to accept Presbyterianisra as the form of religion in England. But Charles would not consent, so the Scotch gave him up to Parlia- ment in return for the payment of £400,000 due them as expenses. 15. Trial and Execution Of Charles I.-\\Tien Charles came back he was weU treated, and might have been restored to the throne had he acted with sincerity towards Parliament and the army He thought that they could not get along without him, and hoped by taking advantage of the quarrels between the officers and Parliament to recover aU his lost authority. In consequence of one of these quairels, the army seized the king, and offered to put hmi back on the throne, on much more i-easonable terms than had been cf^ered by Parliament. Charles pretended to treat with the officers but at the same time was stirring up another civU war, hoping throur^ the aid of the Scotch and Irish, to be able to make his own terms. Suddenly he escaped from the army and made his way to the Isle of Wighc, where he was captured and imprisoned. Severa nsings took place in his favor, but they were soon crushed. Ihen the army sternly resolved that it would bring "Charles Stuart that man of blood" to account for all the misery he had brought on the land. Pariiament was purged of the members who would not consent to bring the king to trial; and then a t^- bunal of sixty-three men was formed, with Bradshaw a fam , lawyer at its head, to solemnly impeach the king. Before t s .r -.-ni court, Charies was brought, and called to answer to charges of treason and murder. In these last trying moments Charies Lin- tamed all the dignity of a king, and refused to defend himself before judges having no legal authority. Nevertheless the trial went on and having heard the evidence, the court; condemned the king to die' Nino days later, on a scaffold outside a window of Whitehall Palace. Charles Stuart, c^ly and bravely kid his head on the fatal block. Jan. oO, 1649. m > 102 BISTOKT OF ENGLAND. CHAPTER XVII. THK COaraONWEAlTH. 1. England becomes a Republic— England was now without a king, and, as the House of Lords was soon after abolished, the only authority left to govern was a part of the Long Parliament, com- posed of not more then eighty men. Thxs "Rump Parliament," as it was coarsely called, promptly undertook the task of ruling, and elected a council of State of forty members, to manage the affairs of the nation. England was declared a "Commo: wealth," and Parliament set to work to meet the dangers that threatened the young Republic. At foreign courts the execution of Charles was lookel upim as a terrible crime. None of the European nations would recognize the '* Commonwealth " and its council of State, for they thought Charles Stuar^, Charles I's eldest son, was the rightful ruler of England. There was also much discon- tent at home, for many, now that the king was dead, began to look upon him as a martyr. This feeling v.as increased by the publication of a book, the "Royal Image," which professed to be an account by the king himself of his sayings and doings while a prisoner. It painted Charles in very flattering colours, and made him appear little less than a saint. The book was a forgery by a Pres- byterian clergyman. Dr. Gauden ; nevertheless it had a large sale, and made many regret that the king had been treated so harshly. In Ireland, too, there was danger to the Commonwealth. There the Duke of Ormond had united all classes of the population in favor of Charles II., who was invited to go to Ireland and become king. Prince Rupert was in the channel preying on English commerce with a number of ships which had taken refuge in Dutch harbours. Scotland was growing daily more discontented and was begin- ning to look for the restoration of Charles II. All the Scotch waited for was Charles' assent to the Covenant, after which they were ready to make him their king, and to aid him in recovering the English throne. 2. Crcmwell in Ireland. — The most pressing danger was in Ireland, and to that unhappy land an English army was sent in 1649, with Cromwell as leader. Time was precious, and much '>iss\ :im .iu":*?!^' ■ 'Jt^-f THE COMMONWEALTH. 103 had to be done before Cromwell could restore peace and English supremacy in the island. He and his nun thought the Irish de- served little mercy on account of the niassiure of 1641. The work of re-conquest began with *he siege of Droglieda, and CromweU ordered th.-.t no one bearing arms should be sjmred. The city way taken by storm and 2000 men were put to the sword ; while of those who surrendered, every tenth man was knocked on the head, the rest being sent as slaves to the Barbadoes. A month later a similar massacre took place at We.xford, thotigh not by Cromwell's orders. The effect of this terril)le severity was soon seen, the other towns offering but little opposition to Cromwell's army. After nine months spent in Ireland Cromwell returned to England, leaving the I sk of completing the conquest to others. Sad was the fate of the poor Irish who had taken nart in the stiife. Many were put to death or exiled, and thousands were turned out of their homes and banished to the d-.^^ry wilds of Connaught, their lands being given to English settlers. The bitterest curse an Irishman can use to-day is the "Curse of Cromwell." 3. Oromwell in Scotland.— ^\^lile Cromwell was thus subduing the enemies of the Commonwealth in Ireland, in England its afiairs were being managed by men like Vane, who was at the head of the navy, with Admir 1 Blake as his chief officer. John Milton, the great Puritan poet, was Latin Secretary of the Council, and Brad- shaw was its president. These were able and honest men ; but many of the members of Parliament and the Council were selflsh and corrupt, and used their positions to put their friends into fat offices, and to satisfy their own ambition and greed. They were unwilling to have a Parliament elected that represented the people, and were suspicious and jealous of the army and of all wlio had the mterests of the country at heart. But any discontent with Parlia- ment had to bo put aside until a new danger which had arisen wis removed. For Charles II. had agreed to become a Presbyterian, and to uphold the Covenant, and the Scotch had recalled him as their king. It would not do to allow Charles to march into England with a Scotch army, so Cromwell marched north with an English army into Scotland, The people fled at his approach, having heard of his doings in Ireland, and Cromwell found himself, when near Edinburgh, hemmed in between the hilla and the sea 104 HISTORY OF KNOLAND. fe illr ! (I l.|i ii with lU) HU|>|iIieH fur hi.s nniiy, wive wliat could he l)i.>ught from his ships whicli followed jilong the c<«wt. When he reached Dunbar, it seemed as if he wouhl have to jtut his men on Inwrd his shii)8 and return, for David Leslie, the crafty Scotch general, hau en- trenched hijnself in the Lammermuir Hills, and cut of! Cromwell's escape bv land. Leslie for several days refused to come down from t' hills and fight, p- eferring to starve his enemy out. At last, overborne by the urgent demands of some Presbyterian minis- ters in his camp, he k-ft his vr.nt^igo ground and moved down into the jtlain to give Cromwell battle. Cromwell was delighted, and early the following morning, Sei»tember 3rd, 16.50, ])eforo the Scotch were well awake, he flung himself on the Cc/enanters with the cry, "The Lonl of Hosts, the Lord of Hosts." Li one short hour the victory was won ; 3,(X)0 men were killed, 10,000 were fciken prisfin- ers, and Leslie's army was a thing of the past. The war lingered for another year, for Charles had found support in the north, and Cromwell found it difficult to bring him to a decisive conflict. Finally, he left the way open into England, and at once Charleg began to march southwards, hoping the Royalists would rise in his favour. But though Charles had many friends in England, they were afraid to give him any help, and so, when he reached W«)rcester, ha found hin ilf surrounded by 30,000 men, with only 16,000 at his back. Cromwell had pursued and overtaken him, and once more the terri!>io Puritan army dealt out death anu destruction to their enemies. The battle was fought on the anniversary of thu- of Dunbar, and Charles' troops, after a desperate defence, were totally defeated. It was, as Cromwell said, "a crowning mercy," for no more risings against the Commonwealth took place as long as Cromwell lived. With great difficulty, Charles escaped to France, in a little collier vessel. 4. The Dutch War. — Foreign nations now saw that the Com- monwealth could hold its own against its enemies, and be»an to treat it with resi>ect. Blake had driven Rupert from the seas, and Sir Harry Vane determined to build up the English navy at the expense of the Dutch, who had aided Charles. So, in 1(>51, a "Navigation Act" was pos-sed which forbiide foreign vessels from bringing into England any goods other than the products of heir own country. This Act was aiiiied at the Dutch who did a large THE COMMONWEALTH. 105 carrying trade for f.ther nations. So much iU-foeling wa-s created by this measure that a war broke out, in which Van Troini, f„r the Dutch, una Blake for the English, fought several fie.vo naval iKittles. Van Tromp was killed in l(jr,3, and tho supremacy of the seas passed over to England, where it has remained ever since. 5. Expulsion Of the Long ..Uament.-One object of the Dutch war was to make the fleet str..ng at the ex,,ense ..f the army The army was dissatisfie.! with Parliament. j^rMy U-aiuso it ha.l not been paid, but, chiefly because its otticers s.iw that the mem- bers were unwilling t<, have jwrliament diss,.lve.l ami a new one representing the iHJople, elected. When it was clear that Parlia- ment was not going to aUow a new election except on terms that would give the old members the right to 8;iy who should sit with them, Cr.,mweU decided to take prompt measures. Marching down to Westminster with a regiment of musketeei-s, he turnd the mem- bers out, l.KJked the doom, and put the key in his p,K,ket. "ICot a dog barked," as CromweU said afterwards, at tliis dfiiing dee.l ; an.l the^ nation felt that what CromweU had done was nece^..ary and 6. Instrument of Gk>vernment.-And now England had neither king nor parhament, an.l order had to be maintained by CromweU and his army, until some fonn of government could bo agreed upon. An assembly, chosen by the congregations of the Inde- I)endents, was convened at Westminister by Cn,mwell, and it t,ro- ceeded to arrange for a real Parliament. This assembly got the nick-name of "Barebone's Parliament" from Praise-G.Ml ^lirehones one of Its mem},ers. Its members were L.mest, zealous men, who tried to do much in the way of removing l.mg sbin.ling evils, and so made many enemies. Finding that it couM not wtriy out its good intentions, Barebone's Parliament re.signed its power into the hands of Cromwell. Before doing so. however, it drew up a new Constitution caUed the "Instrument of Goveniruent," and made CromweU Lord Protector. For the next ten m.mths Crom- weU ruled alone, and on his own authority made many good laus Ho ended the war with HoUand, and made treaties, favourable to English trade, with other countries. He was tolerant to all religious bodies, although he would n.-- i«t the royalist clergy preach in the churciies, nor alio Book of Common Prayer to be u.,ed. He united Scot. to England, and the iij- 106 BISTORT or ENGLAND. Scotch sniil tli^t his eight yean of rule were "yeans of peace and prosperity." In ir>r)4 a new Parliament was eJectod, with mombors in it from Scotland and Ireland, and .s<) was tJio fii-st united I'iirliamcnt of (Jreat liritain and Ireland. Thi.s Parliament wa.s chosen more fairly than most Parliaments, but Roman Catholics and royalists were shut out. It at oiico began to settle the affairs of the nation, and to m ku Cromwell's laws legal. Had it ])ei'n left to carry out its will, England might have been sp. -etl many troubles ; but Cromwell began to fear it would interfere with his authority, and. unwisely, dissolved it. 7. Cromwell Rules Alone.— Cromwell now ml. 1 for a time witnout a Parliament, and though this rule was a tyranny, yet it was a wi.se and uierciful tyranny. He knew many were discon- tentej)osed. Cromwell contenteil himself with the power of a king, which was given by a new Constitution, the " I'etition and Advice," drawn up by Parliament. This Constituti;ght iT ^ntect with It. Theatres were again opened, and the moft W faous plays were acted in the presence of the king and his friends WHO applauded and rewarded the play writera and acton. The old MS': i no BISTORT OP ENGLAND. T' m^ u fU: amusements of the people were restored, and once more the village green was the scene of mirth and jollity. It seemed as if Puritan- ism was dead, so great was the change from the days of Cromwell. Nevertheless, the sober middle class of England was still Puritan, and the earnestness and strong sense of duty which marked Puritan teaching left a lasting impression on the English pe pie. Meanwhile many improvements had been introduced during the preceding fifty years. In James I's. reign, tlie post office for foreign letters had been estabhshed ; silk-weaving had been en- couraged; low-lying lands had been drained; and improvements had been made in agriculture. A little later, stage-coaches began to run between the chief tr-.vns, and letters were carried more frequently from place to place. The north of England was thinly inhabited, and highwaymen levied toll at pleasure from travellera over the lonely moors. Even judges had to be protected while going on circuit. 4. Religious Persecution.— And now th« Puritans and Presby- terians were to find out how much truth there was in Charles' promise of religious freedom. In Scotland, where Charles had signed the Covenant, bishops were forced upon the people, and the Covenanters were fiercely persecuted and hunted do\vn. The Cavalier Parliament was resolved that no form of religious worship should be allowed except that of the English Church in the time of Laud ; so it passed, in 1601, a "Corporation Act" which comi)elled all officials in the towns and cities to take an oath of non-resistance to the king, and to receive the sacrament in the English Church. The next year, 1662, an "Act of Uniformity" was passed, which allowed no r^ nister to preach or act as pastor unless he was onlained by u oishop, and used the Prayer-Bcwk. So, on St. Bar- tholomew's Day, Aug. 24th, 1662, nearly 2,000 of the Puritan and I'reshyterian clergy then in the English Church gave up their livings rather than comply with these conditions. They formed congregatitms of their own, which became known as "Dissenters," the name yet given to all Protestants in England who do not be- long to the Eiigli-sh Church. Not contisnt witli these cniel laws, a Conventicle Act" was passed in 1064, forbidding the Dissenters from worshipping in chapels or ci^-' 't^- ■■/■.- ■:- THE RE8TOBATION. 116 had passed the famous "Habea., Corpus Act." This act, next in .njK.rtanco to Ma,au. Char..., prevent, people frou. being arrested w th<,u a proper warrant, and cou.pels gaolers to show o„ what authority a person ,s det^uned in prison. Pri.soners must U bnmght to tnal w.thin a rea.sonabIe time, and if their offences IZ bailable, they nmst bo allowed th.ir freedom. Parliament met again in 1G79, more determined than ever to exclude James from the throne. An "Exclusion Bill" wa., parsed m the Commons but thrown out of the House of Lords throned, the .afluence of Lord Halifax. Shaftesbury had made the great u.lstuke of sdectmg the Duke of Monmouth, a natuml son rff Charhs as the kmgs successor M.mmouth was popular, but honest people «iought It a shameful thing to exclude from the throne, Mary Princess of Orange, for an illegitimate son of the king Then began a great struggle, in which for the first time Charles sto.>d fim against lus Parliament. He refused to abandon James, although It looked, at times, as if there would be another civil war Men now divided into two great parties; one in favor of the exclusion o James, and the other opposed to it. The fii-st became known a.s "Whigs," and the second as "Tories." JF7u-<; means whe>- or sour milk, and was a name given to some rebels in Ayrshire in Scotland. Tory means a bog-robber, and was the name applied to ome outlaws in Ireland. These names, at fii.t given in ha'red and contempt, for a long time were used to denote the two groat politiaU parties in England ; the one supposed to favour the People, the other he Cm... At la.st, Charles caUed a Parliament at Oxford, in 1681, and many of the Whigs went to it armed. This created alarm, and people began to ask if there was to be another civil war Cniarles offered to make the Princoss of Orange regent after his death, a«d this seemed so reasonable that many went over to the side cf Charles and James. He now dissolved Parliament, and It met no more m his reign. 12. Rye-House Plot-From this time onward Charles did much as he pleased Shaftesbury was charged with treason, but the Grand Jury of Middlesex would not bring in a bill against him. Then Charles took away the charter of London, and appointed the W Mayor and sheriffs himself. Shaftesbury knew tlmt the king 8 shenffii would pack th« jury against him, and he fled from 116 BIBTOBT OF KNOLANt). I I, f the country. After he had gone a number of his friends formed a plot in favour of Monmouth ; but, while they were arranging their plans, a band of desperate men formed another plot to murder the king and the Duke of York at the Rye House, a lonely spot in Hertfordshire. This latter plot was discovered, and the crown lawyers tried to make it appear that the Whig leaders were con- nected with it. They were innocent, but tliey knew the judges and juries would be chosen so as to convict them. Monmouth escaped to Holland, Essex killed himself, and Lord Russell and Algernon Sidney were executed. In those days a [irisoner wiis not allowed to have a lawyer to defend him, and so Russell, aided by his devoted wife, who sat beside him at the trial and took notes, conducted his own defence. 13. Death of Charles II. — All opposition to James was now at an end, and he returned to England from Scotland where he had been hunting down and torturing the poor Covenanters. The charters of many towns were taken away, and this put the power of life and death, and the choice of members of parliament into the hands of the officers chosen by the king. Charlo., was again in the pay of Louis, and besides kept several thousand men as a stand- ing army. The clergy preached the duty of "passive obedience" to the king, and it seemed as if English liberty was near its end. In this hour of her great peril England was saved by the death of Charles, in 1G85. When near his end he received the rites of the Roman Catholic Church at the hands of a pr'est. His last words were an apology for " being so unconscionably long in dying," and a request not to let his favourite mistress, Nell Gwynne, starve. So ended the reign of the "merry monarch" who "Never sar . (oolish thing And never ("d a wise one," unless we exco^-t the encouragement he gave to science by helping to found the Royal Society of England. = 1 THE REVOLUTION. n; t *l CHAPTER XIX. THE REVOLUTION. 1. James II.— James, Duke of York, now became king. He promised to support the English Church, and people thought that as he had honestly acknowledged he was a Roman Catholic when the Test Act was iKissed he would be as good as his word. He was known to be stubborn and narrow-minded, but at the same time he was be- lieved to be sincere and well meaning. His first Parliamenf was as loyal as he could wish, for it was elected at a time when the tide of public opinion had turned against his oi)ponent8, and had been chosen under the control of sheriffs appointed by the Crown in the towns and cities from which charters had been taken. It was soon seen that James did not intend to support the Established Church, for before he was crowned he went publicly to mass in his own chapel. He told the Bishops they must stop the English Church clergy from preaching against the Roman Catholic religion, and he opened the prison doors to all who were confined for religion's sake. This last act was good in itself, but it was done against the law of the land, and proved that James did not intend to abide by the laws. 2. Monmouth's Rebellion.— When Parliament met it voted the King an income of two million pounds a year for life. It was anxious to show James how loyal it was, for a rebellion had just broken out to make Monmouth king. Monmouth and the Duke of Argyle had escaped to Holland t. -ard the close of the reign of Charles II., and were now urged by their friends in England" and Scotland to return. They were led to believe that most of the English and Scotch people would gladly join them in driving James from the throne. FinaUy, Argyle crossed over to Scotland, and a little later Monmouth landed in England. Argyle's clan, the CampbeUs, rose at his call, but the Cov nanters were afraid tf) rebel, and the rising was soon crushed. Argyle was taken prisoner and executed; and his followers were cruelly punished, many being sold into slavery in America. Monmouth landed at Lyme, in Dorset, and thousands flocked to ir ^ \ ?' 118 HinOET or WSQIAWD. greet the popular and handsome young Duke. He marched to Exeter, and thence to Taunton, where he was received with rejoic- ings by the lower classes. The gentry, nobles, and clergy were against him, for they hoped that when James died he would be suc- ceeded by his daughter Mary, the Princess of Orange. Soon James' troops under Lord Feversham, and Captain Churchill, were moving against the poorly-armed followers of Monmouth. On the night of Jul}- 5th, 1685, Monmouth endeavored to surprise the royal troops at Sedgemoor. WTien he reached their lines he found they were protected hy a deep trench, full of water, and although he had some success at first, James' soldiera soon rallied and easily routed his brave peasi.nts and colliers. Two days after Monmouth was found concealed in a ditch, half-stanred. He was brought to London, and, although he begged his uncle to spare him, his plea for mercy was not listened to, and he was executed. 3. The Bloody Assizes. — Perhaps nothing gives us a better idea of James' revengeful disposition than the events which followed the Battle of Sedgemoor. Colonel Earke was left in command of some troops in the neighbourhood of the battle, and he at once betmn to hang whole batches of prisoners, without troubling himself to find out their share in the rebellion. To add to their miseries, the people of the western counties had Judge Jeffreys sent among them. His mission was to convict as many as possible, and to sentence them to death. In the "Bloody Assizes" which followed. 320 people were hanged, and over 800 sold into slavery in the West Indies. This brutal judge browbeat witnesses and juries to secure sentences against the prisoners, and made the unfortunate, and often innocent victims, the butts of his coarse jokes and his savage insolence. Among those who suffered ab his hands was Alice Lisle, an aged lady, whose only crime was hiding two fugitives from the battle-field, thinking they were persecuted puritan preachers fleeing from their enemies. Some were spared through their friends bribing the judge and the queen's "maids of honor;" others wei'c given to tlio courtiers to be sold into slavery. 4. James violates the Test Act. — Jeffireys was rewarded for his infamous conduct with the position of Lord Chancellor; and James thought it a favourable occasion to increase his standing TBS BETOLUnOir. lit vnnj, and to put Bonuui Catholic ofBcera in command. This was against the Test Act ; but James cared nothing for the law, and replaced those advisers who found fault with his actions by men like Sunderland and Jeflreys. This made the English people un- easy, and when in October, 1085, Louis XIV. revoked the Edict of Nantes, and took away from his Protestant subjects their right to religious freedom, James' subjects became very much ahimied. Louis' persecution of the Huguenots was a good thing for Eng- land, for many of them found refuge there, and brought with them their skill in silk -weaving and other industries. Wlien Parliament met it complained of the violation of the Teat Act, but James, now grown bold, prorogued Parliament, and two years after dis- solved it. This was the last Parliament that met in his reign. In this way he managed to get rid of an unplea.sant opposition ; but he could not prevent people from talking about the way the law was being broken to please Roman Catholics. Aft«r Parliament was dissolved he asked his judges if ho had the right to dispense with the Test Act, and when four of them said he had not, he dismissed them from the bench, and appointed others in their stead. He then had a test case brought before the judges, and th^y decided that James could, if ha wished, do away with laws against Roman Catholics. James now felt free to make all the appointments he wished, and began to turn leading Pro- testants out of office, and to put Roman Catholics in their places. His own brothers-in-law, the sons of Clarendon, were dismissed because they would not change their religion to please him. Lord Tyrconnel was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland in place of the elder Clarendon, and the younger Clarendon was d'ijraissed from his poet of High Treasurer. A new court was now called into existence to control the Church. This was the Ecclesiastical Commission, which had for its head Judge Jefireys, and concerned itself with the acta of the English Church clergy. The king built Roman Catholic chapels in London, and expected his lords to attend him when he went to service ; but most of them refused. Orders of monks began to settle in London, and a Jesuit school was opened. All these things made James' subjects angry, and to overawe the people of London, James placed an army of 13,000 men in a camp at Hounslow. He next published 120 HISTORY OF KNOLAND. iii a "Declaration of Indulgence," in 1(587, hoping to get, by his liber- ality, the 8UI)I>^)^^ «)f the iwrseoutcJ DisNcnters. Some were glfiil to get their freedom, and pniised James for his kindness and justice ; but the more thoughtful mw that if the king could do away with one law, then he could do away with all laws, and this would make the goveninient of England a despotism. 5. Attack on the Universities.— James' own friends saw that in his zeal for his church he was doing it harm, and advised him to bo more prudent and cautious. But James thought he was right and would tike no advice. His next step was an attack on the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, al)out the only places in England where a good education could be obtained. The clergy and the sons of the nobles and gentry were educated there, but no student could tjike a degree or hold an office in these colleges unless he belonged to the English Church. James wLshed to open the Universities to Roman Catholics, and so placed at the head of one college a Ronum Catholic, and when a vacancy occured in the head- shij) t!iie«l, sent his army a^ain.st vithdraw his order to the clergy. When .lames read this petition lie was so angry that he had the l)i.shops charged with liliul and -sent to the Tower. 8. Trial of the Bishops. — The bishops were in duo time brought to trial, and thousands came fl(x;king to London to see tliey suf- fered no wrong. So groat was the anxiety to hear tiio triaJ that crowds 8toonged the churches, and returned thanks in sobs of joy. James' own sohliers in Ilounslow camp took n\} the cheers of the multitude, greatly to James' dismay and chagrin. 9. The Revolution. — And now Admiral Herbert went in disguise to Holland with an invitation from Whigs and Tories, Churciuuen and Dissenters, the Army and Navy, Peers and Commoners. William began to prepare an army and fleet, an0 men, and thougli, at first, coldly received, he was soon joined by the leading men of England. James ihoitght his forces were slroiig enough lo defeat his opponent ; but, as the armies approached each other, Churchill took his troops over to William, and James saw he was deserteil. Even his daughter Anne and her husband left him, and nothing remained for James but to send his wife and child to France, and ^•Ip.j£. ^ 122 aiSTORT OF ENGLAND. • ■ ;> >, I make his own way there aa best he could. William was glad to have him go, and left the way open for his e.scape. So, on Dec. 23rd, 1688, James found his way to the court of Louis XIV., and England saw him no more. 10. Declaration of Rights.— Before William reached London some rioting took place, and an assembly formed of some members of the Commons in the time of Charles II., the Aldermen of London, and a few others, joined the House of Lords in asking him to take charge of affairs and keep order until a Parliament could decide what was best to be done. William then called a Convention Parliament in January, 1689, which, after considerable discussion, agreed that William and Mary should be joint King and Queen, and that William only should rule. It was now thought wise to make tlie new king and queen agree to certain principles before they were crowned ; and so Somers drew up for Parlia- ment a "Declaration of Rights," which after William became king *as changed into a law. This " Declaration, " after reciting the misdeeds of James, declared that the king had no power to suspend or dispense with the laws, nor raise money, nor keep a standing army without consent of Parliament ; that subjects may petition the king ; that elections of members must be free, and that free speech in Parliament must be allowed ; and that Parlia- ments should meet frequently to redress grievances. The Bill of Rights afterwards added "that no Papist sliould ever attain hold the Crown of England." William and Mary agretnl to be bound by these conditions, and were crowned April 11th, 1689. CHAPTER XX. RETURN TO PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT. 1. Wiliiam III.— The " New Monarchy" was now at an end, and government by Parliament, as in the days of the Plantagenets, was at last restored. The Bill of Rights gave the crown to William and Mary, and their children (if they had any), failing whicli it was ."t^T^-.^.. '1b^j9 mu RETUKN TO PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT. 123 to go to the Princess Anne and her chiltlien. So we see tli.it William's right to the crown was given hy Parlianient, and hence- forth no sovereijrn . i;!od by any otlier title than a parliamentary one. William III. ,vv iii every .spect a rcmarkahlo man. He was an unfortunate .: f erHl,.yct o le who succeeded by his calmness and courage in the hour ot Uof^at in wresting gain out of his losses. He had been brought up in a laud which had suffered greatly from religious persecution, and so had learned to Ije liberal and tolerant to people of all creeds. When quite young he had been surrounded by enemies who watched his words and actions, and lie had formed the habit of keeping his own counsel and trusting ])ut few. This, added to a disposition naturally distrustful, caused him to appear to the English people sullen and morose. When it is remembered that William suffered almost continually from ill- health, and that when in England he was living among men who constantly sought to betray him, we have an explanation of liis being so unsociable and suspicious, and wliy lie was so uni)opuIar with his English subjects. Yet, while the English did not like his foreign ways and his foreign favorites, they knew tliat he alone stood between them and the loss of their religion and their political rights, and this caused them to give him their support in the days when he was most disliked. 2. Early Difficulties.— But William was not accepted as king by all his subjects. In England, some of the clergy who believed in the Divine Right of khigs refused to take the oath of allegiance to him, and, in consequence, were turned out of their offices. Tiiey then formed themselves into a party called the " Xon-.Iurors," and for a century elected their own bishops. The " Xon-.lurors " caused a good deal of trouble, for they joined with the friends of James, or Jacobites (from Jacubun, Latin for Jjimes), in plots to have the Stuarts restored. In Scotland, Parliament agreed to accept William as king on the condition that Presbyteriainsm should bo restored. The Englisii Church clergy in Scotland would now have been severely treated by tlie Covenanters, had not William interfered to stop the "ral)bling" that began with the downfall of James. In t1i<^ Highlands, the people were mostly Roman Catholics, and there^ an old follower of » «--«3« 124 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. M \n ^' .liiines and tiiTco i)ersecut<)r of thu Covenantors, (Jraham f)f Claver- housc, now Viscount DiukIol!, laisud an aiiny, wliioli at the Pa.ss of Killiocrankie, in July 108!>, swept before it William's troops under General Mackay. But in the liour of victory, Claverhouse was killed, and then, the Highlanders collecting all the booty t' ey could, separated for their homes. Troops were now stationoi at different po.sts in the Highlands atid order was once more restored. 3. Massacre of Glencoe.— The Highland chiefs were gradually won over to take the oath of allegiance, and were promised a fvdl jiardon if their submi.ssion was made Itefore the 1st January, 1092. Wlien that time came, it was found all had taken the oath of allegiance except chief Ian Macdonald, of the Macdonalds of Glen- coe. He was too proud to yield till the hist moment, ami then he went to the wrong phice to take the oath. So it was after the 1st of January when he made his submission ; nevertlieless he was as- sured that he would not be molested. But Dalrymple, IMaster (or Lord) of Stair, who ruled Scotland for William, thought it an excel- lent opportunity to make an exam[)le of this luiruly clan, Macdonald. He got William to agree to son 1 troops into the valley of Glencoe, to "extirpate this band of thieves." To make sure work, Dal- rymple sent the foemen of the Macdonalds, the Campbells of Argyle. When the soldiers reached Glencoe they were treated with true Highland kindness and hospitality by the Macdonalds. Days were passed in feasting and diinciiig ; and then, early one morning, in the depth of winter, the soldiers surroumled the huts of their hosts and began the work of murder. Soon thirty lay dead on the snow, and of those that escaped half-clad to the hills, the greater number perished of cold and hunger. Tiiis terrible deed has never been forgotten by the people of the Highlands, and William's fair fame received a lasting stain by his share in this cruel and teacherous massacre. 4. Civil War in Ireland.— Before James was driven out of Eng- land he had ynxt Irebmd under the control of Tyrconnel, who raised an army of 20.()()0 men to aid James in case his English subjects grew rebellious. Now that he was exiled, James crossed over from Frince to Irebmd with money and officers lent him by Louis XIV. The Irish, as a people, gave him a hearty welcome, and he was at once recognized as king throughout the greater part & M RETURN TO PARLIAMENTAHV G0\ KHNMKNT. 125 of Irelan.i. The small body .,f English ami 8cotch settlors in the island was much alarmed at James' landing, for they feared another massa.' > such as had taken place in l(i41. As many as could escaped to England ; but in the north, they gathered together for mutual aid at EnmskiUen, and at London,s in tho days of Charles II. and James I., only a part was granted, the rest being kept under the control of parliament. It was in this reign that the money needed for the public service began to be voted annually, and this made it necessary that Parliament should meet every year. Another very important Act in 1689 was the "Mutiny Bill," which gave the officers of the army and navy power to form courts for the trial and punishment of offenders against discipline. This power was given at first for six months and then for a j^ear at a time. This law also makes it necessary that Parliament should meet every year, otherwise there would be no means of mauitaiuiug order in the army and of paying the soldiers. 6. War with France.— For the first eight years of WilUam's reign war was going on against France. A. Grand Alliance was formed in 1690, of England, Holland, Germany, Spain, and some smaller stjites, to keep Louis XIV. in check. For a time lit'lo was done by the Allies, and Louis had everything much his own way. RFTtTRN TO FARLIAUENTART GOVERVMENT. 127 The day before the Battle of the Boyne, England was disgraced by her admiral, Lord Torrington, standing aloof while a French tlcot defeated the Dutch off Beachy Head. The French then sa.led along the coast of England, and, landing, burned the little village of Teignmouth. Although there were many people in England who were discontented with William's rule, nevertheless, the thought of Frenchmen landing on England's shores roused a fierce indig- nation against the Jacobites, and made William much stronger in England than ho was before. He now crossed over to the Nether- lands to take command of the allied ariuy which was fighting tliero ag; .':st Louis' forces. William was not very successful, and he lost many battles. His losses encouraged the numerous traitors at tliat time in England to carry on plots against him, and to treat with James for his return. Churchill was one of the basest of these traitoi-s, and Lord Russell, the admiral of the fleet, was known at the court of James to be unfaithful. Yet, when Admiral Tourville tried to cross the channel with a French army, Russell rather th.tn allow the French to triumph in English wafers, met him at C.ipe Li Hague, in 1092, and inflicted so heavy a loss on the Fren i fleet that Franco made no further attempts to invade England. 7. The National Debt and Bank of England. -But all this fighting made heavy taxes for the English people, who had to hear the lieavic^t portion of the expenses of the Allies. To lighten their burdens, William's Treasurer, Charles Montague, introduced the plan of borrowing what was needed from rich people, who received in return eaeh year from the government interest on what they lent. It was not easy to bon-ow nmch at first, for there were no banks which ojuld receive the savings of many people, and then lend them to the government. But in 1G94, Patterson, a Scotchman, suggested the founding of a bank, and his plan was carried out by Montague. In this way the Bank of England, perhaps the strongest bank in the world, had its beginning. Montague carried out another reform, very much needed at that time. The coin of the realm had become so worn and clipped by dishonest men, that a shilling was often worth no more than sixpence. The rich jHjople did not fool this much for they took the coins at what they were really worth ; but poor men had little choice, and their wages were often paid in tliis debased 3oin at its face value, while the coins they gave for what they r.iought were taker by dealers at sometimes lorn than 128 BISTORT OF ENGLAND. f: Iheir true value. Montague determined to give the nation good coin, and, at a great loss to the Treasury, he called in all the worn and clipped coins and gave coins of full weight in exchange. He also had the coins made with "milled" or ribbed edges, so that • it could be easily seen whether a coin had been cut or clipped. 8. Rise of Party Oovenunent. — When William came to the throne he wished to have both Tories and Whigs among his advisers. Ho could not understand why they could not work to- gether for the public interest ; but he soon found out that the feeling between the two parties was too bitter to permit common action. So much trouble arose tlu'ough their quarrels, that at length he listened to the advice of Earl Sunderknd to choose his advisers from the party having the greatest number of supporters in Parliament. In this way our system of Party Government began, although it must not be supposed that it was airried out very thoroughly in William's reign, or in that of his successor. 9. Useful Laws.— With the introduction of Party Government began the passage of many useful measures. A "Triennial Act," which decreed that a new Parliament must be elected at least every three years became law in 1694 ; and the law which made it necessary that all books, newspapers, and pamphlets, should be licensed by a committee of the King's Council, was allowed to drop. Henceforth any man could publish what lie wished, without asking for permission. This led to better newspapers being published, althougli it was a long time before it was safe to publish anything against the government of the day. In 1695 the law of treason was made more just and merciful, and for the future a man charged with treason could have a lawyer to defend him, and a copy of the charges brought against him. 10. Peace of Ryswick.— WhUe England was thus improving her laws, William had to endure many sorrows and disappointments. In 1094, Queen Mary died of small-pox, and William was almost heart-broken. Their early married life had been unhappy, through William's suUenness and bad temper ; and he had treated her with coldness and neglect, fcjhe bore all his harshness and unfaithfulness with patience, and after a tune her truth, constancy, and loving disposition so melted his coldness and drove away his suspicious, iihak he became one of the most loyal oud devoted o£ RKTl'li.V TO PARLIAMENTAKY GOVERNMENT. 129 hiishiin.ls. It is sai.l li« nevor rocviii-.l from the hIiocIc of her tlcuth. Then a j.lnfc w.is formed in J(;!»0 to nnnder him; Imt its disc. very h,ul the etFe.t of making liis sul.jects muro l-.yal. The war against Louis liad l)ien generally unsuccessful, until 1(';!»5, when U illiam won a gieat vietoiy by taking the strong fortress of Xamiu . At last Louis was tired of war, and ho agreed to a peace in l:. ni« Treaty of Ryswick was signed, and i.y it Louis gave up must nf !iis conquests and conse.-ted to acknowledgo William as kingof Kngland. The nation was glad to have tho war ended, and T'aHia- ment began at once to reduce tho number of men in the army and navy. It even went so far as to semi William's Dutch Guards back to IloUand, an act that William felt to bo both ungrateful and insult ing. liesides ho thought a strong army was still needed, for he foresaw iii tho near future a new danger to tho police of Europe. 11. Spanish Succession.— This danger arose out of the sickly conditicmof Charles XL King of Spain, who was not exj.ect.-d i.> live niany yeais. He had no children, and his great ix.ssessiuns in Spam, Italy, the Low Countries, and America, were coveted by his near relations. Louis XIV. had married Charles' eldest sister, but ho had SMlenndy renounced all claim to the Spanish thi-on- on behalf of himself and his children. The Elector of Bavaria had a good claim to tho throne of Spain, so also liad tho (iorman Emperor Leopold. William considere.l it dangerous for tho Emperor or one of the French royal family to beconie king of Spain ; and so he entered into a treaty with Louis by which tho greater portion of tho Spanish i)ossession8 should go to tho Elector of Bavaria. Tho Elect.. r, however, died, and a second Partition Treaty was framed, which gave the Spanish crown and most of the Spanish territory t(' the Archduke Charles, the second son of the Emperor. In all these arrangements the Spanish pwjple were not consulted ; and when tffe facts came to light, they were very angry, and Charles II., acting under the advice of his friends, made a wiU and left aU Ids dominions \) Philip of Anj(ju, grandstm of Louis XIV. Tho temi)tation to break the Partition Treaty was too strong f.,r Louis, and lie accepted the Sp.-M>.ish crown on behalf of his -ran.l.un, and j.ut garris<.ns in the Spani.sh fortresses in the Low Countries. WiUiam was indignant, but for tho time being he wa.. powerless. His troops were few, and England refased to go to w.u- ; and .so Vei7 unwiUingly, he had to assent to Louis' breach of faith. 130 IIISTORy OF ENGLAND. I 12. The Act of Settlement.— The English were more c*inconuMl uboiit wild slioiiM iii;,'ii iiftir Anno, th.m wlio shuvild 1)o kinj^ of Spain. NVilli.un h.ul no cliililirn, und tho J.ist of Annu'.s niiatcon chililnn had just diid. Tho four wfw strony tli.ib James II. 's son would ho hosou if tho succession was not settk'd in time. So, in 1701, an " Act of Settlement" was passed, which arran<|eain, Louis had Bavaria and nearly all Spain on his side. The chief leaders among the Allies were Marl- borough, Prince Eugene of Savoy, and Heinsius of Holland, wliilo the Earl of Peterbcjrcnigh during the early years of the war did good service for them in Spain. Louis, on the other hand, had 132 BISTORT OF KNOLANIX large armies and great genenils, and his troojw had been subcefisfii) in many hattles during tho jincuding lialf cuntury. Marlborough had many difficulties to overcome abroad and at home. Tlie Allies were not always willi/ig to do Jis he wished, and the Tories in England jmt obsbicK's in his way. Yet he never lost patience, and by his tact and winning manners gradually succeeded in getting the Allies to follow his advice and leadership. His ability as a commander was not fully known un^il this war began ; but he soon proved himself to bo one of tlie greatest generals in all history. He was calm and heedless of danger on the battlefield, and his readiness of resource was equal to every occasion. Ho was great, also, as a statesman and diplomatist ; but ho was faithless and cold- hearted, and his love for money amounted to avarice. The pleas- antest feature of his character and career was his love for his wife. B^arlborough could not do much during the fii-st two years of the war, on account of the timidity of the Allies, and the hindrances their quarrels jjlaf ed in the way. Mea. while the Tories in England weretrj'ing to pr v nt, by an "Occasional Conformity BUI," the Dissenters from boioing any office. Some of the Dissenters, in order to get into parlianient, would take the siicrament in the English church, and then attend worship in their own chapel. This the Tories sought to stop ; but the Bill they brought in was defeated by the Whigs in the House of Lords. Not until 1704 was the war earned on with much vigor. A largcv French army was then sent by Louis to Bavaria to attack Austria. Marlborough saw the danger, and, by a stratagem, managed to get his Dutch allies away from thei " own frontier. He then inarched straight to Bavaria, Avhero he joined Prince Eugene near the little vilkge of Blen] cim. Then was fought one of the most important battles of modem times. With an army not so numerous aa that opposed to him, Marlborough defeated, with terrible loss, on the 1.3th of August, 1704, a veteran French force commanded by one of France's best generals. Henceforth the French soldiers were no longer thought to be invincible. Tlie sjime year the great rock fortress, Gibraltar, was taken by Admiral Ronke, .-ind it has remained in England's possession ever since. Marlborough's great victory made the Wliigs very popular in England, and Marlborough himself became the idol of the people. Xu 1706^ the Allies under Marlboroui^h won anotner great victoiy m9mmmm * THE LAST OF THE 8TUAKTS. 133 nyor the French at Ramillies in Fljindoi-s, aiul took nine atixng fDrtreHses along tho Flomish frontiers. Wliile these victories were being won in J'liinders, I'eterlM)r(nigli was carrying on a spirited cainiwtign in Si)ain. By a clever Htratageni he took Barcelona, and succeel was fast becoming a great city. But tho growth of largo towns was at the expense of tho country districts. Tho yeomanry of England began to dis;ipj.ear, as the small fanners found it jwiid better ttch blajiied the English laws, and the Scotch Parliament, in 1703, passed a Bill that v.hen Anne died Scotland should not have the sjime sovereign as England. English statesmen foresaw this would lead to war, and *hey offered Scotland good tenua if she would I ! ', 134 HISTOKt OF ENGLAND. agree to unito with England. The Scotch people did not like to give lip their inilefH;n_'lj Mrs. Masljam s intliuiu'c, Ainu; now disniissi'd lior Wliig niinistirs .•iiid chose in their .steatl Tories, the cliief of which were Ilark'y and Bolini:l)roke, tho hitter a l)rilliant speaker and writer. A general election followed, whiih resuUed in tiie Tory party gaining a largo majority in the House of Coiimiioiis. Marlborough wis dismi-si-d from liis command of tluiarmy. and charged with taking wrongfully some of tin- jmlilic money given for the army. He was foreetl to leave England, and ne\ t-r again held any high jxiwition. So ended tho career of Kngland ,s greatest general — ono who never h>.st a battle nor besieged a fortress hj did not bike. 6. Peace of Utrecht (1713).— Tlie new Tory ministry was very anxioLs for peace, for it knew th;>^ the war couM not succeed with- out Marlborough. So it offered, secretly, good terms to Louis, and peace was agreed upon without the knowledge of England's allies. It was a disgraceful act, although there was nothing to be gained l)y continuing the war. Louis gave up all his con(|uests in the Low Countries and Germany ; Austria obtained X'q'les, Milan, and the Nethcrlamls ; while Philip of Anjou kept Spain and her possessions in America. England obtained Gibraltar, Minoica, Hudson's Bay and Straits, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia. Louis, further, promised to acknowledge Anne and her Hanoverian successors, and never again to helj) the Pretender. But after all this bloodshed to drive Philip from Spain, he was allowed to remain king. 7. Death of Anne (1714).— Tlie Peace of Utrecht was scarcely concluiled when Anne died. Tlie Princess Sophia died a few montiis before her, and George, Sophias son, was Anne's successor. Groorge was not in England at the time of the ipieen's death : Anne's dislike of lier successor being so great that she would not allow hiiu to visit England. A short time before Anne died, Boliiigbroke, Harley (now Earl of Oxford), Ormond, and other J-iciibitcK liegan tn intriguu to restore the Pretender. Boiingbroke thought he had everything in readiness to place tho Pretender on the throne; but the sudden death of the queen, and the prompt action of tlie ^VTiigs and the Duk« of Shrewsbury ruined his plans, and George I. became king without any opposition. m 13G HISTORY OF ENGLAND. 8. Literature of 'he Age of Anne.— The latter part of the 17th century, and the beginning of tlie 18th, are rich in great poets and prose writers. We have already mentioned Milton and Bunyan ; but, besides these, there were Addison, Steele, and Swift, satirists and essjiyists ; Bishop Burnet, the historian of his own times ; Locke and Holjbos, great writers on philosophy and politics ; the poi'ts Cowley, Drydcn, Pope, and Butler ; De Foe, the author of Jiiibinson Crusoe ; and Pepys, the author of a Diary, which tells us what was going on in London at the court and among the people. Tln;se writers, excepting Milton, were not so great as those of the age of Elizjibeth ; but they wrote in simpler language and in plainer sentences, because their writings were read by people many of whom were not scholars, whereas, in the time of Elizabeth, few read much except educated men and women. CHAPTER XXn. 11 m THE VrSia NOBL2S RULE ENGLAND. 1. George I. — The first king of the line of Hanover, was past middle age when he came to the throne, and cared much more for Hanover and its people than for his English crown. As a man ho had few good and no gre.it qualities ; but as a king he did fairly well, because he left the government of the country much in the hands of his ministers. He knew little or no English, and brought his companions and associates with him from Germany ; some of them as gross and licentious as the favourites of Charles II. Ahuost his first act was to dismiss the Tory ministers, and ai^toint ^\^ligs in their stead. Bolingbroke, Oxford, and Oniiond wore impeached for treason, and for their share in the Treaty of Utrecht. 15olingbroke and Ormond fled to France ; Oxford stood his ground, and after an imprisonment of two years was released. 2. The Rebellion of 1715. — The year after George's accession, the Jacobites in Scotland and in the north of England rose in rebellion. The Earl of Mar raised an army in the Highlands, but he was defeated by the Duke of Argylo at Sheri£&nuir, on the same day that THE WHIG NOBLES RULE ENGLAND. 137 the Jacobites in England were compelled to surrender at Preston in Lancashire. The Pretender landed after the rebellion wa.s over and, finding his cau.se was lost, returned to France with the Earl of Mm: Several per.sons were put to deatli after this risins,', among whum was the Earl of Derwentwater, a leader of the Jacobites in the north of England. The rebellion led to an important change in the time a Parliament canla.st. Tlie Wliigs were afraid that if an election took place at this time they might be defeated, and tliey changed the law so that a Parliament could remain in existence seven years instead of thne; and the Se[)tennial Act, as the new measure was called, has remained law to tlie present. The worst feature of this change was that the Parliament which made it continued to sit for the new term, althougli it was elected for but three years. I In 1715 Louis XIV. died, and was succeeded by his great-grand- son Louis XV. The new king was a mere lad, and tlie Duke of Orleans acted as Regent. Orleans was friendly to England, and when Spain tried, in 1718, to recover a portion of her lost territory in Italy, France and England united to force her to keep the peace. 3. South Sea Bubble. — llie National Debt had now grown so largo that Aislabie, the Treasurer, proposed to Parliament a scheme for its easy payment. This was to accept the offer of the South Sea Company, which promised, if given the soltj right of trading with South America in slaves and other conuiiodities, to pay off a large share of the public debt. When the proposjil was made the Bank of England also made an offer, and thou the two com- panies began to bid against each other, until, at last, the South Sea Company offered to give £7,500,000 to the Government, in addition to what it had first proposed. The offer was accepted in 1720, in spite of the warnings of Robert Walpole, a rough but shrewd Nor- folk squire, who showed clearly that the Company coiild not carry out its agreement. No sooner was the scheme ado[)te(l than every person w^ho had any money to invest rushed to buy tlie siiares of the Company. In a short time shares rose from £100 to £lO(X); and then almost as quickly tlie public lost confidence in the Company, and the anxiety to sell caused the shares to fall in price until they were nearly worthless. Thousands of jiooplo of all clasaes were ruined, and public wrath was turned against the . 138 HISTORY or ENGLAWD. King's ministers, some of whom were found to have taken bribe* from the Company to further its scheme. They had to resign, and Walpole, who had spoken against the scheme, was now called upon to lessen the evil effects of the failure and panic. 4. Walpole. — Walpole became chief minister in 1721, and con- tinued in office till 1742. He was the first to be called "Prime Minister," and held that post longer than any other man in Eng lish history. He was a rough, coarse man, who enjoyed foul talk, eating, drinking, and fox hunting. He lived a licentious life, such as was very common in the 18th century among men in high posi- tions. He kept himself in office by buying the support of members of Parliament, and by paying great attention to trade and commerce, of which niitcters he knew more than most men of his time. He did good service to Britain by keeping the country at peace, and by the steady support he gave to the House of Hanover. In his day the nation made great progress in extending its trade, increasing its manufactures, and in employing better methods of tilling the soil. He was tolerant to the Dissenters, but was too much afraid of the Church party to repeal the Test and Corporation Acts, which pre- vented them from having their rights as citizens. All through the reigns of George I. and George II. the WTaigs were in office, and when one Government went out, it was replaced by another of the same political ttpinions. The Whig nobles were very powerful in the country where they owned large estates, and they banded themselves together to keep in power. Tliey bouglit up the right to send members from boroughs where there were few voters, and by this means always had many supporters in Parliament. The/i, again, the Tories were suspected of being Jacobites, and of wishing to bring back the Pretender, and so every man that had lent money to the Government sup- ported the Whigs fearing, if the Tories got into oflice, he would never be repaid. By such means as these the Whig nobles managed to have things aU tlu ir own way for nearly fifty years. 5. George II. — Beyond a slight plot, in 1722, by Bishop Atter- burj , in th' interest of the Pretender, and a brief excitement in Ireland over the coinage of some half-pence, nothing of interest took place in the last six years of George I.'s reign. George died, while abroad in Hanover, in 1727, and was succeeded by his son, George I THE WHIG NOBLES KULR ENGLAND. 139 n. The new king had been opposed to Walpole while his father, George I., was living, and Walpolo expected to he turned out of office as soon as he came to the throne. I'crliaps he would, had not Queen Caroline, a shrewd and wise woman, usole men, that he forced them one by one to leave his ministry, until he had for associates none but inferior men who would do his bidding. In this way there •Tew up gradually a stron" "OpDoaitinn " composed of men who had formerly supjxjrted him, the leaders of which were Pulteney, Carteret, Chesterfield, and, later on, William Pitt, the grandson of » former governor of Madras. The younger members of this party 140 HISTORY OF ENaLAin>. ™ HI grew tired of Walpole's method of ruling, and of his peace policy, and in their speeches talked a good deal about "Patriotism," or love of country. Hence they were, in derision, called the "Patriots," and Walpole sneered at them, and said that when they grew older they would become wiser. 7. The Family Compact.— In spite of all the "Patriots" could do, Walpole continued to hold his ground, until a war with Spain broke out iu 1739. This was caused by Franco and Sjiain forming a secret "Family Compact" (they both had members of the Bour- bon family on their thrones) against England. Spain was to get the aid of France in recovering Gibraltar from England, in return for her giving France the sole right to trade with her colonies in America. English merchants, after the Treaty of Utrecht, had been permitted to trade slightly in the South Seas, and finding the trade profitable, had managed to increase it a good deal by smug- gling. When the smugglers were caught by the Spanish authorities, they were imprisoned and otherwise punished. Tales of Spanish cruelty were spread abroad throughout England, and Parliament and the people began to clamour for war. Walpole was very much against going to war, as he knew that England was not prepared, tnd besides, feared a Jacobite rising, aided by France and Spain. But the feeling of the nation for war was so strong, that Walpole unwUIingly gave way, and declared war in 1739. Wlien the bells began to ring at the news, Walpole 8nderful power of organization, a denonnnation which now has its adherents all over the world. Amtmg other important results of this revival was the new intesest aroused in moral roforuis, aiid tlio beginning of earnest efforts to lessen the misery and ignorance of the jjoor and tlio ojipressed. 12. East India Company.— Tlio war of the Austrian Succession came to an end by the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1748, wlicn Henry Pclham was Prime Minister. England g:iinod nothing beyond an increase in her national debt, and Maria Theresa lost Silesia to Frederick II. of Prussia. In 1751, Frederick, Prince of Wales, died, and this left his son, George, as the heir to the thnme. In the same year, the time of the nation was put right, by taking eleven days out of the year, the 3rd of September being henceforth counted the 14tli. Tliis was ov.ing to the year having been hitherto too long, and this made tlie clock of the nation too slow. After this the year was made shorter, and no change in the time has since taken place. And now England was oi the eve of wars wliich were to greatlx increase her territory and her influence in Asia and America, fn the year loHS Queen Elizabeth granted a charter to a coni2)any to trade in the E.ist Ind'es. This was the East India CVjinpany which graduallj' founded factories and small tiading posts on the coasts of India. In this way Fort St. George, or Madras, was established. Bombay was aequived by the marriage of Cliarles IT. to Katharine of Portugal, and Fort William (now Calcutta) was founded by another English trading company in the reign of William III. In 1702, the two cora{)anies united. Thej- kept at each trading pjst a Kiiiall body of native soldiers, or sepoys, and they paid rent t' > the neighlwuring native prince or ruler for the land they occuiiied. These rulers of snudl districts owed allegiance to a higher ruler, who in tui'U was supposed to obey the Great Mouhul of India. 144 1 -' it' I HISTOHT OP BNOLANOl 11 .f ^ /T *^ "5 * '°™P*"y " ^"^ ^hich h,id buUt a fort a Pondicheny. Tl.e English and French tnulers were vcr, jealous cf each other, and sometimes their mutual dislike led to fiihtincr even when England and France were at peace. At l.-.st, Dtpleil,' the Govenior of Pon.l.cherry. formed a .cheme of drivinrt the Ei^l hsh out c^India, and of obtaining for France the control of Indian affairs. Hxs pla„ was to take advantage of the frequent quarrels among the niany native rulers of India, to play off one ruler agamst the other, and so, in the end. get the cnnfrol of Southei" India To carry out his plans, it was necessarv that the En.^liah should be dnveu out of the country, and this he proceeded to d^o by att^vcking and capturing Madras. For a time it seemed as if thi English inust submit, when t^ie whole aspect of affairs was chanc^ed by the skill m w.ir and vigor of a young man in the East India Com- pany s service. Robert Clive. Clive had been sent to India as a clerk, his friends m England in this way hoping to rid them- selves of a wUd and troublesome youth. He'not gave up "L clerkship, and putting himseH at the head of a few English and native troops defeated tlie French at Arcot. in 1751. and held the fort untd assxstence came. From that time onwards the French we^re dnven back untU Dupleiz was recalled, and peace was made in 13. Prench and EngUsh in Anierica.-A similar struggle for power and supremacy had been going on for many yelrs in America between the English and French. Though there we^ intervals o peace between the French colonies in Canada and Acadia, and the English colonies to the south of them, yet an almost constant border warfare was carried on in which the North American Indians took an active part. The English and French colonists both wanted the sole right to trade in furs with the Indians, and often when England and France were at peace theix colonies were keeping up a cruel warfare, and makLg attacks on each others settlements. The French settlements were n what we now cJx Quebec and Nova Scotia, and in Louisiana, at the mouth of tae Mississippi ; while the English had thirteen er>]omos scattered along the eastern coast of North America. Tlie French claimed the right to aU the land west of the Alh,ghanies, and as that would have sliut out the English fur-tiudei-s from a profitable trade with the numerous tribes of Indians in the north- '^^w:¥J^^!MmK&?smi,-p'm>''^^w ^fisr:7m6i^r^w THK WHIG NOBLES BULB ENOLAKD. I45 FroLf ' f ,Tl* f'"^ ""^ ^^''^^ ^y *^« ^"gJi«h «<>l«nist«. The Ohio nver and the English sent George W<«hington to huild p^ty of French soldiers sent to warn him off French soil, and this led to a general war which did not end tUl the French were dnven Genl^r ."; T'""l '"'"'' °^^^^ '" ^^5*' «"•! the next year General Braddock, who was eent with a large force to take Fort Duquesne, through his own obstinacy and raslmess, was surprised in a narrow pass in the woods, when near the fort, by Tparty of was killed, and for a tune the French had matters all their own way. 14. Seven Years' War, 1756^.-The year after Braddock's de- feat, a great war broke out in Europe and lasted seven years. This war was caused by Maria Theresa's determination to recover SUesia from Frederick II. caUed the Great, of Prussia. In this she was aided by France Russia and Saxony, while Frederick h.ul no ally save Enphad. When England entered into this war, she found herself without either army or general fit to take the field. The DiJce of Newcastle, a weak, corrupt man, was now Prime Minister and for a time nothing but disaster followed every effort of the Engl hsh army and navy. France seized Minorca, and when Admiral Byng, who was sent to retake it with a weak fleet, retreated without striking a blow, the people were so angry that Newcastle, to save himself, had Byng tried by court .,d shot. Soon after this terrible news came from India, Sumj-ud-Daula, the ruler of Bengal, marched on Calcutta, an.l taking the English inhabitants prisoners thrust them, 146 in n imber, into a small room not more than twenty feet square. Th. re, in the "Bhu^ic Hole of Calcutta - with but one small opemng to admit air, they spent the hot sultry night, enduring the agonies of thirsl and suffocation. When morning dawned, only twenty-three were found alive. In Europe, the Duke of Cumberland made an agree- ment with the French, allowing them to occupy Hanover, and disbanding his army. These were dark days for England. Desbair settled on the nation, and men exclaimed, "We are no longer a nation. ° 15. WilUam Pitt, the Great Ctommoner.-And now England It: i^ 148 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. n wtts to learn what a great man could do in rousing the nation hy giving it hia owrn courage and confidence; for it was now that William Pitt, the leader of the " Patriots," came forward to save his country. Pitt believed in himself, and his self-con tidenco was so great that he said lie could save the country, and no one elsti could. He was a great parliamentary orator, and very outspoken and vehement in his attacks on wrong-T :. aaoftyj :xiBwtM::^'^VLjnBiMMm 148 n STOKY OF KN(;LAND. ill III nnhliko tho ^^1ugs iwi 1 t»''t, aii peace, for he kmw Spaii 1 ,ecrotly promised to aid France ; but ianiL'iit on his side, and Pitt resigned. I 'V slights and insults from office, and r, took his place as Prime Minister. ^[Miin took i»lacu, as Pitt had foreseen, I now refu -ed to help Frederick the George muuuge ' to -■ ; > . Newcastif, too, \ - .i,i\'-i Ijord Bute, the .n !-. ni' Nevertheless the ii' ■ i i and lasted a year iv, i Gri'at finther, and h kept Silesia. A ' n- ■.li ^ twecn France. Jm u .km!. ' Years' War" canio t. in en Minorca was restor . bv ' ence and power was iienceforth f luly recognized. '^ac his enemies, by which he y iiigueti at Paris, in 17C3, be- a ' Portugal, and the " Seven id kej)t Canada and Florida ; while, in India, English influ- CIlAPTEIl XX III. PERSONAL INFLT KNCE OK THE KlXli. 1. Oeorge HI. — George Til. began his reign with the resolve to allow the king's ministers to rule no longer for the king, as was the custom in the days of George I. and II. His mother had early and constantly thught hini to "B( a King;" and his tutor. Lord Bute, iiad strengthened the impressions his motlier's teachings had made on his naturally narrow mind and stubborn disposition. Few English kings were so unfit to rulo as George III., and few did so nmch injui-y to England at home and al)road. Yet he came to the throne with many things in his favour. lie had been bom and educated in England, and so was the first English king who reigned since the Revolution of 1»J88. It pleased the people to have once more an Engli.shman on the throne, and it pleased the Scotch when be said he was not merely an Euglishiuan, but was also a "Bntisn." With these advantages on his side hi vas at first popular, and so he might have remained had he not used his position to recover the authority lost by his predece.s.sors — Georg%I. and George II. Instead of ruling by the advice of his ministers he sought to make them PERSONAL IXFLUENCE OF THE KINO. 149 tho mero iiistn,ments of his will. In spite .)f his many faults as a ruler the peoplt- resiMicted him for his pure «louiestic life, and for his frugal and simple habits. Old "Fanner George" was always, even in thu days when his stubb<)mne^s and ignorant vtdf- will were injuring the nation, a king that many people loved and revered. 2. Growth of Industry.— The latter part of the 18th century was a time when (Jreat liritnin made great strides in wealth and p<)l)iiLition. This was duo, mainly, to the invention of man" labor- sjiviiig machines, such as the "spinning-jenny" and " mu.e," for spinning yam, by Ilargreaves and Cronipton, and the steam-engine by Watt. During this time it became known tliat pit-coal could be used to smelt iron, ore, and this, taken with the discovery of tho steam-engine, soon led to large iron-works being founded in the north of England. Gijods could now be manufactured in great (juantities ; and the ilitRculty of taking them to market was overcome >>y improving the romls, and especially by building numerous amals. The first canal, friiui Worsley to Jlanchester, was proposed in 1758 by tlie Duke of Bridgewater, and was successfully completed by the great engineer Brindley, Tlie population of the towns and cities now increased very rapidly, so that with more people to feed, and heavy duties on wheat and other articles of foo;d the king and his ministers. The editor of tliis paper was .John Wilkes, a member of Parliament. He %vas a clever, witty, but profligate man, who by a strange fate had a great deal to do in bringing in some mucli-needed reforms. Grenville, acting imdcr uistructions from the king, issued a "genera! warrant," that is a warrant in wliich the name of no person was given, for the arrest of the piiblishors and editors of the offending paper. Wilkes, along with several others, was arrested and put in prison; but by appealing to tli:; courts, he got his release, and then proceeded against the Government for arresting a member of Pariiamemo con- trary to law. The courts decided in hia favour, gave him dam- ages, and condemned "general wnn-ants" as illegal. Parliament now charged him with libel, and Wilkes seeing that he had little chance of fair ;jlay fled to France, and was outlawed for not PBRBONAL IMPLUENCB OF THK KIN*. 161 ntanding his trial Neverthelesa, no more "general wan-ant«" hftve l)eeii issued since his time. 4. Stamp Act, 1765. — And now Granville's meddlesijine dispo- sition led to a more serious difficiUty than that with Wilkes. The ]]ngHsh coloni(!s in America had long felt that the Motlier Country, Ky her trade ixilicy, was injuring them for her own benefit. The colonies were not allowed to trade freely with other countries, ht^^d jKvper iov notes, leases, and other legal do<;iui)>;iits. The.se sbimps had to be bought from the British Government, which got t profit from their sale, although the money thus raised was spent in the colonies. The colonies were angry at this attempt to tax them without their own consent, and said that while they were willing to tax themselves for the good of ibe Mother Country, they were not willing that a Parliament in which they had no represen- ttitives sh(juld force them to ,.ay ttxes. Thoy sent a petition against the " Stamp Act," b it at firat their reuKjustranco met with no attention. They then refused to buy any English manu- factures, and this caused the English merchants and manufactiuers to ask for the repeal of the Act. Meanwhile Grenville hiul dis- pleased George III., and had been forced to give way to Lord Rockingham, the leader of the other section of the Whigs. Rock- ingliam, aided by Pitt, did away with the Stamp Act, but Parlia- ment, while removing it, took the opportunity of asserting its right to tax the colonies at pleasure. A short time after this thert! was another change in the Govern- ment, and Pitt, with the title of " Earl of Chatham," cjime back as chief member of the Grafton Ministrj'. But ill-health forced him to leave the management of colonial afiairs in other hands, and 152 History op England. Parliament, in 1767, placed duties on tea, painters' coloun. elasn, and a few other articles going into America. This aroused the colonies once more, who were now more than ever determined that they would nut submit to arbitrary taxation, and began to take steps to defend their rights. 5. The Middlesex Elections.— The same obstinacy and love of power wliich caused George III. to drive his American subjects tc revolt, led hiin to use his influence with the House of Commons to invade the rights of the electors of Middlesex. In 1769, Wilkes returned from France and was elected member for Middlesex, a county in which there were more electors than in most constituencies. George was angry, and through his Government had Wilkes arrested for his old offence, libel, and put in prison. The House of Com- mons was induced to expel him on account of the libel; but Wilkes was again elected by the people of Middlesex. Three times was Wilkes elected and expelled, and then the House of Commons declared Wilkes incapable of being elected, and persuaded Colonel Luttrell to oppose him in Middlesex. Wilkes received 1,143 votes and Luttrell only 296, nevertheless the Commons declared Luttrell elected. This high-handed and unjust act, by which the people were deprived of their right of election, caused great indignation, and when WUkcs came out of prison, the people of London showed their sympathy by electing him an alderman of the city. 6. Liberty of the ?ress.— The following year, 1771, Wilkes was engaged in another contest with Parliament, in the interest of the people. Although the press had now a right to publish without asking permission from any one, nevertheless it was against the rules to report the debates in Parliament. In spite of a "standing order" to the contrary, garbled reports were published, and at last, the Speaker of the Commons, ordered the arrest of a number of printers. Two of them appealed to the law, and Wilkes and another London alderman acting as magistrates, freed them as being guilty of n« offence. The Speaker's messenger was arrested for trying to carry out the will of the Commons, and so serious was the quarrel that the Mayor of London was sent to the Tower while the session lasted. Meanwhile tlie printers were left at liberty, and though no decision was reached as to the right to publish debates, the press has ever since been permitted to report Parliamentary proceedings. This led _. PBBSONAIi INFLUENCE OP THE KIVO. 153 to better newspapers being published, and mere interest in public affairs being taken, and it helped to put a stop to the practice of bribing members of Parliament. Wilkes wa3 allowed to take his seat m 1774, and in 17S2 the House of Commons admitted that it was wrong in seating Colonel Luttrell in 17G9. 7. The American Colonies Win Their Independence.— In 1770, George III. succeeded in getting a Prime Minister to liis taste. This was Lord North, an easy-going, good-natured Tory, who was quite content to take his orders from tlie king. Now that (Jeorge was " king " as he wished to be, he resolved to make his American subjects feel his authority. In 1770, Lord North took off all the obnoxious taxes, except that on tea, and this Geoige III, 15^ HISTORY OF ENGLAND. retained, for the purpose of asserting his right of taxation over the ^lonies. Meanwhile, the feeling in Aniarica was growing stronger c\ ly year, and the colonists resolved not to buy any tea until the * x was removed. This resolve was carried out, and the East India Company began to .suffer. In 1773 some ship-loads of tea entered Boston harbour, and an effort was made to land tlie cargo. A number of colonists resolved to prevent this, and dressed as Indians went on board the ships and threw the chests of tea into the water. For this act of violence Parliament closed the port of Boston, took away from Massachusetts its charter, and demanded that the offenders should be sent to England for trial. War was now near at hand, in 1774, all the colonics, except Georgia, sert delegate- to Philadelphia, where a congress was held to decide on what action should be taken for the protection of tlieir rights and liberties. They resolved to trade no m. )re v, itli England until the charter of Massachusetts was restored, and they made preparations f .r resistance, if such should be needful. In 1775, nt Lexington, near Boston, the first encounter took pbice between tlie British troops and the farmers and mechanics of Mf&s;ichusett3. Tlie following month, a more serious encounter took place at Bunker's Hill, also near Boston, and there the American militia showed George III. that the Yankees could A^nt. In the meantime George Washington, of Virginia, had been chosen commander-in-chief of the American forces, and at once began to make such preparations as he could to meet the coming storm. No better choice could have been made. Calm, patient, devoted to his coimtry, for eight yeara he bore the heavy burden of what at times seemed an almost hope- less struggle, and finally secured the independence of the colonies, an independence largely due to his unflinching courago and endur- ance, and to his power to cheer and animate his followers. Early in the war tho British troops were forced to leave Boston and retire to New "Sork, where the feeling in favour of the Mother Country was strong. Canada was invaded in 1775 by American armies, under Generals Montgomery and Arnold, in the hope of inducing the people to rebel. Montreal was easily taken, but Quebec resisted all attacks, and Montgomery was killed in an assault upon its defenoea. Tlio Americans shortly afterwards retreated, and Canada was iroubled no more. The ct)lonist8 now finally decided to separate from the Mother Country, and Tliomas Jefferson, on belialf m PERSONAL INFLUENCE OP THE KINO. 15ft of Congress, drew up a solemn "Declaration of Tndeiiendence," which was approved and accepted July 4th, ITTli. H irhei-to, the war had gone against the colonists, and a large British army imder General Burgoync, in 1777, marched from Canada down to the Hudson River, to cut off New England from tlie rest of tlie colonics. Great alarm was ftlt i.l; this movement, and tlu; American militia flocked in from all quarters to chuck Burgoync's march. 8oou Bur- goyne found himself hemmed in, and to save his army from utter destruction, surrendered with six thousand men. This v.as the turning-point in the fortunes of the col<»nies. The next year, 1778, France came to the aid of the young Repulilic, and sent men, money, ^nd a fleet, all of which were sorely needed. The war went on for several years after this with varying residts, Washington had been defeated at Brandy-./ine River, 1777, and forced to give up Philadel- phia to the British, and British generals won many victories in the Southern States. Nothing but the heroic cinnage and patience of Washington saved the colonies at this time froui yielding in despair. The war was carried on with extreme bitterness, arising from the employment by England of hired German soldiers and North American Indians. In 1781, the fortunes of war changed in favour of the Americans, until the crowning victory was won at Yorktown, where Lord Cornwallis, cut oft' from supplies by an American army and a French fleet, surrendered with severa' thousand men. After this the British peo2>Ie saw that all hope of keeping the colonies was gone. Britain was now at war with Spain which, in 1779, joined France aj^ainst her, and made a despera efibrt to retake Gibraltar. The f( stress Avas defended for thn years by General Eliot, who drove the besiegers back by pouring red-hot shot into their fleet. Russia, Sweden, and Denmark were also hostile, having banded themselves together against Britain, to prevent her from searching their ships. So, when tlio news of the surrender of Cornwallis came to England, people began to despair. Lord North, now thoroughly unpopular, resigned in 17*^2, and was succeeded by Rockingham. Pitt had died in 1778, his last speech being a pli«a against giving up the colonies, and a defiance tn his old enemy, France. Nothing now remained but to make the best terms possible with France, S{jain, and tlio colonies. Fortunately, a great victory won by Admiral Rodney over the French fleet enabled Britain to conclude an honorable peace. By the Treaty of Ver- i 1 I { I 166 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. sailles, in 1783, the independence of the United States was recognized, France gained nothing, while S|jain had to bo content with Minorca and Florida. To Britain there remained in America, Canada, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. 8. Home Rule in Ireland.— While England had her troubles abroad, she was not without them at home. In 1780, a great riot took place in London, because Parliament removed some of the harsh laws against Roman Catholics. Lord George Gordon was the leader of a mob of 60,000 men, who came to Parliament with a petition against the measure. Not content with T)resentinf» their petition, the excited people broke out into acts of violence, burning Roman Catholic chapels, arid destroying public and private pro- perty. Finally 10,000 troops had to be called out to restore order in the city. A much more serious trouble was the demand made by the Pro- testants in Ireland for the right to manage their own affairs by an Irish Parliament. While the war with the colonies was going on, all the troops in Ireland were taken to America, and as France threat- ened an invasion, a large Protestant volunteer force, 100,000 in number, was raised to defend the country. This was Ireland's opportunity, and the Protestant leaders in the Irish Parliament, of whom the chief was Henry Grattan, demanded that Ireland should have the right to control her own trade and commerce, and that Poyning's law, which gave the English Parliament the right to prevent Bills passed in the Irish Parliament from becoming law, should be repealed. Lord Rockingham had no choice but to sub- mit, and so, in 1782, Ireland got "Home Rule." Nevertheless, only a very small portion of the people of Ireland governed her, as Roman Catholics and Dissenters could not be members of Parliament, and this gave all the power into the hands of a few Protestant families belongmg to the English Church, in Ireland. 9. Warren Hastings.— Though England had lost ground in America, she was extending her possessions in Asia and Australia. In the latter country a convict settlement was formed in 1788 at Sydney, in New South Wales. For many years none but convicts were sent out, but, as we shall find, these were the pioneers of what promises to be a great Anglo-Saxon nation. In India, Clive did much to bring about a better treatment of the natives, who were PEBSONAL INFLUENCE OF THE KINO. I57 oppressed and robbed by English traders after the E.«t T ^• Cu.ni«ny had gained so n.ucli control i„ th' land "i" ^^*/"'^^ to England and through his influence W ^ *: '■'*""'*'^ Governor of Bengal, was made i 17^, p"'" ^"^^'^ *he Bengal, Bombay, and Madras WhTnHf;""""^ "^ made groat cham^es in thT i ! ""'*^^"«« ^^-'^t to India he b ''I' cnanges in the admmistrat on of affiirs in ^r^.-f e a very bitter opposition from some members ofhr' T f and the French nut in »,; "'" "'-^ ^""ncil, the native princes, shehad.on.rndLidtltnlL!r:;Ter'^^^^ 'T ^"^^"' ^'^^ Empire. He returned to TngUnd in 17^ Presen great Indiaa warded for his services butw ^ • ^^P*-'^*^"g *« be re- House of Lords iT he Co Ir f T '"^""''^'^ ^'^"^'^ ^^e iUegally. Hastings did not S he ha7/ ^^ \"'*'^' *^ ^^"*^ he knew that the tffencerhe trs eh^ IT hT , "' """"' '^^ in the interest of the East Ma S. ^ny flt t^^^^^^^^^^ years, and ended in his acquittal in 170^ f^fi, u ![ , ^ ^'«^'' orators of his time BuTko Fni f 1 /"^^ *^' ^^''^ ^^*««<^ press the charge al^^^^^^^ f ^"^^"' ^^^ -"P'oyed to 10. The OoaUtion Oovernment and Its Ovflr+».^««, ixn. from office umted „,th Lord North in wh.t ™ ;uied a CajLii;^ 108 HISTORY OF ENGLAKD. that is a union of people holding different opinions. The followers of Fox and North together were now more numerous than those of Shelbume, and they succeeded in turning him out of office. What is known in history as the "Coalition" government of Fox and North was now formed. It had a large following in Parliament, but people outside thouglit it was wrong that Tories and WTiiga, Av^ho had been abusing each other so bitterly for so many years, should gf) into the same government. The king, too, was displeased, partly because he hated Fox, and partly because the ministry was too well supported. At first he could do nothing ; but when Fox brought in a Bill for the better government of India, the king induced his friends in the Lords to throw it out, and then made this an excuse for forcing his ministers to resign. He now called on William Pitt, a young man of twenty four years of age, to become Prime Minister. Pitt was the second son of William Pitt, the great Conunoner, and although young in years was old in knowledge, ability, and self-confidence. In vain. Fox and North outvoted him in Parliament, and tried to force him to 1 3sign. The king gave him his influence and support, and when, a few months later, the king dissolved Parliament, and called upon the people to elect their representatives, it was found that the nation was so strongly with Pitt that few of the followers of Fox and North were able to keep their seats. Pitt was now Prime Minister with a large following in Parliament and in the country, and the king was content to let him rule. For seventeen years without a break, from December 1783 to February 1801, he remained in power, guiding and controlling the affairs of the nation as no man had done since the days of Walpcle. CHAPTER XXIV. THE BTEtrOOLB AQAINHT NAPOLEOJT BOWAPARTB, 1. William Pitt the Younger.— One of Pitt's first acts was to pass an India bill, in 1784, which gave the Government control over the political acts of the East India Company. This was don# tm^ ^^ '•■^^^.- THE STRUGGLE AGAINST NAPOLEOV BONAPARTE. 159 LrrlTn , w ^'*;:^"^"^^^- «"^ Pi*^ hHd a great many other peoprand h ;• w T" '^'*' Parliament did not represent the people and he tried to do a^ay with some of the smaU and rotten boroughs, and gne more members to large cities and town and to populous counties. In this he faded, as too many powerfu pei^ons wished to keep things as they were. He also s^u^lt co make trade freer between England and other countries. I^S had stuped and accepted the views of a famous book called the " W Jl h Ihh aT; f' "'*^' i" ''''' '''' '^"''^^ «f -'-h was Atm Sm th's d. ; k" ? ^"''''' ^-^yersity. Pitt partly carriedout mTw artfcl r ^l '""'""« *^^ '^^'' '^"^ ""P-rt duties on ma.,/ articles. In this way he checked smuggling, aj^d the public navenue was increased. He saw that Ireland wS suLring'^from poverty because she had no markets for her products, and he offend to admit Irish goods into English markets if he Irish ^rhament would allow England to send her goods into Irela d This the Irish Parliament refused to do because England did not propose to give to Ireland the right to trade in all her'^orfs at horn but f ^'!f "" ""^' disappointed at the refusal of hi off^r but he succeeded in making trade freer with France Pitt also put.s..p to the practice of borrowing money fn.nrp":;:;i J L, workf T. n "'"'■"*' ""'^ "' ^"^"» '^'^"^ '"^^ privilege of do^g work for the Government at their own prices. So, in many way/ he saved the public money, and began to lessen the publi^Tobt ' ' Jo W t? ^^^^^'^^^^^-^'^^d- «-h a wise and careful minister, who kept the country at peace and encourged trade and commerce t Tr ""' -ry prosperous, and the population and wealth o'f the nation grew rapidly. But in 1788 it looked as if Pitfs power which ksted so long that Parliament began to take steps to hati ms son George, the Prince of Wales, appointed Regent. The Pnnce of Wales was a great friend of Fox, and Pitt ani Fox both otbce, and Fux would come in. So when a Regency BiU was brought Fox : TTl^^f''' "'^' '""^ power oUhe Lgentshorfe Fox wanted the Prmce to become Regent at once with aU th^ power of the king, but this Pitt would not aUow. While tt. ^ parties were disputing t;.. old king recovered, and then the Bm Zl 1«0 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. no longer needed. The next year saw the beginning of the French Revolution, and from tliia time onward Pitt's plans for lessening the debt and carrying out great reforms at home had to be dropperu.iia had not C successful m their invasion .f France, for after the fi^t f 1 hIS passed away the French Republicans drove their enemies V^k. ani mthe,rturn n.vaded H.e Austrian dominions in the Netherlands T1.0 F ench now wanted aU other imtions to become re,.„l.lics and the'nr "k '"; v 't" ^^ ^ ^"^'"^'^ «'^"'-'^' -^-'^ --nd- indrFel T;' ^"^'^"^P!-« --^^ - ^-ger be n.u.taineor and the working classes, the war iSTL t> on Jnd ;., 1 """""'' * ^'^^^ *""-°^ ^^ ««i^«d -Pon the ruling and nuddle cla..ses, who imagined they saw plots and conspiracief m every meetixig held, and society formed, to obtain better g^er ment and a betW representation in Parliament. Cruel an.l unjust Ws were prised to prevent pu blic gatherings and poUtical ^L,. The ^„6ea. Corpus Act was suspended, and innocent men on L most tnvial evidence were imprisoned and banished. 4. Trouble In Ireland.-In the meantime afiairs in Ireland wre ^-mg wo.^e and «-orse. H.e Irish Parliament did not represent he Irish people and all offices and places of trust were ^ven to the fnends of a few ruling families. Shut in to Ireland by hea^ duties against their products in English markets, the Irish were growuig restless uoder the combined forca. of grinding poverty Z 16S HIBTOBY or ENGLAWn. {N)IiticaI injustice. Pitt had tried to remedy some of their wrongs, i)ut between tlie Irish Parliament and George III. ho had failed. In 171X), Oranyo l;;; ' "ver the Ma.aelukos. at the t ,rof f S ' ''"^"•' ''"^ ;'.""gl. it was six ocl.>ek i„ the .^,.^%J^„^''^ "' ''l his ships between the Fr. I rt /'""»' ^ *-''"'" ''^•"t ^^-mo of HbattiJwhichn.,ed aS ;;,tit' %f *'*^ ^''•'^:' '"'^ ^-=- thoFrenehfleetdestro^J .::ix- XJw;::;:i''::;"'"^^''^ ^f^n-tun.. T1.0 Battle of the N.!, .^i^z ^:;;2::r I.IW, iTHUght great ..y and relief to 1 :..,];, p.' fnr T,V ' ^-ithoutath^et. Fr...u Egypt, H...'^: ':;, ^^^^1 ^^ J^ 7 besieged and took Jaffa, but was repulsed •l^ \ Zi \ J / ^'^'"• the English, an.l then r turned to Eg y H ^^ r.^"'''' "'"^ coukl bo best served by his retui^'ir.. '^ V, 1 ■ , . ■^ rtcum, ho osciped in a vessel l.-u-t «-,. F,,mc„, Io„v,„g lu, a„„y UIM him, H„ „„, „, „I ,,rrir i™i. c..h*, .„ rep.ai th„ laws wSX^i rr:;*;,,"!" r.gl... a, citizen,. S„, „„ j„, , I8(^r.t tri , p. h' Imted Parhamcut at London, by one hundied memb", ,t the Hous«ot Commons, and by twenty,„ight wore B„. P ,, :Xr" T" "'t-r "^°^°"' '-- *- ^^ ca * :s no. bo carried out. When George III l,eard th^i- PJff paring a Bill to gxve Roman Catholics thll^hTdrTr would resign his crown ..ther than asse,' tl : and r' t?:V:i Pledgj. hnuself to this act of justice, felt it' his^'^rtr^^^J^ I! i^k. 164 HISTORY OF K.NGLAND. 7. Peace of Amiens.-A.ldington, tho Spwikor <.f the Commons, now bucjiiiie Prime Minister, fiu.l was KujiporttHl by Pitt. In Ajjril of tho Nuuo year, tho Euylish attacked the lJ;iiiish fleet at Copen- hagen, tJie Danes having shown signs of hostility, feir Hyde Parker was the Enghsh Admiral, but Nelson did the fighting and won a hard-fought battle. Once during tlio struggle Parker signal- led Nelson to retire, but Nelson put his telescope to his blind eye, and said he could see no signal, and went on fighting. Bojiaparte, to serve his own ends, was now ready to make a truce, and so in March, 1802, the Peace of Amiens was signed. England gave up most of her conquests, and France restored the south of Italy to Austria. 8. Trafalgar.— Tlie Peace of Amiens was but a hollow peace and Napoleon soon found a pretext for renewing the war. In defiance of the treaty he seized Parma and Piedmont, and placed an army in Switzerland. Ho found fault with England for not restoring th.^ island of Malta to the Knights of St. John, and for harbouring French refugees. In 1804, his ambition was gratified by being made Emperor of France, and he was now eager to extend his emi)ire, and dictate to Europe. To do this he saw he must first crush England, and to this end he began to gather a large army at Bolougne which was to be carried across the Channel in flat-bottomed boats. Wlien news of Napoleon's designs reached England, nearly iOO.OOO volunteers ofiered their services to defend their country, and form- ed themselves into companies and r.ginicnts forpurp.-ses of drill and discipline. But Pitt who hud been oilled back to his old post, in 1804, depended on England's navy, and it did not fail her in tliis hour of danger. Napoleon hoped to draw the English fleet away from tho Channel, by sending ib in pursuit of the French and Spanish fleets v.'hich &iiled, apparently, for the West Indies. The plan 2)artially succeeded, for Nelson went in pursuit of them, but after a while found that they had turned back, for the purpose of escorting Napoleon's army across the Channel. The Sp-inish fleet was, however, met by an English fleet at Cape Finisterro and .Iriven into Cadiz, and Nelson having found out his mistake, returned in great haste, and cy IVFarshal Soult, with a large arriiy, in the hope of overtaking hiui before lie reached the coast. When Moore an-ived at Corunna tho vessels in wliich ho meant to embark his men were nowhere to bo seen, and while waiting for '.hem, the French army attacked his small force. On the S^ SPAINaPCRTUOAL IGth Jan. 1801), was f(jught tlie fanu us battle of drunna, in which Moore, perhaps the most promisuig general in the British army, was killed.^ The French were defeated with a loss of 3,000 )nen, and Moore's army was allowed t'j embark without molestation. Moore himself was buried by his sorrowing comrades on the battlefield. So ended England's first eflort to drive the French out of Spain. But Canning was not dismayed. He sent Wellosley kick again, but with an army altogether too small, and too liadly sui>plied° for such a campaign as he had to carry on. F( ir f< .ur years dictoo^ after victory ..v.r them in Siku„. In 1800, he defeate,! Mu,.hal Snnlt at Oport,., ;u,.l Marshal Vict..,, at Talavera. Ilothen retn.atc-.l bot.re a lar^^o army under Marshal Ma.ssena, and con- strue cd a strong lino of defences at Torres Vedras. .:.ar Lisbon and on the coast of Portugal. Mas.s..na fourul h. couM not pass \\e es oy s fort.tications, and he liad to retreat with great loss, for We leslcy ha.l caused the wliole country to he laid hare of cattle and f..o.l and wlien Massenas arn.y began to retreat the stragglers were cutoff „. great nund>ers by the enraged .Spanish guerilla bands \\ellesley now ^ iscount Wellington, followed up the French retreat and won many battles. He t,^k by storm the two stron.^ ^..tresses of Cuidad Kodrigo and Uadajos in 1812, defeated th^ ^.ench at Salan.anc;v an.l Vittoria in 1812 and 1813, and drove Joseph B.,^parte out of «pain. The successful siege of St. Sebas- ..tn n 181.. was fnllowe.! m 1814 by the battle of Toulouse, the last battle of the Peninsular War. army of half a mdhon n.to Russia, to conquer that country. The Kussmn en.peror had been on friendly terms with Napoleon for a few years, but .Napoleon's Berlin decree, by which liussia was not permitted to trade with England, proved a great hardship to the Russian people, an.l they soon began to imjx.rt English manufac- tures against Napoleon's orders. This le.l to the breaking up <.f the alliance between Russia and France, and to Napoleon's invasion At the battle of IJorodino, in September 1812, the Russians were defeate.1 after a herce struggle, and then Napoleon presse.l on to Moscow, the chief city in Russia. Rather than permit the Frencli army to winter tJiere. the Russians set Hre to the city, an.l Napoleon without focxl or slielter for his troops, had to be-MU a retreat. „,ter now ciine on, an.l the retreating French, wiUu.ut >'>'por clothing an.l food, .lied .laily by the thou.s^ui.l. The Russians hung on the rear, cutting off the weary stragglers as they fell behind tlie man. b,. ly ..f the army. So ..ut of the great h..st that went ^.th bght hearts to an ea.sy con.iuest, only 20,000 retunie.l. Kneourag.Ml by NaiK>leon s misfortunes, Austria an.l Prussia now r..se against the tyrant, an.l joining their forces with those of Russia, met an.l defea^.d liim after three days of fightim^ at Leipzig. „.. ( .,..1,,, 1813. Step by step Napoleon was now dnven bitck, untd the armies of the allies entered I'aris in 1814. Nap.,leon THE STKL'UOr.K AGAINST X.M'OLEO.V BoXAPARTK. 109 hiid tu yive up liis throne, ami ho content with nilin^ ovlt the litth- island <.f Elba, wliicli was given him as his kingdo.u l.y his victorious foes. 13. Waterloo, 18l5.-Louis X^^II., the brother of Louis XVT was now made King of France, an.l the AlHes 1)egan to re-,irr.tn-.' the map of Euroi,e, wliicli had been thn.wn into 8;ul confusion by Xapoleon's con.piests. Before they had made much progress, tluv weresbirtled by tl.e news that NajM.leon had, after eleven month's absence, retunied to Frajice, and was making his way towards Paris. Ills old .soldiers gladly rallied around him, Louis XVIIf. fk-.l fmm Pari.s, andXapoleon was «mce more on the French throne. The Allies hastened to gather their forces to crush him, and En.dan.l and Prussia s keep up his line of conununication with Blucher, the I»ru.s.siaii General There, on the 18lii of June, 1815, Wellington and Xapokt.n met for the first and only time on the battlefield. Wellington's rmy was largely made up of Belgians and Germans, while liis Ewhsh troops were, many of then., raw le%ir3 and untried in battle.' In numbers the armies were nearly equal, but X.ip-.leon had with him . the veterans of hisarmy, besides be! ig much sujierLT to Wellin-tun ni cjivalry and artillery. WeUington's hope was to hold rlie French at l)ay until Bhuher and the Prussians could arrive in the eaily afternoon. Napoleon, on the other hand, Ik .ped by the deadly play of his artillery, and the fierce charges of his cavalry to break the I'.ritish ranks. As the day wore on, and Wellington s.iw his thin hues growing thinner under the desperate charges of the French c'valry and tho fire of their artillery, ho began to long for " Xi-ht or Blucher.' At last, about five in the afternoon,°tho sound' .jf d^istant firing was heard, and a little later it was seen that the Pru.ssians had arrived, and were attacking tlio flank of the Fren,!, army. NapJeon saw that but one chance remained, and that was by a desperjite charge of his Old Guard to break the Briti.sh lines i • ' ^ 170 HISTORY OF ENGLAKD. t«fore help from the Prussians could reach them. These trusted vetemns came gallantly forward, but when near the BritisrTes they met w.th such a deadly volley of musketr,. followed by s^ch Ir.?' fv ^^ "^'^"^ '^^ '^"'^^ Napoleon's career was ended, and Europe was saved The Prussians pursued the fleeing French far mfco the night, cutting down the fugitives wS dered to the captajn of a British man-of-war. He was banished to Id M ^ r 1 ;;f ^"''^"^ ^^ ^^- ^'^^^"*' -^ere six years after he died May 5, 1821. Louis XYIII. came back to the French throne and the great struggle for European freedom was over. ' 14. Condition of the Nation.-The long war was endp,^ «n^ the nation found itself with over 800 mimfns Tf dlb/mt h of ft rtlTfl Id^r""^"*^ Bums to the Allies to keep thlaMs in the field No nation had suffered so little from this desperate sh^ggle as England, partly because she w.. free from invasLt ^nd partly because she was the mistress of the sea, and controlled the ^rrymg trade of the world. Her manufactures were soldt ev ' SXof'tf^';^'^"'"^'"^^^"''^^*^'^ '''''^ «h-k, untUthI buy^ But r "t''?'.^"™' ^ ^^^' ^' *° P^--^ *hem fn>m buymg. But now that the war was over tli. .u.s.nids of men were thxo^ out of employment, and when the crops failed in 18^6 th! high duty on wheat made food so dear as to cause a famine The ..bo„r-..vmg machines were W.med for taking away e pi oymen from starving workingmen, and riots followed in which orgS efforts were made to destroy the new and hated machinery The M^.r had so fully taken the attention of the kind's ministers III. had beconie permanently insane in 1810. and his son «eor^e was appointed Regent. The Regent wasa worthless profl, J Tnd his base actions made him unpopular with the people Su,1 r some years after the war, there was great distress and much pol ti cIlTs content among the people, which was increased by the ha^h law passed by Parliament against freedom of speech. f hi^;.^'*T*'''* ^^^ Inventlons.-Georgo TH. died in 1820, after Oeoi^e IV. The chief features of this eventful reigu liavo been .7.^rM}Si^^im% ^S^W^'^Si A PERIOD Of REPOHM 171 sketched ; but no mention has been made of the great men who m^ide England famous hy their writings and scientific dlscoverios For It was during this time that Robertson wi,.te his histories of bcotknd. Spam, and America, tliat Gibbon composed his iJeclim and Fall of the Roman Empire, and that Adam Smith gave to the world his Wealth of Katioiis. Sanmel Jolmson wn^te essays, criticisms and poems, but he is best remembered by his Dictionnnj, published m the reign of George II. Goldsmith, who talked like "I>.K)r Poll," wrote channing tales and essays. His name will never be forgotten whUe the Vkar of Wahfidd retains its weU deserved popularity. But the most remarkable feature of aU this literary activity is the long list of great poets who lived and wrote durin« the latter half of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th centuiy" For this literary outburst we must give some credit to the hopes and fears aroused by the great upheaval in the social and political life of France. Cowper, Bums, Shelley, Keats, B>Ton, Campbell, Coleridge, Southey, Wordsworth, Mm,re, and Scott, are names of poets second only to those of Spenser, Shakespeare, and Milton. But Scott (Sir Walter) ranks higher as a novelist than as a poet and the author of the Waverley Novels, still holds the first place among the novelists of all climes and ages. Towards the close of the reign, m 1807, two Americans, Fulton and Livmgston, moved a vessel up the Hudson River by steam, and a Uttle later, in 1813, steam-navigation was tried on a smaU scale on vhe Clyde. Scientific discoveries were made by such men as Herschel, Davey, and Priestly, while Josiah Wedgewood taught the people of Staffordshire the art of making beautiful and graceful pottery. CHAPTER XXV. A PHBICD OP REFORM. 1. George IV.— The last of the four Geoi^es had been the acting king forfcen years before his father's death, and the nation kji. w him too well to expect much in the way of good from his hands. His admirers caUed him "The First Gentleman in Eurooe," by which 173 aiSTORY OP KNOLAND. i ■ they meant that m polish of manner ana external grace he ^a» » /eiy fine gentleman. Nevertheless, he was, all through his life, a .ovjardly hcentious man, who would stoop to any act of meannes. and treachery. Fortunately, his personal influence was small, and beyond nusing a storm of national indignatioa at the be-innin - of his reign by trying in vain to force a BiU through Parliament to securo a divorce from his wife, Queen Cair,line, his occupancy of the throne made little difference in English affairs. 2 Holy An;^ace.-There was considerable unrest and discon- tent at the bepnmng of this reign, arising almost entirely from t^« r, r';?K ' ^r^ ^^^ ^^^^ by theOovonuneut against the right of the people to meet and discuss public affairs. One outcome of this feeling was an attempt, called the Cato Street Con- spiracy, to murder the ministry, in 1820. Tlie conspirat-.rs were seized, some were put to death, and others banished for life. Abroad the Emperors of Russia and Austria, and the Kin^rs of Prussia, France, and Spain, formed an alliance, called the "Holy Alliaiice, to crush out any efforts that might be made by their sub- jects to increase their freedom, or secure their riglits. This allLuice was the result of the fear aroused by the French Revolution, and of the growing feeling in Europe in favour of liberty. Tlie British Goverrnnene, and Lord Castlereagh, the Fore' ;n Secretary, in par- ticular, were charged with being too friendly to the Holy Alliance ^nd too hostde to the oppressed people of other nations. Bui Castlereagh s suicide, in 1822, removed one obstacle to a more liberal poLcy, and henceforth the tide of Reform began to fiunr more strongly, and with fewer interruptions. 8. Canning, Peel, and Husklsson.-After Castlereagh's death, Geoi^e Camnng, a brilliant and Uberal-minaed statesman, became Foreign Secretary. Unlike Castlereagh, he was a frieni of the oppressed everywhere, and while he managed England', foreign affaira. her influence was thrown into the scale of freedom. He would not aid the Turks, who were trying to crush out a revolt in G eeee, „or he Spanish, when their colonies in .^lerica rose to f ' /"^^-T'^df -^^^ He saved Portugal from an attack from France and Spain when PortuKal sought to introduce Parliamentary Government. Nor was Camiing indifferent to wrongs nearer A PERIOD OP REFORM. 173 I I Iloman Catholics, as well as of the slave., in the West Indies While Canning was using his influence abroad and at home in U.e interests of the wronged and oppressed, Robert Peel, the Son e We .ry was busy refonning the Cri.ninal Laws. Sir Sain^d Roniilly, ,„ the early part of tliis century, had tried earnestly o^: Pari anient to lessen the number of crimes punishable with deaU ^ftSrr " T'*'"'^ I-ket-picking^emoved from tltti of capital otre ices Tliere was, it is said, over 2(J0 erinus for which a person could be hanged. To steal five shillings from h shop or a dith na'lt'^V; ?"" ^^-t"-3^- Bridge, was to incur th: death ,.onalty and to be put into the same list with the forger and murderer At last men saw the folly and cruelty of the Criminal Law, and Peel m 1824, managed to get Parliament to conseT^ remove more than 100 of the smaller offences from the list to which the death penalty wis attache.l. Not less useful than Canning and Peel in carrying out reforms was Iluskisso,, the President of the Board of TrSe. He slw t^at England was sutfering from her trade and navigation la" and from the unwise restrictions placed upon workingmen. He sue ceeded m reducing the duties on sUk and wool, ami had the laws repealed which prevented workingmen from travelling to seek em ployment m other parts of the country, as well as tl^^ law wllh gave a magistrate the power to fix the wages of L.bourin.' men Besides, he paved the way for freer trade by offering toreign'Vessek special advantages in English ports, on the condition that thirme pnvdeges were given by foreign nations to English vessels The years 1825-6 were years of scarcity, and following as they uid a commercial panic arising out of foolish speculation, there v,Z much distre^, and some rioting. Tho high duties on foo:i hldn^w ogive way for a time, and Huskisson passed a law by which the duty on wheat fell a.s the price rose, and r,.e as the price 7^^!^ was the famous '•sliding scale" of duties, which 'lasted U ^ee rade cai le xn. The distress and lack of employment led to . 4. The Australian Colonies.-New South Wales in AustraJi. wasnowaflourishingcolony.andalthoughatfi^tsattledbyrn:!:^ ^^M 174 HISTORY or ENGLAND. it V)Ogan abnut this time to receive a different kind >•' settlen. Many of the well-behaved convicts were given their freedom, and they and their descendants hecamr go« d citizens. Other colonies were gradually founded, such as Queensland, Western Australia, and South Australia. Victoria now one of the most important colonies was once a part of Now South Wales, and been me a 8t|> ir- ate province in 1851. Largo cities, in time, grew up, cvch as Sydney and Melbourne, the latter being founded in 1835. 5. Repeal of Test and Corporation Acts, 1828.— Lord Liverpool, the Prime Minister,* died in 1827, and Cannins^ was chosen to succeed him. Much was expected f'-om such lilieral and clear- sighted man, but Canning died a few montiis after tJiking office, and shortly afterward.-s the Duke of Wellington became Prime Minister with Sir Robert Peel as *he leader in the House of Commons. Wellington was not a liberal or far-seeing statesman, but he was thoroughly honest and unselfish. And now after a century and a half of injustice, Roman Catholics and Dissentera were to have their wrongs righted. The Test and Corporation Acts had prevented Dissenters from holding offices in the towns and cities. In 1 828 Lord John Russell brought in a Bill to do away with these .laws and the measure was carried. Although willing to relie^ a Protestant Dissenters, the Government would not consent to r^^poal the laws shutting Roman Catholics out of Parliament. The laws against Roman Catholics were not so severe as they had been, for in 1817 they were allowed to enter the army and navy, and they had the right to vote for member.s of Parliament. Perhaps at this time the majority of the English people were as unwilling as Parliament and the Oovemment to do justice to the lloman Catholics. But what a sense of justice wouM not do, necessity forced on the nation. Daniel O'Connell, p "> exceedingly clever and eloquent Iruh barrister, persuaded the pci , le of Clare County, Ireland, to elect liim as a member of Parliament, although he knew he could not take his seat. In the meantime a large "Catholic Association" had been formed in Ireland, to .igitate for the rights of the Catholics, and tliis A.ssociation berime so powerful under O'Connell's guidance, that the Government hv to fear another civil war in Ireland, if met-jures were not L..k.en to quiet the excitement. wmm A PERIOD OP REFORM. 173 6. "".Oman Catholic Emancipation Bill, 1829.-71:. Oo% ommtnt, Parliament, and the majority of English iHM.plt" w^re all ..pjHised to giving Roman Catholici, their rights, but Wellington, wlio know what w;u- was, saw it was his duty to yield. Tlio House of I>ords, on more than one occasion had prevented justice l)eing done, and now Wellingi a used his groat influence with that IkkIj to have a Roman Catholic Emancipation Bill passed in 1820. Wellington and Peil liad done their duty, hut in so doing had made themselves unjM)pular with tlie English people. In 18.'?.'?, tlie Quakers were allowed to become meml^ere of Parliament, and in ia"'»8 the same measure of justice was meted out to the Jews. 7. William IV.— In June, 1830, George IV. died. His only daughter, the Princess Charlotte, had died in 1817. and this left William, Duke of Clarence, as his miccessor. William IV. had been a commander in the navy, and hence was called the "Sailor King." He was a frank, hearty, well-intentioned man. who, in spite of the fact that his private life wjis none too pure, was popular with tiic peoitle. He came to tlie throne at a time of great excite- ment in Europe. Revolution was in the air. The French drovo out Charles X., .-.nd put Louis Philippe on the throne, and Relgiuni Bepara d from Holland and became an independent nation. Haif tliero 1 oen an unwise or unpopular king in England at this time, i 'la excitement in favour of political reform might have led to another revolution. 8. Reform Bill of 1832.— Wliile the war with Na[»oleon was going on, the English people had too mucli to think al)out to pay much attention to Parliamentary Reform. Now, however, that the War was over, a more liberal government in office, and the dread < f a revolution passed away, intelligent people began to see how unjust it was that largo cities like Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds should have no representatives in Parliament, while many small towns had the privilege of sending one or two. Still worse, quite a number of places tliat once had a iK)pulMtion, but had lout it, continued to send members. In some crises there were only a iozen or a score of voters, and i; is stated that in a county in Scotland, only one man voted, and he elected himself. Then there were a great numl'er of small villages tJsat st-nt JiiemlHrs at the 3onnnand ot the land-owners, on whose estate the vilhiges wero ^sm MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) ^ APPLIED IN/MGE Inc 165 J East Mam Stfeet Rochester, Ne« York U609 USA (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone (716) 288 - 5989 - Fox w Jir :H W 176 HISTORY OF i;> GLAND. built. If tne lanci-owncr was in need of money, he sold the right to the seat to some man who wished to be a member of Parliament, and these "nomination" boroughs soon came to have a regular market value. In other borf)Ughs, the voters were so few that a rich candidate could easily buy their votes. So it can ea.sily be seen that ti. 1 British Parliament did not really re[)resent the IJritish people. "^ . many mei some of them intelligent ami honest, ilreadcd any ch'- ^e, f aring that it would be the beginning of a revolution, or tUiit goml and able men would find it difficult to be elected, if votes were given to the people. One of these was Wellington, who thought that everything was just right, and that the system in use could not be improved. It was the custoui then to have a general election soon after a new sovereign came to the throne, and the election that took place in 18.'{0, showed that Wellington and Peel had lost their pojiularity on account of the Roman Catholic Emancipation Bill. Soon after the new Parliament met the Government h.ad to resign and Lord Grey became Prime Minister, with Lord John Russell as leader in the Commons. Russell lost no time in bringing in a Reform Bill, l)ut it made so many changes that it pa.ssed its second reading by a majority of only (me, and a little later an important change was made in it, when it came up again for discussion. The ministers now persuaded the king to dissolve Parliament, and ha\e a new election. Although very few people had votes, yet the feeling was so strong throughout the country among the merchants, manufac- turers, artisans, and wcjrkingmen that the election resulted in giving the Bill a large majority. A second Reform Bill was now introduced in the Conmions and carried by a majority .ervative and Lile ral An^t.^ ,f To^ 9. Other Ileforms.-Now that a reformed Parliament w.vs elected a great many much needed reforms were carried out. In 1833 after a struggle of iifty years, against slaver, in the West^ Indies, w'ilber- force died, bub not before he saw it practioallv abolished at a cost of £20 000,000 to the British nation. Tim same y" r hi were passed to protect children from over-work in factoiL, an.' a ^ant of money was made to schools for the poor. In 1834 tl.e tZ'^T^f ;i '"? ^''""' "" ^""^' ^^""^'^'^ "'^ *''« industrious Tou rL.t * V"^" ""' ^-f '^'"*^"'^^'^^ ^^^ «-"l"^"i»« fcHose who uwl-We. where work was given them if they were able to do it i .9 change from ouWoor to in-door reHef soon had a great effed" in reducmg pauperism. ^ f,2^}['' ^^'r'^™) '^^"Ses at this time were the Mmucipal Act 183o) provKlmg f..r the election of the mayor and aldermen of ^vns and cities by the ratepayers, and a BiU (183(i) penmtting Dissenters to be married in their own chapels. Nor must we forget improvements and reforms of another kind o I'^'w ^ !"°^t''-'"- '^''" ''^'•''^ ""^ ^''''^' "»™ to cany goods o market led to the making of Maca.ia.nl.eU roads, that il "roads nma, of bmken stone, and introduced by h Scotchman called Mac- r 178 HISTORY OP KNOLAND. Adam. Nevertheless, good roads and canals were not suffioisnt to meet the demands of English industry, and it was not till George Stephenson, the son of a poor collier, had overeoine the difficulties of moving waggons along iron rails hy means of a locomotive or steam-engine, that English products could find easy conveyance t(j their markets. The first railroad was built in ] 830, from Manchester to Liverpf)ol, and the train travelled at the rate of thirly-five miles an hour. Besides these, other improvements were going on, such as founding Mechanics' Institutes, reducing the price oi newspapers, huildhig schools and colleges, and providing asylums for the insjine. It is sad to think that, while so many things were being done to improve tlie lot of the poor, a great many were suffering from want, part of which w^as caused by the many improvements in labour-sjiving machines. So, in the year 1837, when William IV. died, there were many families in England that could scarcely afford to buy the coarsest food and clothing. CHAPTER XXVI. HISTOBT OF OUB, OWN TDIE8. 1. Victoria.— WiUiam IV., like George IV., left no child as heir to the throne. He was succeeded by Victoria, the daughter of the Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III. The young queen at the time of her accession was but eighteen years of age, neverthe- less, she had been so carefully trained and educated under her nother's watchful eye that, when she came to the throne, ifc was with a deep sense of the duties she had to discharge, and with a fixed resob to keep the good of her peoplt> always before her. During the fifty-five years of her rule, she has earned the love and respect not of her subjects alone, but of the people of all nations, by her pure domestic life, and by her faithful discharge of every private and public duty. Her accession to the throne made it necessary to separate Hanover from the Crown of England, tha laws of Hanover not ijermitting a HISTORY OF OUR OWN TIMES. 179 I woman f.) rule. TIio (lueeir.s uncle, tliu Duke <.f Oun)l)erliUKl, now lu'caiiH- Kinj,' of Hanover, and KuLjland was no longer in danger of heing diawn into Euroiiean wars on account of this (Jennan kingdom. 2. Rebellion in Canada.— One ol ' j tirst diHiculties m l.e dealt witli in tliis reign was a reliellion in Lower Canada. Canada had heen divi(Ucl into two Provinces, in 171M, l.y a measinv known as <"ho Constitutional Act. Tlii.s Act also gave each Province a Parlia- ment, composed of a Governor, a Legislative Council, and a Li'gisla- tivo Assenddy. As Fox foresaw and ix.inted out at the time, the Act was full of defects, for it did not give the elected Assenddy the full control of the revenue, and it did not make the Legislative Council and the Executive responsible to the i)eople. The Act had many other defects besides these mentioned, and resulted in so nuich bad govt>rnment in Lower and I'pper Canada that some of the more hot-headed and impulsive of the people began a rebellion. The first risings were in Lower Canada, and tlience the rebellic spread into Upper Canada in 18.37. L(jrd Durham was sent out to iiKluire into the cjiuse of the trouble, and he gave a report which pointed out very clearly ciie evils under whicii Canada was suffering, and outlined tin- profHT method of dealing with the coh.ny. Dur- ham's report became, soon after, the ba.sisof a new and better policy bnvards the colonies. The rebellion did not last long, but its fruits were the union of L'ppe and Lower Canada in one province in 1840, and the beginning of true responsible govenuncnt in Canaihi. The two Provinces remained unued till 18(;7, when owing to a dead- lock between the two great political paities of the ccdony, the British North America Act was passed, which established a Federal form of govunnnent in British North America, leaving the different Provinces the control of their own local atiiiirs, and establishing a Federal Parliament for the management of the general business of the Dominion of Canada. Beyond appointing the Governor-Genenvl and arranging treaties of commerce England now h;aves Canada to look after her own interests, and interferes as little as possible with her affiiirs. 3. Rise H the Chartists.— The early years of this reign are marked by the introduction of the electric telegi-aph, Morse in America, and Wheatstone and Cooke in England, dividing the 180 aiSTORT OF ENOLAKO. honour of the invention between them in 1837. In 1838 steamships crossed the Atkntic, and in 18.39 Sir Rowland Hill succeeded in getting the Government to carry letters to any jwrt of Great Britain and Ireland for a j)enny. All these changes were in the interest of trade and commerce, and clieap postage waa a great boon to the poor ; nevertheless, work was scarce, fond was dear, and there was much distress among the working cLisses. The Reform Bill had given politiciil power to the middle classes, but had left the great mass of workingmen without any voice in the affairs of the nation. Tliey began to think that their troubles were mainly due to the bad laws made without their consent, and an agitation began fo : further reforms. In 1838, at a groat mooting in Birmingham, a formal demand was made for the " People's Charter." Tliis charter asked (1) that all men should have votes ; (2) for annual Parliaments ; (3) for voting by ballot ; (4) that a man might bo a member of Parliament without owning any land ; (5) that members of Parlia- ment should be paid ; (6) that the country should be divided into equal electoral districts. Most of these demands have since been granted, but at that time the upper and middle classes felt no inclination to share their power with their less fortunate country- men. It 4. Anti-Corn Law Leagne. — Meanwhile it was beginning to be felt that one cause of the poverty of the working classes was to be found in the laws which placed a high tax on food and the raw material of manufactures coming into this country. We have seen that Walpole, Pitt, and Huskisson had each done something to lessen duties and make trade freer. The landowners, however, were very powerfiJ in Parliament, and to keep up their rents they had heavy duties placed on wheat coming into the country. When- ever crops failed, bread became dear, and the poor wore often on the verge of stan'ation. At last, Richard Cobden, a cotton printer, took ■ le lead in forming a league which had for its object the re- moval of the taxes on food, and the lowering of duties on other imports. This league was formed in 1838, and under the guidance of Richard Cobden, and John Bright, a carpet manufacturer, it soon made its influence felt all over the land. Cobden and Bright were very clear-headed, able men, and by their speeches and writings they courinceti the people that the taxes on. food were unjust to the poor HISTORY OF OUR OWN TIMES. 181 ami tlie causo uf most of tlio distress that prevjiilud s.» frequontly. Xcvertht'l.'.ss thu landowners and fanners l)iiteily upposi'd tlie movement, and it took eiglit years to convince the government that a cliange woidd be in the interests of the nati-ui. 5. Troubles at Home and Abroad.— The Libenvl party, wliich carried out so many reforms between IS.'J'J and 1S;!7, gradually l...st its popularity; many people growiiii,' tired <.f, and others beiii- offended by, so many changes. The Government at tlie beginning of tlie queen's reign had, as its head. Lord Mell)ourne. an easy- going, good-natured man, who proved a good friend to tlie young •pieen, although he was but an indifferent statesman In 1841 his ministiy had become so woak that it was obliged to resi"n, and give way to a Conservative goveniment under Sir Robert Peel. In 1840 tlie fpieen was maivied to her cousui Prince Albert of Saxe-Ooburg, a prince who proved a devoted liu.sband, and a true friend to the people among whom he cast his lot. Meanwhile, in 1839, a war had started with China, because English traders insisted on selling opium to the Chinese against the order of the Chinese government. Tlie war came to an end in 1842, l)y the Chinese being compelled to open their ports to this wicked traffic. At home, there was trouble in Ireland, and a religious agit«ition in Scotland. In Ireland O'Connell had begun to agitate for a Repeal of the Union, and so dangerous seemed the movement that O'Connell was at length arrested and tried for sedition in 1843-44. In Scotland the Presbyterian Church was rent by an agitation against the State controlling the Church, an agitation which ended in the "Free Church" being founded in 1843. Nor was England free from excitement and unrest. The Chartists were busy trj-ing to make converts to their views, and the Anti-Corn Ljiw League was equally zealous in showing the evils of the Com Laws. But all these troubles seemed small compared with a dreadful disjister which, in 1841, befell British troops in Afghanistan. The English had been gradually extending their temtory in India towards the Indus and Afghanistan. This country lies between India and the Russian possessions in Asia, and the English were afraid that its ruler. Dost Mohammed, was too friendly towards Russia. Lord Auckland, the Govori. or General of India, therefore i-t m ill n 189 HISTORY OF E.VOLAN till sent Hii army to C,il)ul, the cii[)ital of Afghanistfin, dethroned Dost Moliainiiied and [uit another chi'"f in his place. This led to the fierce and treacherous Af^jlians murdering tlie English aml>assador, and to a rising uiider .\k))ar K!:an against the British troops. General Klpliinstom, who conuiianded the army, resolved to retreat to India, and was promised protection for himself and his men, and for the women and children they were forced u> leave hehind. D'lt when the army, in the dejjtli of winter, tried to go through the rocky and narrow <',i))ul I'ass, the Afghans attacked them so savagely and continuously, tiritig into and cutting d<\v hiT revunuo troni tliat somvo is raised on a few luxuries such as tea, tobacco, and liijuors of all kinils. Tlie repeal of the I ..ni Lvws helped to make the jx.or more contented with their lot, and gave a ,L,Muat iinf)ul.se to Uritisli manu- factures and commerce. It was well tiiat it did for, from 1S4« to 1840, stirTing events were taking place alirc-id and at home. In 1847 there was a dreadful famine in Ireland and millions died i-r emigrated to America. The poverty and misery of tlio Iri.sli led to a rising under Smith O'lhien, but it \s -s soon put down. In England, the Chartists drew up a monster petition to be presented to Parliament. It was Siiid to be signed by five millions (.f people. Fergus O'Connor, the weak-headed leader of tho Chartists, calkd a great meeting to be held on Kensington Connnon, and propijsed that the people should go to the House of Connnons to Kick up the petition. So loud were the Chartists in their boasts of what hey would do, that all London grew alarmed, and 2()0,0()() men w, e sworn in as special constables for tho occasion. Wellington posted soldiers at various points to defend tho city, and jverybmly awaited the great procession. But when the day came only '2.~>,0()0 as- sembled, and the procession did not tike place. Tlie petition when presented was found t2, N\w Zcfikncl was givui. rlio saino nnm 9. The Eastern Questic i.-Tho year i8:>l was n.,tenl Aberdeen, the I'riino Minister, wiia a Icjver of peace, and not fitted to nuiuiige affairs at such a time. Tlio chief se.it of the w.ir was t!ie Crimea, on the Black Sea, although the Baltic, the White S.a, and Russian Armenia were the scenes of strife. Kara, a fortress in Armenia, was hravely defended by the Turks u!i)e i)roi.erly nurse.i and c.i -,.1 f.-r. The result was tha^ mnny died whose lives miglit have l^e.n saved under proper care. At last, Miss Fl.irence Nightingahs and a band ->f devoted women went out to nurse tlie sick and woun.led. Very s..,,n there was a marke.l change for the better in the condition of the patients, and from tliat time the value of W(mjen in army hospitals lias been fully recognized. As time passed the w, i*,.s b,t*"r managed; there was less sickness among the stddieis, and better means were found of prf)viding them with the noces.spry food, clothing, and shelter. In England, the discontent with the way things were going on led to Lord Al)erdeen resigai ., and to Lord F»almerston becoming Prime Minister. The siege <.f Sebastopol still went on, and at" length attempts were made to carry it by storm. The first assault failed ; the second was more successful. The French carried the Malakofl Tower, and although the English were repulsed at the Redan, the Russians blew up the forts, and left Sebastopol to the Allies, Sep- t.-mber, 18r>5. Soon after, in March, 185G, peace was nivJe, and Russia, in the Treaty of Paris, agreed not to rebuild the ft)rtifica. tions of Sebastopol, and not to keep a fleet on the Black Sea. 11. The Indian Mutiny.— Scarcely was the Russiar ir ended, when a m.jre serious trouble arose in India. The nati of India were not kindly treated 1)y the English, and the discontent aroused was such that some fresh grievance was all that was needed to cause an outbreak. This grievance was found in the introduction of greased cartridges for the rifles of the Sepoys or native soldiers. The Se[)oys thouglit it a great sin to use grease in any way, and when the Cvemment found how much they were excited, they changed the greased for smooth paper. It was of no avail, the feeling grew that the English sought to make the soldiers lose their caste. GraduaUy the discontent increased, until three Sep.jy regiments mutinied at Meerut near Delhi, and marched to Delhi, where an aged native king lived. Him they took out oi his palace and made emperor. The rebellion now si)read rapidly through Upper India, and the few thousand Englishmen in the country had to defend themselves against a host of enraged natives. Lord Caniun«, the BISTORT OF OUR OWN TlML 187 f?ovei'nor-<»onrral, was a brnve, capaMr iii.in, niifl ho wn3 'iijijiorttKl hy ji!)l ' iifHiors aiul Imivo soldiers. "^ r .Inlin i,., wniico s.-iit his Sikli.4 uid .'i few Britisli troops to luNi.go Ikllii, nid s;- lltiuv Liw ee th*' Joveriior of Oiult;, j^athtTod the iSritisli v .lint.-* iiiin the Ciovcr "' -. ivsidonco iifc Lucknow, wut-n; it w.-vs lii>|.« wars a'_cainst the Zulus and Boers in South Africa iii 1879-81 in which there was great loss of life; (4) a war in the Soudiin in 1884-5 to support the Khedive, or ruler of Egypt, agaiiut the Arabs. It was in this war that General -W-^'^'M^^MSt' 188 H18T0R1 OF ENGLAHIV II '»!P Gordon lost his life while defending Khartoum, and that Canadian boatmen lielped to take a British army up the Nile in boats. 14. Reform Bills.— Let us now turn from these events in other lands and see what changes were taking place at home. Wliile Lord Pahnorston lived great reforms were not encouraged, but after his death the question of giving more political power to the working classes came to the front. Lord .Tolin Russell tried to pass a Reform Bill in 18GG, and failed. Then Mr. Disraeli took othco and, under his leadership, the Conservatives helped in ciirrying through a Reform Bill much more radical than that of Lord .John Russell. The Reform Bill of 18G7 gave votes to householders and lodgers in boroughs who paid rates and £10 rent, while in counties those who paid £12 rates were allowed to vote. Voting by ballot was made law in 1872, and a third Reform Bill was passed in 1884, by Mr. Gladstone, which gave votes to nearly every man, wliether in town or county, and added 2,500,000 voters to the roll of electors. In 1885 a Redistribution Bill divided the country into more equal electoral districts, and increased the number of members for Scotland. In 1858 the volunteers were more tlioroughly organ- ized, and, in 1860, Cobden succeeded in making a treaty with Franc© which encouraged freer trade between the two countries. 14. American Givil Wax. — In 1861 a civil war broke out in the United States of America, which led to great suffering among the operatives in the cotton factories of Lancashire. Most of the raw cotton used by England was brought from the Southern States, and as the war closed the ports of the South, its cotton could not find its way to the English markets. Thousands of workers M'ere, in consequence, thrown out of employment when the mills were closed for want of raw cotton, and large sums of money had to be raised to keep the families of the operatives from starving. Nor was this the only bad effect of the war. Some of the British people were in sympathy with the South, and their desire to see the revolt success- ful led to allowing tlie Southerners to have ships built in British dockyards. One A these, the Alabama, did a great deal ot injury to the merchant vessels of the North, and when the war was over Enghind had to pay a heavy bill of damages for allowing the Alabama to escape from British ports. 16. Important Acts. — The year 1861 is memorable for th& HISTORY OP OUR OWN TIMES. 189 death of Prince Albert, and 1863, for the marriage of the Prince of Wales to Alexandra, daughter of the King of Denmark. In 1869, a long delayed measure of justice was meted out to Ireland. The English Church in Ireland was disestablished and its revenues, after making due provision for the existing clergy, were set aside for the relief of the poor in Ireland. This Act was followed in 1870 by an Irish Land Act, which gave the tenants a more secure hold on their land, and did not leave them so much at the mercy of their landlords. They had henceforth a right to compensation for im- provements they might make, in case they were turned out of their holdings. A very important measure was the Education Act of 1870, which was brought into Parliament by M", Foster. It provided for the building and support of schools at the expense of the ratepayers, where there were not enougli schools to educate all the children of the parish. Before this Act was passed, the masses had to depend for their education on private schools, and on schools under the con- trol of the diflferent Churches. To carry out this law School Boards were formed, the members of which were elected by the people. A few years later, parents were compelled by law to send their children to school ; and, very recently, steps have been taken to make the education of a child in the Public Scliools nearly as free as in Canada. Religious tests, too, were done away with, in 1871, in the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin, so that all classes and creeds can attend these great seats of learning and get the advantage of a university education. Quite recently, in 1888, a measure was passed which gave the people of England a greater control over their own local affairs. These are perhaps the most important measures that have been passed in recent years, most of them under the leadership of Mr. Gladstone. In May, 1886, this great statesman joined Mr. Parnell, the leader of the Irish members, in a demand for Irish " Home Rule," that is, a demand for a Parliament in Dublin to look after Irish affairs. A " Home Rule " Bill was introduced into Parliament, but it failed to carry, and in the general election that followed Mr. Gladstone was defeated and gave way to Lord Salisbury. Mr. Parnell, the Irish leader, died in 1891. Mr. Gladstone came into othco once more in 1892, and again attempted to carry through Parliament a measure in favour of Home "Rule. His Bill passed the House of Comuions mM 190 HISTORY OP ENGLAND. by a small majority, but suffered an overwhebning defeat in tlie House of Lords. Since that time Home Rule has played no important part in Imperial politics. 16. Mr. Gladstone.— In 1894, Mr. Gladstone resigned office, and was succeeded in the Premiership by Lord Rosebery. Mr. Glad- stone's great age and devoted service to the nation, it was recog- nized, entitled him to a few years of repose at theclose of life. He was offered a peerage, but declined the honour. Four years later, ac the advanced age of 88, he died— regretted not only by his own people, but by every nation where liberty is prized : for Gladstone was ever the champion of the down-trodden and the oppressed. His successor. Lord Rosebery, held office for but a brief period, and then the control of British affairs passed into the hands of the Conservatives and Liberal-Unionists, with the Marquis of Salisbury as Prime Minister. 17. Foreign and Colonial Affairs.— During the year 1896, vhat threatened for a time to be a serious question in international affairs arose in consequence of a dispute with Venezuela as to the true boundary between that country and British Guiana. The matter was in itself of little importance ; but the hasty and ill- advised action of the President of the United States, who insist-^d upon the right of the United States to interfere in any dispute in which the acquisition of American territory by European powers was involved, led to a temporary ill-feeling between the two great Anglo-Saxon nations. The whole matter was at last left to an arbitration commission, which practically decided that the British claims were just, and gave, in 1899, Britain 50,000 out of the 60,000 square miles in dispute. India, too, had her troubles. Several tribes on the north-west frontier, including the Afridis, became hostile, and only by the sacrifice of many lives were those brave but restless neighbours brought under control. Worse than the border wars, however, was the great famine in India, in 1897, which cost the nation many millions of pounds, to say nothing of the great number of unfortunate people who died of starvation. The Soudan, too, was in 1898 the scene of memorable events. An Anglo-Egyptian expedition under the command of General Kitchener, advanced up the Nile to punish the fanatical Dervishes, who threatened the HISTORY OF OUR OWV TIMES. 191 peace of Egypt, and to put a stop to the cruel slave-tiaclo carried on by them in the Soudan. The battles of Atbara ami Omdurnian, in Wi ich many tliousands of the Dervishes fell, fiffhtiiig reckle.saly and bravely, led to the occupation of Khartoum, the city, it will be remembered, in which General Gordon lost his life. The Soudan was now placed under British rule, and thus another step was taken in extending civilization and good government on the Dark Continent. 18.— The Boer War.— Still another war, and that one of the costliest in which Britain and her colonies were ever engaged, has to be noted. Ever since the day when British soldiers gave up their arms at Majuba Hill, Feb. 27, 1881, British courage was held in low esteem by the Boers of South Africa. Wiien, there- fore, Mr. Gladstone, after the disastrous defeats of the war of 1881, granted the Boers of the Transvaal almost complete inde- pendence, his action was taken to mean that the British dreaded the prowess of the South African Dutch : hence the concessions made at that time by the British government. But the Boers were not yet satisfied. They were permitted to manage their own local affairs, but they were forbidden the practice of slavery, and Britain claimed tlie control of the foreign relations of the Trans- vaal, or South African Republic. A few years after the war of 1881, great gold mines were discovered in the Transvaal, and the Boers, too poor to work these mines themselves, were glad to have foreigners come in with their capital and develop their resources. As time passed the wealth from these mines made a great change in the Transvaal and its people. The foreign popula- tion promised to become larger than the Boer, aiid the latter, fearing that possibly outsiders might get control of their affairs, refused them any share in the government of the Transvaal, although tliey did not hesitate to profit by their enterprise, and grow rich at their expense. They also compelled these Uitlanders, or Outlanders, to pay most of the taxes, and even refused tliem the right to have English taught in their schools. Nevertheless the mines were so productive that these and other evils were submitted to for a time, and eoon a large city, called Johannesburg, sprang up in the gold district. At last the treatment received by the Out- landers at the hands of the Boers became so unbearable that the 192 HISTOET OF ENGLAND. m 11 British government was appealed to for relief. The latter made many attempts to induce the Boers to right tlie wrongs of these Outlandeis ; but no concession would be made unless Great Britain agreed to give the Transvaal its complete in lepondence. This demand was, of course, refused. Everything now began to look towards war, and the Boer Parliament, led by the President, Paul Kruger, fearing that if further time were given the British to bring more troops into South Africa, tlieir cause would be in danger, declared war, Oct. 11, 1899. In this declaration the Transvaal was joined by the Orange Free State, which had no quarrel with Britain, but was moved by its sympathy for the Dutch cause, and perhaps by the desire to drive the British from South Africa, and make it one great Dutch Republic. The war found the Boers well prepared. For years they had been accumulating a large supply of artillery and ammunition. Strong fcrts were built at different points and foreign soldiers enlisted. On the other hand, the British were not ready. A few thousand troops under General White had been brought from India, and others were on sea on their way to South Africa. Only a mere outline of the war that followed can be given. The Boers invaded Natal, i.ad hemmed in General White at Ladysmith, in Natal. Another British force was shut up in Kimberley, the diamond town ; and still another, under Col. Baden-Powell, at Mafeking, on the western frontier of the Transvaal. Gen Buller was at first appointed commander-in-chief in South Africa, and made an attempt to relieve Ladysmith. He suffered a severe repulse at Colenso, whilst almost at the same time Lord Methuen, after a few successes, met a most disastrous defeat at Magersfon- tein on the Modder River, when a famous Highland regiment was nearly destroyed. In the meantime colonial troops had gone to the aid of the mother country. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, all were alike eager to bear their share of the common burden and face a common danger. The troops sent by the colonies were among the most serviceable and effective in a war which had many remarkable features. The disasters of the early part of the war led to Lord Roberts, now advanced in years, being sent out as commander-in-chief, with Lord Kitchener as his chief of staff. Troops were poured into South Africa until over 200,000 men were in the field. Soon the tide changed. Kimberley was HISTORY OP OUK OWK TIMES. 193 relieved by Gen. French ; Cronje, t' j Boer general, was overtaken at Paardeberg, on the Modder River, and compelled to surrender with over 4,000 men. Bnller fought his way into Ladysmith and relieved General White, and another relieving force eventually succeeded in raiding the siege of Mafeking, where Baden-Powell had shown remarkable skill and endurance in defence. Soon Roberts" victorious legions swept over the Free State, capturing Bloemfontein, the capital ; then onwards to Johannesburg, which offered no resistance, to Kruger's stronghold at Pretoria. Strange to say, this well-fortified town fell without a shot being fired. Eruger fled from his capital, and eventually made his way to Europe. The capture of Pretoria practically decided the war ; but the Boers, under their brave leaders, Botha, DeWet, and others, for a long time continued a most harassing guerilla warfare. The Orange Free State and the Transvaal were now formally declared parts of the British Empire. 19. Victoria the Good.— The year 1897 will be long remembered for its Diamond Jubilee Celebration, when the whole empire united in an expression of its joy and gratitude that good Queen Victoria had been spared to rule for the remarkably long term of GO years. A little later the Queen paid a long anticipated visit to Ireland, where she received a thoroughly warm and generous reception. Age, how- ever, was beginning to tell upon her great physical powers ; the sufferings caused by the South African war appealed strongly to her womanly sympathies, and it is said affected her health. In the early part of the year 1901 anxiety began to be felt by her medical attendants. In January she had a slight stroke of paralysis, and a few days later, January 22, passed jieacefully away at Osborne Palacfe, Isle of Wight. There was one great burst of grief the wide world over, when the news was flashed over the wires that Queen Victoria was dead. No English sovereign was ever so beloved : and no sovereign on any throne, or in any age, so commanded the adiuiration, affection and esteem of all nations, as Queen Victoria the Good. Her son, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, was immediately proclaimed King, under the gootl old 8ax"n title of Edward VII. 20. Advances in the Last Sixty Years.— The history of the 194 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. reign of Victoria is the history of great advances in art and science, and of remarkable inventions of time and labour-saving machines. Khips now cross the Atlantic ocean in less than six days, and trains travel at marvellous rates of speed. By the aid of the electric telegraph, messages are carried across oceans and continents with the speed of lightning, while the more recent invention of the telephone enables us to carry on a conversation with friends many miles away. The phonograph keeps a record of tlie voices i .f the living and the dead, while the photograph keeps fresh in our memory the features of the absent. Electricity is now extensively used as a motive power to drive machinery, to propel trains, and to furnish light for our homes, shops, and streets. Science has made wonderful progress in nearly every department of human knowledge. Geolotjy, biology, chemistry, history, political econ- omy, language, medicinef, theology, and politics, have each and all felt the influence of the scientific spirit and its methods of discovery and investigation. The aj^e has been particularly great in writers of history, such as Hallara, Macaulay, Grote, Green, Froude, Freeman, Gardiner, Lecky, and Carlyle. In fiction we have had Thackeray, Dickens, George Eliot (Mrs. Cross), Charlotte Bronte, and a host of ot^^ers only second to these great names. Tennyson the poet Laureate, and Robert Browning, are great names in thn realm of poetry, while Ma.thew Arnold has t«ught us the art of a true and lofty criticism of life and literature. 21. Conclusion.— These are a few, and only a few, of the names of English writers of the present century. So widespread has education become, and so numerous the fields of human activity, that where, a century ago, ten men distinguished themselves in ar' science, or literature, a thousand now can be found. .'e have followed the stream of English history down from its small beginnings in the first century to the present day. We have seen the gradual rise of parliamentary government and the steady growth of political freedom under the Plantagenets and the Lancas- trians. We have seen, also, the struggle against despotism and tyranny under the Tudors and Stuarts, and the recovery of lost liberties by the Revolution of 1688. We have watched the steady increase in wealth and material prosperity under the Georges, and we have rejoiced at che success of the great moral movement in the JIISTORY OP OUK OWN TIMES. 195 18th century, which aroused England from spiritual deadness, and gave her strength to free herself from the shackles of political and social corruption. We have seen England standing alnmst alone a-ainst the giant power of Napoleon, fighting the battles ,.f the world's freedom, undaunted by reverses, and gloriously sueous-sful through the courage and steaatastness of her sons. Not less interesting to us has been the marvellous growth of Britain's enii)ire n the last hundred years. Her colonies and possessions are f..uiul m every continent, and her flag floats on every sea. She is still "Mistress of the Sea," and her navy carries British goods ai.d Hiinufactures to every land. Her coin..,erce is great beyond cmparison, and her language and civilization are findiuir a sure foothold in every nation. But better than all, England's influence f o c je a s i Quebec Xvttt Srvffa A'ew Hrtwxmck ll fhnrr Eti^vani Id Manitoba "-I- ^asuu \ Saihalchewuii 3-K.3SII \ 'ixi_unl>i>ia -Wok, ; Albftiii y>.2m i KreMiihn 7SCMV f Zmu ! Viivarn .MCaW 77«5« ' >'"*"" ■«.»» Ml.'ltl t /trif'-/ ■ .mfMtun^Ot/ ll<> lOo Lon^itudV Wcsl V T \. » ^ K Af ^ e OK THE 9ir<-t Kf Mii Mi i\ ill ■tm^M^ THE HISTORY OF CANADA BY (i U. HAY, Ph. IV, P.Sc. . s^^s^m^F^mfi^M-:^ M Ik PREFACE. It has been the aim, in writiTig tliis l>iief History of Canada, to make the hinguage as far as possible simple and natural. Instead of a compilation of facts, strung together for the sake of getting everything in, more attention has been given to describe with some degree of fulness those events which stand out boldly in our history. The more commonplace facts have not been left out, but have been woven together, thus securing interest, as well as cohesion, and avoiding that dry, formal and scrappy treatment so uninteresting to beginners. As the school life of many children is very short, it is hoped that the method of trt-atment in this book will give i/hem some intelligent idea of tlie country as a whole, and arouse such an interest that they, as well as those who remain longer at school, will have a desire for the further study of the history of their own country. I have made use so fully of the many excellent works on Canadian history that it is dithcult to acknowledge in parLi-^ular my many obligations for the facts incorporated in the following pages. The most difficult task has been to weigh the importance of these facts and judge what is best to omit. I wish to express my gratitude to those friends who have so kindly assisted me in reading proofs, and by whose help the l)o<)k, it is hoped, may b' found as free as possible from errors. Teachers will find it a convenience to have the pronunciation of the more difficult proper names in parenthesis tliroughout the text. The outline maps will also prove valuable for reference ; but pupils should be made to see the necessity of consulting maps, and mak- ing, at every stage of their progress, outlines for themselves of all places named in the text. No plan is more excellent in imjjressing the facts of hiatory on their minds. G. U. HAY. St. John, June 1st, 1901. ise mi THE HISTORY OF CANADA. CHAPTER I. EXPLORATION. Introdnction. — Every hny and girl of Canada likes to read the story of our past. It is a tfile of discovery and adventure, of tlio deeds of heroes, of fierce struggles with enemies, of bravely facing death and suffering in many forms. This record of the deeds of heroic men and brave women, who toiled and suffered to carve from the wilderness homes that are fitted to nourish a sturdy race, will help to form the life and character of the children who grow up to fill their places. Canada stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the United States on the south to the Arctic Ocean on the north. Its area (3,315,647 square miles) is about as large as the whole of Europe or of the United States. Its coast waters, its vast lakes and noble rivers, and countless smaller lakes and streams, teem with fish ; its forests abound with game, and its mines witli useful and precious metals ; its soil and climate are fitted to rear a hardy and vigorous people. The untold wealth of its forests, its mines, its soil, its seas, lakes and rivers, if carefully guarded and wisely used, will support prosperous and contented millions in the years to come. Where are the boys and girls who are not ])roud of sp^h a land, who are not eager to help make it their home, and to ^ eserve it as a part of our great British Empire ? Discovery.— Look on the map of the world. Find Norway ; trace from it a line to Iceland, then to Greenland, and then ahmg the eastern coast of Canada. This was the track of those hardy Norsemen, who in their frail vessels braved the tempests of the northern seas, and founded colonies in Iceland and Greenland. Thence Leif Erikson, son of Erik the Red, the colonizer of Green- 202 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. i land, sailed south, with nf)thinK but the sun, nuion and stars to guide him and his hnive sailors. According to the Sagas (Norse legends), he came to Newfoundland, which he called Helluland (land of fla' stones) ; next to Nova Scfitia, which he named ]\Iark- land (woodland) ; and, it is thought, to New England, wliich from the abundance of wild grapes growing there, he called Viuland (wine- land). This was about the year 1000 A.D., nearly 500 years before Christonher Columbu? a native of Genoa, landed at Sau Salvador (1492). The discoveries of the Northmen brought .about no real contact between the Old World and the New. They are looked upon merely as chance visitors to our coasts. The discovery of Columbus, who seeiiia to have known of the early Norse voyages, was followed by conquest and settlement, in wliich Spain took the leading part. Other nations were aroused by the discovery of a new world. In May, 1497, Jolui Cabot, with his son Sebastian and wighteen men, left the port of Bristol, England, in one small ship, the "Matthew," to .,eek unknown lands to the west. TJie little craft of fifty tons safely braved the winds and waves of the Atlantic, and on the 24th of June first sighted land, on the east part of the island of Cape Breton. On that day began the claim of (Jreat Britain to the North American continent. In the spring of 1498, John and Sebastian Cabot made a second voyage to the New World with a larger number of ships and men, making a second landing on the coast of Labrador'; but, meeting with ice, they coasted south- ward as far as the point now called Cape Hatteras. Columbus sup- posed he had 'discovered the Indies, ;uid the Cabots suppc.sed they had found the way to distant Cathay' (China). The full meaning of these discoveries did not become clear until years afterwards ; and it is only in recent times tliat full credit has been given to the brave explorers. The men of their own time« either forgot thoii- deeds or thought there was nothing wondei'ful in what they hatl done. The Cabots, father and son, «li"jp in unknown graves. The small gratitude of King Henry VII. to the voyagers from England who first touched our shores is shown in the followijig entry, .'jtill preserved in the British "Museum (mu-ze'-uni) : '' August lOth (1497), to hyme that founde the New Isle, £10." The last years of Columbus, the bold Genoese navigator, were passed in poverty and neglect. Alt' ■ ntany places on this continent are named after him, the 1^ EXPLORATION. 203 name America was given in honour of Amerigo Vospuoci ((im-or- e«'-go ves-poot'-chee), a Florentine nierchant, who tmiclied the continent somewhere in the north-e;ist of South Aniiricia, in 1501, on his third voyage, and wrote an account of the discovery. Jacques Caxtier, the Discoverer of Canada, 1534— The real discoverer of Canjida was Jac(iues Cartier (zhAk' kar'-tee-a'). Tin- Norsemen, the Cabots, the Portuguese Captain Cortereal, tlu- French navigator, V^er/azfrno (ver'-ratz-ah'-no), and a f i w nthtrs. ^pm^ AllFAX(./49) ^^^;rtfi^ Vova(;ks op Cartikk and Champf,ain. merely touched its outlying shores ; and were driven back by the fogs of Newfoundland, or the rocky and ice-bound shores of Lab- rador, It. must be kept in mind that all these early voyjigea, except. the Norsemen's, were made with the object of finding a shorter passage to the Indies or Cathay, so that tb.e aches of the far East might find their way more easily to the shores of Europe. Cartier, 204 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. li sent out by Francis I., King of France, in 1534, entered the Straits of Belle Isle and discovered the gulf that separates New- foundland from the Aflantic provinces of Tanada. The rugged shores of Labrador and north-western Newfoundland did not please him. He says it ''must be the land allotted by God to Cain." But once within the gulf, and S'^mmer coming on, he found the warm weather and the scenery a pleasant relief from the icebergs and cold winds of the Atlantic. He skirted the shores of western Newfoundland and portions of what are now called Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Quebec. He has left us a faithful account of the places visited and the natives whom he saw. Next year (1535) Cartier made a tecond voyage. Entering the gulf on the festival day of St. Laurent (Aug. 10th), he named it the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This name was also given to the river. Guided by two Indians whom he had taken to France as captives the year before, he sailed up that noble river— the first white man who had sailed on its broad waters— until he reached a great Indian village where now stands Quebec. This was Stadacona, where ruled Donnacona, a chief of the Algonquin (al-gon'-keen) Indians. Further up the river he came to another Indian village, Hochelaga (hosh'-e-lah'-gah), inhabited by a Huron tribe. This is the site of Montreal, so named from the hill behind it, which Cartier called Mount Royal. No wonder he was impressed with the views from the heights of Quebec and Mount Royal -the great plains to the west, the great sweep of mountain and valley to the north and south, and at his feet the noble river which he vainly thought would open to France and Frenchmen the treasures of Cliina and India. He longed to tell the king of his great discovery ; and after a miserable winter spent at Quebec, in which he lost many men from cold and disease, he set sail for France, taking with him the chief, Donna- cona, and several of his Indian subjects, *hom he had coaxed on board his vessel. This was a base return for the kindness Cartier had received at the hands of the Indians ; but it was only one small instance of the cruelty and lack of faith of those who came to America to discover, then to conquer and to settle. The story too often is one of greed and cruelty on one side, and hate and slaughter on the other. The Indians. -The Skrellings (yelling savages) was the name EXPLOHATION, 205 that Leif Erikson and his Norse sailors gave to the natives of our shores. These looked with fear and wf>nder on tlie dragon ships, the weapons and the white faces of tlie rou;^h Northmen, and were glad to see them depart. Cartier says of the Indiiins of the Gulf of St. Lawrence that they were goo7 mtule it clear that tliis river is "the true and ancient St. Croix," a fact dis[)uted in settling tlio international Ixumdary line.] Kere the little cmnpany of explorers spent the winter, suffering many hardHhip.i fr«)ni >..ld and scurvy, ho that thirty-five out of seventy-nine died, and many of the remainder were greatly weakened. In the spring of 1«X)5, the remniiut of tlio company nnioved to Port Royal, six niik-s west of the present town of Annapolis. Do Monts had landed here the previous Hunmier, and was greatly charmed with the beauty and safety of the place. Hero he founded a colony. Land was cleared, crops put in, and Port Royal Hourished until its capture and destruction by the English under Samuel Argall, in ICtlli. Champlain ex- plored the coast as far south as Cape Cod. On his third vovage to Canada, in 1608. Champlain founded Quebec. He joined the Hurons and Algompiins and made war on the IrcMjuois. This made the latter the bitter foes of the French. The terrible Irok..s have fif.nio faith in the (-.mitry. Hisz..!il for Chri-^tianity insj.in.l the Heinllrt (ivk ..-l;V)an.l Ji'stiit fathers to mi.lei.,'0 the •langeis and har.lsliij,.s of a lifo in tliu wiMcr- ncs8 in onlrr t., cnvert the H.iv.ig... He .i,'.iinff the fort at St. .Tohn, and whose unhaj)py fate, furnish one of the most interesting pages of early Acadian history. After years of varying fortune for both, D'Aulnay succeeded in capturing La Tour's fort, on Easter Sunday, 1045. During all the previous winter, w hile La Tour was in Boston seeking in vain for help, his brave wife had defended tlio for*-, inspiring her soldiers with her own heroic spirit. In February, she repulsed an attack of her enemy with such success that D'Aulnay was glad to escape with the loss of twenty-two killed and thirteen wounded. On the 13th of April following, D'Aulnay again attacked tlie fort, this time on the land side. For three days and three nights he made but slight headway against the little band within the fort, which, led by the brave woman, repelled every onset. But while the garrison were at prayers on Easter morning, a Swiss sentry, who had been bribed by D'Aulnay, treacherously allowed the enemy to approach ; and before the besieged force thought that anything was wrong, D'Aulnay's soldiers were climbing over tlie walls of the fort. Even then the heroic Lady La Tour and her little company drove back the enemy with the loss of many killed and wounded. Anxious to save the lives of her soldiers, she too readily listened to terms of surrender proposed by D'Aulnay, which were that the lives of all CONyUEBT AND SETTLEMKNT. 211 I should Ihj Rpftred nml thoy should he free t of the early history of Acadia made bright V)y the brave deeds of a heroine ; the next was fouled by the cowardly act of a b.i.se and pitiless foe. The unfortunate lady, broken hearted, died three weeks after and was buried near the scene of her glory and her misfortune. Her only child, a little girl, was sent to France, where, it is supiK)8ed, she died soon after. Her huslwnd was ruined and became for a time an outcast. His rival did not long enjoy the fruits of his victory. Ho was drowned a few years after (KtoO) in the river near Port Royal, But the seejuel to this tragic story rol>s it of some of its romance. La Tour was put in j)os.session of Acadia by the king of France and made its governor ; and to • the claims of D'Aulnay's widow he married her. The eai . t Acadia by an English fleet in 1654 did not disturb him. He n . v became an English subject, and was permitted to retain his p«, ^ -. sions. He shortly after sold his rights ; but lived in the countri until his death, in 16C6. In the following year Acadia was restored to France. \t that time it contained not more than four hundretl and fifty settlers, four-fifths of whom were at Port Royal. The Jesuit Fathers. — Equally slow was the progress made on the banks of the St. Lawrence. The colony of Canada, or New- France, numbered scarcely 2,(X»0 people (16().'{). The ravages of the Indians and the greed of the fur traders kept back settl. niont. The strong hand of Champlain had preserved some appvarante of order, but after his death there seemed to be no guiding power. The five governors who succeeded him were not al)le to .stem the tide si-tting against the y(«ung colony. Tlie Jesuit prie.sts, by their brave and nnselfiHh eftbrt* to convert the .s;iv:ig('K, K;ived the country in the days of its greatest peril. By night and l)y day, amid the fro.'-'- and snows of winter or the heat of sunmur. thoy went boldly among the Algonquins, the Hurona, and even the savage 212 THE HISTOHY OF CANADA. km Iroquois ; braving famine, fati(,'iie and danger to carry the message of the Cross to tliose who had never felt its gentle influence. They never gave up their aim ; their courage never forsook them. At first they were "i' xr.d v.ulI despised, or no attention was paid to their words. iraduaiiy t! .-r simple and pious lives began to win respect. T! » Iitu< ns. more docile and intelligent than the others, accej,. c Hifi- iea< hings more freely; and soon very many of that nation, nunioeri g, when the French came to Canada, some 20,000 souls, were baptized and became Christians. The Iroquois hated, and did not trust, the French. The few bold missionaries who, taking their lives in their hands, sought out the encampments of these tierce people, were cruelly tortured and put to death. But these zealous aiKi patient men seemed to accept suffering as their lot. Their duty was plain. No t" tlic confidence of the Hurons and other Indian allies of the Fr» he prepared to strike a blow again.st the English for the part .vt- i he thought they had taken in the late outbreak of the Iro(iu< . Three war parties of the French, with their Indian allies, were fitted out t<) attack the English settlements to the south : one against Albany, which reached Schenectady (sken-ek'-ta-dee) instead ; the second against the settlements of New Hampshire, and the third against those of Maine. All were successful. Men, women and children, thinking of no danger, were set upon and cruelly murdered, or given over to the Indians for torture, or, escaping into the forests, periaihed from cold and starvation. These cruelties roused the English to action ; but it may be said, to their credit, that they made no attempt to revenge themselves by the murder of innocent settlers. A fleet was sent out front Boston under Sir William Phips, which captured Port Royal and all the French forts in Acadia (1690). This part of Canada, during the late troublous yoars on the St. Lawrence, liad been left to take c;ire "f itself, or to be plundered by the greed of fur-traders. Baron St. Castin, who married an Indian princess, lived like a ft udal lord in his strong fortress at Penobscot, and grew rich by the fur trade. 218 THE HISTORY OP CANADA. Villebon (veel'-bSrtf'), a governor of Acadia, from his stronghold on the St. John River, incited the Indians to phmder and murdtr the settlers on the New England borders. Sir William Phips, after the capture of Port Royal, sailed to Quebec, destroying on his way the French posts on the island of Newfoundland and along the lower St. Lawrence. But liis force was not strong enough to take the city, and he returned to Boston. A force sent arrainsfc Montreid in the same year (1600) also failed, through sickneM and Jaok of supplies. France had now a firm hold on Canada. Frontenac was at the height of his glory. Only the Iroquois were proud and unsubdued. These he determined to crush by one last grand effort. Gathering the strength of the whole colony, he led 2,200 men into the vast forests of northern New York, amid the heats of July and August (1691). Day after day they marched on, with the greate.st toil and difficulty. The aged Frontenac was carried in a chair. But the story ended as before. No tot «|>pe»rt)d ; the hidden provisions were sought out and destroyed, and the fields with their standing crops were laid waste. Frontenac returned to Quebec, and sent an account oi his "victory" to the king. The treaty of Ryswick (riz'-wik), in 1697, put an end to the war for a short time. This was known in tlie English colonies as " King William's War," for William, Prince of Orange, was on the throne of England. In the following year the great Frontenac died at Quebec, in his 78th year. Queen Anne's War. -Peace did not last long. In fact border raids, petty strife between rival traders, and tlie slaughter of unof- fending settlers and burning their homes, went on nearly aH the time, whether the English and French were at war in Europe ojnot. It scarcely seems possible to us that perhaps near the very spot Ihere now stand peaceful and happy homes, there were scenes of Jjrror and suffering ; husbands and fathers butchered while defending fheir wives and children who were often carried away to torture and slow death. The smoking embers told the heart-rending story for^few days ; a black ruin marked the spot for a few months or years (' then the flowers bloomed. The trees grew and put forth their leaves, and the birds sang in them as before. The boys and girls yho read these pages will never be called upon to witness such sc^es in our country again; but it is well that they should know .of the toil, FRENCH RULB. •il9 sufferinfjr and hardship of its founders, and he themselves willinjj to undergo, in a less degree, trials that may come U) them. This is the duty of the patriot. War again broke out between the English and French, in 1702. This was known as "Queen Anne's War," because it lasted during the whole of that monarch's reign. De Callieres (kal'-e air') had succeeded Frontenac as the governor of Canada. Ho made, a strong treaty with the Iroquois and other Indians, and a now French settlement was founded in the west, at Detroit (1701). When the war began, the Marquis de Vaudi-ouil (vo'-drciyc) became governor (1703) — a strong leader, who ruled Caiiada well for twenty-two years. As the English and French in Europe had enough to do to fight their own battles, the war in America was left largely to the colonists. English fishenuen Lad been driven from the coasts of Acadia. FtTgli"** ^M^ers ba/d been murdered or driven from their farms in New England by raiding bands of French and Indians. In 1704, Col. Cliurch was sent from Boston to Acadia with a large force to aveuge these cruelties ; and bitter and merciless was the revenge he took on the inhal)itants, moat of whom were not the real offenders. From Penobscot to Chignecto nearly every French tillage was burned to the ground, means of defence and livelihood destroyed, the inhabitants forced to seek shelter in the woods, and the Indians shot down whenever they came within musket range of the foe. Port Royal escaped, hoA was taken a few years later (1710) — this time to remain in posses- sion of the English. The name was changed to Annapolis Royd, ' in honour of Queen Anne. Next year expeditions were fitted out for the capture of Quebec and Montreal, but failed again on account of being badly planned and poorly led. The tieaty of Utrecht (you'-trekt), in 1713, closed the war. France gave up her claim of sovereignty over the Irixjuois, Aciulia, Newfoundland and Hudson's Bay Tenitory, but kept the Island of St. John, Cape Breton, and all her possessions on the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes. The latter country had peace for over forty years, or as nearly as it was possible to have peace in those unquiet times. The colony was very well ruled by successive governor-s and intendants ; but the common people had no education, and nothing to say in the making of their laws. There was little to ^■M 9'?0 THE HISTORY OP CANADA. il T, 11 encourage fjirm life. The lanfl had been granted by the king to the soignours. These portioned it out in lots to men who wire willinjr to work it and pay them a siiuill rent, either in nionoy or produce. Trade, manufactures and 8hip-))uilding were encour- aged. The colony made and exported such products as cloth, salt, rope, staves, tar, flour, pork, tobacco, and a few otlier articles. Roads were opened up, and mails began to bo carried. But the c«)untry west of the St. Lawrence was a wilderness, with a few trading posts liore and there, and forts at Kingston, Niagara and Detroit. The Fn nch claimed the whole country west of the Alleghany Mountiina, and wished to confine the English to tlio narrow strip along the Atlantic seaboard. They foresaw that a struggle wouh! soon arise for the possession cf North America, and began to strengthen their forts on the St. Lawrence and the Groat Lakes, and build new ones on their widely extended territory— one at Louisbourg, one on Lake Champlain, and another on Lake George, and several in the Ohio valley. Strife in Acadia.— But if the country along the St. Lawrence was quiet, this could not be said of Acadia. The inhabitants never expected the English to remain masters of tlie country, and refused to take the oath of allegiance. It was urged by the French that the name Acadia stood only for the peninsula of Nova Scotia. The Acadians, if left to tliemselves, would no doubt have submitted to English rule ; but there were French agents from Quebec continu- ally among them and the Indians, creating disturbance. The latter, for years, in what was known as the Indian War, kept the country in constant alarih, killing, burning and carrying ott' victims and property. At last the Indians were taught a lesson. A large encampment near the Kennebec River was surrounded by the English in 1724. No quarter was given. Six chiefs and many of their subjects were killed. The war was at an end, and the Indians of Acadia were quiet for years. After the giving up of Newfoundland and Acadia to the English, the French flocked to the quiet bays and fertile lands of Cape Breton (Isle Koyale). This with St, J<.hn (now Prince Edw.ir . ars (1750-55) a struggle for mastery between the French and Engh.^h. On the northern side of this river, on a hill overlooking the entire country, was built the French fort Beausejour (bo'-say-dioor) by La Come, whom the governor of Canada had sent with a body of troops to Chignecto. About two miles south, and across iho Missiquash, lay the prosperous Acadian village, Beaubassin. Major mmim iP* •Mtf \ FRKVrH RUI-K. 223 Lawrence w.-is sent from Ilalifax to (It'Htn.y the f.^it. I'.ut liis force W!is ty Lc T.mitie to hiirn their lionsi'S nnd tjike refii'^'o iiroimd the walls nf tin- fort, wliieli were shiwly risiii;^. The En<,diHh hiiilt Fort I,;iwr»ii(e IxiwcrMthe .ruins of the villii^e and the Missiiiuaslt ri\poiuted governor of Canada in 17r)2, ami lie pressed the English with such vigour and success that tliey were ohlig.d to ret ii'e. Althougli it>\asa time of [leace in Europe between England and France, it w is not so in Ai:ierica, a.s tlie events in Acadia liave shown. Arajor-fJencral liiaddock, a brave hut headstrong leader, was sent out from England, in 17iJ.~), witliaforce of over 2,0fM) men to capture Foit Duipusno in the Ohio valley. On *^he 9th of July, as lie was entering a ilctile in the forest within a few miles of the fort, the Fi-ench ami luiliaus from behind the trees })oured a munh'roiis fire into the English ranks, which soon fell into confusion. The soldiers, iniused to that kind of warfare, fell easy v' ':im8 to the deadly aim of tluir liidden foes. Braddock fell mortally wounded, and soon nraily eight hiindrecl of his men lay dead and wounded. The entire army mr.sfc have perished but for the presence of a small force of Virginian colonists and Indians, led by Colonel George Washington, who adopted the samestyle of lighting as tlu^ir foes and thus coveree that Acadia would soon be restored to France. During the summer of 1755, delegates were summoned from the centres of popvdatio.. to Halifax to take the oath of allegiance as laid down by the English. But they refused, and pre- parations were at once made to remove the Aeadians from the penin- sula of Nova Scotia. The stern res..lve of G<.venior Diwrence was carried ..ut. Late in Au!,'ust, tlie Kn-lish ships, comuianded by Coh.nel Winslow, <.f Massachusetts, reached Miiias Biisiu with troops. The unfortunate people were summoued from tlie harvest fields, their dwellings burned, and themselves, with such movai)le property as they could take with them, forced on board the vessels and conveyed to the English colonies to the south. Some found their way even as far as Louisiana and the West Indies. In the con- fusion of embarkation, wives were occasionally separated from hus- bands, and fathers and mothers fmni children. Never was a British soldier sent on a more cruel errand ; never has a sadder tale of suffering and misery been recorded. The story of Raynal and Lmpli.-:}ied soldier. Ho ct^nductod the war against the Engli.sh in west and northern New York with great skill and success, stained, in many instances, by tlio massacre 226 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. of men, women and children, the work of his Indian allies, which he tried in vain to prevent. A (Jhange for the Better.— The ill success of tlie British arms both in America and Europe led to a change of government. The famous William Pitt, England's " (ireat Conunoner,'' undert9 opened, three large war parties were on foot: General Amherst advanced against the forts on Lake Champlain ; Generals Prideaux (pree-do) and Sir William Johnson attacked Fort Niagara ; while General THE CONQUEST OF CANADA. 22; Wolfe proct'0(leuebec ; but Amherst spent the remainder of the season in strengthening the forts on Ljvke Champlain. Wolfe and Montcalm.— In the meantime, General Wolfe had left Louisbourg, and, joined by a fleet sent out from England under Admiral Saunders, ai)i)eared before Quebec. On June 27th, he landeil his forces, l)etween 8,000 and 9,000 men, on the island of Orleans, a few miles beh)W the frowning citadel of Quebec. Then began the struggle for the possession of that famous stronghold. From his fortress the brave Montcalm, wary and alert, watched every movement of the foe. Within and around Quebec was an army ( f 14,000 men ; the fortifications bristled with artillery ; and the walls of the city and the earthworks, thrown up for miles on the northern bank of the St. Lawrence, between the St. Charles and MoiitiiMreney, had been strengthened in every possible way. Montcalm had performed the part of an able and skilful leader. He saw that his weakness was in his army, which consisted largely of Canadian militia, ill fed, Ijadly ch)thed, badly paid, the results of the clieatiiig and fraud of Bigot and his officials. He saw that these would be no match for the soldiers of Wolfe ; and he kept within his fortress, knowing that if he could keep the English at bay for a few months, the ice in the St. Liwrence and the storii ; of winter would do their work. Wol?e hfid under him such leaders as Mcmckton, Townsliend and Murray ; and an army who adored him, and whom he ju'oudly called "the best in the world." He was a host in himself. Entering the army at the age of fifteen, he had won fame and promotion on many a liard-fonght field, until now, a major-general, at the age of thirty-three, he stood before the strongest fortress in the New World, which had repeatedly defied the attacks of the English, ami (ippn«;d ti! th'' cautions and brilliant Montcalm, the ablest general that France had ever sent to America. Siege of Quebec. -Wolfe, weakened by a disease that pro- 228 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. mised a fatal ending, did not shrink from the task before him. Batteries were erected on the heights of Levis (lev'-ee'), opposite Quebec, and guns played continually on the city and shattered its •'rails. But the French, secure behind their earthworks, defied every attempt of Wolfe to land troops. The British fleet could afford but little assistance. Five weeks after his arrival before Quebec, Wolfe made an attack on the French position from his headquarters below the Montmorency river, but was compelled to The Siege of Qcebkc, 1759. withdraw with a loss of nearly 500 men. This reverse threw the general into a fever ; and as he lay on his sick bed during the month of August, with little or no progress being made in the siege, a plan was proposed, it is said, by one of his staff, for the capture of the city. This was to effect a landing on the north side of tlie river, three miles above Quebec, and, by a narrow path that had been found out, climb the steep bank to the levil plain west of the city. During the days of early September, every precaution was taken to keep the plan a secret and insure its success. An Anxious Night. -On the night of the 12th September, Wolfe, still suffering from the weakness in which the fever liad left THE CuNQUKST CANADA. 229 him, carried out the daring plan, the detiils of which he had ]M>en carefully pref-ariiig. For day.s before, Montcalm h id watched the massing of British soldiers at points up the river; but General Bougainville (boo'-gafi-veel'), with a force of nearly 2,0()0 nun. was guarding the river as far as Cap Rouge (kap' roozh'), seven miles above the city, and he felt no uneasiness. His attention was diverted by the vigorous cannonade kept up by the fleet and from the heights of Levis, and by the attempt to land trooi)s at Beauport Shoals, close to the fortress of Quel)ec. Aided by the darkness of the night, Wolfe and his men dropped silently down the river with the current, until they reached the little nook, now kiu)wn as Wolfe's Cove. The challenges of the French sentries along the river, who mistook them for men bringing provisions from Montreal, were cleverly answered from one of the front boats by a young officer who spoke French readily. The guards at the top of the path on the heights were overpowered and secured before they could give the alarm. Company after company silently and steadily clinibed up the path during the early hours of the morning of that day which was to prove the most eventful in Canadian hist(jry ; while the roar of English cannon in front of Quebec kept the attention of the unsuspecting V ntcalm. When day dawned, Wolfe with about 4,000 men stood in battle order on the Plains of Abraham. Battle of the Plains of Abraham. - Montcalm acce{)ted the gage of battle thrown down by his dauntless rival, and hurried out from the city with a force mutn larger than that under Wolfe. The armies drew near each other, the French firing as they advanced. Wolfe ordered his men to reserve their fire until within forty yards, when they poured such destructive volleys into the ranks of the French that they broke and retreated. W<}lfe was wounded in tlie wrist in the beginning of the action, and soon after received a fatal wound in the breast while leading his (henadiors to the charge. He was just able to hear the tiilings that the Fremh ran, which came a few minutes later, when he exclaimed — "Then God be praised ! I die happy." Then the spirit of the gallant soldier passed fioni the frail body. How fitting to such a death are the 'vords of (.iray's Elegy, which ho had recited while floating d< rt ix the river tke night before : " The paths of (,'''»■>■ lead but to the >,fave." 230 THK HISTORY OF f'ANAnA. The brave Montcvlni, trying in vain to rally his beaten soliliers, received his deatli wound, and died on the folic twing day (September 14th). He was buried beneath the flexor of the Ursuline Convent, at Quebec ; and it ia worthy of note that his grave was partly formed by tlie hole made by the bursting of a shell during the siege. The remains of Wolfe were taken to England and buried in Westminster Abbey. A monument, overlooking the field of battle, bears this testimony to the fallen leaders, victor and van- (juished : "Valour gave a common death, history a common fame, and posterity a common monument." After the Battle. -Five days after the battle Quebec surren- dered (Sept. 18th, 175!)). Next spring, General Levis, wlio had assumed command of the French forces, advanced from Montreal wiMi 10,000 troops to retake the city. General Murray, who had succeeded Wolfe as commander at Quebec, met him to the west of tlie Plains of Abraham with an army of 3,000 men, but was defeated and forced to take refuge within the walls of the city, where he was closely besieged by the French. A British fleet brought relief. In July of this year (17<)0), a French fleet coming to aid Quebec was attacked by a British fleet in the Bay of Chaleur. The French vessels, driven up the Restigouche to Petit Roche (pet'-ty rosh'), nearly opposite where Cam pbellton now stands, were captured or destroyed. This was the last battle of the war. Interest now centred around Montreal, to which city the combined forces of Amherst and ^ liiiKon were now advancing. Mmray went from Quebec to join >u Soon a force of 1«),000 British troops invested Montreal, which surrendered on the 8th September, 1700. By the Treaty of Paris, signed February 10th, 1763, Canada was given up to (ireat Britain. All that France retained of the vast territory which she had claimed in America were the islands of St. Pierre and Micpielon, on the Newfoundland coast. CHAPTER V. THE FAR WEST. Early Discovery. -Our story thus far has been chiefly of Acadia and the St. Lawrence valley ; and rightly so, for here took place those stirring scenes which make the early history of our country THE FAR WEST. 231 SO full of interest. But the provinces by the sea, and those by the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes, do not make up the Canada which our be ai ' girls sliould know about, and whicli thuy slu.uld loarn to think ( as their country. There is the (Ireat West, with its boundless fertile prairies, the lofty suniniits of tlie Rockies, and that rich bolt of country between them and tlie Pacific. Let us take a brief glance at the early histoiy of our Far West. There are stories that the Chinese and Japanese in very early ages f(nnid their way across the Pacific and touclied the western shores of North America. No histl Dutch India Company, he discovered Hudson River, which led to the founding of the colony of New Netherlands by the Dutch, a few years later. In 1610, in an English ship, he sailed through the strait and into the bay both of which now bear his name. He wintered in the bay, suffering great hardships. In the spring his sailors mutinied, and set Hudson and his son adrift in an open boat. Neither was heard of afterwards. The French claimed this terri- tory as a part of Canada, and it was named in the treaty which restored Canada to France in the reign of Charles I. (1632). But this did not prevent Charles II., who was little bound by treaties or promises, from granting a charter to the Hudson's Bay Com- pany, giving possession and a monopoly of the fur trade of all the lands (Prince Rupert's Land) drained by the rivers which flow into the bay. Several weak attempts were made by the French to drive out the English ; but in 1713 the country was given over to the English by the Treaty of Utrecht. The great Hudson's Bay Company held full sway over the larger portion of British North America for 200 years, until in 1870 all its rights were made over to the Dominion of Canada. The Company had full powers to govern the great extent of country it claimed, and to make war on the Indians; but these were managed so well that they gave no trouble and became the profitable servants of their employers. Several rival fur companies were formed in time, the greatest being the Northwest Fur Com- pany, with headquarters at Montreal. In the office of the latter company was a young Scotsman named Alexander Mackenzie. For eight years he was st Soned at one of the forts on Lake Athabasca, where he formeU plans of discovery in the great wilderness beyond. In 1789, he started on a journey northward with four canoes, and a party of twelve bold spirits like himself. For six weeks he threaded the vast network of rivers and lakes to the north, and came to the Arctic Ocean through the great river which bears his name. Three years after he made a similar journey over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, returning as before to the starting point on Lake Athabasca. Mackenzie was the first explorer to reach the Arctic and the Pacific by an over- land journey from the east. In the years following, other jourr eys of discovery were made by bold explorers, opening up, through BEGINNING OF ENGLISH KULE. 233 the great wilderness to the far west, waterways and imtlis by which, in after years, settlers gradually found their way. Not only did the Hudson's Bay Company absorb all rival fur companies in the great north and west ; it even extended its trade to British Columbia, and at one time leased the fur-trading privi- leges of Alaska, which country had been occupied in tlio seven- teenth century by Russians. Thus the whole northern part of the continent was at one time in possession of a great private company whose aims were to become rich by the fur trade and to discy their own religion, and have all the rights of British sul)jects. The worst enemies of the French Canadians had been men like Bigot, who on their return to France were punished by the govern ment for their crimes. The Canadians were put under military rule (that is, rule by a general with a council of his officers to assist him), until it could be decided what was the best form of government to establish. This did not differ much from the rule to which they had always been ac- 234 THE HI8TOHY OF CANADA. customed, as they never had had any voice in governing tlie country jr in making laws. Besides, their new English governors were men who, though firm in punishing crimes, made their rule as mild as possible ; and this, for a time at least, led to no strife and to liut few complaints. General Murray (afterwards governor-general of C;ina'->, until the place was relieved, in 17«)4. During the sii-ge a British armed vessel was surrounded by a fleet of omoes and captured. The Indian rising was put down in 17'>4 ; anil a few years later Pontiac was killed by another IndiaJi in a drunken biawl. After the Treaty of Paris.— From 17«3 to 1774 Canada was in an unsettled condition, owing to the dirticulty in chooshig laws that would apply justly to English and French alike. The "new subjects," as the French Canadians were called, had been pronnsed the rights and privileges of Hritish subjects ; but, being Uomaii Catholics, they could not hold, under the English law at that time, any public office. The "old sul)jects," as the English iidiahitaiits were called, held all public offices ; and this did not please the French, who formed nmch the larger part of the population. The great mass of the French Canadians, having little or lo educa- tion, could not understand the English language and knew nothing about the English laws. General Murray, and Sir (iuy Carleton, who succeeded him in 1766, made every attemi)t to have laws that would deal justly with the widely different aims and interests of both old and new subjects. But nobody was pleased ; the French did not like the system of trial by jury ; the English did not like the old way of holding land and settling disputes about property ; and there were other changes that led to great confusion and some ill feeling. Two good features of the new British rule in Canada are worthy of mention : A colony of soldiers and traders was (piickly replaced by farmers, especially in those fertile districts west of Montreal, and in what are now known as the Eastern Townshijis ; and the lands and hunting grounds of the Indians were preserved to them by royal euic . This just treatment of the Indians, with the kindnesr "lown t J them in the many years of French rule before, have lox-ne qc .-; fruit in later years of Canadian hi.story. The ! 236 THB HISTORY OF CANADA. people have lived in peace and friendship with the natives within our borders ; while the English-sjieaking race to the gouth of us, pursuing a less just and generous course, have had many cruel and ex{>en8ive Indian wars. The Quebec Act.— In 1774, the Quebec Act was {wissed, chiefly through the exertions of Sir Guy Carleton, the governor. It laid down the limits of the province of Quebec, which whs to extend from the watershed of Hudson's Bay on the north to the Ohio river on the south, and from the Mississippi on the west to tlie frontiers of the New York and Pennsylvania settlements on the east. There were also included within the province of QucImjc, Liibrador, Anticosti and the Magdalen Islands. The act also gave to tlio French equal political and religious rights with the English ; the Roman Catholic clergy had the right to collect the usual tithes or dues from their own people ; the French law was to be used in all civil cases and the English law in all criminal cases ; the governor's council, to be appointed by the Crown, was to consist of not less than seventeen and not more than twenty-three members, of whom the majority was to be English ; and both the French and English language might be used in courts and political assemblies. This act pleased the French, but not the English. The colonists to the south, es.>ecially those on the borders of the Ohio valley, were angry because of the privileges given to French and Roman Catholics. Tliis, coupled with the demand of the British govern- ment that the colonies should be taxed to bear their share of the expenses of the late wars, soon led to their revolt. Growth of the Atlantic Provinces. Wn h.ivi! seen that an assembly had been called at Halifax, in 1758, the year that saw the fall of Louisbourg. This assembly, composed of twenty-two members selected by the colonists, was the first parliament called ir. Canada. Governor Lawrence, who had summoned it against his own wishes, reported in his letters to England that the members did their work well. The removal of the Acadians and the lall of Louisbourg had left the colony free from the d.ingers of war ; and the proinise of gnuits of lands led to the coming of many settlers from the Kew Enf,dand colonies to Nova Scotia (which then included New Brunswick). BEOINNtXCJ OF ENOI.IHH UUI.K. 237 Many of these occupied the huuh which ha.l recently lu..!, hehl >,y the Acudians, fn.m Aiumi,<.lis t« the h>w la-,.ls arouii.l ('hi.MR.cto Others settled at various points bt-tAm-n Ifal.fax ati.l Vaniin„th Some were given lands on the St. John I{iv. r, the few Fronoh forts there having been destroyed and tlie ii.hal.itants .hiv.-n away after the removal of the Acadiaiis from their lands in Nova Seotii The chief settlon.ent north of the Hay of Fundy was that of Maugervdie, consisting of about 4(»0 persons from Massachusetts The country bonlering on the St. .John Rivr, inelu.Iing by far the greater part of what is now the province of New Brunswick, was erected into a county, called Sunbury, in the var 17«;n, with the privilege of sending two members to the Assembly at Halifax. During the ten years *»>at followed the fall „f Lr,„islM.urg, not less than 7,000 settlers had come from New Kn.v'Iand ; and at the end of that time rather more than half the populati,.., of Nova Scotia was made up of New Englanders, who w.-re attracted by grants of lands and the promise that full religious and political liberty should be given them. There were other settlements made at this time : a small bind from Pennsylvania came to what is n..w Pi.u.u county, increiised a little later by immigrants from the Highlands of Scot- land ; and settleuuints were made on the St. .Iohn"iud Petitcodiac Rivers, on the Miramichi, and at Sackville and Bathurst. The first settlers at Pictoii and on the Petitccdiac were of Ci.ninan descent. At the time of the fall of Louisbourg the population of the Island of St. John was not less than 4,000 per.son.H. ' Settlement on this island m early times had been slow. After Acadia had been given up to the P^nglish, a few who were not contented to live under British rule found their way to the island. The fall of Beausejonr and the exile of the Aaulians brought great numbers to its shores, and several [irosperous settlements were founded, esi)eeiallv at Port La Joye (Charh.ttetown), and at other places convenient of access and where tne land was found to bo fertile. It was chiefly from the Island of St. John that the garrison at Louisbourg received its supplies of food. After the fall of that great stn.nghold, the population of the island dwindled to a few hundreiu|iusf of tlio wlioU' island. At the close of the seventeenth centnry tln-y hid 8u<('e»>d»d so w.-ll that all the P^nglish settlements had been destroyed except two, Carbonear and Flonavista. But the treaty o{ I'treoht again gave the Eiiglish |)os.sesHi(>n of the whole island. Alfliough Neufnund- land had been known to Kiirope for 2(H> years, the resident {iMinda- tion wan now only about 2,5o city in the early morning of December 31st. While a feint warj made to attack the city by way of the Plains of Abraham, Muntgomery and Arnold advanced from different directions— the former by a rough road along the St. Lawrence to the front of what is calle force his way into the city, he was wounded and liis followers surrounded and forced to surrender. Nearly five hundred men were killed, wounded or taken prisoners in the attack. The British loss was less 242 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. m than twenty. Arnold kept up the siege during the winter, if siege it might be culled, for his army was still further weakened by sickness, desertion and suffering from the intense cold. The arrival of a British fleet before Quebec in the spring, with an army under General Burgoyne, obliged the enemy to leave the St. Lawrence and retreat beyond Lake Champlain. On this lake a British fleet under Carlcton attacked and destroyed Arnold's fleet. No further attempt was made on Canada during the war, which came to an end in 1783. By the treaty of peace the independence of th# thirteen colonies was recognized. Lake Cliamplain and the territory claimed by Quebec south of the Great Lakes, ceased to be under British control ; but a complete boundary line between Canada and the United States, was not arranged until years afterwards. In 1778, General Haldimand became governor of Canada in place of Sir Guy Carleton who returned to England. The United Empire LoyaUsts.-The people of the Thirteen Colonies were not all in favour of revolt against England. Very many, while seeing that there were grievances which the British government ought to correct, could not think of such an extreme step as a separation from the parent state. On account of their loyalty to the Crown, these were called United Empire Loyalists. By the revolutionary i)arty, they were looked upon as traitors, and were often treated with great cruelty, driven from their homes and their property taken from them. Many of the Loyalists sought refuge in British America ; and at the close of the war thousands flocked into the Atlantic provinces and the country on the upper St. Lawrence and Great Lakes. The British Government gave them grants of land, and over £3,000,000 to aid in their support during the first few years. The larger number, about 30,000 persons, came to Nova Scotia, which included Nc.v Brunswick. As many as 12,000 persons were at one time settled in the town of Shelburne, but the district being unsuit- able they went elsewhere. Many of the Loyalists found their way to other" portions of the province and to Western Canada. About 3,000 landed at the mouth t,f the St. John River, May IRth, 1783, followed by about 7,000 more during the summer. In addition to " these nearly 2,000 settled in Charlotte county and a considerable number in Westmorland county. Some founded the city of St BEGINNINr, OF ESOUSII RULK. 243 John, while others settled in the adjacent country and further up the river. Others went to various parts of Nova Soci;*. r.ad to Cape Breton and the I'-l.-md of St. John. Those win a-^ili l in the west were principally from the Shite of New Yoi.., uui numbered aln>ut 10,(KK) [.t;()t)le. Like those in the Ati.iUtic provinces, they endured a i;ieat deal of liaidshi|) and suH'i:riii::| in the early years of their settlement; hut in the tiid their coii; ii^u and patience triumplied over all ohstaclts. To-day the I'ritish Empire has ni> subjects more loyal, nor Canada any bitter citizens, than those wIkj trace their descent f''om the I'liited Empire Loyalists. Grants of land in the Atlantic j)rovinces and Western Canada were given by the British government to officers and soldiers who had fought in the Revolutionary War. The Iroijuois also, who had long been the allies of the English, were given lands along the Grand and Thames Rivers, between Lake E' . and Lake Ontario, and settled there. The city of Brantford Is named in honour of their noted chieftain, Joseph Brant. Separate Provinces.— We have seen that in 17, the Island <)f St. John became a province. In 1798 the name was changed to Prince Edward Island, in honour of the Duke of Kent, the father of Queen Victor'a. But the population grew slowly on account of the land being held by absent owners. Cajie Breton became a separate province in the year 1784, but it was again united to Nova Scotia in 1820. In 1784 the part of Nova Scotia north of the Bay of Fundy was formed into the separate province of New Brunswick, and Colonel Thomas Carletou, brother of Sir Guy Carleton, became its tirst governor. St. John (called Parrtown in 1784) was the first capital, and is the oldest inf urporated town in British America, havin^j received its ch.vrt ,. on the 18th of May, 1785. Here the first legislative assembly luel in 1780. Tli.' seat of government was removed in 1788 to FreJericton, whicl'. occupies the site of the former village of St. Ann's. In 1791 tl.e Province of Quebec was u'vided into Upper and Lower Canada, the Ottawa River being, for the most part, th» lioundary line. The Province of Upper Canada was compobCvl of English settlers of Loyalist stock ; the great majority of tiie population of Lower Canada were French Canadians. 244 THK HISTORY OF CANADA. |r Constitutional Act of 1791.— The Act of the British Parliament which separated Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada also pro- vided for the government of the two provinces. Each province was to have a governor and an advisory or executive council, a legislative council and an assembly. The governor, the executive council and the legislative council were responsible to and ap- pointed by the Crown. The members of the legislative council held office for life. The assembly was to be elected every four years by a majority of the votes of the people. The British Parliament held the right to impose all customs duties in the trade carried on between the provinces and other portions of the British dominions or Any foreign country ; but the provincial parliaments could collect these duties and apportion them for public uses. The latter could also impose tJixes fmbers, about ecpially divided between French and English. Sir (Juy Carleton (Lord Dorchester), who had succeeiled Ilaldiniand in 1783, was appointed governor of Lower Canada, and also the govern or-geneml of all the provinces of British North America. The first i«irlia- ment met on the 17th December, at Quebec. The legislative assembly of Upper Canada, com[)osed of sixteen iuembers, and a legislative council of seven members, met at Newark (now Niagara), on the 17th Sei)tember, 1792, A few years after, Yf>rk (Toronto) was chosen as the capital, as it wa.s not thought prudent to have the seat of government on the United States frontier. Tlie first lieutenant-governor was Colonel (after- wards Majoi-Ceneral) Simcoe, a tried soldier, and one who proved a capable and energetic rider. Influence of the Loyalists.— At the time of the passage of the Constitutional Act (1791), the total popidation of what is now known as Canaii churches and rude school houses began to appear. The teachers, often old soldiers, tauglit a little knowledge of reading, writing and figures, at a small salary or for their board. Books were scarce, and there were few newspai)ers in the country. Well-worn copies of newspapers from England or the United States were passed from house to liouse, and read by those who c* . i !• ; d, for the benefit of all. Among th L«!y:i.i8ts from New England were many educated men, and they . ;;.v the importance of having scliooLs and colleges. King's College was opened at Windsor, Nova Scotia, in 1790 ; ten years lati-r (1800), a similar college was founded at Fredericton ; and in 1820, D.illiousie College was founded in Halifax. In 1780, a [uiblic granuiiar school was founded i»i Halifax ; and in 1805, one in St. John. In 1816, the Pictoii Academy, Nova Scotia, was established. Grammar schools were establislied in nearly every I It ; :i : 'ill; 248 THE HISTORY OP CANADA. county in New Brunswick before 1820. Both in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Cliurch of England schools were founded at an early date, and as these were very exclusive, other denominations, in later years, est^iblished schools of their own. In 1807, granunar schools were established in Upper Canada, and a private school was started al)out the same time at Kingston by Archdeacon (afterwards Bishoj.) Strachan. The latter became the first president of King's College, Toronto (1827), afterwards Toronto University. Laval had become the great Roman Catholic University of Canada, and seminaries for the education of the Catholic youth had been established at Montreal and Quebec. rt.M_ ■ ' I • CHAPTER VII. WAR WITH THE UNITED STATES. The arowing Time. -In the twenty years that followed the passing of the Constitutional Act, there were few events that call for more than a passing mention. It was a time of growth. Every day the busy, active life of the new settler was devoted to adding fresh acres of cleared lands to supply his growing needs. The little wcjrld around him, cut out from the wilderne&s, was a very real world to him. Makmg a home for his little ones required strength, i)atience, courage, and all his time and tliought. He knew little of what was going on in the outside world. In the country which he was hel})ing to make, there were questions to settle which were every day growing weightier, and which would require his attention when the struggle for bread would become less a toil. During tliese twenty years the population had doubled. The quarter of a million people in what we now call Canada had grown to half a million ; and half of these were of British origin. The greatest increase had been in Upper Canada, where the population had grown from 20,000 t> 80,000. The Atlantic provinces had steadily increased in population ; and thef)eople, engaged in farming, lumbering ;uid ship-building, were every year growing in wealth. In Lower Canada there was jealousy and rivalry between the French and English ; and in all the provinces there were signs of a coming struggle for more freedom in government, by which the people iu WAR WITH THE UNITED STATES. 249 should have control of their own affairs. But there w.ts an event approaching of greater importance, and one which fur the time overshatlowed all other disputes. This was the war hetweiii (inat Britain and the United States, in which the provinces of faiiiula took a large sliare, and which in the end bound thcni cl<)ser tngether and closer to the great British Empire . Causes of the War. — In Europe tlie French armies under Napoleon were masters of nearly every country except Eiij,'lai»d, Russia and Spain. The great check upon Napoleon's power was England's navy ; and he was putting forth every etfort to ruin her commerce and weaken her strength as Mistress of the Seas. England had to use strong and sometimes harsh means to keep up her naval power and save her commerce ; and this hrouglit her into conflict with the United States. Napoleon had forbidden other nations to buy or sell English goods ; and England forbade neutral nations to trade with France. This pressed very hard upon a nation like the United States, which was not at war with either England or France, but whose merchant ships were liable to be seized by either English or French war-sliips. Another cause of ill-feeling between the two nations was the Right of Search. A British war-ship might atop any United States vessel on the sea and take from it any British subject or sailor who had deserted from her navy. The life of a sailor in the British navy was anything but easy at that time. "Press gangs" in all the iM>rt8 forced men to enlist; and the discipline on board ships was severe, even cruel. Napoleon, while pretending friendship witli the United States, was using all his arts to bring on a war between that nation and (Ireat Britain. The people of the United States were then on tlie eve of a presi- dential election ; and the Democratic party, always hostile to CJreat Britain, hoped to keep in power by favouring war. Unfortvmately its efforts were successful ; and war was declared on the 18th of June, 1812. On the day before, Great Britain had withdrawn tlie regulations which pressed so hard on ITnited States trade. But it was too late ; before the nt ws had crossed the Atlantic the United States troops had invaded Canada. Preparing for War— The thrifty people of New England were opposed to war because it would injure their trade ; and they gave but little aid. The Southern and Western States prepared for m |»! f s. * 250 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. active war. In the latter the enmity against Great Britain had long been bitter, booaiise it was claimed that the British had occupied trading-posts in that country long after the treaty of peace in 1783, and that the Indians had been stirred up to make raids on the frontier settlers. The United States hopeour, betw jen the British ship " Shannon" and the United States ship "Chesaneake," tlie latter was captured and taken into Halifax Harbour, in 1814, the coast of the United States was blockaded by British w-ir-ships. Both nations were glad to make peace ; and it IS hoped that these people, of a common origin, speaking the same langur.ge and having the same interests, may never again go to war with each other. I CHAPTER VIII. RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT, After the War. -The war caused a great deal of suffering among the people of Upper Canada. Many of those wlio had gone out to tight in defence of their country slept in soldiers' graves ; many came back maimed or disabled for life ; and those who returned safe and sound found it not an easy task to resume their former steady habits of work. Women and children had been obliged to work in the fields during the war, to sow the seeds and gather the harvests, and tliey difl not know what moment some roving bands of the enemy might invade their homes, perhaps to plunder and destroy, or carry off their hard-earned and scanty stores of food. Small pensions were granted to those who had been wounded in the war and to the widows and ori.hans of those killed in battle. Tliere was still alive in the land the same brave spirit that had led men to fight in defence of their homes and their wives and children to work and wait patiently for the end. The struggle for subsistence was to begin over again with many -in rebuilding their homes and rejjairing the ravages of war. But they took up their RESPOVSIBLE GOVERNMENT. 257 wonted tasks a., true heroes have ever done ; they kept alive he^n.ory of those whose bh^l had been shed in I " .ifj': ten the f" Tr Tu "'f '' '''"'' "" "^""^ '' '-*^'« ««'^1 -as t< tell the story of the fallen bravo. A Quarter Oentiiry of Material Progress. -During the twenty- h s great lone land, by u.y of Hudson's Bay, had come, in 1812 a company of Scottish and Irish settlers, brought out by Lord Selkirk, of the Hudson's Bay Company. They foun.led a colony at Asa.niboia, on the Red River. They were soon forced to l^vr the CO. ntry partly from the hardships they endured, but more from the jealousy and iU-will of the xXorthwest Fur Co.npany. In 1816, Governor Semple, who was at the head of the colony, an.l twenty oi his men, lost their lives in an affray with the employees of the company. Over the affairs of this unfortunate colo„y the two rival fur companies became involved in a quarrel which Id in 1821 to the mnon of the two into a new comj^ny, still known as the Hudson s Bay Company, and having a charter fron. the British government for twenty-five years. In the twenty five years following the close of the war, the popu- latxon of Upper Canada and the Atlantic provinces was more th'aS^ doubled, and there was a large ir-orease in D.wer Canada. Immi- grants poured into the country fr... England. Scotland and Ireland and the best lands were 8<,on t,iken up and settled. The lo.) cabnis of the early settlers gave place to comfortable dwellin.- houses, often of brick or stone. In 18;i2. the Asiatic cholera broke ont in Quebec, and in the following years spread through the upper province.. This checked i.iuuigration for a time. Trade increased rapidly, especially along the St. Lawrence and the (Iroat Lakes. Canals were built in places where the raj.ids in the rives hindered navigation. Montreal, Quebec and Toronto, St. John and Halifax grew into flourishing cities, and villages and towns sprang up all over the country. As eariy as 1800, a steamboat had made trips on the St. '..wrence between Quebec an.l Montreal ; and soon steanu-r, were plying i„ every direction on the seas and inland waters of Canada. Agriculture made 258 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. rapid strides, and Canadian wheat and other farm products found their way over the ocean. In the greater part of Lower Canada and the Atlantic provinces, wliere the soil .-ind climate were noo so favourable to the growth of large crops as in Upi)er Canada, lumbering, ship-building, the fisheries, and mining, became large industries, in many cases to the neglect of fanning. In these provinces there was often great loss of property from forest fires. By the Great Fire of Miramichi in the summer of 1825, thousands of square miles of valuable forest lands were made a blackened desert, many thriving villages and settlements burned, and nearly two hundred people lo.st their lives. Although no such terrible calamity has since visited Canada, nearly every season has wit- nessed great loss to the country from careless lumbering and from the brush fires of settlers. After the war the paper-money or army bills were called in and redeemed in coin. These were "promises to pay" made by the government wlien it needed money to carry on the war ; and it speaks well for the government and the country that they were redeemed at their full face value, although it was a time of distress and great scarcity of money. As trade grew and flourished, banks began to be established in the chief cities, and money circulated more freely. Some advances were made in education ; but the masses of the people were still too much engaged in the struggle for bread to give much attention to founding schools. It was estimated in 1837 that not one-fifteenth of the population of the provinces of Canada attended school. " The Society for the Propa- gation of the Gospel, ' in carrying on missionary work for the Church of England had received large grants of money from the English parliament, which it used in establishing schools and giving religious instruction throughout Canada. It was, however, not left only to the provincial government and the Church of England to establish and maintain colleges and schools. Generous men of wealth and difl'erent denominations of Christians gave of their means to education. McGill College, founded by a generous merchant of Montreal, wa.s opened in 1829 ; Upper Canada College in 1837. The Baptists founded Acadia Ctdlege at Wolfville in 18:58 ; and the Methodists, by means of the generous ])enefactions of Mr. Charles F. Allison, began, in the year 1841, the Mt. AUiscm Institutions at RKSPONSirU-K COVKKNMENT 2r>9 Hiickvillo. The laws against Iloiiian Catlmlics wcif rt'iitalt «1 in the different prDvinces, and they were i^iven the same ri<^ht as I'rtite^tauts to vote and hold offices under government. Struggle for Responsible Government. - We liave seen that in every Cana by Sir Francis Bond Head, a man very unfit for the position in a trying time. He allowed himself to be led by members of the Family Compact. His weakness, and the rashness of Mackenzie, led to the rebellion. The followers of Mackenzie planned to attack York (Dec. 7th, 1837), while the troops were absent putting down the rebellion in Lower Canada. Had the attempt to take York been strong and well planned, the result might have been serious ; but it failed throujjh the weak- ness and cowardice of the leaders. The rebels were ejisily defeated, and Mackenzie escaped to Buffalo. Here he gathered a l>and of reckless men from across the border, seized Navy Island, two miles above Niagara Falls, fortified it, and prejjared to invade Caniula. Colonel McNab, the conunander of the troops on the Canadian side, sent a party of men under cover of night to destroy the little steamer "Caroline," which was used to carry supplies to the rebels from their friends in Buffalo. The steamer was set on fire, taken out into mid-stream, and allowed to drift over the falls. Navy Island was then abandoned. The British Goverimient sent an apology to the United States for the destruction of property ; but Colonel McNab was made a knight and presented with a sword. The United States Government sent a bwly of troops to the fnjntier to prevent men and supi>lies from being sent over to Canada ; but symjwthy wi h the rebels was very acHve, and numbers succeeded in crossing the l)order at various points on the St. Ljiwrence and by way of Detroit. Near Prescott, a decisive engagement took jilace in which thirty rebels were killed, and one hv.ndred ai: 1 thirty taken prisoners. This ended the rebellion in Upper Canada. Mackenzie was in exile ; many of the rebels were tried and executed ; others were banished to the penal settlements of New South Wales. Mackenzie and Papineau were afterwards ])ardoned. Both men returned to Can-ida after some years and again entered political life, but not as leaders. Union of Upper and Lower Canada. The result of the long agitation which ended in rebellion was the union of Upper and 262 THK HISTORY OF CAXADA. H.i Lower Camula, in 1840, uniler one parliament. Tliis preiwiretl the way, a quartor of a century afterwards, for the larger plan pro- posed hy Lord Durham union of all the provinces and territories of British North America. Though the French of Lower Caniwla and tlie Family Compact of Upper Canada opposed the union, fear- ing loss of influence ; yet hy the tact and t-kill of the governor, Charles Pouletfr Thompson, afterwards Lord Sydenham, all ditti- culties were smoothed. The bill for union passed the British rarliamenc in 1840, and came into effect in February, 1841. There was to be a legislative council of not less than twenty members, appointed by tlie Crown for life ; a legislative assem- bly of forty-two members from each province ; and an executive council of eight members, responsible to the assembly which was now given control of the revenues. Responsible Government in the Atlantic Provinces.— Re sponsible government mi the Atl.uitic jirovinces was gained more quietly. The same abuses in the government of the provinces existed as in Upper and Lower Canad;i. The memberdi of the Family Compact held all tiie office.s, and steadily used their influ- ence against reform. Tiie r.gitation fur responsible government began some years later than in the provinces on the St. Lawrence ; and it was not until 1848 that reform was secured. In 1832, the functions of the legislative council of New Brunswick were divided, and the executive and legislative councils were hence- forth separated as provided for Upj)er and Lower Canada by the Act of 1791. The sjime change was made in the councils of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island a few years later. But the change did ncjt lessen the evils complained of ; the Family Compact rtourislied as before. The most brilliant leader of r<;form in New Brunswick was a young lawyer, Lemuel Allen Wilmot, afterwards a judge and lieu- tenant-governor of the province. He was an eloquent speaker, i. keen and ready debater, and gifted with many varied talents. * ssociated with him was Charles Fisher, afterwards Judge Fislier, n able lawyer and an energetic and consistent public man. The leader in Nova Scotia was Joseph Howe, who threw himself into the contest with the greatest zeal and energy. He was an able writer and speaker, and a fearless chanu>ion of the people's rights. lifag HKFOKE CONKEI>EKATION. 263 Wilinot, Fishor !xn<\ H<>wo were of Loyalist descent, and were memhers of the assemMy. During this jK-ricHl of agitition Sir John Harvey, the hero of Stoney Creek, whh successively governor of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. He tried to calm the strife lajtween opiiosing parties; and, as he was in favour <»f reform, lie gained the ii!- will of the Tories. In Prince E.lward Island the struggle wus carried on steadily, and with the same successful result as in the other provinces. In Newfoundland the people only gained the right to elect an Assembly in 18;52, and therefore the struggle with them for a freer form of government began later. The hard times at the cImsc of the war of 1812-14 were felt even more keenly in Newfoiii, nd than in the other provinces. During the war the people had obtained good prices for their fish, but at the closo the wages of the fishermen and the prices of tish became very low, ami there was much suffering in conseiiuence. CHAPTER IX. BEFORK CONFEI»KRATION. Progress.— In the quarter of a century or more that passed Ixitween 1840 and the time of the confederation of the provinces of Canada, the progress of the country w.-vs greater than during my previous period of the same length. The people began now to enjoy a measure of that freedom of government which is so neces- sary to all real j)r )gre.ss, especirUy of the British races. It was an age of railways and 8teaiiil)oat8 ; and the buililing and working of these opened up new industries, increased trav.l and .'■i !r c. a vast extent, gave employment to many men, aiM brought i!..\. tlu; country a steady stream of people engaged in various pi.'-suiU. The population, a little over J.nOO.OOO in 1841, in- creas d in a (luavter of a century to nearly .'t,5(X),00<). Colonies -i.-rang up i" h-; great west. Ui)per Canada, with its superior soil uui" c!;;.. ;t(, '"came » great agricultural province. I'l Lower Canada and c At!;\i,iic provinces ship-buihling and lumbering became uro vt industries ; and the mines of British Coliiml)ia, Nova WSM 264 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. \m I hi 1 Scotia anJ other Boctioiu of the cf>untry becanu; now sources of wealth. Villages and towns grew into cities, the centres of an industrious and Helf-reliant population. To provide for the better defence of the country companies of volunteers were forrne 1 in the various provinces. In a few years these were judged uuJficient for the neetls of the c(»untry ; and the British regular troops were withdrawn (1870), except a small force at Halifax. A dcoiiiial system of coinage and currency was first adopted in 1858, in which dollars ami cents came into use instead of |K>uiid8, shillint?s and pence. Tlie metric syst. in of weights and measures is in use in nearly all foreign countries. Legulized in Great Britain in 18«i4, and in Canada in 1873, it has not yet become common except in scientific works and at a few ports. Better Means of Communication.— The Victorian Ago, as the period from the accession of Queen Victoria, in 1837, has been ciUed, saw at ita beginning new and rapid means of communication between nations, by steamship, railway, and telegraph. Before the time of railways, people travelled long distances and carried goods in vessels ; and therefore settlers did not like to be far from the sea or from navigable rivers. The i>eople of Canada had already spent much money in building canals where falls and rapids along the St. liftwrence prevented the free passage of vessels from the Lowi St. Lawrence to the Great Lakes. Great numbers of small sailing vessels were built every year for the carrying trade on lakes and rivers, as well as for the coasting trade in the Atlantic provinces. A great number of oceai>-«.iiling ships were built at Quebec, and at St. John, Ynrmoutli, Halifax and oihir pkces m the Atlantic provinces. This industry became so grout in Nova Scotia that the province had more vessels afloat according to population than many of the older maritime countries of the world. Steamship communication was established between the ports of British America and England and other countries. In 1840, Samuel Cunard, a Nova Scotian, and founder of the famous Cunard line of steamers, began to carry passengers and mails regularly between England and these provinces ; and in 1854, the Allan line of steamships was running between Montreal and Liverpool BRFORE CONFEDEKATIUN. 265 Communication by land routen was of later growth. Tlio rcmd« for a long time were poorly nuule and allowed to remain in IhkI condition, except the " {>o8t " roadn, as thoy were called, between the principal cities and towns. Tliese wore well kept ; and stat^u coaf^hes carrying mails and passengers ran regularly and proved n great convenience to those living inland. Amoni; tli>! most inijHirt- ant of these roads in the east were those from Halifax to Aniinpolis Royal, Halifax to St. John, and St. John to Quo)>ec. In the )>est days of such travelling, a journey of from 80 to 100 miles in a day could easily be made ; and there are many who delight to recall the spirited scene of the old-fashioned stage-coach, drawn by four hones which were changed at "stages" of every fifteen miles. The driver, " news from all nations lumliering at his back," kept his four-in-hand well under control, and was the admiration and delight of every urchin along the road. But travel by the old- fashioned stage-coach passed away, and the age of rapid transit began. Railways were built, at first very slowly, so that by 1850 there were not more than fifty miles of railroad in operation in Canada. During the next few years there was a great change. The Grand Trunk and Great Western lines were built in the west ; a line from St. John to Sliediac, one fn^m Halifax to Windsor and Truro, and ininierons .sliorti r lines built in the Atlantic provinces and in Upper Canada. The Intercolonial Railway was plani.ed. Indeed, so great was the progress in making railroads that at the time of Confederation Candida had over 3,000 miles in oper- ation, including the great Victoria railway bridge .i'.toss the St. Lawrence, at Montreal. Although many of these roads did not at first pay, they opened up new portions of country 'or settle- ment, made land more valuable, and it V)ecame much easier for people to travel and send produce and goods from j lace to place. Letters and newspapers were carried with less cost and with much greater quickness and regularity than in former years. In 1851, the management of postal affairs, which had been under the con- trol of the home government, was handed ove' to the different provincial governments, and postage stamps came into use. This was nmch more convenient than paying directly in m(»ney wliun- ever a letter was posted. More rapid communication by means of the telegraph was introduced in 1847. An ocean telegraph MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1 56 2.8 3.2 1 3.6 [4,0 2.5 2.2 2.0 1.8 ^ ^IPPLIED IIVMGE Inc :^^ 1653 East Main Street g^S Rochester, New York 14609 USA ^— (716) 482 - 0300 -Phone ^S (7 '6) 288 - 5989 - Fox I i-!?i 11 266 THE HIHTORY OF CANADA. cable was laid from Ireland to Newfoundland in 1858 ; but this proving unworkable a new one was laid in 1806. Boundaries Settled. — The boundary lines between British America and the United States had not beon definitely settled in theeast and extreme west. Several tinies Great Britain and the United States were on the verge of war on account of boundary disputes ; but each time w iser counsels prevailed and peace was preserved. The British Government sent out Lord Ashburton with full powers to arrange matters in dispute ; and the Unitec States appointed for the pur[.ose Daniel Webster, a famous lawyer and statesman. The St. Croix River had been fixed as the boun- dary line between New Brunswick and Maine, but the particular branch of that river which the boundary should follow was in dispute. This was decided by the Ashburton Treaty of 1842 ; and of the 12,000 square miles of disputed territory between New Brunswick and Maine, the United States got 7,000 and Great Britain 5,000 square miles. From the head waters of the St. Croix, the boundary line was traced westward to the 49th parallel of latitude beyond the Lake of the Woods. This parallel had been fixed by the treaty of 1783 as the boundary line as far as the Rocky Mountains, but beyond that to the Pacific Ocean, the line was unsettled. The United States claimed the whole Pacific coast as far north as the southern boundary of Alaska, then in possession of Russia. This would have shut out Great Britain completely from the I'acific Ocean ; but in 1846, when war again threatened, the Treaty of Oregon fixed upon the 49th parallel from the Rocky Mountains westward, and through the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the ocean. This gave all Vancouver Island to the British. The small island of San Juan was still claimed by both nations ; but, the matter being left to the decision of the Emperor of Germany, he awarded it in 1871 to the United States. Thus nearly a century passed before the determination cf the boundary line between Canada and the United States was completed. Recently a fresh dispute has arisen concerning the boundary between Canada and Alaska. This is not yet settled (1901). The Great West. -We have seen that Selkirk's Settlement, or the Red River Settlement, for many years the only colony in the BE'^ORE CONFEDERATION. 267 Great West, suffered hardships at the hands of tho fur traders of the Northwest Company. After it came under tlio pmttition of tho new Hudson's Bay Company, its troubles were I'ot endfd. Huddeii floods in sprng, plagues of grasshoppers in suiniiu'r, and Indian wars on its borders at any season, made the lot of tiie sottlirs a liard one. Many found their way eastwai'd to the frontier .scttlfiiu uts of Upper Canada. Tliose who remained, after vaiious chants and hardships, established themselvos near where tho city of Winnipeg now stands. Here the Hudson's Bay Company had built the trading l)ost, Fort Garry, at the junction of the Ked and Assiniboiiu- rivers. Around this post flocked English and French half-brnds, discharged scddiera of the British army, missionaries, retired employees of the Hudson's Bay Company and others--a motley crowd. Many ni.ir- ried Indian wives. They spread tho:uselvea along the two rivers from Fort Garry as a centre ; and tlms was l>)rm^ I the beguuung of the provuice of Manitoba (man-i-to'-ba). In the early years of the nineteenth century a few hardy and bold hunters— the coureura de bols of earlier times found their way over the vast prairies to the foot-hills of the Bocky Mountains. It was not until 1859 that an attempt was made to reach the Pacific from Upper Canada by an overland journey. In that year two parties started with ox-teann and guides, and, after suflering the greatest hardships, only the strongest succeeded in reaching the Western Ocean by a toilsome and dangerous march of nearly six months. Few dreamed then that in less than a (juarter of a century the overland journey would be made in less than six days ! The discovery of g
continent. 'I'heir sufferings did not prevent others from trying ; and soon hundreds were to be seen along the trails, with ox-teams and on foot, slowly trudging to the gold fields of the west. A few years before i.us (1849), Vancouver Island had been given by the British government to the Hudson's Bay Company, on condition ( ' they would plant a colony there. As early as 1842, this company had liuilt a fort where now the city of Victoria stands, so that tl.ey might be well within British limits in case they had to remo%e their posts fronj the United State., territory south of them. The Treaty of Oregon (1846) showed the wistlom of their coinse. The Hudson's Bay :^-3is^f%r 268 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. if s III' Company, however, were poor colonizers except in their own way. After three years, Vancouver Island had only thirty settlers. Tlie governor who had been sent out to rule the colony returned to England. The company controlled affairs, and the first legisla- tive assembly, elected in 1856, was under its influence. But the rush for gold and the discovery of coal brought about a great change. Men hurried thither by ship and by the overland route from all parts of the continent and from Er.rope — all eager for gold. Villages of tents and huts moved to and fro, wherever the search for the precious metal was carried on. Thousands of people came uito the country, many to return disappointed. The greater portion, charmed with the climate and the fertility of the soil, remained — some to continue the search for gold in the river beds farther inland, others to settle down as farmers and trrders. Soon Victoria, New Westmuister, Yale, Cariboo, Nanaimo became flourishing towns. Two separate colonies were formed, with Sir James Douglas as joint governor— Vancouver Island, with Victoria as its capital ; and British Columbia, with New Westminster as capital. The ruling authority of the Hudson's Bay Company came to an end. In 18GG, the two colonies were united, with Frederick Seymour as governor. In 1867, Victoria was made the capital of the united colonies. To govern the rough men who had swarmed into the country had been a matter of some difliculty ; but Chief Justice Matthew Begbie, who had been sent out by the British government, in 1858, soon brought about by his wisdom and firmness a reign of law and order Under One (JoTemment' — The government of the united pro- vinces of Upper and Lower Canada first met at Kingston ; after- wards in Montreal ; then four years in turn, at Toronto and Quebec. This plan of changing about did not satisfy anyone ; and finally Ottawa was chosen by the Queen as the capital (1858), and fine parliament buildings were erected there a few years later, ^^e corner-stone of which was laid by the Prince of Wales (Edv VII), in 1800. In 1841, for the first time in the history of Canada, the governor chose his advisers, or executive council, from the members of the assembly elected by the people. One of the first acts of the new parliament was to pass the Municipal Law, which gave every city, town and county the right to manage its own local affairs, and to raise taxes for local purposes. Thus was another great ^J f^*r t^^ii!^ WW^W ^^^^fiO^l BEFOKE CONPEPERATIOV, 269 Advance made in popular government. Dr. Egerton Ryerson was entrusted with the task of framing a system of fioe schools for ('pper Canada ; and for thirty years, a.s superintemKiit of eebec ; 37,000 came to New Brunswick, and the other Atlantic provinces had a large increase of population. In 1848, the boon of responsible government was gained in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In the former province the Reform party was led, as .. o have seen, by Lemuel Allen Wilmot, and there were associated with him Charles Fisher, Williani Ritchie and S. L. Tilley, names well known in the history of New Brunswick. In 1841, Sir William Colebrooke was appointed governor. He had such a small re-ard for the aims of the Reformers, that he appointed his own son-in-law to the important office of provincial secretary. Bu* this was too much even for the enemies of reform, and in a short, time the governor's son-iu-law gave up the office. In Nova Scotia the struggle was more keen and bitter. Lord UEFORb CONFEDERATION. 271 Falkland, appointed governor in 1843, proved as uiiyiel Si :|3 r MOW thuy go further in mfti:it.iinin'^ free liii,'h scliocls for socondary education, as well as free common Bchools. Great benefits have resulted from establishing such liberal provisions for education in these provinces. In Nova Scotia, J. W. Dawson, afterwards Sir William Dawson, p-nd Rev. Dr. Forrester, botli of whom filled the office of superintendent of education under the old system, did mucli to awaken interest in free schools. Dr. T. H. Rand was the first superintendent of education under the now system in Nova Scotia ; and when free schools came into operation in New Brunswick, in 1872, he was chosen to fill the sa.ne office there. During the eleven years (1855-1866) that the Reciprocity Treaty with the United States was in force, a great trade had sprung up. Lumlier, fish, the products of the farm and the mines, found a ready market near at hand. During* the civil war in that country (1861-65), trade was unusually brisk, and the prices of fish, farm produce and horses wer3 high. Wages were good, and merchants made large profits on their goods. The coiwting vessels of the Atlantic provinces did a large carrying tr;;do. Many men fro. the provinces enlisted as soldiers in the United '^tates armies, tempted by the large bounties ofiered. At the close of the war, during which some events had led to ill-feeling, and at times almost to war between Great Britain and the United States, the latter country refused to renew the Reciprocity Treaty. Bands of Fenians, whose object was the independence of Ireland, thought this a favorable time to invade the British provinces. Preparations were made in tlie spring of 1866 to seize the Island of Campobello and use it for the invasion of New Brunswick ; and other forces gathered on the southern banks of the St. Lawrence to attack Montreal. But the United States government sent troojts to the frontier, and the Fenians were dispersed. In June, another band cro.s.sed the Niagara River at Fort Erie. The Fenians were met at Ridgeway, about ten miles west of Fort Erie, by volunteers from Toronto and Hamilton, and dispersed ; but not before seven Cana<'ians were killed and a number wounded. Union. — At Charlottetown, on the 1st September, 1864, there was held a meeting which proved to be the turning point in the history of the provinces of British Torth America. On that day, delegates from N va Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island BEFORE CONFEDKRATION. 273 gathered to talk over the question of union of these three provinces. News of tliis meeting had gone to tl»o provinces on the St. Ijvw- rence, and there came knocking for admission at the doors of the Charlottetown Convention eight delegates from Cana la, who had in their minds the idea of a larger union. These deUi,'ates were warmly welcomed. The larger idea was received witli favour l)y the delegates of the sea provinces; and a meeting was appointed for the month of October, in the city of Quebec. Here delegates met from six provinces (including Newfoundland), and after a session of eighteen days decided upon a plan of union which was to he submitted to the legislatures of the different provinces for approval. In Canada, where such a union had long been thought of as a remedy for political troubles, the plan was approved of early in the following year. Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland would have nothing to do with the proposed union. In New Bnmswick, the question was submitted to the people, and nearly all the supporters of union, including Hon. S. L. Tilley, the leader of the government, were beaten at the polls. A new goveinment o[)posed to union was formed, led by Hon. Albert .1. Smith. In Nova Scotia, the legislature, of which Hon. Charle.s Tujipcr was the leader, refused for a time to consider the question. It is but just to state, in accounting for such a general opposition to the scheme, that the people of the Atlantic proviiioi's bad only thought of the smaller union ; too little time had been given to consider the larger union with Canada. But a bold stroke in New Brunswick gave another turn to affairs. The lieutenant-governor, Hon. A. H. Gordon, in opposition to his ministers, favoured the union, stating that it was the wisli of the British Government. His ministers resigned. Another election was held, in 1866, and Hon. S. L. Tilley was returned to power with a majority in favour of union. The Nova Scotia Legislature, without an appeal to the people, then gave its assent to union, Mr. Archibald, the opjwsition leader, supporting the leader of the government on the question. In the same year delegates from the four provinces met in London and framed the terms of union, which became law by Act of the British Parliament, February 28th, 1807. This, known aa the British North America Act, united the Provinces of Ontario (Upper Canada), Quebec (Lower Canada;, 274 THE KI3T0BY OF CANADA. New Brunswick ami Nova Scotia, and made provision by which othur portions of British North America should enter the union. The act came into force July Ist, 1867. CHAPTER X. THE DOMINION OF CANADA. The Terms of Union.— The British North America Act provided for the government of the Dominion as a whole ; for the govern- ment of each province ; and for the admission ot new provinces and territories. To carry out these provisions, there must be a general or Dominior. government ; a local or provincial government ; and, to udd new provinces, the consent of the Sovereign of Great Britain must be obtained. The general government has control of matters that concern all the provinces ; such as trade a.d commerce, tiie postal service, currency, banking, the defence of the country, navigation, the fisheries, tlie Indians, appointment of judges, criminal law, peni- tentiaries, taking of the census, the more important public works, public lands not belonging to any of the provinces, and other matters of common interest. The general government has also the power to veto, or forbid, any act passed by :. "al parliament which would be opposed to the good of the whole country. As it has control of trade and commerce, it alone can levy duties on goods coming in or going out of the country. These are called customs duties. It may also impose taxes, called excise duties, on articles manufactured for use in the country. The power to govern and make laws for the Dominion is vested in the governor-general and his advisers or ministers, the Senate, and the House of Commons. The governor-general represents, and is appointed by, the Sovereign of Great Britain. His ministers, usually thirteen (at this time, 1901, sixteen), must possess the con- fidence of the representatives of the people in parliament ; and thus the principle of responsible government is recognized in the larger Canada. The Senate is composed of members from the different provinces, appointed for life by the governor-general and his advisers. The number of senators is now (1901) eighty-one. TIIF, UOHINION OF CANADA. 275 The House of Commons, elected by tlie people v,.ice.s, consists, as regulated by the censi;.", of 1891, of 2lli m«anbers, of whom Quebec has the fixed number of 65, and the other provinces numbers in proportion to their [■ -ulation, as com- part d with that of Quebec. Elections for the llou.so of Commons are ueld every five years, or, if the j^overnor-general on the advice of his ministers should dissolve the house, at shorter intervals. By the terms of the union each province has a local government, which consists of a lieutenanc-governor and his advisers , and a legislature consisting of one or two branches, -legislative council and houae of assembly. All the provinces except Queljec and Nv)\ a Scotia have but one branch, a house of assembly, the mem- bers of which are elected by the people every four years (in Nova Scotia and Quebec eviiy tivu years), subject to an earlier dissolu- tion. Lieutenant-governors are appointed by the governor-general and his advisers for a period of five years. Tlie advisers, or executive council, of each lieutenant-governor are responsible to the house of assembly ; and through this to the people of each province. The government in each province has control of such important mattera as the management of all public lands, educa- tion, establishment and regulation of provincial courts of justice, property and civil rights, and other matters of local concern. As the Dominion governmont took charge of the trade and com- merce of the country, from which the larger part of the revenue in each province had been derived, it was arranged that the Dominion government should pay an annual sum to each province, equal to eighty cents a head of the population, added to which there is a fined allowance for the expenses of government. The provinces, especially the older ones on the St. Lawrence, had large debts v'hich had been incurred in past ye.vrs in building canals, railways and other public works. The Dominion government assumed these debts. The New Dominion.— "Dominion Day,'' July 1st, 1867, was observed througliuut Canada with rejoicings. Separa'a colonies had b ;ome a Dominion, still under the protection of the British Crowii, but cnjny'vg the fullest measure of self-govenini«nt, and including durin<' the next few years all the remaining provinces and territories of Bntish North America, except Newfoundland. W'r' 270 THR mSTOKY OF CANADA. m i. u Lord Monck, the last governor of the province of Cannda, became governor-'^eneral of the Dominion. H'nours were bestowed \\[H)n public men wlio had been foremost in bringing alx ut the union. Sir John A. Macdon.ild wn^ called upon by the governor-general to form a ministry, and the first Dominion Parliament met at Ottawa, November 6th, 1867. The following are the names and offices of those who formed the first cabinet of the Dominion of Canada:— Sir John A. Macdonald, Minister of Justice; Sir rjeorge E. Cartier, of Militia and Defence; Hon. Peter Mitchell, )f Marine and Fisheries ; Hon. W. McDougall, of Public Works ; Sir Leonard Tilley, of Customs ; Hon. C. J. Chapais, of Agricul- ture ; Sir Alexander fialt, of Finance ; Sir William Howland, of Inland Revenue ; Sir Alexander Campbell, Postmaster-General ; Hon. A. J. Blair, President of Council ; Sir Edward Kenny, Receiver-General ; Sir Hector Langevin, Secretary of State for Canada ; Sir Adams Archibald, Secretary of State for the Provinces. It will be seen by turning to the History of England (p. 128), that more than two hundred years ago the King of England began to choose his advisers from the strongest party- that is, the party that had the majority in parliament. This rule of partij joveni- ment is carried on to-day in all parts of the British Empire where there is rosponsihle goviiiimtiit. In Canada and the Atlantic provinces before Confedt'ration, then! had boiii two parties — the Conservatives and the Liberals. As members of both parties had worked to bring about Confe .ration, tlie ministers were chosen from Liberals and Conservatives alike, in the hope that the differences and strife of the old parties would be forgotten. There were some, however, as George Brown, Alexander Mackenzie, Oliver Mowat, and many other Liberals, who declined to serve with Sir John Mac- donald ; and there were others, as the Hon. A. J. Smith, of New Brunswick, !>-.d Hon. Josoph Howe, of Nova Scotia, who opposed confe lerat^ These were united in their o{)position to the government, and formed what is now kn..wn as tlie Liberal party. Sometimes one party is the stronger, sometimes the other ; but the ministry is always chosen from the party that has a majority in the as.sembly elected by the people. This rule also prevails in the provincial parliaments ; except that sometimes, as is now (1901) the THE DOMINION OF CANADA. caao in some of tlie provinces, thoro are coalition govuriiiiu nts, that ia, nieinborH of ditferont parties unite, for I he iin»e, to furn. a government. Tnrest in Nov.* Scotia- In Nova Scotia there was a strong opposition I union, becau.-io, among otii r reasons, the wishes of the people had not been consulted. A delet^ation, led by .Joseph Howe, went to England i try to secure a repeal of the union, but without success. "Better terms" were given to the province in an additional yearly sum of money, as the allowance did not prove sufficient to meet the expenses of the provincial g.)v>;ient. Opposition began ..>wly to lie out. .losepii Howe be a mem- ber of the Dominion ministry in 1869. Four ye^i-s t he was made lif.utenant-governor of Nova Scotia, but died a .»ionth after his at lintment. Tlie Province of Manitoba-— In the foregoing pages the hi-story of the Hudson's Bay Company and the founding of the Red lliver Settlement have been bricHy traced In 1821, a charter for twenty- five years had been g'-anted to the new Hudson's Bay Company, and this had been renewed for another twenty-five years. Shortly after Confederation, when the charter had nearly expired, the Canadian pailiament, by permission of Great Britain, bought out the claims of the Company, giving it in return £300,000, some lands, and allowing it to retain certain trading privileges. In the year 1870, the new Province of Manitoba, c '>racing the Red River Settle- ment, was laid out. But, as in th tse of Nova Scotia, the wishes of the people had not been consult.a ; and an outbreak of the half- breedij or metis (ma-tes'), attended with confusion and bloodshed, was the result. In 18G9, when the Hon. Wui, McDougall was apjM)inted governor of the Northwest, and surveyors began their work near Fort Garry to define the limits of the new province, the half- breeds, thinking their lands were to be taken n-om chem, stopped the survey. Under the leadersliip of Louis Riel (ree-el'), who had great influence over them, the half-breeds prepared for anned resistance. A government was formed with Riel f*s its head. All who were supposed to be in sympathy with the Canadians were roughly treated or taken prisoners. A loyal subject named Thomas Scott, a native'of Ontario, was cruelly put to death (March, 1870) after the form of a trial. Dr. Schultz (shoolts), afterwards a 278 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. 4 \y in , y t 1 -■1 ■ .i ! A : governor of Manitoba, was imprisoned in Fort Oarry, but escaped and niiide his way in the dead of winter across the country to Lake Superior. Wlien Governor McDougall tried to enter the territory, he met with armed resistance. He returned to Ottawa. A force of British regulars and Canadian volunteers, under command of Colonel Wolseley (lately the commander-in-chief of the British army), was sent to put down the outbreak. They were refused the privilege of entering tlie country by the ordinary route through the United States, and were obliged to march through the woods from Lake Superior. When they reached the Red River country, after a toilsome journey, all was quiet. Riel and other leaders had escaped to the United States. In the following year a band of Fenians threatened Manitoba ; but they fled without striking a blow and were made prisoners on the border by United States troops. Sir Adams Archibald, of Nova Scotia, was made governor of Manitoba, settlers poured rapidly into the country, its prairies soon became dotted with farms, and the city of Winnipeg grew rapidly. Other Provinces Added.— In the foUowinc^ year (1871), British Columbia came into the Dominion, one condition of its entrance being the building of a railway across the continent, connecting that province with the railways of the east. Two years later (1873), Prince Edward Island joined the Dominion. The Dominion government aided the people in getting rid of the land proprietors and assumed the railway debt. The Island has since steadily increased in population and wealth. It is especially noted for its agricultural and dairy products, and for live stock. No new prov- inces have been added to the Dominion since 1873 ; but the Northwest Territory has been divided into the districts of Assiniboia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Athabaska. These four districts are governed by one lieutenant-governor and council, and are repre- sented in the Dd#iinion parliament by two senators and four members. The unorganized territory, north and east of the above- named divisions, has been more recently divided into the districts of Yukon, Mackenzie, Franklin, Keewatin and Ungava. Changes in Government. — In 1868, Lord Lisgar became gov- ernor-general, and in 1872 he was succeeded by Lord Dufferin, one of the ablest and most popular governors that Canada has had. In the Dominion election of 1872, the Conservative party, led THE DOMINION OF CANADA. 279 by feir John A. Macdonald, was returned to power, with a decreased majority. In the following year the government re- signed, and a Liberal government was formed under the leadership of Alexander Mackenzie. In 1872, a majority of the people's votes had been cast against the Liberal party. It was necessary that those who accepted office in the new ministry should return to the people for re-election; or, that a general election should be held throughout the Dominion. The latter course was adopted by the advice of Mr. Mackenzie, in order that he might find out whether his government had the confidence of the people of the whole country. Tlie election took place early in 1874, and resulted in the return of the new government by a large majority. We must try to find out a few of the reasons for this change of opinion among the people. There were two important matters which aflFected the interests of the whole country. These were the settlement of certain disputes with the United States and the building of the railway to British Columbia. International Disputes.— We have seen that the settlement of the boundary line between British America and the United States was tedious, and at times caused ill feeling that threatened to end in war. But wiser counsels prevailed. The people of the great English-speaking races in Europe and America have come to see that there is a better way to settle their disputes than with the sword. Their difierencea have been frequent, and at times bitter ; but for nearly a century these have been arranged without blocni- shed ; and it is hoped that there may never arise a quarrel that cannot be settled by peaceful means. During the Civil War in the United States, cruisers, especially one called the " Alabama," secretly fitted out in British ports by agents of the Southern States, did great damage to the shipping of the Northern States. After the war ended the government of the United States asked payment from England for these damages. This and other matters in dispute were submitted to a Joint High Commission which met in Washington, in 1871, and framed the Treaty of Washington. Tliis commission was made up of many able and eminent men appointed by the British and United States governments. Among the British commissioners was Sir John A. 280 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. ■i^ Macdonald. The home government has since honoured Cana3ians by appointing them on similar commissions, to arrange disputes in which Canada is interested. The Washington Commission decided that the "Alabama" claims should be settled by a board of arbitrators or judges. This board met at Geneva the following year, and awarded $15,500,000 to the United States, which Great Britain promptly paid. The San Juan Island dispute was submitted to the Emperor of Gennany, and decided in favour of the United States. The Canadian claims for damages by Fenian raids were not even considered by the commission ; and the canals of the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes were opened for the free use of United States vessels. The question of fishing on tlie coasts of the Atlantic provinces had been a source of dispute for some years! United States fishermen, since the re- peal of the Reciprocity Treaty, had as free use of the fisheries as under that treaty. It was arranged that the coast fisheries of Canada and the United States should be thrown open for twelve years to the fishermen of each country, and that fish and fish oil should be admitted free of duty into either country. As the fisheries of the Atlantic i)rovinces were more valuable, it was agreed that the United States should pay a certain sum of money, to be determined by a commission, which was to meet later. The award of this commission, which met at Halifax, in 1877, gave to Canada and Newfoundland $5,500,000, whiJi was paid within a year. After the expiration of the twelve years the fishery (luestion again became the source of dispute, a dispute which is not settled yet. An arrangement was made in the meantime by which United States fishermen are allowed to fish in Canadian waters by paying a certain sum for a license. The Treaty of Washington did not please the Canadians of Ontario, although it was satisfactory to the people of the Atlantic piovinces. Another cause that tended to make the government of Sir John A. Macdonald unpopular was the "Pacific Scandal," as it was called. A company htid been formed, of v>-ich Sir Hu-^h Allan was president, to build the Canadian Pacific Railway. It «!as charged that this company, in return for its charter to build the road, had given the government large sums of money to aid it in the elections of 1872. This led to an exciting debate in parliament and I- in '1" THE DOMINION OF CANADA. 281 to the formation of a commission of enquiry, which ended in the resignation of the Macdonald ministry. The Canadian Pacific Railway.— It had been one of the terms of the agreement by which British Columbia entered the Dominion that a railway to connect the province with tlie east should bo built within ten years ; but several years passed without any real attempt being made to build the road. The people of the western province became dissatisfied, and even threatened to withdraw from the union. The government of the Dominion promised a charter, with liberal aid in lands and money, to the company which should build the road ; the vastness of the work, however, and the amount of capital required discouraged more than one company. In 1875, the government began the work, but it went on slowly and with no definite system as to the manner and time of its completion. In 1878, the Mackenzie government was defeated in the elections and Sir John A. Macdonald returned again to power. In 1880, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company was formed, the govern- ment handing over to it the portions already built, and giving large subsidies in land and money (25,000,000 acres of land and $25,000,000 in money). In the spring of 1881, the work was begun in earnest, and on the 12th of July, 1886, the first passenger train from Port Moody, on the Pacific coast, arrived in Montreal — ninety-one years after Alexander Mackenzie made the first overland journey to the Pacific ! A Protective Tariff. — In the general election campaign of 1878, Sir John A. Macdonald turned the tide of popular opinion in his favour by proposing a protective tariff. This is the " National Policy " that we have heard so much about ; and it has been the trade policy of Canada ever since, with some slight changes. It has a double aim, — to raise a sufficient revenue to meet the expenses of the country, and to protect and encourage the Canadian manufac- turers by placing heavy duties on foreign goods of certain classes which can be made in the country. The dulness of trade that affected Canada, as well as every other couTitry, between the years 1876 and 1879, led our people to believe that the new policy would revive Canadian trade and encourage home industries. The won- derful progress of the United States under a policy of protection was another argument in favour of the change. The Conservative party 282 THE HISTORY OF CANADA. M I was returned by a large majority. It introduced, in 1879, the new tariff protecting native industries ; and managed the affairs of the country for eighteen years after (1878-1896). Sir John A. Macdonald retained the leadership until his death, which occurred June 6th, 1891, just after a general election in which his party had been returned to parliament by a large majority. Alexander Mackenzie died the following year. In the next five years Canada had five premiers, of whom four were Conservatives — Sir John Abbot, Sir John Thompson, Sir Mackenzie Bo well, and Sir Charles Tapper ; and one Liberal — Sir AVilfrid Laurier. In the general election of 1896, Sir Charles Tupper's ministry was defeated and Sir Wilfrid Laurier formed a Liberal government, which was again returned by an increased majority in 1900. The Marquis of Lome, son-in-law of Queen Victoria, became governor-general in 1878. During his vice-royalty, he, with his wife, the Princess Louise, visited every province of Canada. They were received with every mark of affection and loyal enthusiasm. In 1883, Lord Lansdowne became governor-general ; in 1888, Lii some mounted police and volunteers at Duck Lake Settlement, killin;4 several and forcing the others to retreat. Many of the Indians now broke out into open revolt, and several settlors were nmrderod. When news of the rising reached Ottawa, General Middleton, then commander-in-chief of the forces in Canada, was sent witli 2.(KM) volunteers, gathered from Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic ])r()v- inces. After a toilsome and difficidt march, the CaJiadian Pacific Railway not being completed, the volunteers from the east, joined by others from Winnipeg and che Northwest, reached the scene of the rising, and it was soon pr' down — not, however, without some loss of life. Batoche, where the half-breeds made a last stand, was taken. Dumont fled to the United States ; Riel was captured, tried, and hanged. Great efforts were made to secure his pprdon by the French Canadians of the east, many of whom sympathized with the half-breeds in their struggle. The grievances of the half-broeds and Indians have been since redressed. The Mounted Police Force, established in 1873 to preserve law and order in the Northwest, has been increased to 1,000 men, and is one of the finest bodies o* troops in the world. It was chiefly from men traim/d in this force that the Strathcona Horse Company was enlisted for the war in South Africa, in 1900. Some Important Laws. — Many important laws for the welfare of the Dominion have been passed since Confederation. These can only receive brief mention here. In 1871, dual representation was abolished, that is, no one could be a member of the Dominion and a provincial parliament at the same time ; in 1874, secret vot- ing by ballot, instead of open voting, was introduced, " the same law provided that elections should be held on the sau; tlirough- out the Dominion ; in 1875, the Supreme Court of v^,u>ada wiis established, a court of appeal for cases not settled in provincial courts ; in 1878, the Canada Temperance (Scott) Act provided that any section or municij)ality may forbid the sale of intoxicating liquors -within its limits ; the Dominion Franchise Act in 1885 made the right to vote for members of the House of Commf)ns uniform throughout the Domini n. This act, however, has been 284 THE HISTORY OF CAXADA. W i fS II ki m repealed by one which restores the provincial franchise in federal elections. Law-making in the Provinces.— The important subjects that are dealt with in the different provinces make legislation there scarcely less important than in the Dominion Parliament. Al- though the latter has the right to veto such laws as are injurious to the general welfare, or which interfere with the rights of the minority, this i)ower has SQldom been used. After the passage of the New Brunswick School Act in 3871, the Roman Catholics appealed successively to the Governor-General, the Dominion Parliament, and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of Greit Britain— the highest authority in the Empire— to disallow the Act, but without avail. In 1878, Mr. Letellier de Saint-Just (Ic-tel'-ya' de- san'-zhoost'), lieutenant-governor of Quebec, dismissed his ministers, and for this he was dismissed by the Dominion Government in the following year. In 1889, the Dominion Government was asked to disjillowan Act passed by the Quebec legislature granting $400, 000 to the Roman Catholics in payment for lands which had been taken from the Jesuits in 1760 ; but it refused to interfere. The Manitoba School question disturbed the country from 1800 to 1896. In 1871, Manitoba passed a "separate"' school act, retjuiring that the children of Roman Catholics and Protestants should l)e taught in separate schools. In 1890, the legislature repealed this and passed a free, non-sectarian act, like that of Nova Scotia and of New Brunswick. Tlie Catholics demanded that the act be disallowed and that they should have their separate schools. The Dominion ministers asked the Manitoba Government to so change the law as to permit this, but the latter would not yield. When Sir Wilfrid L^iurier became leader of the government, in 1896, an arrangement was entered int • similar to that which prevails in some other provinces— that Roman Catholic children should have religious instruction after school hours. These are some of the cases in which differences have arisen between the Dominion and provincial parliaments. The difficulty of their settlement has led to the belief that provincial legislation should not be interfered with except in extreme cases. Material Advance.— The progress of every portion of the coun- try since Confederation has been very marked. Under the direction of the Geological and Natural History Survey, located at Ottawa, wmmmmm&m wnnainpii THE DOMINION OF CANADA. 285 different sections of the Dominion are being examined, and their natural resources made more fully known to the people and to the outside world. The establishment of Dominion and Provincial Experimental Farms has give-, great encouragement to agriculture, fruit raising and dairying. The complete system of railways through the country, and the steamship lines between EJastem Canada and Europe, and between British Columbia and China and Japan, have led to increased travel and immigration, opening up new avenues of trade. The development of mining, fisheries and other industries of British Columbia and Western Ontario, with the discovery of new goldfields on the Klondyke, in the frozen north ; the filling up of the fertile plains of Manitoba and the Northwest with an energetic farming population ; the superiority of climate, fertility of soil and energy of the people of Ontario ; the establish- ment of large iron and steel industries in Cape Breton and the shores of Georgian Bay ; the cotton anrl pulp-mill industries ; the influence of two races working together in harmony in the older province of Quebec — all these have been great forces in adding t^ the material wealth and prosperity of Canada. In the Atlantic provinces, a great variety of lutural resources has been industriously worked by a vigorous and self-reliant population. Many of the young people of these provinces, with a good education and with habits of industry and thrift, have sought homes for them- selves in the larger provinces of the West and in the United SUvtea. In New Brunswick, the people are finding out that the true source of their wealth is in tho soil, and increased attention is being given to farming, stock-raising and dairying. The lildirj of wooden ships in tliis as well as in the other Atlantic i jvinces lias ceased to be a great industry. The care of forests and better methods of lumbering are engaging the attention of the government and people of New Brunswick. In Ncjva Scotia, the coal mines in the east of the province, especially in Pictou county and in Cape Breton, are being developed on a larger scale than heretofore. Farming and fruit-growing arc carried on with great success in the Annapolis valley and in other districts. In the Atlantic provinces, the fisheries must always remain a steady source of wealth, and their preservation a constant care of the government and people. Many flourishing manufactures are also growing up throughout the 286 THK HISTORY OF CANADA. h provinces. Prince Edward Island has increased in wealth and population, and her pnxlucts of the farm and dairy ar" well known. The Island has felt the need of an iniproved steam (lervice with the other provinces all the year round. This was promised by the general government when the Island came into the Dominion. The failure to provide such communication has led the Dominion Government this year (1901) to grant "better terms " by giving the sum of 330,000 a year in addition to the amount annually recei . ed by the Island from the Dominion. There is a fine system of railway communication between all parts of Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and the West. The Inter- colonial Railway, built since Confe-leration, has recently been extended to Montreal, and the Canadian Pacific Railway now has a line across Maine to connect with the Atlantic irovince system of railways. Great improvements have been made in steam communication between Canada and other countries ; but there is still required a fas^ line steamship service all the year round between Great Britain and Canada. Newfoundland.— The Island of Newfoundland has not yet cast in its lot with the Dominion. In 1895, when Newfoundland was the scene of great depression in trade, and when great distress prevailed among the people, a proposal was made for union ; but unfortunately the Dominion Government and the Island delegates could not agree upon the terms. A railway has been built across the Island from St. John's to Port aux Basques (port'-o-bask') on the west. From that point there is steamshij) connnunication with Cape Breton, connecting the Inland with the great railway system of Canada. Some Recent Events. — Some years ago, a dispute arose between Canada and the United States about the right of catching seals in the Bering Sea. The latter country claimed possession of the sea, and captur >d Canadian vessels engaged in the se?l fishery there. The uispute was settled peaceably by arl)itrators, wlio decided that the sea did not belong to the United States, and that country was called upon to pay for the vessels seized. The question ccnceming the protection of seals in those waters has not yet been settled, although a joint high commission to arrange this and the Alaskan boundary, the fisheries question, reciprocity of THE DOMINIOK OF CANADA. 287 trade and other matters in dispute, met at Quebec in 1898, and afterwards at Washington in 1899. The commission devoted much time and attention to these questions, but failed to come to a decision. In June, 1894, delegates from Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Cape Colony and Canada, met in Ottjiwa to talk over plans for furthering trade and communication. Though nothing definite was accomplished, the meeting together of men fron widely different parts of the Empire had a good effect. Since that time a preferential tariff in regard to Great Britain has been adopted ; lower duties being laid on imports into Canada from that country than from foreign countries. In 1894, Sir John Thompson, Canada's prime minister, was sworn in a member of the privy council of England, an honour bestowed on Sir John A. Macuonald some years before, and on Sir Wilfrid Laurier three years later. A few hours after the ceremony. Sir John Thompson died suddenly at Windsor Castle. His body was sent to Canada in a British warship, and honoured with a state funeral at Halifax. Two cities of the Dominion have suffered greatly from fires. On the 20th of June, 1877, St. John was visited by a destructive fire which caused the loss of upwards of $20,000,000 worth of property ; and on the 26th April, 1900, a large part of the city of Ottawa was laid in ashes. Assistance was sent from Great B::itain, United States and from different parts of Canada to those who had been ruined and left destitute by these calamities. The outbursts of enthusiasm that witnessed the departure of the Canadian soldiers to fight the battles of the Emiiiiu in South Africa, have never been equalled in Canada. The first Canadian regiment, consisting of 1 ,000 men, under the command of Colonel Otter, left Quebec for Capetown late in October, 1899 ; and the second contingent, numbering over 1,000— artillerymen and mounted riflemen— left Halifax early in the following year. These were followed by a troop of 600 mounted soldiers from the west, raised and equipped by Lord Strathcom*. Many lost their lives in battle, and from wounds and disease. Their graves on the South African veldt lie side by side with those from other parts of the 288 THR HI8T0RT OF CANADA. M |m»' '■■ 1- ' ■ M Mm 1 '■ -M W- \ ■ m ■i|j';i \M Empire who lost their lives in iig}i ing the battles of the Mother- land. Those who returned in tlie latter (Mir'; of 1900, and early in the year 1901, were met with every toker of joy and welcome throughout the Dominion. Social and Intellectual Frogreu.— A sketch of progress in Canada would not be complete without some reference to the intel- lectual and social life of its people. The systems of free schools in the provinces, the high schools and colleges everywhere within their borders, and the increase of wealth and leisure, have encouraged a taste for science, art and literature. The artists and poets of Canada have been content to depict its grand natural stjenery, the wealth of beauty iii mountain and plain, lake and river. Its poets and prose writers have told us the story of its romantic past. The fame of many of these writers has gone beyond their native country. Nova Scotia has given birth to Howe, Haliburton and to Sir William Dawson, whoso name stands foremost in the Doniinicn for his teachings and writings on science. The age of literature and science came later in New Brunswick and Quebec, but there are now poets and prose writers in these provinces whose work takes high rank. In history, science and literature there are many well-known names in Ontario and the west. The Royal Society of Canada, to encourage literature and science, and the Royal Canadian Academy to encourage art, were founded by the Marquis of Lome and Princess Louise, whose ' ames are reiuembered with gratitude for the interest they took in the social and intellectual life of the country. Orowth of a National Spirit.— A third of a century ago, the country we are now proud to call Canada was mado up of colonies or provinces with separate interests and with few ties to bind them together. Now they are joined, with a growing ambition to become knit together more closely as a Dominion and more closely united to the Great British Empire, of which they form an important part The past few years have seen the growth of this desire for the greater union, called Imperial Federation — as yet only a thought taking shape. On the other side of the world the British colonies on a great Island-Continent have formed themselves into the Commonwealth of Australia, similar to our own Dominion. Two years ago, when Great Britain was fo? ^d into a war with the TIIK DOMINION OP CANADA. 289 Boers of South Africa, volunteers from Canatla and orher parts of the Empire won the highest praise for the coohiess and courage which they showed on many a hard-fought battlefieUl. On the 20th of June, 1897, the "Diamond Jubilee," the jieople of Canada had hailed with rejoicing the completion of Queen Victoria's sixty years of rule over her vast empire ; and on the 22nd of January, 1901, they mourned, with i sorrow just as sincere, the death of that great ai good Queen. Tlie accession of her eldest son, Albert Edward, to the throne, with the title of Edward VII., called forth rejoicings, no less sincere though more sulxlued on account of the loss of the Nation's Queen. The visit, a few months Liter, of the Duke of Cornwall and York, the King's eldest son, and the heir to the British throne, has given Canadians, &3 well as the other inha>)itant8 of Britain's great colonies through ast few years, giving a fresh life to its statesmen and people, and calling upon all to sink whatever is petty, met . and base, and to rise to a purer and nobler national life. POPtlLATION OK CaNAIi* BY I'ROVIN-f K8. 1891. 11)01. Ontario 2,114,321 2,167,1)78 Queljec 1,488,.''- . 1,620,1)74 NovaSootia 450.396 451>,U6 NewBrunswick 321,203 331,093 Manitoba 152,506 246,464 British Colun.l)ia fl8,17S 190,000 Prince Kdwarrt Island 109,078 103,258 The Territories 08,967 220,000 IMPORTANT EVENTS IN CANADUN HISTORY. [IxtkdUxK Kventt are pnnteti in hvavy-fBced type.) ■ISCOVFRY AND ATTEMPTS AT COLONIZATION, 1000-1600. Ocmlng of Northmen, about. . 1000 Columbus diacoven Amer- ica, Oct. 13 1498 Tbe Oabots land on Cape Breton, June 94 1497 The Calais' setoiid voj a»{e 1 «98 Oorti-reat aaila alorii; the coa$t of Liilinulor 15f)0 Fi8hiri)( vessels visit the coaat of Newfoundland 1604 Sebastian Cabot enters Hudson's Bay '.-,17 Verrazano sails from Florida to Newfoundlanil 1524 Jacques Cartler explores tbe Gulf of St. Lawrence 1934 He ascends tbe River St. Lawrence 1930 Attempts (with Roberval) to plant a colony at Quebe . 1541-2 Martin Frobislicr attein|>ts to tiixl the "North West paj'saiie,". . , ,15( >"8 Sir Francis Draku cx)>lore8 the Paiific Coast to the 4sth par- allel 1678-79 Sir II. iiiiphrey OiUiert attempts to colonize Newfoundland 1579-83 CONQUEST AND COLONIZATION, 16d3-1663. Champlaln'B First Voyage.... 1603 He explores the Bay of Fundy 1604 Founds Port Royal 1609 Founds Quebec 1608 He is made Governor of Canada 1612 His Death 1635 First of the Jesuit Fathers land at Port R 1011 Fort Ro).a captured and des- troyed by Argall 1613 Kecollet Fathers arrive at Que- »)eo 1618 Acadia (ranted t« sir William Alexander lan Jesuit Fathers establish themselvex at Quebec 162f)-2« Company of the "One Hun- dred Associates" formed... 1627 Port Royal taken by the Eng- li«h 1628 Quebec taken by the Eng- lish 1629 Restored (with Acadia) to the French by Treaty of St German-en-Laye 1632 Jesuit missions established in the Huron Country 1640 Montreal founded 1642 /ort La Tour taken 1645 Jesuit missions in Huron Country de8troyeng Sault (rapids) 1060 Company of "One Hundred Associates" surrenders its charter 1663 CANADA UNDER FRENCH RULE, 1663-1713. Canada becomes a Crown Colony 1663 Que?rre SrUiinarj (aftcmards Laval l...ver8ity)foiin(le Died, June 1 P. E. Island enters Dominion. Island of San Juan awanled to Uniteil States ^873 Death of Sir George E. Cartier, May 20 • ■ • Tne Mack«;nzie Administration fom\ed ^*^^ General Ele( tion. Liberals in major- ity Voting by secret ballot adopted . . . Supreme Court of Canada estab- li8heeral Election, Conservatives in majority •_•• Protective policy adopted in tariff. First Canadian apjMDinted to Im- perial Privy Council, Sir John A. Macdonald 18"^ Sir A. T. Gait api>ointcd Cai-.adian High Commissioner in London . . 1880 Death of Hon. George Brown 188" Royal Academy of Arts founded . . 1880 AH British Possessions on North American continent (except Newfoundland) an- nexed to Canada 1880 Canadian Pacific Railway Com- pany incorporated 1881 First sod on main line turn- ed, May 2 1881 Line completed, Nov. 7 1888 Short line across Maine open for traffl?, June 2 j c. P. R. cars enter Halifax, 1 Junes 1873 1873 1873 1874 1874 1876 1877 1878 1878 1879 29G IMPORTANT EVENTS IN CANADIAN HISTORY. Royal Society of Canada founded . . 1881 Lord Lanadowne, governor-general 1883 Cuiadian Contlnsent volun- tetred for service on the Mil* and In Soudan UM Imperial Federation League (Brit- ish Empire League) formed at Montreal 1884 Outbreak In the Nortli-WeBt . . 1M5 Riel hanged, Nov. 16 1885 Dominion Franchise Act paased 1886 Qeneral Election, Coniervatives in majority. 1887 Imperial Conference held in London 1887 Jubilee Tear of Queen Victoria 1887 Lord Stanley, governor-general 1888 The JeauiU' Eatateg Act 1888 Oeneral Election, Conservatives in majority 1891 Death of Sir John A. Macdonald June6 1891 Death of Hon. Alex. Mackenzie Apriln 1892 Legislative Council of New Bruns- wick abolished 1892 LegisUtive Council of P. £. Island aboUshed 1893 Earl of Aberdeen, governor-general 1893 Colonial Conference at Ottawa, June 1894 Death of Sir John Thompson at Windsor Castle, Dec. 12 1894 Discovery of gold in the Klondyke 1896 Sir Charles Tupper becomes leader of Conservative party 1896 Oeneral laection. Liberals in ma- jority 1896 Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Premier of Canada 1896 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Vic- toria, June SO 1897 Joint High Commission meets at Quebec 1898 At Washington 189!) Lord Minto, governor-general 1898 War breaki out In 8outb AMca 1899 Departure of First Contingent from Quebec, Oct. 30 1890 Death of Sir Wm. Dawson, Nov. 19 1899 Departure of Second Contingent from Halifax, Jan. -Feb 1900 Battle of Paardeberg, Feb. 27 1900 Great Fire in Ottawa and Hull, April U6 ...■ 1900 Oeneral Election, Tn)eral8 in ma- jority, Nov. 7 1900 Commonwealtli of Australia proclaimed, Jan. 1 1901 Death of Queen Victoria, Jan. 32 1901 Accession of King Edward VII, Jan.22 1901 Visit to Canada of Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (Prince and Princess of Wales) 1901 Death of Lord Dufferin, Feb. 12. . . . 1902 Duration of New Brunswick legis- lature made five years instead of four 1902 ( li . fj^-'