"ancient people" the Jews, and strive by Christian means to win them to "look upon Him whom they pierced," and has threatened severe judgments upon those who by cruelty and persecution add to the sorrows of those who have so long been driven from their country by the chastening hand of their still loving Father, the God of Jacob.

In the reign of Henry the third lived Roger Bacon, a monk, at Oxford, who made so many discoveries, and was so learned a man, that the ignorant people of the time put him in prison, and kept him there many years, because they thought him a magician. He invented telescopes, magnifying-glasses, and many other mathematical and astronomical instruments. My young readers are indebted to Roger Bacon for an invention from which they have all probably derived amusement-I mean the "magic lantern." He was also the inventor of gunpowder, although it did not then come into use. He died at Oxford in 1292. Cider, linen, and tapestry, were first made in England at this time, and the mariner's compass is by some said to have been invented, but this is a disputed point.

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CHAPTER XIII.

EDWARD THE FIRST-FROM 1272 to 1307.

EDWARD, the son of Henry the third, was on his way home from the Holy Land when his father died. I have told you he had fallen into the error of the times he lived in, by fancying warlike deeds the chief glory of a king; and this error led him in many instances to act cruelly, although he was not naturally of a cruel disposition.

Wales was, till this reign, governed by its own kings, but as the Welsh were often very troublesome neighbours, Edward was resolved to conquer them, which, after much difficulty, he did, and very unjustly and cruelly caused David the king to be put to death. He was also guilty of a shocking act of cruelty towards the Welsh bards, or poets.* These men used to play fine old martial and patriotic airs on the harp of their country, and sang to them poetry of their own composition, about the strength, courage,

* From " England and its People."

and goodness of the old princes of Wales. By their spirited songs and beautiful music (for many of these old Welsh airs are exquisitely touching and wild), these wandering bards helped greatly to cherish in the minds of the people the love of their country and their kings, so that they remained an untameable and hostile race. Finding then that there was but little prospect of subduing them while these bards excited them to warlike deeds by their songs, Edward caused them to be all assembled together on some pretence, and then put to death in cold blood; a wicked deed, which must leave a lasting stain upon his name.

Edward built the castles of Conway and Caernarvon, which are in our days such magnificent ruins. But we are happy in now finding ourselves sufficiently protected by the just administration of the laws, so that we need no such strongholds to enable us to dwell in safety, but " 'every man's house is his castle," and the gentle hand of a woman suffices to rule a whole nation in peace and prosperity.

After subduing the country, Edward remained about a year in Wales, teaching the Welsh to cultivate their land, and other useful arts. To reconcile them still more to his dominion, he promised them a prince born in their own country, and who could not speak a word

FIRST PRINCE OF WALES.

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of English. When his son Edward was born in Caernarvon Castle, he took him in his arms, and presented him to the people as their prince; and although this was not exactly what they had expected from his promise, they accepted the little gentleman as their ruler, and from that time the eldest son of the English sovereign has always been called the prince of Wales.

The king next turned his attention to Scotland, at that time governed by its own kings. Alexander the third, king of Scotland, dying, and leaving no direct heir, three or four lords tried to gain possession of the crown, and asked Edward to settle which of them was to have it. John Baliol, one of the claimants, promised that if Edward would allow him to bear the title of king, he would give up all the real power to him. This Edward readily agreed to, but the Scotch were naturally very angry with Baliol for acting so deceitfully. Sir William Wallace, who loved his country too well to see it governed by any but its rightful sovereign, raised an army, and fought desperately with king Edward, in the hope of regaining its ancient freedom.

But Edward, after a great many battles, conquered Wallace, and took him prisoner, through the treachery

I

of one of his followers, who betrayed the hiding place of the noble-minded patriot. Then again Edward behaved with great cruelty, for he caused Wallace to be beheaded as a traitor, though it is very certain he had been guilty of no treason. These cruel acts show us how much war hardens the heart, since Edward, who had shown himself so good and kind a son to Henry the third, more than once stained his hands with innocent blood. Happy shall we be when the days come, of which Isaiah and Micah prophesied, when men "shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

After the death of Wallace, the Scotch made Robert Bruce their king, who continued the war with England for the independence of his country. Edward became quite angry at being so much opposed, and made a rash vow that he would never return to his own throne until he had conquered Scotland. This was a very wicked thing to say, and like Jephthah's rash vow, and the promise of Herod to the daughter of Herodias, brought its own punishment, for he was taken ill, and died at Carlisle in the year 1307. Even in dying he was unmerciful and revengeful, for he