prise undertaken by England during this pacific reign, with the exception of sending to Holland, a short time be fore, a body of six thousand men, to serve under the command of Maurice, prince of Orange. While the negotiation was still pending A. D. 1625. for the marriage of Charles and Henrietta Maria, the king fell ill of an ague. Finding his end approaching, he took an affectionate leave of his son, and died in the 59th year of his age, and in the 22d of his reign The conduct of James appeared to great advantage in his government of Ireland, which he found, at his coming to the crown, in a very disordered state. He endeavored to civilize the inhabitants, and to reconcile them to laws and industry: he abolished many remains of barbarism, and established English laws in that country; he declared the people free; and he did more in nine years to meliorate the condition of that island than had been done previously in the four centuries during which it had been subject to the English yoke. To James I. we are indebted for the excellent translation of the bible now in use. Cranmer's bible, having been made from very defective Latin translations, was in many places not faithful to the originals. James, therefore, employed some very learned men to make a translation from the original languages, the Old Testament, being in the Hebrew, and the New Testament in the Greek language. Nearly fifty persons were employed about it, and were four years in completing it. The excellence of the translation is universally acknowledged. English books were at first printed in the German character. When Caxton brought the art of printing from Germany, he brought with him the types used in that country; and from these, and similar types, all English books Wher did James die? Did James attempt the civilization of Ireland? What great benefit did James confer on all who spoke the English lan guage? Were English books first printed in the type we now use? were printed, till the reign of James I. when the Romar character (the one now employed) was adopted, and soon entirely superseded the use of the old black letter. In the reign of James the soldiers led idle lives, but the sailors were not without employment. The increase of trade and commerce, and the frequent voyages to America, gave them something to do: for in this reign may be dated the establishment of the first English colonies in America. James also took great pride in his navy, and built many large ships. Though James's court was a continual scene of discontent and misrule, the mass of the people appeared to have lived very comfortably under his reign. By discouraging the thronging of the higher orders to court, he kept many of the principal families of the kingdom quietly at home, where they lived both frugally and usefully amongst their tenantry. There were no expensive wars, and but few taxes The farmers in James's reign were better off than the earls of Henry VII.'s. James himself was probably the poorest man in his dominions. Though not extravagant in his habits, he was always embarrassed from his extreme What was the condition of the army and navy in James's reign? ignorance of the value of money, and from his thoughtless profusion to his favorites. The queen also brought great expenses on him, by her excessive passion for masques, and all kinds of show and entertainments.-Masques were a kind of plays, generally performed by ladies and gentlemen in private houses. It is proper to mention that Shakspeare, the greatest dramatic poet of England, lived in the reigns of Elizabeth and James. Ben Johnson and Edmund Spenser, also poets, were contemporaries with Shakspeare. PRINCE HENRY. Prince Henry is always spoken of as a very extraordi nary young man. He showed such an early application to his studies, that even at the time when he was seven years old he wrote his father a Latin letter. And after he grew up, he constantly exercised himself in that language, by corresponding in it with his friend, sir John Harrington. Although he was fond of study, he did not neglect active and manly exercises, in all which he was extraordinarily expert. But what was most admirable in him was his great judg ment and discretion, of which, though he died so young, he gave many proofs. When he grew old enough to have a separate establishment, that is, a palace and servants of Was Prince Henry a promising youth? his own, he never would admit any one into his household whom he did not believe to be in all respects deserving of his good opinion. He was himself sincerely religious, and a strict observer of all pious duties. Lady Arabella Stuart's history belongs to this reign, and a very melancholy one it is. It was her misfortune to be great-great-grand-daughter to Henry VII.; for being, after Mary queen of Scots and her son, nearest in relationship to the throne, she was an object of jealousy to both Elizabeth and James James, however, when he came to the crown of England, behaved kindly to her as long as she remained unmarried. At last she married a Mr. Sey mour. For this offence both Mr. Seymour and she were imprisoned. Though confined in different prisons, they both of them contrived to make their escape at the same time; and hoped to join each other in some place of re fuge abroad. Mr. Seymour was so fortunate as to get safely into Flanders; but poor Lady Arabella was taken in Calais road, end brought back. This renewal of her captivity preyed so much upon her mind as to deprive her of her reason. She never recovered, and died in a few years. Some of her letters have been preserved, which show her to have been an amiable woman, naturally of a cheerful temper, and very far from having any ambition to be a queen. HENRY the Seventh's children. HENRY the Seventh's grand children. TABLE. Henry VIII., father of Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, Mary, married, first, Louis XII.; secondly, Brandon duke Mary; Elizabeth; James V., father of Mary, queen of Scotland; Margaret Douglas, mother of Henry Darnley, and of Margaret Brandon, married Grey earl of Dorset, and What were the misfortunes of Lady Arabella Stuart? CHAPTER XXX CHARLES I. (PART 1.) [Years after Christ, 1625--1642.] Charles was in the twenty-fifth year of his age when he ascended the throne. His features were regular, and he would have been handsome, if it had not been for the melancholy cast of his countenance. His deportment was exceedingly dignified. In the morality and regularity of his conduct he set a good example to his court and people: he was moderate in all his habits and his expenses, numane and gentle in his disposition, was a man of kind affections, and a most tender husband and father. Charles's mind was cultivated, but he seldom acted as wise y as he could talk, and was often swayed by the counsels of men of far inferior capacity. His temper was somewhat hasty, but he was generous and forgiving. With all Charles's good qualities, he had unfortunately imbibed some prejudices, of education that proved fatal to him as a king. He had too high an idea of his royal prerogative and, with every desire to do right, had not the smallest notion of the true principles of government or policy. From the very commencement of the new reign much popular dissatisfaction prevailed, chiefly because the king surrendered himself entirely to the control of Buckingham, who, implacable in his hatreds, fickle in his friendships, imperious and grasping in his desires, was regarded with universal dislike. The king's marriage with Henrietta Maria, sister to the king of France, was a so very displeasing to the people principally because she was a Papist, and their religious What was the private character of Charles I.? Was the conduct of Charles equal to the wisdom of his discoures. Under whose influence did Charles commence his reign? How did the English regard queen Henrietta Maria ? |