their allegiance, and called on all Christian princes to unite in dethroning him. Philip of France was authorized to invade England, and was promised a pardon for all his sins if he was successful in the enterprize. Before Philip, however, could employ the large fleet and army, which he was preparing, John yielded to the pope, and the sentences of interdict and excommunication were then revoked.

The abject nature of John's submission may be seen from the following oath which he then took:-"I, John, king of England and lord of Ireland, give to the church of Rome, to Pope Innocent and his successors, the kingdom of England, and all other prerogatives of my crown. I will hereafter hold them as the pope's vassal. I promise to pay him a tribute of a thousand marks yearly; seven hundred for England and three hundred for Ireland."

7. Philip was now commanded by the pope to disband his fleet and army. He refused, but his fleet was soon after completely defeated by the English, and a truce was then concluded for five years.

8. The overbearing conduct and tyrannical government of John led to great disaffection among his nobles. They at last determined to limit his power, and, assisted by Stephen Langton the new archbishop, drew up a charter for the redress of their grievances and the establishment of their privileges. John at first refused to sign it, but the barons were too powerful to be opposed, and he at length complied with their demand at Runnymede, near Staines, A.D. 1215.

This document is called Magna Charta, or the Great Charter. Among other things which it forbade, were the levying of certain taxes without the consent of the national council, the imprisonment of a freeman until judged by his peers according to the laws of the land, and all bribery in the courts of justice. It also enacted, that all freemen should be allowed to leave or return to the kingdom at will, that there should be only one standard for weights and measures throughout the kingdom, and that merchants should be freed from all tolls and impositions.

9. As soon as John could assemble an army he com

menced war with his barons, who, in despair, offered the crown to Louis the dauphin of France. A French army accordingly landed at Sandwich, and John was obliged to retreat northwards. In crossing the Wash his baggage and treasures were completely swept away by the tide, and he died shortly after at the castle of Newark, probably of a fever.

Some say that he was poisoned by a monk at Swinestead Abbey, where he had stopped to procure some refreshment.

10. John was tall and well-shaped, "but of a sour and angry countenance." In character he was mean, cruel, profligate, and perfidious.

The Jews were cruelly persecuted in this reign. John not only extorted from them their treasures, but frequently rewarded his favourites by absolving them from the payment of all debts due to Jewish creditors. From one Jew, named Isaac of Bristol, he demanded 10,000 marks, and, on his refusal, he ordered that one of his teeth should be drawn every day until the money was forthcoming. This command was enforced, and the Jew lost seven teeth before he consented.

11. Contemporary Sovereigns, and Great Men.-Scotland, William I., Alexander II.; France, Philip Augustus; Pandulph, the pope's legate to John; William Longsword earl of Salisbury, a great military and naval hero; Robert Fitz-Walter, who headed the barons in their revolt, under the title of "Marshal of the army of God; " Stephen Langton.

HENRY III., oF WINCHESTER.

Born A.D. 1207; Reigned 56 Years (1216-1272). 1. Family.-Henry was the son of John and Isabella. He married Eleanor of Provence, surnamed "the Beautiful," and had four children, Edward I., Edmund, titular king of Sicily, Margaret, married to Alexander III. of Scotland, and Beatrix.

2. Chronicle. Within a few days after John's death the army caused prince Henry to be crowned. He

was at this time only ten years of age, and William, earl of Pembroke, was appointed regent during his minority.

It was chiefly owing to this nobleman's influence that Henry found himself thus easily seated on the throne. "We have rightly persecuted the father," said Pembroke, in addressing the nobles, "but this child is innocent of his father's doings; wherefore let us appoint him our king, and cast the yoke of foreign servitude from us."

3. The army of Louis soon dwindled away, and in 1217 Pembroke defeated the remnant at Lincoln. Louis then made peace with him, and returned to France. During the next two years the country enjoyed great quiet, and the regent made many useful reforms.

Magna Charta was reconfirmed; all castles built during the late wars were ordered to be demolished: many of the forests were thrown open, and their most stringent laws abolished.

4. Pembroke died A.D. 1219, and the government of the country was then divided between Peter des Roches, the French bishop of Winchester, and Hubert de Burgh, a brave noble.

The former was Henry's tutor, and in this capacity had great influence over him. He only employed it, however, to instil foreign prejudices into his pupil's mind and to gratify his own rapacity. According to an old writer " he looked more to lucre than to St. Luke, and more to marks than to St. Mark." De Burgh had been a faithful friend of John, and had greatly distinguished himself by defeating the French fleet, A.D. 1217.

5. A rivalry soon sprang up between Des Roches and De Burgh, which led to numerous plots. But in 1222 the pope gave permission to Henry to take the government into his own hands; and shortly after Des Roches went on a pilgrimage to Palestine. His rival continued in power until A.D. 1232, when, in consequence of the failure of an expedition to France, he fell into disgrace. He was also charged with misappropriating public money, and being unable to clear himself, he fled secretly from court.

He took refuge in a parish church, but was followed and dragged out by the king's officers. A smith was then sent for to construct some fetters for the prisoner; but the humble mechanic refused the office, declaring that he would prefer the worst of deaths to the shame of forging fetters for the brave Iman who had defeated the French at sea.

Hubert was then imprisoned, and his estates were seized. He ultimately effected his escape, and became reconciled to the king, but he never again occupied his former post.

6. Des Roches returned about the time of his rival's disgrace, and again became Henry's chief adviser. But his rapacity soon disgusted the English nobles, and the king was obliged by them to banish the favourite and his foreign associates.

7. In 1236 Henry married Eleanor, daughter of the count of Provence, and, in her train, foreigners once more returned to England, upon whom were bestowed the chief dignities of the realm.

To satisfy the extravagances of his favourites, Henry was obliged to resort to the most illegal methods of raising money. Magna Charta was neglected, and the Jews were unjustly charged with crimes to afford a pretext for confiscating their wealth. "Aaron, the rich Jew of Lincoln," had to pay on one occasion a fine of 4000 marks, and on another, one of 3000.

8. By 1258 the king's pecuniary difficulties had become so embarrassing that he was obliged to convene a parliament. It met at Westminster, and Henry there pledged himself to rule better for the future, whereupon the barons promised to give him their assistance.

When he first entered amongst them, he asked, on seeing that they were clad in armour, if he were a prisoner. Bigod replied, "Not so, but your foreign favourites and your own extravagance have brought this country into great misery; wherefore we demand, that the government be entrusted to a committee of bishops and barons, that they may correct abuses and enact good laws." To this proposal Henry assented.

9. Parliament met at Oxford in the course of a month, and a committee of government was appointed, consisting of twenty-four members, half being selected by the king, and half by the barons. Simon de Montfort earl of Leicester, was placed at their head.

The first measures of this committee were the banishment of the foreign courtiers, and the appointment of natives to the governorship of the royal castles. Unhappily the barons soon became split up into factions. Henry took advantage of this, and in 1262 he informed the committee that he should resume the reins of government.

This parliament, unjustly called The Mad Parliament, closely resembled our modern representative assembly, four knights being elected by the freeholders of each county to assist in the legislature.

10. The barons now determined to resort to arms, and they completely defeated Henry at Lewes, A.D. 1264. The king and prince Edward were taken prisoners with many royalist nobles. Leicester then issued writs, directing each county, city, and borough, to send "two discreet, loyal, and honest men" to parliament, for the purpose of deciding what measures should next be taken. Peace was soon established, but a defection of some of the nobles and the escape of prince Edward from prison, led to a renewal of the war. Leicester and his army were defeated by the young prince at Evesham (1265), and Henry once more recovered authority.

De Montfort was slain in the battle, and most of his illus trious adherents. He was long venerated by the people, and affectionately spoken of as "Sir Simon the Righteous."

Henry was a prisoner in the camp of the barons during the battle, and, being encased in armour, was not recognized by the victorious royalists, who were about to despatch him when he saved himself by exclaiming, "I am Henry of Winchester, your king!"

11. By degrees the kingdom settled down into a state of peace, and in 1270 prince Edward took advantage of the country's tranquillity to join Louis of France in a crusade to Palestine. Before he returned Henry had died, A.D. 1272.

Henry was of middle stature and powerful frame, gentle and forgiving, but superstitious and destitute of energy. In this reign Cumberland was annexed to England (1237), trial by