far exceeds anything that has been witnessed in England since the ravages of the Danes. The king, besides having · recourse to forced benevolences, adulterated the coinage, and the standard was so far lowered that the shilling contained twice as much alloy as silver. Henry was now rapidly approaching his end. For some years before his death, he was subject to a painful disease which made his temper more furious and tyrannical. His queen must have led a life of inconceivable misery, for she knew herself to be marked out for destruction, and was only saved by death overtaking the tyrant. The accomplished Earl of Surrey was his last victim. In December 1546 the earl, with his father the Duke of Norfolk, was arrested and sent to the Tower, and on the following day arraigned on a charge of treason for quartering the royal arms with the coat of his own family. The accusation was trivial, but the private hostility of the Seymour family exaggerated its enormity, and the compliant jury pronounced him guilty. On the 19th of January, he was beheaded in the Tower with extreme privacy, and a studious suppression of all circumstances. attending his death. The Duke of Norfolk was destined for A. D. a similar fate, but on the 28th day of January, the 1547.*} 1547. tyrant himself died in the fifty-sixth year of his age and the thirty-eighth of his reign; and those whose life had been one of terror and uncertainty, could breathe freely. So ended a wicked reign, in which, nevertheless, the seeds of much good were sown. It is a history of little else than tyranny and cruelty, but it must not be supposed that the country at large was subjected to his despotic caprices. None could approach the court or fill any place of high rank and power without danger; but the ordinary people lived quietly, and the law was administered among them with tolerable impartiality. EXERCISES. 1. Mention some of the circumstances attending Henry's coronation. How did the influence of the two houses of York and Lancaster become united in his person? Were the people contented? What occurred in Ireland? 2. What was the conduct of the Earl of Lincoln? How was the impostor Simnel crowned? What battle was fought near Newark? In what station did Simnel spend the remainder of his days? Describe what occurred in contemplation of a war with France. 3. Whom did the person called Perkin Warbeck represent himself to be? What woman of high rank aided him, and what name did she give him? What steps did Henry take? What was the result of Warbeck's invasion? 4. Describe the conduct of James IV. What occurred in Devonshire? What was the result of Warbeck's descent on Cornwall? What was his ⚫ subsequent history? What doubts are there about his origin? 5. Mention the peculiar circumstances of the marriages of the young princes. What were the king's own matrimonial projects and their result? What were the circumstances of his death? 6. Was Henry VII. a warlike prince? What did he protect and foster? What discoverer did he send out? What was his main vice? How did he succeed in his extortions? 7. How did the reign of Henry VIII. open? What failings did he soon show? What was the national feeling on a war with France? What affair was called "The Battle of the Spurs? 8. What was Wolsey's origin? Describe his progress and character. How did he recommend himself to the king? Describe the conduct of Henry towards Francis I. What was "the Field of the Cloth of Gold "? 9. What was the fate of the Duke of Buckingham? What did the king do in support of the popedom? How was he called "Defender of the Faith "? What league was signed at Calais? 10. What project was arranged between Henry and the emperor? What plans did the King of France devise as to Ireland? Describe the attempts made by Henry and Wolsey to raise money, and their result. 11. What occurred in the year 1527? What induced Henry to profess scruples against his marriage? What was the conduct of the pope? What cardinal legate was sent to England? Where did he hold his court? Give an account of the fall of Wolsey. Repeat Shakspeare's account of his character. 12. What was Cranmer's suggestion? What bodies did the king consult? Give an account of Cromwell. What great step did he counsel? How was England finally severed from the authority of the pope? What domestic change did the king accomplish at the same time? What was the fate o' Anne Boleyn? Whom did Henry next marry? 13. Who was the Holy Maid of Kent? What were her prophecies and fate? What other persons were persecuted? Give an account of the bull of Pope Paul III. What arrangements did Henry make for getting possession of the ecclesiastical revenues? 14. State the results of the ecclesiastical changes. What was done in relation to the Bible? How were the changes received by the people? Give an account of Aske's rebellion. 15. How did Henry use the wealth he obtained? What objects of value and interest were destroyed on account of his measures? What was the immediate effect of the alterations? Give an account of Cardinal Pole. What was the fate of the Countess of Salisbury? 16. What induced the king to adopt the Six Articles? What name are they known by? What were the contents of these articles? What other important measure did parliament pass? 17. What was the history of Anne of Cleves? Who succeeded her? What effect had this new alliance on Cromwell? What was the fate of Catherine Howard? How did Henry proceed with those who differed from him in opinion? What took place as to Wales? 18. Whom did Kildare leave as his deputy in Ireland? What was the conduct of his son? Describe the scene in the council hall. What name did his followers give the young deputy? What was his fate? What else occurred in Ireland? 19, Who was Henry's sixth wife? What warlike attempt? Describe some of Henry's financial schemes. lars of the Earl of Surrey's fate. When did Henry die? from destruction by his death? What was the character operation did he Give the particuWho were saved of his reign? CHAPTER XVIII. SCOTLAND FROM THE RESTORATION OF INDEPENDENCE TO THE Death of James V., 1329-1542. King Robert Bruce-Scottish Independence-Douglas and the King's Heart-David II.-The Stewart Race-The Duke of Rothesay-Battle of Harlaw-The Foul Raid-Death of the Regent Albany-James I.Legislative Reforms-Rebellion of the Lord of the Isles-Murder of the King James II.-Turbulence of the Douglases-Overthrow of th Livingston Faction-Siege of Roxburgh-James III.-War with England-Conspiracy of the great Barons at Lauder-Archibald Bell-the-Cat -Civil War-Murder of the King James IV.-Perkin Warbeck at the Scottish Court-Battle of Flodden-James V.-Albany made Regent-Hostile Factions and English Intrigues-The Douglas Family banished-Meeting of the Army-Death of the King. 1. WHEN we last left the Scots in order to detail the more important history of England, they had just gained the memorable battle of Bannockburn. On the 17th of March 1329, the independence of Scotland was formally acknowledged by the treaty of Northampton; and on the 12th of July, David, the heir to the throne, was married to Joanna the daughter of Edward II. The brave King Robert Bruce died on the 7th June 1329. But after the soul had departed from it, his body seemed still to connect itself with romantic incidents. His heart was preserved in a silver case, and his faithful follower, the Lord James of Douglas, with a goodly band of Scottish warriors, undertook to convey it to the Holy Land, in compliance with the dying king's request. In Spain they aided the Spaniards against the Saracens, and being hard pressed in the fight, Douglas undid from his neck, where it usually hung, the silver casket containing the heart, and flinging it forward among the enemy, cried out, "Onward as thou wert wont, thou noble heart, Douglas shall follow thee." At the end of the fight he was found lying dead upon the heart. The body of the king was buried in the old Norman abbey of Dunfermline. In the year 1818, a skeleton was there found covered with lead and wax; it was of large and strong frame, and even the bones bore the marks of wounds. These were fully believed to be the remains of Robert Bruce. and they were again buried with honour and distinction after an interval of nearly five hundred years. When Robert was succeeded by his son David II., a child only four years old, and the government was managed by Randolph earl of Murray as regent. The English made many efforts at this time to repossess themselves of Scotland, and some of their inroads and battles have already been described. They professed to support the claims of Edward Baliol, who was actually for some time in possession of the throne, and was 24th Sept. crowned as king; within a few months afterwards, 1332. however, he was driven from Scotland. David died he left no children, and the nation was anxious that a descendant of their favourite King Robert Bruce should rule over them. His daughter Marjory had married Walter the steward of Scotland, and their son Robert was A. D. chosen king, thus founding the celebrated royal line } 1370. of Stewart, so remarkable for its romantic history, its greatness, and its misfortunes. Robert II. had a son John, who was destined to be his successor; but the populace were partial to the name of the great king who had conquered at Bannockburn, and so his name was changed to Robert. This amiable and intelligent prince had passed his fiftieth before he ascended the throne. He had suffered from a wound early in life, and gradually became unfit for government, his brother, the Earl of Fife, afterwards Duke of Albany, with the title of Guardian, being ruler both of the kingdom and of the king. As Robert's son, the Duke of A. D. Rothesay, grew up, a strong party of the nobility 1399.} rallied round him, and compelled Albany to resign his post; and when Henry IV. invaded Scotland in 1400, the government was in the hands of the heir-apparent. But Rothesay's thoughtless character and licentious life proved A. D. 1390. A. D. 1402. year his ruin. The old king gave Albany an order to arrest him; he was imprisoned in Falkland Castle, and there starved to death. Hostile operations against England were now resumed; but the battles of Nesbit Moor and Homildon Hill were adverse to the Scottish arms, and not long after, James, Robert's second son, and heir-apparent to the crown, fell into the hands of the English monarch during the existence of a truce between the two kingdoms. Robert died about a year after (1406), and the parliament of Perth continued Albany in the regency. 2. BATTLE OF HARLAW.-From the beginning of the reign of the Stewarts down to the year 1411, a species of war was carried on between the Highlands and the Lowlands of Scotland. It is generally said that the Highlanders were then turbulent and rebellious, but in fact they had not yet been subdued and made part of the kingdom of Scotland. They spoke a different language from the Lowlanders, had different laws and customs, and professed allegiance to kings of their own, who, whenever they were strong enough, asserted that they were independent of the King of Scotland. The last of these kings, called Donald of the Isles, claimed an earldom in the north of Scotland, which the regent refused, and Donald, considering himself powerful enough to go to war with the Lowlands, led a large army of Highlanders through the low country of Aberdeenshire. He was encountered at a place called Harlaw by the Lowland forces, who were fewer in number but better armed and disciplined. A fierce battle was fought, in which many distinguished men both Lowland 24th July and Celtic were killed. Its memory is still pre ly} 1411. served as one of the most bloody and important in the history of Scotland. In fact it first decided the supremacy of the king who reigned in Edinburgh over the king who reigned in the Western Islands, and made Scotland one monarchy. If Donald of the Isles had been victorious, his descendants might perhaps have long reigned over Scotland. Albany, desirous of retaining his more than royal power, strove again to plunge his country into a war with England, and in 1417 broke the existing truce by what was long popularly remembered as the "Foul Raid." He marched towards the border at the head of 60,000 men, and laid siege to Roxburgh, but hastily retreated on hearing of the advance of an English army, which, in revenge, laid waste all the south of Scotland. This attempt was probably made at the instigation of France, with which Albany had always maintained a close alliance. In 1419, the Duke of Vendôme was despatched by the dauphin to solicit aid, and the Earl of Buchan was sent over with 7000 troops. These brave men, together with 5000 more subsequently taken over by the Earl of Douglas, were nearly annihilated in the bloody fields of Crevant and Verneuil. On the 3d of September 1419, the Duke of Albany died at the age of eighty years, during thirty-four of which he held the supreme power under the nominal reigns of his father, |