Читать книгу The Queens of England - Strickland Agnes - Страница 24

Isabella of France was a princess of the very highest rank, her father being Philip IV. of France, and her mother Queen of Navarre. But she was likewise one of the worst women that ever occupied the throne of England. She was born in 1295, and when only nine years of age was betrothed to Edward, Prince of Wales. At that time her father agreed to settle on her the sum of £18,000 for her marriage portion.

He was not rich enough to give her so much money, but he got possession of it by murdering and robbing the poor Knights Templars—a religious body first established at Jerusalem to protect pilgrims travelling in the Holy Land. Such ill-gotten gain could not be expected to bestow much pleasure or profit on the possessor of it.

When Edward I. was dying, he charged his son to lose no time in completing the arrangements for his marriage, and the prince had received such favorable reports concerning the personal charms of his lady-love that he hastened to obey. Before the king was buried he dispatched two earls to France to appoint the wedding day.

He was so much in love, that it is said he lost the kingdom of Scotland by hurrying away to get married when his presence in that country would have made him its sovereign.

He need not have been in such haste, for Isabella was scarcely fourteen years of age, and perhaps if he had waited until her mind was more matured, she would not have acted so unwisely as she did on several occasions afterwards.

Grand preparations were made at Westminster Palace for the reception of the young queen. The royal apartments were re-decorated and handsomely furnished, the gardens were newly laid out and planted with the rarest flowers, the fish-ponds were all cleaned out and freshly supplied, and Queen's Bridge was repaired. The royal ship called Margaret of Westminster was cleaned, painted, and newly fitted up under the king's personal direction for the comfort of his expected bride, and no trouble or expense was spared that could add to her pleasure.

When everything was ready, Edward appointed his favorite, Piers Gaveston, guardian of the country, and sailed, accompanied by Queen Marguerite, his stepmother, to meet his bride. He landed at Boulogne, where Isabella and her royal parents awaited him, and the next day the marriage was celebrated at the famous cathedral of that town.

A. D. 1308. Four kings and four queens were present, besides a larger number of princes and nobility than had ever met together on such an occasion, and the church presented an appearance of unusual magnificence. The bride's beauty excited the greatest admiration, and she was called Isabella the Fair. Had any member of that royal assembly been told that before the end of her life she would be known as the "She-wolf of France," he would not have believed it; appearances are often deceptive.

Festivities were kept up for nearly two weeks, then the newly-wedded couple went to Dover, where they were met by a large party of noble ladies and gentlemen who attended them to Westminster.

Among those who met them on their arrival in England was the Piers Gaveston whom Edward had left as guardian during his absence. This man was the cause of a great

deal of trouble later because of his unbounded influence over the king, who, the moment he caught sight of his favorite, flew to him and threw his arms about his neck calling him "brother."

Isabella's outfit was magnificent. She had two superb solid gold crowns ornamented with precious stones, a large number of gold and silver drinking vessels, golden spoons, fifty silver soup-bowls, twelve large silver dishes, and twelve smaller ones. Her dresses were made of gold and silver stuff, velvet, and shot silk. Six of them were of the finest imported green cloth, six were of mixed and figured material, and six were scarlet; she had, besides, a supply of costly furs, four hundred and nineteen yards of towels, and six dozen nightcaps. She brought with her the tapestry for her own chamber, on which were embroidered in gold the arms of France, England, and Brabant.

Her father presented his son-in-law with a large number of the costliest rings, jewels, and other precious articles that could be found; but Edward was foolish enough to give all to Piers Gaveston, who had a perfect passion for finery.

Such conduct on the part of her husband made Isabella very angry, for she looked upon these handsome gifts from her father as part of her dowry, and naturally she objected very decidedly to having them handed over to a stranger whom she had already begun to dislike.

Just a month after the marriage the day was appointed for the coronation of the young king and queen, but the nobles informed Edward that unless his haughty favorite were banished from court they would not attend the ceremony. This threat signified that they meant to refuse their oath of allegiance, so Edward was very much alarmed, but promised that at the parliament, which was to meet immediately after the coronation, everything should be arranged to their entire satisfaction. But he gave fresh cause for complaint by bestowing upon Piers Gaveston the very highest office at the coronation—that of bearing the St. Edward's crown. This made one of the royal earls so angry that he would have killed the favorite on the spot had it not been for the respect he felt for the young queen.

Gaveston had taken it upon himself to manage everything; and either his arrangements were badly made, or he was so unpopular, that nobody would obey him, for there was nothing but disorder and confusion from beginning to end. The crowd was so great that several people were injured, and one poor knight was knocked down and trodden to death. It was three o'clock in the afternoon before the coronation was over, and since early morning those engaged in the ceremonies had eaten nothing. The company were not seated at the banquet until after dark, and then every dish was so poorly cooked and so badly served that the hungry nobles were indignant, and felt that they could sooner have forgiven the favorite for any offence than this one. Isabella, too, was out of humor and exhausted; in short, all classes were dissatisfied, and many of the customary ceremonies had to be omitted because the usual masters of them were absent.

Whether by accident or design, several slights were put upon the young queen that made her French followers so angry that they went back home and complained to her father. Besides, Isabella sent a letter filled with complaints against her husband and his too-powerful favorite. This made the King of France use all his influence to strengthen the party of French barons who despised Gaveston, and even to induce the English ones to oppose him, too.

Probably, if the queen had been older, her beauty and talents might have enabled her to gain such control over her husband that his favorite's presence would have had less effect; but she was so young and inexperienced that, although she felt the importance of her position in the English court, Edward treated her like a child, and this vexed her beyond everything.

Gaveston was just the sort of a person who could, if he chose, lead so weak a young man as Edward II., and, unfortunately, he did so choose. He was very handsome, a perfect Adonis, remarkable for his courteous manners, courage, and sparkling wit. He would mimic and make fun of the peculiarities of the English nobles for the amusement of the thoughtless king, which was, of course, most displeasing to them, and he even went so far as to ridicule the queen. She complained to her father, who secretly induced the barons to insist upon the banishment of the favorite. Edward was at last compelled to yield, and promised to send him beyond the seas, but the wily Gaveston had recently strengthened his position by marrying a niece of the king, so he had himself appointed Governor of Ireland. Even his worst enemies own that he ruled that country very well.

But the following year he came back to England to attend a tournament. He brought such a magnificent retinue, and made so great a display, that the barons were jealous, and hated him worse than ever. Little did their dislike or their displeasure affect him, for he took his revenge by ridiculing them anew, and calling them most provoking names. The Earl of Pembroke was dark, thin, and sallow-complexioned, so he named him "Joseph the Jew;" the Earl of Warwick, who foamed at the mouth when in a passion, was "the Wild Boar of Ardenne;" and the Earl of Lancaster, who dressed peculiarly, was styled "the Stage Player." Thus he made fun of the entire party. But the insults were treasured up against him; and when, some years later, his day of reckoning dawned, not much mercy was shown him.

In the meantime he had stirred up such a storm that his royal master's throne tottered under him. The queen and her uncle, the Earl of Lancaster, with all the barons, formed a combination against him so strong that Edward dared not oppose it, and dismissed him to Guienne. At parting with his favorite, he lavished on him all his jewels, even the rings, brooches, and buckles that his young wife had presented him with at various times. This was one of the most foolish things Edward ever did, and nobody can blame Isabella for feeling offended.

However, she was at that time much beloved by her subjects, and, with Gaveston out of the way, we hear no more complaints until the year 1312, when, to her great displeasure, he turned up again. This time, with his usual lack of judgment, the king had recalled him, and made him his principal secretary of state. This was a very high office, for he had all the affairs of the country under his control, and so determined was he to keep Edward under his thumb that nobody could speak to him excepting through the secretary.

This arrangement gave great offence, and when the young queen saw how the royal favorite was injuring her husband by making the nation dislike him, and, what was still worse, by leading him into dissipation and other acts of folly, she angrily remonstrated with him. He forgot the respect due to her rank, and answered with contempt, whereupon she complained to the king. But instead of upholding his wife and punishing his insolent favorite, Edward treated the matter with the utmost indifference. Isabella was furious, and wrote to her father, the King of France, a letter filled with bitter complaints of her husband's coldness and neglect, saying, "that she was the most wretched of wives, and that Gaveston was the cause of all her troubles."

In reply, Philip secretly urged the peers to rebel, which they did at last, headed by the Earl of Lancaster, and determined to compel Edward to dismiss his hated secretary of state. Then began a civil war, the most horrible disaster that can overtake any country. Edward, evidently considering discretion the better part of valor, ran away with his wife and his favorite. They got as far as York, but the victorious barons entered that place in triumph, and the two fugitives sailed for Scarborough, leaving the poor young queen alone, although she entreated her husband with tears in her eyes to take her along.

Finding herself forsaken, Isabella retired to a remote castle, where she passed her time in visiting the sick and poor, which the following notes, found in the royal household book, prove:—

A.D. 1312. "October 9. To little Thomeline, the Scotch orphan boy, to whom the queen, being moved to charity by his miseries, gave food and raiment to the amount of six and sixpence."

And again:

"To the same orphan, on his being sent to London to dwell with Agnes, the wife of Jean, the queen's French organist; for his education, for necessaries bought him, and for curing his maladies, fifty-two shillings and eightpence."

While at this castle the queen received a message from her uncle Lancaster assuring her of her safety, and telling her that they were only fighting to get hold of Gaveston.

The king, in the meantime, having left his favorite in the strong fortress of Scarborough, proceeded to the midland counties to raise forces for his defence. But the men of England were so indignant at the treatment their young queen had received at the hands of her husband and his unworthy guide, that instead of obeying the orders they received, they rose en masse to storm Gaveston in his shelter. Being destitute of provisions, and knowing that he could not withstand a siege, he surrendered on condition that he was to be safely conducted to the king and allowed to speak with him freely before his trial.

The barons, after solemnly swearing to observe this treaty, lost no time in bringing their prisoner to a sham trial. No mercy tempered their judgment of a man who had ridiculed and defied them, so they beheaded him then and there. Afterwards they enjoyed the extreme satisfaction of ransacking the luckless favorite's baggage, and found many of the crown jewels, a number of precious ornaments that had been presented to the king, and several articles of gold and silver plate from the royal household.

When Edward heard of the murder of his friend, he was beside himself with rage and grief, and swore vengeance on the heads of those who had committed the deed. He then joined the queen and went with her to Windsor, where their first child, afterwards Edward III., was born.

He was a fine healthy baby, and his parents, as well as the English nation, and the French nobles who were in the country were all delighted at this happy event. Four days after his birth the little fellow was baptized with great pomp, having no less than seven godfathers.

After this period, Isabella's influence over her husband was so strengthened that she brought about a reconciliation between him and his barons, and there was peace in the realm once more. Then the king and queen made a pleasure trip to Paris, where they spent two months enjoying the feasts and amusements which the magnificent and wealthy court of Philip provided for their entertainment.

At last, through the entreaties of the queen, the pardon to all those who had assisted in causing the death of Gaveston was published, and her excellent influence was felt in many ways.

During the next few years another prince and a princess were born, and on each occasion presents of great value were distributed by the royal pair.

In the household book there is mention of the king's gift of £333, "to Isabella, Queen of England, for the baptismal feast after the birth of the Lady Eleanora." There are also these entries, showing something of the fashions of the time:—"To Vanne Ballard, for pieces of silk and gold tissue of fustian and of flame-colored silk for the making of cushions for the charrettes (carriages) of the queen and her ladies."

"To Robert le Termor, the bootmaker of Fleet Street, for six pairs of boots with tassels of silk and drops of silver gilt, price of each pair five shillings, bought for the king's use."

When the royal couple kept Twelfth Night their presents were very generous. To one of their subjects they gave a silver gilt pitcher with stand and cover; to another, for presenting bunches of new grapes, 10s.; to another, for bringing a box of rose-colored sugar, £2 10s.; to the mother of the king's fool, 10s., besides many others. To the Lady Mary, the king's sister, who was a nun, fifteen pieces of tapestry with coats-of-arms embroidered thereon, besides £26 on her departure from court, and to three of his knights for dragging him out of bed on Easter morning Edward paid £20.

A.D. 1317. During this fourteenth century there was the most dreadful famine ever known in England, which lasted nearly three years. On one occasion, when the king and queen were dining in public in the great hall of the palace at Westminster, a woman, wearing a mask, entered on horseback, rode straight up to the royal table, and handed a letter to the king. Thinking that it probably contained "some agreeable flattery", he ordered it to be read aloud. But, to his great mortification, it took him severely to task for his unkingly fancies, and blamed his bad government for all the calamities that had befallen the country. The woman was immediately arrested, and confessed that she had been employed by a certain knight. The person she named boldly acknowledged that he had written the letter, supposing that it would be read in private, and that the king would thus be informed of the complaints of his subjects.

A.D. 1321.

It was about four years after this event that the queen first met Roger Mortimer, the man who exercised such an influence over her life. By this time the king had two new favorites named Despencer. They were father and son, and both were bitter enemies to Roger Mortimer.

The circumstances of Isabella's life so began to shape themselves at this period that from being a lovely, amiable peace-maker, she became a bad, cruel, dishonored traitor. In 1321 she set out on a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Thomas à Becket, proposing to spend the night at Leeds Castle, which was her own property. Baron Badlesmere had charge, of this castle, and lived there with his wife, so Isabella sent a marshal in advance to have everything put in order for her reception, not imagining for a moment that any objection could possibly be raised to her stopping there. But the baron was absent from home, and had charged his wife to protect the castle from any intruders whatsoever. Not knowing what might be the real object of the queen's visit, Lady Badlesmere did just the wrong thing when the royal messengers arrived, treated them with insolence, and said, "that the queen might seek some other lodging, for she would admit nobody within the castle without an order from her lord."

The messenger was still arguing the case with the lady when Isabella arrived at the castle gates with her train. A volley of arrows greeted the party, and killed six of the royal escort. The queen was obliged to seek other shelter for the night, but she was excessively angry, and complained bitterly to the king of the treatment she had received, begging him to avenge the insolence of Lady Badlesmere for daring to exclude her from her own castle. Badlesmere himself was foolish enough to send a most insulting letter to the queen in reply to the complaints that had been addressed to him concerning his wife's conduct, declaring that he heartily approved of what she had done. As this baron had held the high position of steward of the royal household before he was placed in charge of Leeds Castle, it is probable that the queen had done something to make him her enemy. Neither her Uncle Lancaster nor any of his associates seemed inclined to side with Isabella, so she determined to be revenged on them all, and would not rest until her husband promised to besiege the castle. A large force was soon gathered together before the walls, but Lady Badlesmere felt certain that, with the stock of provisions she had laid in, she could resist any attack, besides she expected all the barons to side with her. But she soon found out her mistake, and in a few days the Castle of Leeds was obliged to surrender, and eleven of its defenders, including Badlesmere, were hanged just outside the gate. Lady Badlesmere was sent to the Tower of London as a state prisoner.

Isabella now did all in her power to influence the king against the barons, instead of working to restore peace, as she once did. So he fought against them in person, and Lancaster was seized in the battle. He was sentenced by the king with the least possible delay, and beheaded a few hours later. The queen knew nothing about her uncle's sentence until too late, otherwise, it is to be hoped, she would have endeavored to save him. She was living in the Tower at the time, and it was there that her youngest child, the Lady Joanna, was born.

Roger Mortimer had been captured while fighting against the king, and imprisoned in the Tower under sentence of death; but he managed in some unaccountable manner to see Isabella, and get her interested in him. Her influence was all-powerful at that period, so, to the astonishment of everybody, she made Edward change Mortimer's sentence of death to imprisonment for life, though he had really commenced the civil war by a fierce attack on the lands of the Despencers. These men now hated the queen more than ever for assisting their enemy.

The following year Mortimer planned his escape from the Tower with the assistance of the constable and others. The queen herself provided a drink for the guard that put them into a heavy sleep. Then the prisoner, who had worked a hole from his dungeon into the kitchen of the royal apartments, climbed up the chimney and got out on the roof, along which he stealthily crawled to the Thames side, and descended by a rope ladder. The constable awaited him in a little boat, and rowed him across the river, where seven of his friends met him on horseback. With this guard he went to the coast of Hampshire, and pretended to sail to the Isle of Wight; but, instead of that, the fugitive got on board a large ship that had been engaged for him, and was soon landed in Normandy. Thence he went to Paris. When the king heard of the escape a great hue and cry was raised for Mortimer, dead or alive, but his whereabouts were not suspected, and he remained safely hidden in France.

The Despencers now began to influence the king as powerfully as Gaveston had done, and the queen commenced her plans for their destruction. She declared that they were the cause of all the recent bloodshed, and pretended that her Uncle Lancaster was a saint and a martyr, who only met his death by the advice of these favorites.

They had really committed one fault for which Isabella could not forgive them; they had caused her allowance to be curtailed, and no one ever offended her without paying dearly for it.

She had ceased to be lovable to the king, and so had lost her hold on him; but for this also she blamed the Despencers. Then she was deprived, by their advice, of her French servants and of all her possessions in England. She and her husband quarrelled to such an extent that at last they refused to see each other at all.

But Isabella was not meek enough to stand ill-treatment, so she complained to her brother, King Charles, who had succeeded to the throne of France. He wrote a very indignant letter to Edward, declaring his intention of seizing all the provinces of the French crown held by England. But Edward was not prepared for war, and neither he nor his ministers dared to go to France to face the angry brother of Isabella.

A.D. 1325. In this dilemma the queen volunteered her services as peace-maker, providing she might be allowed to go to Paris herself. Edward was only too happy to have the matter so easily settled, and the Despencers were delighted at the thought of getting rid of her. Isabella had a little plan of her own which she intended to carry out. The first step was a treaty of peace, which she arranged on her arrival in France, between her brother and the King of England. She was not at all surprised when the Despencers, who feared her influence over the weak mind of Edward, had dissuaded him from crossing the channel with her, even after his arrangements had been made. In fact, this was exactly what she had desired, because it enabled her to propose that her son, the Prince of Wales, should be invested with certain powers which she named, and sent in his father's stead. Both the king and the Despencers fell into the snare, and Isabella got the heir to the throne of England into her own hands.

As soon as Isabella found herself safe in France with her son, she laughed in her sleeve at the way she had hoodwinked her husband and his despised favorites. She was just where she wanted to be, and had no intention of returning to England until affairs there had changed to her complete satisfaction. She and her brother, King Charles, had concocted a treaty, it is true, but it was so written as to be almost incomprehensible, and to leave much matter for dispute between the two sovereigns.

Isabella made all sorts of frivolous excuses for prolonging her stay in Paris, where she was joined by her favorite Mortimer and all the banished English lords. Although these people were open enemies of her husband and his government, the wicked queen held councils and meetings with them, while she refused to have anything to do with the commissioners Edward had appointed.

The Bishop of Exeter, horrified at her disgraceful behavior, went over to England to inform the king of it, and to advise him to command her immediate return with the Prince of Wales.

Edward wrote several letters to his wife on this subject, but she paid no attention either to his entreaties or his orders. She declared openly "that it was the intention of the Despencers to cause her to be put to death if she returned to England." She knew better, but this statement aided her schemes, and she even succeeded in deceiving her brother, King Charles of France, who wrote King Edward "that he could not permit her to return to him unless she were guaranteed from the evil that was meditated against her by her enemies, the Despencers."

Edward's reply to this letter was manly and dignified. He begged his brother-in-law not to credit anything so false, but to send back his wife, of whom he wrote in kind, affectionate terms.

Isabella refused to go, and used her vile influence to encourage her son's disobedience in this matter also. Edward II. was very much hurt, and wrote frequently to his wife, reminding her of her duty, and taking her severely to task for her disloyal conduct.

It seems that during this time Isabella was treacherous enough to write most friendly letters to Hugh Despencer, even though she had openly pronounced him her enemy.

What offended King Edward most of all was that his son, whom he loved dearly, was not only kept away from him, but that he constantly associated with his mother's friend and adviser, Mortimer, who had proved himself a shameless, worthless traitor. Besides, Isabella had contracted a marriage between her son and a daughter of Count Hainault without the slightest mention of the matter to her husband, and had even gone so far as to receive the bride's marriage dowry, which was paid in advance, and used it for her own private expenses.

Edward's touching appeals took effect at last on the heart of King Charles, who began to treat his sister coolly and to urge her return to England. But she had gone too far to stop now, and her influence over her son was so great that she made him believe her life was in danger both at the hands of his father and the Despencers. The young man naturally felt that he must stay by his persecuted mother, and, if necessary, defend her.

Edward then applied to the Pope, who threatened to excommunicate King Charles if he did not immediately dismiss Isabella and her son from his dominions. The King of France was much alarmed at this threat, and did not hesitate to act upon it at once, particularly as he was so displeased with his sister that he had not spoken to her for a long time. He swore "that whoever should speak in behalf of his sister, the Queen of England, should forfeit his lands and be banished the realm."

Isabella had a cousin named Robert d'Artois, who was warmly attached to her. One night he woke her up to inform her of a conspiracy that he had just discovered to deliver her, the prince, the Earl of Kent, her husband's brother, and Mortimer over to King Edward.

The queen was so alarmed that she did not know which way to turn. Robert advised her to go to Germany, and place herself under the protection of William, Earl of Hainault, whose wife was her cousin. This plan struck her favorably, and the next night she left Paris with Mortimer, her son, and the Earl of Kent who always sided with her against his brother, King Edward.

After some days they got into the country of Cambray, and lodged at the house of a poor knight, who received the party with great pleasure, and entertained them in the best possible manner. The Earl of Hainault was a good, kind-hearted man, and felt very sorry when he thought of the queen's being obliged to seek refuge in a foreign country, so he sent his young brother, Sir John, with a few other gentlemen, to pay his respects to Isabella and conduct

her to Valenciennes, where he was then living with his family.

Sir John, being filled with the spirit of a true knight-errant, burst into tears when he heard Isabella's sad complaints from her own lips. "Lady," he said, "see here your knight who will not fail to die for you, though every one else should forsake you; therefore I will do everything in my power to conduct you safely to England with your son, and to restore you to your rank with the assistance of your friends in those parts; and I, and all those whom I can influence, will risk our lives on the adventure for your sake; and we shall have a sufficient armed force, if it please God, without fearing any danger from the King of France."

The queen would have thrown herself at his feet, but he would not allow it, and said, as he caught her in his arms:

"God forbid that the Queen of England should do such a thing! Madam, be of good comfort to yourself and company, for I will keep my promise, and you shall come to see my brother and the countess, his wife, and all their fine children, who will be rejoiced to see you, for I have heard them say so."

The queen answered: "Sir, I find in you more kindness and comfort than in all the world besides; and I give you five hundred thousand thanks for all you have promised with so much courtesy. I and my son shall be forever bound unto you, and we will put the kingdom of England under your management, as in justice it ought to be."

Then Isabella mounted her horse, and set off with her train to follow Sir John to Valenciennes. Many of the citizens of that town came forth to meet her, and she was received very graciously by the Earl of Hainault and his wife, who gave several feasts in her honor.

Isabella spent a week in this hospitable household, during which Sir John's sympathies were so aroused in her behalf that he obtained his brother's permission to accompany her to England. In the meantime he had written to certain knights in other parts of the country, beseeching them to arm in the cause of the distressed Queen of England. The expedition gathered at Dort, where the queen and her suite met them. Here they all embarked, but the fleet was tossed about by a tempest for several hours, and some of the ships were knocked to pieces. At last the queen was brought safely to shore near Harwich, and her knights and attendants built her a tent of carpets, and kindled a great fire of pieces of the wrecked vessels. Then all the horses and arms were taken from the ships which, the wind being favorable by that time, were sent around to the opposite coast. At daybreak the queen marched with her army to the next town, where she found the houses well stocked with all sorts of provisions, though the people had fled in terror, not knowing what to expect.

The advanced guard, meantime, marched through the country, seizing all the cattle and food they could get hold of, and spreading misery in every direction. When Isabella came along the owners complained bitterly, but she paid them most liberally for all they had lost. The money thus distributed made the queen popular, and the people were anxious to supply her with whatever she desired after that.

Although the king had forbidden his subjects to meet Isabella, when she arrived at Harwich a large number of knights, barons, and bishops were assembled to welcome her. Her force numbered two thousand seven hundred and fifty-seven soldiers, commanded by Sir John of Hainault, and Roger Mortimer commanded the English, who joined them after, they landed.

So many false stories had been circulated by the queen's agents of the persecutions she had endured from her husband and his barbarous ministers, and of the way she had been driven into a foreign land by plots against her life, that she was considered the most injured of wives and queens.

The common people were blinded by excitement, and flocked to meet her without stopping to inquire whether her cause were just or not. All the tales of her guilty conduct that had reached them from time to time they now believed to have been pure inventions of her enemies, the Despencers. No voice was raised against her though she came with her son, the Prince of Wales, attended by an outlawed traitor and a band of foreigners to raise a revolt against her own husband. It seems strange that such a wicked woman should have met with such success; but every Plantagenet in England was on her side, and she had many French relations there who always had thought her of more importance than the king.

Instead of taking measures to defend himself, Edward wrote pathetic letters to the Pope and to the King of France asking for aid, and issued a proclamation offering £1,000 for the head of the arch traitor, Roger Mortimer. The queen then offered a reward of double that sum for the head of the younger Despencer, and declared that her only motive in coming home was to deliver England from the king's bad advisers.

When Isabella attended church at Oxford in company with her son, Mortimer, and all her followers, the Bishop of Hereford preached the sermon and explained the queen's motive for taking up arms, concluding with this sentence: "When the head of a kingdom becometh sick and diseased, it must be taken off without useless attempts to administer any other remedy." It is shocking to think of the wife and son of a man so devoted to both, as King Edward certainly was, listening to such a murderous speech without expressing their horror and indignation. But the only effect of it was to increase the madness of the populace against the unhappy king, who, attended by the two Despencers and a few other friends, fled to Bristol, intending to seek refuge in Ireland.

His departure was the signal for a general uprising of the Londoners, who mobbed the Tower, and set all the prisoners free in the queen's name. Then Isabella pursued her husband with her army, which had largely increased, and laid siege to Bristol. The king shut himself up with the younger Despencer in the castle, much grieved to see how all his subjects had turned against him. The older Despencer was seized and brought before Isabella, who declared "that she should see that law and justice were executed on him according to his deeds."

"Ah, madam," he replied; "God grant me an upright judge and a just sentence! and that if I cannot find it in this world, I may find it in another."

The knight was ninety years of age when he made this reply, but that was of no consequence to Isabella; she had him in her power at last, and was determined to punish him. He was sentenced, and his execution took place within sight of his son and the king, who were still shut up in the castle. So alarmed were they at the old man's tragic fate that they endeavored to escape to Wales in a little boat. After tossing about for some days they were driven back by contrary winds to within a mile of the castle they had fled from. A knight, observing the efforts of the boatmen, rowed out in his own barge with a strong force to see what was the matter, and soon succeeded in capturing the king and his favorite, both of whom were delivered over to the queen as her prisoners.

Now Isabella's evil nature blazed out and showed her real character. She started with all her army for London, having caused Sir Hugh Despencer to be bound to the smallest and meanest horse that could be found, and dressed in his mantle of state, on which was embroidered his coat-of-arms. Thus was he led in mockery through all the towns they passed, his approach being announced by trumpets and cymbals. When they reached Hereford the royal party were received with great rejoicing, and stopped there to celebrate the feast of All Saints.

The unfortunate Hugh Despencer, who had eaten not a mouthful since the moment of his arrest, now became faint, and Isabella feared that he might succumb before reaching London. He was, therefore, brought to trial without further delay, and most cruelly put to death.

Several other gentlemen who had in one way or another offended either the queen or her friend, Mortimer, were executed in the same place.

When the army, which had been increased to an enormous size by volunteers by the way, arrived in London, great crowds flocked to welcome them, presenting costly gifts to Isabella and some of her followers.

On the 7th of January parliament met and decided to remove their absent sovereign, proclaiming the Prince of Wales King of England by the title of Edward III. When this was made known to the queen she pretended to be very much distressed, and actually forced herself to shed tears, though it was precisely what she had worked for. But she overacted her part, and her counterfeit tears so deceived her son that he made a solemn vow not to accept the crown unless his royal father should willingly resign it to him.

This was awkward; for how could a committee wait upon the king to ask him to abdicate? But young Edward adhered to his resolution, and a dozen commissioners were appointed by Isabella to demand of the fallen monarch his crown, sceptre, and the rest of the regalia.

They proceeded to Kenilworth Castle, where Edward was kept as a state prisoner, and in a cruel, heartless manner pointed out to him the errors he had committed as their reason for desiring him to resign his crown. Edward listened to the mortifying recital and wept bitterly. At length he replied, "that he knew he was punished for his many sins, and was grieved for having incurred the hatred of his people. He was glad his eldest son was so gracious in their sight, and gave them thanks for choosing him to be their king." Although the poor monarch had fainted during this interview, he failed to arouse the sympathy of the commissioners.

Edward II. was by no means a bad man, for his chief faults were those of judgment, and at times want of dignity, which led him to engage in boyish frolics, and occasionally to drink to excess.

A.D. 1326. On the following Christmas day, 1326, young King Edward, who was just fifteen years of age, was crowned in Westminster Abbey. Then twelve bishops and nobles were appointed to advise and assist the youthful sovereign in affairs of state. The queen offered no objection, but as she had the military power in her own hands she made Roger Mortimer her prime minister, and demanded an enormous sum of money for her own use. She sent presents and deceitful messages full of affection to her husband, who in return wrote to request the favor of being once more permitted to see her and his son. But Isabella was never softened towards him, though she was, to a great extent, the cause of his unfortunate situation. She was so thoroughly hard-hearted that, when she heard he was kindly treated at Kenilworth, she had him removed from one place to another under the care of two brutal fellows whose cruelties were too horrible to mention. One night, just a year after the queen's return, Edward II. was put to death by her order in Berkeley Castle, and buried privately. Then the nation became indignant; many of Isabella's friends deserted her when they found that they had been the tools of an artful, ambitious, depraved woman, and a strong party was organized to get rid of her. She had committed more crimes in one year than the late king and his ministers had done in twenty, though she pretended to be a reformer.

She was a cruel hypocrite, planning, with the slyness of a cat, the destruction of each member of the royal family. Knowing that the Earl of Kent was most miserable on account of the part he had taken in her proceedings, she caused somebody to tell him that his brother was not dead, but a prisoner at Corfe Castle. The earl employed a friar to inquire whether this was true.

He was assured that it was, and had shown to him at a distance a person seated at a table so disguised as to resemble the dead king. The earl then went to the castle and requested the governor to conduct him to his brother's apartment. The governor did

not deny that edward was in the castle, but said that he was not permitted to let any one see him, upon which the earl wrote a letter to be conveyed to the supposed prisoner. this letter was immediately carried to the queen, who used it as a pretence for the earl's arrest, and after an absurd trial he was unjustly condemned to die. His estates passed into the hands of mortimer's son.

By this time Roger Mortimer had made himself so offensive with his haughty display and his cruelty that the king had him arrested and locked up in the Tower. A few days later he was executed with several of his friends, and his body hung on the gallows at Tyburn for two days.

Having thus rid himself of his worst enemy, Edward III. ordered his mother to live at Castle Rising, where, with plenty of people to wait on her, and everything to make her comfortable, she passed her time quietly, having no chance to scheme or plot against the government.

There she remained for about twenty-seven years, receiving occasional visits from her son, who never permitted her name to be mentioned in his presence, excepting with great respect.

A.D. 1358. She died in 1358, and was buried by Edward III. with much ceremony at Grey Friars' Church, her body being attired in the uniform of that order of nuns.

A fine alabaster tomb was erected to her memory, the only inscription thereon being:

"ISABELLA REGINA."