Scone. The rising this time was a national one. Bruce himself was defeated at Methven and fled, but the resistance continued. Edward ravaged the country with great cruelty, but as soon as he returned to England Bruce re-appeared and the work had to be taken in hand again. Edward died at Burgh on Sands, near Carlisle, on his way to lead another expedition against the redoubtable Bruce. What Edward I. could not accomplish Edward II. was not likely to do, and under the weak government which set in with the new reign Bruce won success after success. Bruce defeated at Death of Edward i. Continued success i. Characteristics of XIV. Century ii. Edward II.'s Character iii His Reign 1. Government by favourites: Piers Gaveston a. Baronial opposition-Lords Ordainers - The Ordinances 1310-Lancaster b. Constitutional significance of the Ordinances-Criticism portance. 2. Edward's Personal Rule 1312-1325 a. Scottish losses-Bannockburn 1314 b. Lancaster's incompetence c. Influence of Despensers d. Lancaster's opposition and death 1322. His spurious reputation e. Parliament of York (1322)-Victory of Absolutism by Constitutional means 1. Characteristics Just as the new king differed in character from his father,so of XIV. Century. the new Century which began with his reign differed from the preceding one. (Gardiner 1, 213, 227, 238.) The great work of building up national unity, which had been the aspiration of the XIII. Century, was to a considerable degree completed when Edward I. died. To a great extent it is this very completion which explains the inferiority of the XIV. Century. True greatness arises not so much from accomplishments as from aims and aspirations, and when the task is accomplished there is always a tendency to slacken and to rest. The mark of the XIV. Century is the absence of high aims. Its great men are small in comparison with the heroes of the thirteenth. Its struggles are largely the quarrels of factions. Its constitutional progress is mainly the result of the previous century's work, and is concerned with details which seem insignificant when compared with the great principles which had previously been contested. Religious activity declined into heresy and persecution. Chivalry became selfishness and cruelty. The refinement which appeared was only on the surface, and luxury brought indifference to the suffering of the poorer classes. Architecture changed from the severe but vigorous Early English Style into the elegant luxuriance of the Decorated II. Edward li.'s Character (e.g. Lichfield, Exeter, Wells, the central tower at Lincoln, and the nave of York Minster) which reached its highest development about the middle of the century. It then began to exaggerate its beauties and so provoked a reaction in favour of plainer and squarer features. Hence arose the Perpendicular Style, of which Wykeham's New College at Oxford (1380— 86) is the earliest example. Richard II. completed Westminster Hall just in time to be deposed in it. Magdalen Tower at Oxford is one of the latest specimens of Perpendicular. Edward II. was worthless, improvident and insolent, unable to rule or even to choose capable ministers to rule for him. The only trace of a policy in his actions is a desire to free himself from the constraints of the Baronage, and this for selfish ends only he had no idea of promoting the national welfare. But he was not strong enough to be a tyrant, and thus his attempts to rule by means of favourites chosen by himself and wholly III. His reign. dependent on himself utterly failed. He married, in 1308, 1. Govt. by FavourIsabella, daughter of Philip IV., whom popular hatred called "the She Wolf of France.' Richly she deserved her name : her influence throughout was bad, and her faithlessness and treachery ultimately did much to ruin her husband. (Stubbs ii, 325-7, 379-80. Green 207.) ites. (Green 208.) Piers Gaveston was his intimate friend. Accomplished and Piers Gaveston. clever, but avaricious and ambitious, he had been banished by Edward I. As soon as the new reign began he was recalled and exercised the utmost power. His worthless character made his influence wholly bad. His witty French insolence stung the stolid English Barons to the quick, as he gaily flung about nicknames which cleverly fastened upon personal characteristics. Lancaster was the Mummer," Pembroke the Jew," Warwick "the Black Dog." The Barons, under the leadership of Thomas of Lancaster a, Baronial opposn. (son of Edmund Crouchback), insisted upon his dismissal, and in the face of the Scottish war Edward had to consent. He Lords Ordainers. was promptly recalled. Then the Barons, supported by Parliament, appointed Lords Ordainers who brought forward The Ordinances 1310 a series of Ordinances of Reform. I. Gaveston was to be banished. 2. Ministers were to be approved by the Baronage. 3. War was only to be waged with the consent of the 4. New Customs were to be abolished. 5. Parliament was to meet at least once a year. The Ordinances (especially 1, 2, 3) show clearly the real nature of the movement. Lancaster was aspiring to play the part of de Montfort without either the ability or the sincerity of Sir Simon the Righteous. It was the last great attempt of the Baronage to obtain the chief power in the State. Its aim was not to promote the national welfare but the power of a E b, (Green 208.) Lancaster. (Stubbs ii, 334.) Constitutional significance of the Ordinances. Criticism. c, Edw.'s opposition single class only, and the Ordinances simply transferred power from the King to the Baronage. The people were not considered, and this presently gave the King an effective excuse for destroying them. Such an attempt to confine all power to a single class could not succeed. Even Edward was able to perceive this. He set the Ordinances at defiance and Gaveston returned. His Gaveston's murder triumph was short-lived for The Black Dog' had vowed the favourite should feel his fangs. He was seized by Lancaster and his head was struck off on Blacklow Hill, near Warwick. 1312. Its importance. (Stubbs ii, 355.) 2. Edw.'s Personal Rule, 1312-1325. a, Scottish losses. (Oman 570.) Bannockburn 1314. Personal violence is never the right way of securing reforms, and Gaveston's murder gave an example which was terribly copied. It was the first of a series of similar crimes which accompanied the so-called constitutional struggle which began now and lasted till Bosworth Field, making it resemble a primitive Blood Feud. Moreover Gaveston had roused opposition rather by offensive personal behaviour than by attacks on the constitution. His influence was no doubt dangerous and harmful, but the constitution could not yet be said to have suffered. His execution without trial was merely murder committed in revenge for personal insults. For a long time Edward dissembled. Bruce's successes enforced attention and he had to march against him. By 1314 Bruce had almost cleared Scotland of the English. Only the fortresses of Stirling, Dunbar, and Berwick, remained of Edward's conquests. The first-named was the most important strategic point in Scotland, and its governor had promised to surrender unless relieved by S. John's Day, June 24th. Even Edward II. could not stand still and see the last of his father's conquests disappear. He summoned help from England and Wales, and even from Ireland and Gascony. Lancaster refused to assist, but a vast host was collected. Probably no less than 50,000 men marched across the border. The gay companions of the thriftless king were in the ascendant, looking for an easy victory over the despised Scots. Generalship was conspicuously absent. Bruce let them waste their strength by advancing well into the heart of the country. He waited for them on the rolling hillsides which overlook the Bannock Burn. The front to be defended was narrowed considerably on either hand by marshy pools and swampy ground, and behind it Bruce massed his 40,000 patriots. The firm ground he honeycombed with concealed holes as traps for Edward's horse. The English advanced in three lines, all crowded together, and continually wedged closer as they neared the narrow approach to the enemy's position. Bruce rode in front of his men encouraging them to stand firm against the gay and well-armed mass. Sir Henry Bohun, seeing this, rode out against him hoping to end the war with his own lance. Bruce awaited his charge, turned aside Bohun's lance with his battleaxe, and as the knight was carried past him brained him with a single blow. Night fell before the battle had begun. The English spent the night in carousing, and next morning drew up in what array they could. Most of them were of course unable to get near the Scots. Crowded and crushed together, manoeuvring was out of the question. The 30,000 archers were behind the horsemen and could not get in front: the men who might have won the day were useless. The unwieldy mass began to move forward. Many fell in the holes; the rest pressed on above them. Confused and unable to move freely, the English, as they reached the Scots, were hacked to pieces. They died by hundreds, too brave to retreat even if the ranks pressing on behind would have allowed them to do so. The archers tried to reach the Scots by shooting high, but seem to have killed more friends than enemies. In the confusion Bruce's camp followers snatched up what weapons lay near, and swooped down the hills on the English flank crying "Slay, slay." Imagining they were serious reinforcements the English were seized with panic. Edward himself set the example of flight, and all who could extricate themselves followed him. The peasantry waylaid the fugitives and butchered them by hundreds. Never in English History was there such a slaughter of the Baronage, and the loss of men-at-arms was enormous. Some 30,000 are said to have been lost in the expedition. The Scots lost 2 knights and 2,000 pikemen. Edward on his return to England was compelled to admit Lancaster to power. But office only showed more clearly his incapacity. Scotland was completely lost and in all departments there was mismanagement. Though he was strong enough to force himself into power he had no real capacity, and everything fell into confusion. Famines added to the discontent, and Edward's influence became stronger as the failure of his opponents became more marked. He came under the sway of the Despensers, father and son. They were able officials, though quite destitute of public spirit. Their object was simply to secure their own advancement, and their legal training taught them that they might do this by playing the part of champions of the national constitution which Lancaster had set at naught. b, Lancaster's incompetence. (Stubbs ii, 355-365.) C, Influence of sition & death, 1322. Lancaster and the old Baronage, including Roger Mortimer, d, Lancaster's oppoone of the semi-independent Lords of the Welsh Marches, raised the familiar outcry against "favourites." They persuaded parliament (1321) to banish the Despensers. Edward had not forgotten the murder, or forgiven the murderer of his |