Mediaeval Yorkshire

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: (Sbroarb of Caernarvon Hetgneb. i. PIERS GAVESTON AT SCARBOROUGH. Edward of Caernarvon received the crown, the Barons of England were possessed of almost princely power, and had only to display their banners to find themselves at the head of numerous warlike vassals; their pride was as great as their...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: (Sbroarb of Caernarvon Hetgneb. i. PIERS GAVESTON AT SCARBOROUGH. Edward of Caernarvon received the crown, the Barons of England were possessed of almost princely power, and had only to display their banners to find themselves at the head of numerous warlike vassals; their pride was as great as their power, and the policy of the young prince was clearly indicated. Of all things it was advisable to avoid a rupture with the great feudatories of the crown, and to employ their military strength in the interests of the nation. The late King's cruel and indefensible wars with Scotland had aroused the deepest hatred of the brave acd stubborn Scots, and their repeated and extensive devastations of the northern frontiers called for the wisest protective measures. The reign of Edward II. commenced with follies which ultimately involved the Kingdom in the troubles of internecine strife, and ended in his utter ruin and cruel murder at Berkeley castle, in the September of 1327. Unfortunate in his expeditions against the Scots, and only victorious when the thirst for revenge spurs him to action, the unhappy monarch involves his country, his friends, and his subjects in misfortune, and brings upon his own head the doom which usually, during the middle ages, followed the inability to rule. It was not by failure in the field that Edward drew upon himself the hatred of his Barons; it was by his weak and unkingly love of favourites. Of these, Piers Gaveston, a handsome and vivacious Gascon knight, was especially obnoxious to the Court of King Edward. Unhappy Gaveston All the promise of his talent and courtly address suffered shipwreck through the thoughtless excess of royal favour which was heaped upon him. Oh, how those proud Anglo-Norman barons hated the brilliant young up...