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Книги серии Just for Pleasure («Просто для удоволь ствия») адресованы самой широкой аудитории изучающих английский язык. Издания предназначены как для самосто ятельного чтения, так и для работы под руководством пре подавателя и рассчитаны на три уровня владения языком: О начинающих; О совершенствующихся; О владеющих. Книги для начинающих (.Beginners) состоят из неболь ших прозаических текстов, диалогов и стихотворений, со провождаются подробными комментариями, англо-русским словариком, а также комплексом тестов и упражнений на развитие разговорных навыков. Книги для совершенствующихся {.Intermediate) — это ори гинальная литература, адаптированная для соответствующе го уровня владения языком. Художественные тексты, публикуемые в данном цикле, сопровождаются комментари ями и проверочными упражнениями. Книги этого уровня будут особенно полезны абитуриентам, готовящимся сдавать вступительный экзамен по английскому языку. В цикле для владеющих языком (Advanced) публику ются неадаптированные произведения англоязычных писа телей, снабженные лексико-грамматическими и культуро логическими комментариями, а также небольшими статья ми, рассказывающими о вошедших в издание произведениях и их авторах. Надеемся, что книги серии Just for Pleasure принесут пользу и доставят удовольствие всем интересующимся анг лийским языком и литературой.
The History of England Absolute Monarchy
«ПИТЕР» Са нкт-Петербург 1996
THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND Absolute Monarchy Series «Just for Pleasure» intermediate
level
Рецензент: Л. В. Сидорченко, докт. филол. наук, проф. кафедры истории зарубежных литератур СПбГУ Главный редактор издательства Заведующая редакцией Художественные редакторы Художники Корректор Оригинал-макет подготовил ББК 63.3(4)
В. Усманов М. Любарец С, Борин, Н. Вавулин С. Борин, А. Лурье Е. Попова О. Синеокое
УДК940.1(420)(07)-20
Бурова И. И. The History of England. Absolute Monarchy. — СПб: Питер Пресс, 1996. — 224 с. — (Серия «Just for Pleasure»). ISBN 5-88782-027-6 Настоящее издание является продолжением «The History of Eng land by J. J. Bell» и рассчитано на средний уровень владения языком (Intermediate). Оно посвящено интереснейшему периоду английской истории, длившемуся с 1485 по 1689 гг., со времен войны Алой и Белой розы до событий «Славной революции» и состоит из очерков, посвя щенных царствованию английских королей династий Тюдоров и Стю артов. Тексты сопровождаются комментариями и контрольными зада ниями. Это позволяет рекомендовать книгу в качестве учебного посо бия учащимся старших классов различных типов школ, студентам гу манитарных вузов, всем изучающим английский язык и интересую щимся историей. © Составление, комментарии, Бурова И. И., 1995 © Серия, оформление, издательство «Питер Пресс», 1995 Все права защищены. Никакая часть данной книги не может быть воспроизведена в какой бы то ни было форме и какими бы то ни было средствами без письменного разрешения владел ьцев авторских прав.
ISBN 5-88782-027-6 Издательство «Питер Пресс». 194044, С.-Петсрб\рг, Выборгская наб., 27. Лицензия ЛР № 063798 от 2fi 12.31 Подписано к печати 19.07.96. Формат 84X1 (its JJ- Усл. и. л. 11.76. Доп. тираж 10000. Заказ № 376 Отпечатано с готового оригинал-макета в типографии им. Ва годарскаго Лениздата. 191023, Санкт-Петербург, Фонтанка, 57.
ВМЕСТО ПРЕДИСЛОВИЯ Выпущенная в свет на английском языке издательством "Питер" книга "The History of England" Дж. Белла познакоми ла читателей с историей этой страны до 1485 года. Последние три десятилетия этого периода известны прежде всего фео дальными междоусобицами, получившими поэтическое назва ние Войны Алой и Белой розы. Эта война приняла форму борьбы за престол между двумя ветвями династии Плантагенетов — Ланкастерами, герб которых украшала алая роза, и Нор ками, на гербе которых красовалась роза белого цвета. Конфликт между двумя влиятельнейшими семействами вспыхнул в период правления Генриха VI из династии Ланкас теров (1421-1471). Генрих стал монархом в годовалом возрас те. Длительное время могущественные лорды правили страной от его имени. Однако и в зрелом возрасте король остался лишь номинальным властелином, ибо страдал припадками безумия. Поэтому в 1455 году протектором Англии стал Ричард Йорк. В 1461 году на трон Англии взошел сын Ричарда, Эдуард IV. Лан кастеры, оспаривавшие пальму первенства у Йорков, в 1470 году добились реставрации Генриха VI, но она была кратковременной, и в 1471 году королем вновь стал Эдуард, правивший до 1483 года. После его смерти в течении двух месяцев, с апреля по июнь, на престоле находился юный Эдуард V. Затем престол захватил брат покойного короля Ричард III. Эдуард V вместе со своим младшим братом, законным престолонаследником, был заточен в Тауэр. По одной из версий, Ричард избавился от племянников, подослав к ним убийц. Амбициозный Ричард III не получил поддержки не только у ланкастерцев, но и у йоркистов. Открытую оппозицию королю возглавил Генрих Тюдор из дома Лан кастеров. В 1485 году он разгромил войско Ричарда в битве при Босворте. Сам король погиб в этом бою. Победитель возложил
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на себя королевскую корону и стал основателем династии Тюдоров. При Тюдорах, правивших Англией с 1485 по 1603 год, страна стала абсолютной монархией. Представители династии Стюартов, пришедшей на смену Тюдорам, постепенно утрачи вали неограниченную власть, а в 1689 году, по восшествии на престол Марии II и Вильгельма III, страна стала парламентар ной монархией. Наша вторая книга по истории Англии, основанная на фрагментах "Детской истории Англии" Ч. Диккенса, охваты вает события, происходившие между 1485 и 1689 годом. История страны представлена в ней в рассказах об эпохах правления отдельных монархов. Это позволяет не только познакомить с основными историческими вехами в жизни Англии, но и дать характеристику тем властителям, которые во многом определили ход английской истории.
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CHAPTER I
ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE SEVENTH King Henry the Seventh did not turn out to be as fine a fellow as the nobility and people hoped, in the first joy of their deliverance from Richard the Third. He was very cold, crafty, and calculating, and would do almost anything for money. He possessed considerable aoility, but his chief merit appears to have been that he was not cruel when there was nothing to be got by it. The new King had promised the nobles who had espoused his cause that he would marry the Princess Elizabeth of York. The first thing he did was to direct her to be removed from the castle of Sheriff Hutton in Yorkshire, where Richard had placed her, and restored to the care of her mother in London. The young Earl of Warwick, Edward Plantagenet, son and heir of the late Duke of Clarence, had been kept a prisoner in the same old Yorkshire Castle with her. This boy, who was now fifteen, the new King placed in the Tower for safety. Then he came to London in great state, and gratified the people with a fine procession; on which kind of show he often very much relied for keeping them in good humour. The sports and feasts which took place were
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followed by a terrible fever, called the Sweating Sickness, of which great numbers of people died. The King's coronation was postponed on account of the general ill-health, and he afterwards deferred his marriage, as if he were not very anxious that it should take place: and, even after that, deferred the Queen's coronation so long that he gave offence to the York party. However, he set these things right in the end, by hanging some men and seizing on the rich possessions of others; by granting more popular pardons to the followers of the late King than could, at first, be got from him; and, by employing about his Court, some not very scrupulous persons who had been employed in the previous reign. This reign was principally remarkable for two very curious impostures which have become famous in history. *** There was a priest at Oxford of the name of Simons, who had for a pupil a handsome boy named Lambert Simnel, the son of a baker. Partly to gratify his own ambitious ends, and partly to carry out the designs of a secret party formed against the King, this priest declared that his pupil, the boy, was no other than the young Earl of Warwick, who (as everybody might have known) was safely locked up in the Tower of London. The priest and the boy went over to Ireland, and, at Dublin, enlisted in their cause all ranks of the people, who seem to have been generous enough, but exceedingly irrational. The Earl of Kildare, the governor of Ireland, declared that he believed the boy to be what the priest represented; and the boy, who had been well tutored by the priest, told them such things of his childhood, and gave them so many descriptions of the Royal Family, that they were perpetually drinking his health to express their belief in him. The Earl of Lincoln — whom the late usurper had named as his successor — went over to the young Pretender; and, after holding a secret correspondence with the Dowager Duchess of Burgundy — the sister of Edward the Fourth, who detested the present King and all his race - sailed to
wu
ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE SEVENTH
9
Dublin with two thousand German soldiers of her providing. The boy was crowned there, with a crown taken off the head of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Ten days afterwards, the Germans, and the Irish, and the priest, and the boy, and the Earl of Lincoln, all landed in Lancashire to invade England. The King, who had good intelligence of their movements, set up his standard at Nottingham, where vast numbers resorted to him every day; while the Earl of Lincoln could gain but very few. With his small force he tried to make for the town of Newark; but as the King's army got between him and that place, he had no choice but to risk a battle at Stoke. It soon ended in the complete destruction of the Pretender's forces, one half of whom were killed; among them, the Earl himself. The priest and the baker's boy were taken prisoners. The priest, after confessing the trick, was shut up in prison, where he afterwards died. The boy was taken into the King's kitchen and made a turnspit. He was afterwards raised to the station of one of the King's falconers. There seems reason to suspect that the Dowager Queen — always a restless and busy woman — had had some share in tutoring the baker's son. The King was very angry with her. He seized upon her property, and shut her up in a convent. One might suppose that the end of this story would have put the Irish people on their guard; but they were quite ready to receive a second impostor, as they had received the first, and that same troublesome Duchess of Burgundy soon gave them the opportunity. All of a sudden there appeared at Cork, in a vessel arriving from Portugal, a young man of excellent abilities, of very handsome appearance and most winning manners, who declared himself to be Richard, Duke of York, the second son of King Edward the Fourth. *** King Henry was on bad terms with France then, so the French king Charles the Eighth saw that, by pretending to believe in the handsome young man, he could trouble his
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enemy sorely. So, he invited him over to the French Court, and appointed him a body-guard, and treated him in all respects as if he really were the Duke of York. Peace, however, being soon concluded between the two Kings, the pretended Duke was turned adrift, and wandered for protection to the Duchess of Burgundy. She declared him to be the very picture of her dear departed brother, gave him a body-guard at her Court, of thirty halberdiers, and called him by the sounding name of the White Rose of England. The leading members of the White Rose party in England sent over an agent, named Sir Robert Clifford, to ascertain whether the White Rose's claims were good, and the King also sent over his agents to inquire into the Rose's history. The White Roses declared the young man to be really the Duke of York; the King declared him to be Perkin Warbeck, the son of a Flamish merchant, who had acquired his knowledge of England, its language and manners, from the English merchants who traded in Flanders; it was also stated by the King's agents that he had been in the service of Lady Brompton, the wife of an exiled English nobleman, and that the Duchess of Burgundy had caused him to be trained and taught, expressly for this deception. The King then required the Archduke Philip — who was the sovereign of Burgundy — to banish this new Pretender, or to deliver him up; but, as the Archduke replied that he could not control the Duchess in her own land, the King, in revenge, took the market of English cloth away from Antwerp, and prevented all commercial intercourse between the two countries. Perkin Warbeck kept quiet for three years; but, as the Flemings began to complain heavily of the loss of their trade by the stoppage of the Antwerp market on his account, and as it was not unlikely that they might even go so far as to take his life, or give him up, he found it necessary to do something. Accordingly he made a desperate saliy, and landed, with only a few hundred men, on the British coast. But he was soon glad to get back to the place from whence he came; for the country people rose against his followers, killed a great many, and took a hundred and fifty
ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE SEVENTH
И
prisoners, who were all driven to London, tied together with ropes, like a team of cattle. All of them were hanged on some part or other of the sea-shore; in order, that if any more men should come over with Perkin Warbeck, they might see the bodies as a warning before they landed. * * * Then the King, by making a treaty of commerce with the Flemings, drove Perkin Warbeck out of that country; and, by completely gaining over the Irish to his side, deprived him of that asylum too. He wandered away to Scotland, and told his story at that Court. King James the Fourth of Scotland, who was no friend to King Henry and had no reason to be (for King Henry had bribed his Scotch lords to betray him more than once, but had never succeeded in his plots), gave him a great reception, called him his cousin, and gave him in marriage the. Lady Catherine Gordon, a beautiful and charming creature related to the royal house of Stuart. Alarmed by this successful reappearance of the Pretender, the King tried to procure the Pretender to be delivered up to him. James would not betray him; and the ever-busy Duchess of Burgundy so provided him with arms, and good soldiers, and with money besides, that he had soon a little army of fifteen hundred men of various nations. With these, and aided by the Scottish King in person, he crossed the border into England, and made a proclamation to the people, in which he called the King "Henry Tudor", offered large rewards to any who should take or distress him, and announced himself as King Richard the Fourth. His faithful subjects, however, cared nothing for him, and hated his troops, who, being of different nations, quarrelled also among themselves. Worse than this, they began to plunder the country, upon which the White Rose said that he would rather lose his rights, than gain diem through the miseries of the English people. The Scottish King made a jest of his scruples, but they and their whole force went back again without fighting a battle. The worst consequence of this attempt was the rising that took place among the people of Cornwall, who
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considered themselves too heavily taxed to meet the charges of the expected war. Stimulated by Flammock, a lawyer, and Joseph, a blacksmith, and joined by Lord Audley and some other country gentlemen, they marched on all the way to Deptford Bridge, where they fought a battle with the King's anny. They were defeated — though the Cornish men fought with great bravery — and the lord was beheaded, and the lawyer and the blacksmith were hanged, drawn, and quartered. The jrest. were pardoned. The King, who thought that money could settle anything, allowed them to make bargains for their liberty with the soldiers who had taken them. *** Perkin Warbeck, doomed to wander up and down, lost his Scottish refuge through a truce being made between the two Kings. But James (always honourable and true to him, even when that cause was lost and hopeless) did not conclude the treaty, until he had safely departed out of the Scottish dominions. He, and his beautiful wife, who was faithful to him under all reverses, and left her state and home to follow his poor fortunes, were put aboard ship with everything necessary for their comfort and protection, and sailed for Ireland. But, the Irish people had had enough of counterfeit Earls of Warwick and Dukes of York, and would give the White Rose no aid. So, the While Rose resolved to go with his beautiful wife to Cornwall, and see what might be made of the Cornish men, who had fought so bravely at Deptford Bridge. In Cornwall Perkin Warbeck shut up his wife for safety in the Castle of St. Michael's Mount, and then marched into Devonshire at the head of three thousand Cornish men. These were increased to six thousand by the time of his arrival in Exeter; but, there the people made a .stout.resistance, and he went on to Taunton, where he came in sight of the King's army. The stout Cornish men, although they were few in number, and badly armed, were so boJd, that they never thought of retreating, but bravely looked forward to a battle. Unhappily for them, the man who attracted so many people
ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE SEVENTH
13
to his side was not as brave as they. In the night, when the two armies lay opposite to each other, he mounted a swift horse and fled. In the morning, having discovered that they had no leader, the Cornish men surrendered to the King's power. Some of them were hanged, and the rest were pardoned and went miserably home. Before the King pursued Perkin Warbeck to the sanctuary of Beaulieu in the New Forest, where it was soon known that he had taken refuge, he sent a body of horsemen to St. Michael's Mount, to seize his wife. She was soon taken and brought as a captive before the King. But she was so beautiful, and so good, and so devoted to the man in whom she believed, that the King regarded her with compassion, treated her with great respect, and placed her at Court, near the Queen's person. And many years after Perkin Warbeck was no more, and when his strange story had become like a nursery tale, people called her the White Rose in remembrance of her beauty. The sanctuary at Beaulieu was soon surrounded by the King's men; and the King sent pretended friends to Perkin Warbeck to persuade him to come out and surrender himself. This he soon did. The King directed him to be well mounted, and to ride behind him at a little distance, guarded, but not bound in any way. So they entered London, and some of the people hooted as the Pretender rode slowly through the streets to the Tower. But the greater part were quiet, and very curious to see him. From the Tower, he was taken to the Palace at Westminster, and there lodged like a gentleman, though closely watched. * * *
At last Perkin Warbeck ran away, and took refuge in another sanctuary near Richmond in Surrey. From this he was again persuaded to deliver himself up, and, being conveyed to London, he stood in the stocks for a whole day, outside Westminster Hall, and there read a paper purporting to be his full confession, and relating his history as the King's agents had originally described it. He was then shut up in the
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Tower again, in the company of the Earl of Warwick, who had now been there for fourteen years. A plot was soon discovered between them and the keepers, to murder the Governor, get possession of the keys, and proclaim Perkin Warbeck as King Richard the Fourth. That there was such plot, is likely; that they were tempted into it, is at least as likely; that the unfortunate Earl of Warwick — last male of the Plantagenet line — was too unused to the world, and too ignorant and simple to know much about it, is perfectly certain; and that it was the King's interest to get rid of him, is no less so. He was beheaded on Tower Hill, and Perkin Warbeck was hanged at Tyburn. Such was the end of the pretended Duke of York. If he had turned his great natural advantages to a more honest account, he might have lived a happy and respected life, even in those days. But he t'ied upon a fallows at Tyburn, leaving the Scottish lady, who had loved him so well, kindly protected at the Queen's Court. After some time she forgot her old loves and troubles, and married a Welsh gentleman, Sir Matthew Cradoc. *** The ill-blood between France and England in this reign arose out of the continued plotting of the Duchess of Burgundy, and disputes respecting the affairs of Brittany. The King feigned to be very patriotic, indignant, and warlike; but he always contrived so as never to make war in reality, and always to make money. His taxation of the people, on pretence of war with France, involved, at one time, a very dangerous insurrection, headed by Sir John Egremont, and a common man called John a Chambre. But it was subdued by the Royal forces, under the command of the Earl of Surrey. John Egremont escaped to the Duchess of Burgundy, and the other John was hanged at York, in the midst of a number of his men, but on a much higher gibbet, as being a greater traitor. Within a year after her marriage, the Queen had given birth to a son, who was called Prince Arthur in remembrance
ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE SEVENTH
15
of the old British prince of romance and story. When Arthur was fifteen, he was married to Catherine, the daughter of the Spanish monarch. But in a very few months he sickened and died. As soon as the King had recovered from his grief, he thought it a pity that the fortune of the Spanish Princess, amounting to two hundred thousand crowns, should go out of the family, and therefore arranged that the young widow should marry his second son Henry, then twelve years of age, when he too should be fifteen. There were objections to this marriage on the part of the clergy, but the Pope helped to settle the business. The King's eldest daughter was married to the Scottish King. And now the Queen died. When the King had got over that grief too, he thought of marrying the Dowager Queen of Naples or the Dowager Duchess of Savoy, or the widow of the King of Castile. But he married neither. The Duchess of Burgundy, among the other discontented people to whom she had given refuge, had sheltered Edmund de La Pole, Earl of Suffolk. The King had prevailed upon him to return to the marriage of Prince Arthur; but, he soon afterwards went away again. Then the King, suspecting a conspiracy, resorted to his favourite plan of sending him some treacherous friends, and buying of those scoundrels the secrets they disclosed or invented. Some arrests and executions took place in consequence. In the end, the King, on a promise of not taking his life, obtained possession of the person of Edmund de La Pole, and shut him up in the Tower. This was his last enemy, as Death ended the King's reign. He died of the gout, on the twenty-second of April, 1509, and in the fifty-third year of his age, after reigning twenty-four years. He was buried in the beautiful Chapel of Westminster Abbey, which he had himself founded. It was in this reign that the great Christopher Columbus, on behalf of Spain, discovered what was then called The New World. Great wonder, interest, and hope of wealth being awakened in England thereby, the King and the merchants of
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London and Bristol fitted out an English expedition for further discoveries in the New World, and entrusted it to Sebastian Cabot, of Bristol, the son of a Venetian pilot there. He was very successful in his voyage, and gained high reputation, both for himself and England.
CHAPTER II
ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE EIGHTH King Henry the Eighth was just eighteen years of age when he came to the throne. People said he was a handsome boy, but in later life he did not seem handsome at all. He was a big, burly, noisy, small-eyed, large-faced, double-chinned fellow, as we know from the portraits of him, painted by the famous Hans Holbein. The King was anxious King Heniy VIII to make himself popular, and the people, who had long disliked the late King, believed to believe that he deserved to be so. He was extremely fond of show and display, and so were they. Therefore there was great rejoicing when he married the Princess Catherine, and when they were both crowned. And the King fought at tournaments and always came off victorious — for the courtiers took care of
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that — and there was a general outcry that he was a wonderful man. The prime favourites of the late King, who were engaged in money-raising matters, Empson, Dudley, and their supporters, were accused of a variety of crimes they had never committed, instead of the offences of which they really had been guilty; and they were pilloried, and then beheaded, to the satisfaction of the people, and the enrichment of the King. The Pope, so indefatigable in getting the world into trouble, had mixed himself up in a war on the continent of Europe, occasioned by the reigning Princes of little quarrelling states in Italy having at various times married into other royal families, and so led to their claiming a share in those petty Governments. The King, who discovered that he was very fond of the Pope, sent a herald to the King of France, to say that he must not make war upon the father of all Christians. As the French King did not mind this relationship in the least, and also refused to admit a claim King Henry made to certain lands in France, war was declared between the two countries. England made a blundering alliance with Spain, and got stupidly taken in by that country, which made its own terms with France when it could, and left England in the lurch. Sir Edward Howard, a bold admiral, son of the Earl of Surrey, distinguished himself by his bravery against the French in this business; but, unfortunately, he was more brave than wise, for, skimming into the French harbour of Brest with only a few row-boats, he attempted to take some strong French ships, well defended with cannons. The upshot was, that he was left on board of one of them with not more than about a dozen men, and was thrown into the sea and drowned. * * *
After this great defeat the King took it into his head to invade France in person, first executing that dangerous Earl of Suffolk whom his father had left in the Tower, and appointing Queen Catherine to the charge of his kingdom in his absence. He sailed to Calais, where he was joined by
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Maximilian, Emperor of Germany, who pretended to be his soldier, and who took pay in his service. The King might be successful enough in sham fights, but his idea of real battles chiefly consisted in pitching silken tents of bright colours that were ignominiously blown down by the wind, and in making a vast display of gaudy flags and golden curtains. Fortune, however, favoured him better than he deserved: he gave the French battle, and they took such an unaccountable panic, and fled with such swiftness, that it was ever afterwards called by the English the Battle of Spurs. Instead of following up his advantage, the King, finding that he had had enough of real fighting, came home again. The Scottish King, though nearly related to Henry by marriage, had taken part against him in this war. The Earl of Surrey, as the English general, advanced to meet him when he came out of his own dominions and crossed the river Tweed. The two armies came up with one another when the Scottish King had also crossed the river Till, and was encamped upon the Hill of Flodden. Along the plain below it, the English, when the hour of battle came, advanced. The Scottish army, which had been drawn up in five great bodies, then came steadily down in perfect silence. So they, in their turn, advanced to meet the English army, which came on in one long line; and they attacked it with a body of spearmen, under Lord Home. At first they had the best of it; but the English fought with such valour, that, when the Scottish King had almost made his way up to the Royal standard, he was slain, and the whole Scottish power routed. Ten thousand Scottish men lay dead that day on Flodden Field. For a long time afterwards, the Scottish peasantry used to believe that their King had not been really killed in this battle, because no Englishman had found an iron belt he wore about his body as a penance for having been an undutiful son. But, whatever became of his belt, the English had his sword and dagger, and the ring from his finger, and his body was recognized by English gentlemen who had known the Scottish King well.
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When King Henry was making ready to renew the war in France, the French King was contemplating peace. His queen, dying at this time, he proposed, though he was upwards of fifty years old, to marry King Henry's sister, the Princess Mary, who, besides being only sixteen, was betrothed to the Duke of Suffolk. As the inclinations of young Princesses were not much considered in such matters, the marriage was concluded, and the poor girl was escorted to France, where she was immediately left as the French King's bride, with only one of all her English attendants. That one was a pretty young girl named Anna Boleyn, niece of the Earl of Surrey, who had been made Duke of Norfolk after the victory of Flodden Field. The French King died within three months, and left the young Queen a young widow. The new French monarch, Francis I, seeing how important it was to his interests that she should take for her second husband no one but an Englishman, advised her first lover, the Duke of Suffolk, when King Henry sent him over to France to fetch her home, to marry her. The Princess being herself so fond of that Duke, as to tell him that he must either do so then, or lose her forever, they were wedded; and Henry afterwards forgave them. In making interest with the King, the Duke of Suffolk had addressed his most powerful favourite and adviser, Thomas Wolsey — a name very famous in history for its rise and downfall. Wolsey was the son of a respectable butcher at Ipswich, in Suffolk, and received so excellent an education that he became a tutor to the family of the Marquis of Dorset, who afterwards got him appointed one of the late King's chaplains. On the accession of Henry VIII, he was promoted and taken into great favour. He was now Archbishop of York. The Pope had made him a Cardinal besides, and whoever wanted influence in England or favour with the King — whether he were a foreign monarch or an English nobleman — was obliged to make a friend of the great Cardinal Wolsey. He was a gay man, who could dance and jest, and sing and drink. He was wonderfully fond of pomp and glitter, and
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so was the King. He knew a good deal of the Church learning of that time, much of which consisted in finding artful excuses and pretences for almost any wrong thing, and in arguing that black was white, or any other colour. This kind of learning pleased the King too. For many such reasons, the Cardinal was high in estimation with the King, and, being a man of far greater ability, knew how to manage him. Never had there been seen in England such state as that Lord Cardinal kept. His wealth was equal, it was reckoned, to the riches of the Crown. His palaces were as splendid as the King's, and his retinue was eight hundred strong. He held his Court, dressed out from top to toe in flaming scarlet; and his very shoes were golden, set with precious stones. His followers rode on blood-horses, while he, with a wonderful affectation of humility in the midst of his great splendour, ambled on a mule. Through the influence of this stately priest, a grand meeting was arranged to take place between the French and English Kings in France, but on ground belonging to England. A prodigious show of friendship was to be made on the occasion, and heralds were sent to proclaim with brazen trumpets through all the principal cities of Europe, that, on a certain day, the Kings of France and England, as companions and brothers in arms, each attended by eighteen followers, would hold a tournament against all knights who might choose to come. Charles, the new Emperor of Germany (the old one being dead), wanted to prevent that alliance between the two sovereigns, and came over to England and secured Wolsey's interest by promising that his influence should make him Pope when the next vacancy occurred. On the day when the Emperor left England, the King and all the Court went over to Calais, and thence to the place of meeting, commonly called the Field of the Cloth of Gold. There were sham castles, temporary chapels, fountains running wine, great cellars full of wine free as water to all comers, silk tents, gold lace and gilt lions, and such things without end. And, in the midst of all, the rich Cardinal
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outshone and outglittered all the noblemen and gentlemen assembled. After a treaty had been made between the two Kings with as much solemnity as if they had intended to keep it, the lists — nine hundred feet long, and three hundred and twenty broad — were opened for the tournament. Then, for ten days, the two sovereigns fought five combats every day, and always beat their polite adversaries. *** Of course, nothing came of all these fine doings but a speedy renewal of the war between England and France, in which the two Royal companions longed very earnestly to damage one another. But, before it broke out again, the Duke of Buckingham was shamefully executed on Tower Hill, on the evidence of a discharged servant — really for nothing, except the folly of having believed in a friar of the name of Hopkins, who had pretended to be a prophet, and who had mumbled and jumbled out some nonsense about the Duke's son being destined to be very great in the land. It was believed that the unfortunate Duke had given offence to the great Cardinal by expressing his mind freely about the expense and absurdity of the whole business of the Field of the Cloth of Gold. The new war was a short one, though the Earl of Surrey invaded France again, and did some injury to that country. It ended in another treaty of peace between the two kingdoms, and in the discovery that the Emperor of Germany was not such a good friend to England in reality, as he pretended to be. Neither did he keep his promise to Wolsey to make him Pope, though the King urged him. So the Cardinal and King together found out that the Emperor of Germany was not a man to keep faith with. They broke off a projected marriage between the King's daughter Mary, Princess of Wales, and that sovereign, and began to consider whether it might not t>e well to marry the young lady, either to Francis himself, or to his eldest son.
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* * *
There now arose at Wittemberg, in Germany, the great leader of the mighty change in England which is called The Reformation, and which set the people free from their slavery to the priests. This was a learned Doctor, named Martin Luther, who knew all about them, for he had been a priest, and even a monk, himself. The preaching and writing of Wickliffe had set a number of men thinking on this subject, and Luther, finding one day to his great surprise, that there really was a book called the New Testament which the priests did not allow to be read, and which contained truths that they suppressed, began to be very vigorous against the whole body, from the Pope downward. It happened, while he was yet only beginning his work of awakening the nation, that a friar named Tetzel came into his neighbourhood selling what were called Indulgences, by wholesale, to raise money for beautifying the St. Peter's Cathedral at Rome. Those who bought an Indulgence of the Pope were supposed to buy themselves from the punishment of Heaven for their offences. Luther told the people that Indulgences were worthless bits of paper. The King and the Cardinal were mightily indignant at this presumption; and the King (with the help of Sir Thomas More, a wise man, whom he afterwards repaid by striking off his head) even wrote a book about it, with which the Pope was so well pleased that he gave the King the title of Defender of the Faith. The King and the Cardinal also issued flaming warnings to the people not to read Luther's books, on pain of excommunication. But they did read them for all that; and the rumour of what was in them spread far and wide. When this great change was thus going on, the King began to show himself in his truest and worst colours. Anne Boleyn, the pretty little girl who had gone abroad to France with his sister, was by this time grown up to be very beautiful, and was one of the ladies in attendance on 'Queen Catherine. Queen Catherine was no longer young or pretty, and it is likely that she was not particularly good-tempered, having
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been always rather melancholy, and having been made more so by the deaths of four of her children when they were very young. So, the King fell in love with the fair Anne Boleyn. He wanted to get rid of his wife and marry Anne. Queen Catherine had been the wife of Henry's brother. So the King called his favourite priests about him, and said, "My mind is in such a dreadful state, and I am so frightfully uneasy, because I am afraid it was not lawful for me to marry the Queen!" They answered that it was a serious business, and perhaps Catherine of Aiagon, the fust the best way to make it right, wife of King Henry VIII would be for His Majesty to be divorced. That was the answer the King was pleased with; so they all went to work. Many intrigues and pints took place to get this divorce. Finally, the Pope issued a commission to Cardmal Wolsey and Cardinal Campeggio (whom he sent over from Italy for the purpose), to try the whole case in England. It is supposed that Wolsey was the Queen's enemy, because she had reproved him for his manner of life. But, he did not at first know that the King wanted to marry Anne Boleyn, and when he did know it, he even went down on his knees, in the endeavour to dissuade him. The Cardinals opened their court in the Convent of the Black Friars, in London. On the opening of the court, when the King and Queen were called on to appear, that poor lady kneeled at the King's feet, and said that she had come, a stranger, to his dominions, that she had been a good and true wife to him for twenty years, and that she could acknowledge no power in those Cardinals to try whether she should be considered his wife after all that time, or should be put away.
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With that, she got up and left the court, and would never afterwards come back to it. It was a difficult case to try, and the Pope suggested the King and Queen to come to Rome and have it tried there. But by good luck for the King, word was brought to him about Thomas Cranmer, a learned Doctor of Cambridge, who had proposed to urge the Pope on, by referring the case to all the learned doctors and bishops, and getting their opinions that the King's marriage was unlawful. The King, who was now in a hurry to marry Anne Boleyn, thought this such a good idea, that he sent for Cranmer. It was bad for cardinal Wolsey that he had left Cranmer to render this help. It was worse for him that he had tried to dissuade the King from marrying Anne Boleyn. Such a servant as he, to such a master as Henry, would probably have fallen in any case; but he fell suddenly and heavily. Soon he was arrested for high treason, and died on his way to Tower. Sir Thomas More was made Chancellor in Wolsey's place. *** Meanwhile, the opinions concerning the divorce, of the learned doctors and bishops and others, being at last collected, were forwarded to the Pope, with an entreaty that he would now grant it. The unfortunate Pope, who was a timid man, was half distracted between his fear of his authority being set aside in England if he did not do as he was asked, and his dread of offending the Emperor of Germany, who was Queen Catherine's nephew. In this state of mind he still evaded and did nothing. So the King took the matter into his own hands, and made himself the head of the whole Church. However, he recompensed the clergy by allowing them to burn as many people as they pleased, for holding Luther's opinions. All these events made Sir Thomas More, who was truly attached to the Church, resign. Being now quite resolved to get rid of Queen Catherine, and to marry Anne Boleyn without more ado, the King made Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury, and directed Queen
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Catherine to leave the Court. She obeyed, but replied that wherever she went, she was Queen of England still, and would remain so, to the last. The King then married Anne Boleyn privately, and the new Archbishop of Canterbury, within half a year, declared his marriage with Queen Catherine void, and crowned Anne Boleyn Queen. She might have known that no good could ever come from such wrong, and that the King who had been so faithless and so cruel to his first wife, could be more faithless and more cruel to Anne Boleyn, the second wife of his second. But Anne Boleyn King Henry VIII knew that too late, and bought it at a dear price. Her marriage came to its natural end. However, its natural end was not a natural death for her.The Pope was thrown into a very angry state of mind when he heard of the King's marriage. Many of the English monks and friars did the same, but the King took it pretty quietly, and was very glad when his Queen gave birth to a daughter, who was christened Elizabeth, and declared Princess of Wales as her sister Mary had already been. One of the most atrocious features of this reign was that Henry VIII was always trimming between the reformed religion and the unreformed one; so that the more he quarrelled with the Pope, the more of his own subjects he roasted alive for not holding the Pope's opinions. Thus, an unfortunate student named John Frith, and a poor simple tailor named Andrew Hewet who loved him very much, and said that whatever John Frith believed he believed, were
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burnt in Smithfield — to show what a capital Christian the King was. But these were speedily followed by two much greater victims, Sir Thomas More, and John Fisher, the Bishop of Rochester. The latter, who was a good and amiable old man, had committed no greater offence than believing in Elizabeth Barton, called the Maid of Kent — another of those ridiculous women who pretended to be inspired, and to make all sorts of heavenly revelations, though they indeed uttered nothing but evil nonsense. For this offence — as it was pretended, but really for denying the King to be the supreme Head of the Church — he got Thomas More into trouble, and was put in prison. Even then he might have died naturally, but the Pope, to spite the King, resolved to make him a cardinal. So the King decided that Fisher should have no head on which to wear the red Cardinal's hat. He was tried with all unfairness and injustice, and sentenced to death. He died like a noble and virtuous old man, and left a worthy name behind him. The King supposed that Sir Thomas More would be frightened by this example. But, as he was not to be easily terrified, and, thoroughly believing in the Pope, had made up his mind that the King was not the rightful Head of the Church, he positively refused to say that he was. For this crime he too was tried and sentenced, after having been in prison a whole year. When he was doomed to death, and came away from his trial with the edge of the executioner's axe turned towards him — as was always done in those times when a state prisoner came to that hopeless pass — he bore it quite
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serenely, and gave his blessing to his son, who pressed through the crowd in Westminster Hall and kneeled down to receive it. But, when he got to the Tower Wharf on his way back to his prison, and his favourite daughter, Margaret Roper, a very good woman, rushed through the guards to kiss him and to weep upon his neck, he was overcome at last. He soon recovered, and never more showed any feeling but courage. When he had laid his head upon the block, he said jokingly to the executioner, "Let me put my beard out of the way; for that, at least, has never committed any treason." Then his head was struck off at a blow. These two executions were worthy of King Henry VIII. Sir Thomas More was one of the most virtuous men in his dominions, and the Bishop was one of his oldest and truest friends. *** When the news of these two murders got to Rome, the Pope was enraged and prepared a Bull, ordering his subjects to take arms against the King of England and dethrone him. The King took all possible precautions to keep that document out of his dominions, and set to work in return to suppress a great number of the English monasteries and abbeys. This destruction was begun by a body of commissioners, of whom Thomas Cromwell was the head. It was carried on through some few years to its entire completion. There is no doubt that many of these religious establishments imposed upon the people in every possible way; that they had images moved by wires, which they pretended were miraculously moved by Heaven; that they had bits of coal which they said had fried Saint Lawrence, and bits of toe-nails which they said belonged to other famous saints, etc.; and that all these bits of rubbish were called Relics, and adored by the ignorant people. But, on the other hand, there is no doubt either, that the King's men punished the good monks with the bad; did great injustice; demolished many beautiful things and many valuable libraries; destroyed numbers of paintings, stained
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glass windows, fine pavements, and carvings; and that the whole court were ravenously greedy and rapacious for the division of this great spoil among them. The King seems to have grown almost mad in the ardour of this pursuit, for he declared Thomas a Becket a traitor, though he had been dead so many years, and had his body dug up out of his grave. The gold and jewels on his shrine filled two great chests, and eight men were needed to carry them away. These things caused great discontent among the people. The monks who were driven out of their homes and wandered about encouraged their discontent, and there were, consequently, great risings in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. These were put down by terrific executions, from which the monks themselves did not escape. * * * The unfortunate Queen Catherine was by this time dead, and the King was by this time as tired of his second Queen as he had been of his first. As he had fallen in love with Anne when she was in the service of Catherine, so he now fell in love with another lady in the service of Anne. The King resolved to have Anne Boleyn's head to marry Lady Jane Seymour. Jane Seymour, the third wife of King Нешу VIII So, he brought a number of charges against Anne, accusing her of dreadful crimes which she had never committed, and implicating in them her own brother and certain gentlemen in her service. As the lords and councillors were afraid of the King, they brought in Anne Boleyn guilty, and the other unfortunate persons accused with her, guilty too. They were all sentenced to death. Anne Boleyn tried to soften her husband by
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touching letters, but as he wanted her to be executed, she was soon beheaded. There is a story that the King sat in his palace listening very anxiously for the sound of the cannon which was to announce this new murder; and that, when he heard it, he rose up in great spirits and ordered out his dogs to go a-hunting. He married Jane Seyniour the very next day. Jane Seymour lived just long enough to give birth to a son who was christened Edward, and then to die of a fever. *** Cranmer had done what he could to save some of the Church property for purposes of religion and education. But the great families had been so hungry to get hold of it, that very little could be rescued for such objects. Even Miles Coverdale, who did the people the inestimable service of translating the Bible into English (which the unreformed religion never permitted to be done), was left in poverty while the great families clutched the Church lands and money. The people had been told that when the Crown came into possession of these funds, it would not be necessary to tax them. But they were taxed afresh directly afterwards. One of the most active writers on the Church's side against the King was a member of his own family — a sort of distant cousin, Reginald Pole by name — who attacked him in the most violent manner (though he received a pension from him all the time), and fought for the Church with his pen, day and night. He was beyond the King's reach, in Italy. The Pope made Reginald Pole a cardinal; but, so much against his will, that it is thought he had hopes of marrying the Princess Mary. His being made a high priest, however, put an end to that. His mother, the Countess of Salisbury — who was, unfortunately for herself, within the tyrant's reach — was the last of his relatives on whom his wrath fell. When she was told to lay her grey head upon the block, she answered the executioner, "No! My head never committed treason, and if you want it, you shall seize it." So, she ran round and round the scaffold with the executioner striking at.
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her, and her grey hair bedabbled with blood. And even when they held her down upon the block she moved her head about to the last, resolved to be no party to her own barbarous murder. All this the people bore, as they had borne everything else. Indeed they bore much more; for the slow fires of Smithfield were continually burning, and people were constantly being roasted to death — still to show what a good Christian the King was. He defied the Pope and his Bull, which was now issued, and had come into England; but he burned innumerable people whose only offence was that they differed from the Pope's religious opinions. All this the people bore, and more than all this yet. The national spirit seems to have been banished from the kingdom at this time. The people who were executed for treason, the wives and friends of the "bluff' King, spoke of him on the scaffold as a good and gentle man. The Parliament were as bad as the rest, and gave the King whatever he wanted. They gave him new powers of murdering, at his will and pleasure, anyone whom he might choose to call a traitor. But the worst measure they passed was an Act of Six Articles, commonly called at the time "the whip with six strings", which punished offences against the Pope's opinions, without mercy, and enforced the very worst parts of the monkish religion. Cranmer would have modified it, if he could; but he had not the power, being overborne by the Romish party. As one of the articles declared that priests should not marry, and as he was married himself, he sent his wife and children into Germany, and began to tremble at his danger. This whip of six strings was made under the King's own eye. It should never he forgotten of him how cruelly he supported the worst of the Popish doctrines when there was nothing to be got by opposing them. This monarch now thought of taking another wife. He proposed to the French King to have some of the ladies of the French Court exhibited before him, that he might make his
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Royal choice. But the French King answered that he would rather not have his ladies to be shown like horses at a fair. He proposed to the Dowager Duchess of Milan, who replied that she might have thought of such a match if she had had two heads. At last Cromwell represented that there was a Protestant Princess in Germany — those who held the reformed religion were called Protestants, because their leaders had protested against the abuses and impositions of the unreformed Church — named Anne of Cleves, who was beautiful, and would answer the purpose admirably. The King sent over his famous painter, Hans Holbein, to take her portrait. Hans made her out to be so good-looking that the King was satisfied, and the marriage was arranged. But Hans had flattered the princess. When the King first saw her, he swore she was "a great Flanders mare", and said he would never marry her. Being obliged to do it, he would not give her the presents he had prepared, and would never notice her. He never forgave Cromwell his part in the affair. His downfall dates from that time. It was quickened by his enemies, in the interests of the unreformed religion, putting in the King's way, at a state dinner, a niece of the Duke of Norfolk, Catherine Howard. Falling in love with her on the spot, the King soon divorced Anne of Cleves on pretence that she had been previously betrothed to someone else, and married Catherine. It is probable that on his wedding day he sent his faithful Cromwell to the scaffold, and had his head struck off. It soon came out that Catherine Howard was not a faithful wife, and again the dreadful axe made the King a widower. Henry then applied himself to superintending the composition of a religious book called "A necessary doctrine for any Christian Man". He married yet once more. Yes, strange to say, he found in England another woman who would become his wife, and she was Catherine Parr, widow of Lord Latimer. She leaned towards the reformed religion, and it is some comfort to know, that she argued a variety of doctrinal points with him on all possible occasions. After one of these conversations the
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King in a very black mood actually instructed Gardiner, one of his Bishops who favoured the Popish opinions, to draw a bill of accusation against her, which would have inevitably brought her to the scaffold. But one of the Queen's friends knew about it, and gave her timely notice. She fell ill with terror, but managed the King so well when he came to entrap her into further statements — by saying that she had only spoken on such points to divert his mind and to get some information from his extraordinary wisdom — that he gave her a kiss and called her his sweetheart. And, when the Chancellor came next day to take her to the Tower, the King honoured him with the epithets of a beast, a knave, and a fool. So near was Catherine Parr to the block, and so narrow was her escape! * * * A few more horrors, and this reign was over. There was a lady, Anne Askew, in Lincolnshire, who inclined to the Protestant opinions, and whose husband being a fierce Catholic, turned her out of his house. She came to London, and was considered as offending against the six articles, and was taken to the Tower, and put upon the rack — probably because it was hoped that she might, in her agony, criminate some obnoxious persons. She was tortured in a most cruel manner without uttering a cry, but afterwards they had to carry her to the fire in a chair. She was burned with three others, a gentleman, a clergyman, and a tailor; and so the world went on. Either the King became afraid of the power of the Duke of Norfolk, and his son the Earl of Surrey, or they gave him some offence, but he resolved to pull them down, to follow all the rest who were gone. The son was tried first — of course for nothing — and defended himself bravely; but all the same he was found guilty, and was executed. Then his father's turn came. But the King himself was left for death by a Greater King, and the earth was to be rid of him at last. When he was found to be dviiig, Cranmer was sent for, and came with all 2 Зак. № 376
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speed, but found him speechless. In that hour he perished. He was in the fifty-sixth year of his age, and the thirty-eighth of his reign. Henry the Eighth, a bloody tyrant, has been favoured by some Protestant writers, because the Reformation was achieved in his time. But the mighty merit of it lies with other men and not with him.
CHAPTER III
ENGLAND UNDER EDWARD THE SIXTH You may have read "The Prince and the Pauper", a famous book by an American writer Mark Twain. The Prince it tells about was born in 1537 and became the King of England in 1547. Henry VIII died when his son Edward was but a boy. Before his death he made a will, appointing a council of sixteen to govern the kingdom for his son while he was under age, and another council of twelve to help King Edward VI them. Edward's uncle, the Earl of Hertford, became the most powerful person in the realm. That was quite an ambitious man, who used his new position to advance and enrich himself. Very soon he made himself Duke of Somerset, while his brother, Edward Seymour, became a
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baron. The new Duke of Somerset enlarged his estate out of the Church lands and soon made the state council proclaim him Protector of the kingdom. Thus he became the King, though the king who had never been crowned. Edward VI was to submit to his uncle's will. As the young sovereign had been brought up in the principles of the Protestant religion, everybody knew that these principles would be maintained in his reign. Archbishop Cranmer was greatly interested in their promotion and did his best to advance them. And the Protestant religion was really making progress. The decorum of churches became modest, there were no images that people came to worship in them. The believers did not have to confess themselves to priests. The prayers were translated from Latin into English for everybody to understand them. The first English Prayer Book was published in 1549. Church services were also held in English. Cranmer was quite a moderate man, and he was objecting against abusing the unreformed religion by the Protestant clergy. Still, the law was passed permitting to burn those who dared not to believe they were forced to believe by the Government. However, not a single Catholic was burnt in England in the reign of King Edward VI. Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Ridley Bishop of London were the most powerful clergymen of his reign. The priests were severely punished for still adhering to the unreformed religion, Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, Heath Bishop of Worcester, Day Bishop of Chichester being among them. In fact, the young King was the supporter of the reformed religion, and the only person in his kingdom for whom the Catholic Mass was allowed to be performed was his elder sister Mary. That Princess hated the reformed religion and even refused to listen or read about it. The King made this exception for her not for love, but for the strong persuasions of his advisers Cranmer and Ridley. *** Edward was but a child when his uncle the Protector decided to marry him to Mary Queen of Scots. That marriage
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would be favourable for England as it could prevent the Queen of Scotland from making an alliance with any foreign power. The Protector's dream did not come true, as many powerful lords in Scotland objected the project. The Duke of Somerset, the Protector, grew extremely angry against the stupid Scots, and decided to teach them a lesson by invading that country. His excuse for doing so was that the Border men — that is, the Scotch who lived in that part of the country where England and Scotland joined — troubled the English very much. But there were two sides to this question, for the English Border men troubled the Scotch too; and, through many long years, there were perpetual border quarrels which gave rise to numbers of old tales and songs. The two armies encountered on the banks of the river Esk, within a few miles of Edinburgh. The Scottish army was twice as large as the English, and at first it seemed to be victorious. The English lost some two hundred men and were greatly enraged. Finally, they undertook so fierce a charge that the enemy's army fled, while more than ten thousand of the Scottish soldiers were killed in that battle, which is generally known as the battle of Pinkey. The Protector's success made many noblemen envy him. Those who had been his friends turned out to be his enemies. The Duke of Somerset had to be very careful not to loose his power. He might continue his war campaign in Scotland and achieve even greater success, but something made him return back to London. He might have been informed that his brother, Lord Seymour, was becoming dangerous to him. This lord was now High Admiral of England, a very handsome man, and a great favourite with the Court ladies — even with the young Princess Elizabeth. * * *
Seymour had married Catherine Parr, the late King's widow, who was now dead, and, to strengthen his power, he Secretly supplied the young King with money. Seymour's
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influence upon the young King was growing rapidly. Soon after Somerset's return that brilliant lord was accused of high treason. It was said that he was engaged with some of his brother's enemies in a plot to carry Edward VI off. So Lord Seymour was confined in the Tower, impeached, and found guilty. He was sentenced to death, and his own merciless brother was the first to sign to the warrant for his execution. Seymour denied his treason and even tried to pass letters to the Princess Elizabeth and the Princess Mary to urge these ladies against his brother. But nothing could help that ambitious man, as his still more ambitious brother decided to get rid of him. He was executed on Tower Hill. The Duke of Somerset was a cruel man, and the epoch itself was a cruel one, too. People were in great distress then. Poverty was a great social problem England faced with. The population was growing, while jobs and food were often short. The monasteries, which had often helped poor people, had been destroyed. The monks might have been idle, but still they had been keeping hospitals for the sick and almhouses for those who needed shelter, providing an opportunity for the poor to end their lives peacefully. Monasteries having ceased to exist, wandering beggars appeared, who were blamed for any trouble. There were some weak attempts to organize charity institutions in towns, and rich people often did a lot for local paupers. But most towns forced the wandering beggars to leave to become somebody else's problem. In 1547 the Parliament passed a very severe law stating that beggars were to be made slaves, burnt with a hot iron and wear an iron fetter. Luckily, that law was not put into practice. It was hard to be a beggar, but the life of working people was also full of difficulties. Landlords were enclosing great territories for feeding of sheep, depriving the villagers of the common land. That caused the general distress among the peasants that resulted in a set of rebellions. The people, who still understood little of what was going on about them, and still readily believed what the homeless monks told them — many of whom had been their good
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friends in their better days — took it into their heads that all this was owing to the reformed religion, and therefore rose in many parts of the country. * ** The most powerful risings were in Devonshire and Norfolk. In Devonshire, the rebellion was so strong that ten thousand men united within a few days, and even besieged Exeter. The citizens tried to defend the town, but they could do little to stop the outraged mob. But Lord Russell, coming to the assistance of the citizens, defeated the rebels. The results were desperate: four thousand of the rebels are supposed to have fallen in that one county, either killed by the sword or hanged. In June 1549 another rising began in Norfolk. It was headed by a tanner, Robert Ket by name. It was the rising more against the enclosure of open lands than against the reformed religion. The rebels worked out the charter of 29 articles, its principal demand being to stop the enclosures. Then the peasants marched to Noridge, and besieged the town. Poor town folk assisted them in capturing Noridge. The Government had to send soldiers under the Earl of Warwick against that peasant army. To avoid bloody repressions a herald was sent to Robert Ket to proclaim him and all his men traitors unless from that moment they dispersed and went home. The rebels ignored the herald's message and lost the possibility to receive a pardon. Very soon the Earl of Warwick's army cut them all to pieces. The ringleaders were put to death in the most terrible way: they were hanged, drawn and quartered, and their hands and legs were sent all over the country to be a terror to the people and prevent them from new riots. * * *
The earl of Warwick was regarded as the savior of the realm and became much more influential. He decided to do the best of his success in Norfolk and started to plot against the Protector, who was building a new palace at that time.
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The Duke of Somerset blew up church steeples with gunpowder to get the stone for it, and that made him still more disliked. The Earl of Warwick joined with seven members of the State Council against the Protector, formed a separate Council, and sent Somerset to the Tower under twenty-nine articles of accusation. However, after being sentenced by the Council to the forfeiture of all his offices and lands, he was liberated and pardoned, on making a very humble submission. He was even taken back into the Council again, and married his daughter, Lady Anne Seymour, to Warwick's eldest son. But such a reconciliation was little likely to last, and did not outlive a year. Warwick, having got himself made Duke of Northumberland, and having advanced the more important of his friends, then finished the history by causing the Duke of Somerset to be arrested for treason, accusing him of having conspired to seize and dethrone the King. He was also accused of having intended to murder the new Duke of Northumberland, and to raise the City to revolt. The fallen Protector was ordered to be beheaded on Tower Hill, at eight o'clock in the morning. The execution was to take place secretly, as the Duke of Northumberland's party was not sure in the way the people of London would react upon it. On the eve of the execution, proclamations were issued bidding the citizens keep at home until after ten. They filled the streets, however, and crowded the place of execution as soon as it was light; and, with sad faces and sad hearts, saw the once powerful Protector ascend the scaffold to lay his head upon the dreadful block. The Duke of Somerset was a brave man, and he died a manly death, and when the head of the King's uncle fell down, the bystanders rushed forward and steeped their handkerchiefs in his blood, as a mark of their affection. He had, indeed, been capable of many good acts. It was difficult to be healthy in the 16th century, even for the King. Deseases were often killers and spread rapidly, while doctors were generally helpless and used to treat their patients by bleeding, or giving them purges and some medicines made from herbs that only sometimes did well. So
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it is nothing to be surprized with when, after having had first the measles and then the small-pox, the young King, who was only fourteen years of age then, fell in a poor state of health. All the great lords were troubled by his sickly condition, as Edward rapidly got worse. Everybody knew that his sister Mary was the next to the throne. It was clear that if Edward VI died and she succeeded, the Roman Catholic religion would be set up again in England. The perspective troubled the minds of those who showed themselves to be good Protestants in the reign of Edward VI, for if the Princess Mary came to the throne they were sure to be disgraced. It was very important for them to make a Protestant monarch inherit the English crown. The Duke of Northumberland appealed to the Duchess of Suffolk, "who was a descendant from King Henry VII, and, hence, could be regarded as a heir to the throne, too. But the Duchess resigned her right in favour of her daughter Lady Jane Grey. Probably, the Duke of Northumberland had the King's consent for her becoming Queen instead of Catholic Mary. Northumberland showed himself an adamant supporter of the idea, as one of his sons, Lord Guilford Dudley, was married to that noble lady. The covetous Duke tried his best to persuade the dying King to set aside both his sisters, the Princess Mary and the Princess Elizabeth, and appoint Lady Jane Grey his successor. And Edward firmly expressed his will to make her succeed to the crown after his death in a document he handed to the Crown lawyers. These gentlemen were much against it at first, but the Duke of Northumberland made them agree to it. But all the attempts to set aside the Catholic heir to the throne failed. Lady Jane Grey was Queen only for nine days. Then the legal heir, the Princess Mary, who won the support of most people, took the crown.
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It may seem Edward VI was too young to influence the events. He was a clever, serious boy, and was educated carefully to become a ruler, and what is more, he was an amiable person, and there was nothing coarse or cruel in his disposition. It is said that while his uncle lay in prison under sentence of death, the young King entertained himself by plays and dances; there is no doubt of it, for he kept a journal. However, it is more pleasant to know that not a single Roman Catholic was burnt in this reign for holding that religion. He might well grow up a great monarch and stop the religious conflicts in his realm. Unfortunately, he died when a boy, and his country was once more seized by a political chaos.
CHAPTER IV
ENGLAND UNDER MARY THE FIRST The Duke of Northumberland was very anxious to keep the young King's death a secret, in order that he might get the two Princesses into his power. But, the Princess Mary, being informed of that event as she was on her way to London to see her sick brother, turned her horse's head, and rode away into Norfolk. The Earl of Arundel was her friend, and it was he who sent her warning of what had happened. As the secret could not be kept, the Duke of Northumberland and the council sent for the Lord Mayor of London and some of the aldermen, and told them about Edward's death. Then, they made it known to the people, and set off to inform Lady Jane Grey that she was to be Queen. She was a pretty girl of only sixteen, and was amiable, learened, and clever. When the lords who came to her, fell on their knees before her, and told her she was the Queen, Lady Jane was so astonished that she fainted. On recovering, she expressed her sorrow for the young King's death, and said that she knew she was unfit to govern the kingdom, but that if she must be Queen, she prayed God to direct her.
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The lords took her down the river to the Tower, that she might remain there (as the custom was) until the coronation. But the people were not at all favourable to Lady Jane, considering that the right to be Queen was Mary's, and greatly disliking the Duke of Northumberland. Some powerful men among the nobility declared on Mary's side. They raised troops to support her cause, proclaimed her Queen at Norwich, and gathered around her at the castle, which belonged to the Duke of Norfolk. The Council would have despatched Lady Jane's father, the Duke of Suffolk, as the general of the army against this force. But, as Lady Jane implored that her father might remain with her, they told the Duke of Northumberland that he must take the command himself. He was not very ready to do so, and his fears for himself turned out to be well founded. While he was waiting at Cambridge for further help from the Council, the Council turned their backs on Lady Jane's cause, and took up the Princess Mary's. *** Having reigned for nine days, Lady Jane Grey resigned the Crown with great willingness, saying that she had only accepted it in obedience to her father and mother, and went gladly back to her pleasant house by the river, and her books. Mary then came on towards London, and in Essex was joined by her half-sister, the Princess Elizabeth. They passed through the streets of London to the Tower, and there the new Queen met some eminent prisoners then confined in it, kissed them, and gave them their liberty. Among these was that Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, who had been imprisoned in the last reign for holding to the unreformed religion. She soon made him chancellor. The Duke of Northumberland had been taken prisoner, and, together with his son and five others, was quickly brought before the Council. He asked that Council, in his defence, whether it was treason to obey orders that had been issued under the great seal, and, if it were, whether they, who
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had obeyed them too, ought to be his judges. But they made light of these points, and, being resolved to have him out of the way, soon sentenced him to death. He entreated Gardiner to let him live, and, when he ascended the scaffold to be beheaded on Tower Hill, addressed the people in a miserable way, saying that he had been incited by others, and exhorting them to return to the unreformed religion, which he told them was his faith. There seems reason to suppose that he expected a pardon even then, in return for this confession; but it matters little whether he did or not. His head was struck off. *** Mary was now crowned Queen. She was thirty-seven years of age, short and thin, wrinkled in the face, and very unhealthy. But she had a great liking for bright colours, and all the ladies of her Court were magnificently dressed. She also had a great liking for old customs. She soon began to show her desire to put down the Reformed religion, and put up the unreformed one: though it was dangerous work as yet, the people being something wiser than they used to be. They even cast a shower of stones at one of the royal chaplains who attacked the Reformed religion in a public sermon. But the Queen and her priests went steadily on. Ridley, the powerful bishop of the last reign, was seized and sent to the Tower. Latimer, also celebrated among the Clergy of the last reign, was also sent to the Tower, and Cranmer speedily followed. Latimer was an aged man; and, as his guards took him through Smithfield, he looked round it, and said, "This is a place that has long groaned for me." For he knew well that fires of Inquisition would soon be burning. Many Protestants fled from the kingdom to avoid the risk of being arrested. The prisons were fast filled with the chief Protestants. Parliament was got together, and they annulled the divorce, formerly pronounced by Cranmer between the Queen's mother and King Henry the Eighth, and unmade all
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the laws on the subject of religion that had been made in the last King Edward's reign. They began their proceedings, in violation of the law, by having the old mass said before them in Latin. They also declared guilty of treason, Lady Jane Grey for aspiring to the Crown; her husband, for being her husband, and Cranmer, for not believing in the mass. They then prayed the Queen to choose a husband for herself, as soon as might be. *** Now, the question who should be the Queen's husband had given rise to a great deal of discussion. Some said Cardinal Pole was the man — but the Queen did not think so. Others said that the gallant young Earl of Devonshire, was the man — and the Queen thought so too, for a while; but she changed her mind. At last it appeared that Philip, Prince of Spain, was certainly the man — but the people detested the idea of such a marriage from the beginning to the end, and murmured that the Spaniard would establish in England, by the aid of foreign soldiers, the Popish religion, and even the terrible Inquisition itself. These discontents gave rise to a conspiracy for marrying Earl of Devonshire to the Princess Elizabeth, and setting them up, with popular tumults all over the kingdom, against the Queen. This was discovered in time by Gardiner; but in Kent, the old bold county, the people rose in their old bold way. Sir Thomas Wyat was their leader. He raised his standard at Maidstone, marched on to Rochester, established himself in the old castle there, and prepared to hold out against the Duke of Norfolk, who came against him with a party of the Queen's guards, and a body of five hundred London men. The London men, however, were all for Elizabeth, and not at all for Mary. They declared, under the castle walls, for Wyat; the Duke retreated; and Wyat came on to Deptford, at the head of fifteen thousand men. But these, in their turn, fell away. When he came to Southwark, there were only two thousand left. Not dismayed by finding the London citizens in arms, Wyat led his men off
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to Kingston-upon-Thames, intending to cross the bridge that he knew to be in that place, and so to work his way round to Ludgate, one of the old gates of the City. He found the bridge broken down, but mended it, came across, and bravely fought his way up Fleet Street to Ludgate Hill. Finding the gate closed against him, he fought his way back again, sword in hand, to Temple Bar. Here, being overpowered, he surrendered himself, and three or four hundred of his men were taken, besides a hundred killed. Wyat, in a moment of weakness (and perhaps of torture) was afterwards made to accuse the Princess Elizabeth as his accomplice to some very small extent. But his manhood soon returned to him, and he refused to save his life by making any more false confessions. He was quartered in the usual brutal way, and from fifty to a hundred of his followers were hanged. The rest were led out, with halters round their necks, to be pardoned, and to make a parade of crying out, " God save Queen Mary!"
In the danger of this rebellion, the Queen showed herself to be a woman of courage and spirit. She disdained to retreat to any place of safety, and went down to the Guildhall, sceptre in hand, and made a speech to the Lord Mayor and citizens. But on the day after Wyat's defeat, she did the most cruel act, even of her cruel reign, in signing the warrant for the execution of Lady Jane Grey. They tried to persuade Lady Jane to accept the unreformed religion; but she steadily refused. On the morning when she was to die, she saw from her window the bleeding and headless body of her husband brought back in a cart from the scaffold on Tower Hill where he had laid down his life. But, as she had declined to see him before his execution, lest she should be overpowered and not make a good end, so, she even now showed a. constancy and calmness that will never be forgotten. She came up to the scaffold with a firm step and a quiet face, and addressed the bystanders in a steady voice. They were not numerous, for she was too young, too innocent and fair, to be murdered before
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the people on Tower Hill, as her husband had just been; so, the place of her execution was within the Tower itself. She said that she had done an unlawful act in taking what was Queen Mary's right, but that she had done so with no bad intent, and that she died a-humble Christian. She begged the executioner to despatch her quickly, and she asked him, "Will you take my head off before I lay me down?" He answered, "No, Madam," and then she was very quiet while they bandaged her eyes. Being blinded, and unable to see the block on which she was to lay her young head, she was seen to feel about for it with her hands, and was heard to say, confused, "O what shall I do! Where is it?" Then they guided her to the right place, and the executioner struck off her head. You know too well, now, what dreadful deeds the executioner did in England, through many many years, and how his axe descended on the hateful block through the necks of some of the bravest, wisest, and best in the land. But it never struck so cruel and so vile a blow as this. *** The father of Lady Jane soon followed, but was little pitied. Queen Mary's next object was to lay hold of Elizabeth, and this was pursued with great eagerness. Five hundred men were sent to her, with orders to bring her up, alive or dead. They got to her house at ten at night, when she was sick in bed. But next morning their leaders put her into a litter to be conveyed to London. She was so weak and ill that she was five days on the road. Still, she was so resolved to be seen by the people that she had the curtains of the litter opened, and so, very pale and sickly, passed through the streets. She wrote to her sister, saying she was innocent of any crime, and asking why she was made a prisoner. But she got no answer, and was ordered to the Tower. They took her in by the Traitor's Gate, to which she objected, but in vain. One of the lords who conveyed her offered to cover her with his cloak, as it was raining, but she put it away from her, proudly and scornfully, and passed into the Tower, and sat down in a court-yard on a stone.
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They asked her to come in out of the wet, but she answered that it was better sitting there, than in a worse place. At length she went to her apartment, where she was kept a prisoner. Gardiner wanted to put her to death. He failed, however, in his design. Elizabeth was, at length, released, and Hatfield House was assigned to her as a residence, under the care of Sir Thomas Pope. It would seem that Philip, the Prince of Spain, was a main cause of this change in Elizabeth's fortunes. He was not an amiable man, being, on the contrary, proud, overbearing, and gloomy. But he and the Spanish lords who came over with him, did not like the idea of doing any violence to the Princess. The Queen had been expecting her husband with great impatience, and at length he came, to her great joy, though he never cared much for her. They were married by Gardiner, at Winchester, and there was more holiday-making among the people. But England had its old distrust of this Spanish marriage. Even the Parliament would pass no bill to enable the Queen to set aside the Princess Elizabeth and appoint her own successor. Although Gardiner failed in this object, as well as in the darker one of bringing the Princess to the scaffold, he went on at a great pace in the revival of the unreformed religion. A new Parliament was packed, in which there were no Protestants. Preparations were made to receive Cardinal Pole in England as the Pope's messenger, bringing his holy declaration that all the nobility who had acquired Church property, should keep it — which was done to enlist their selfish interest on the Pope's side. Then a great scene was enacted, which was the triumph of the Queen's plans. Cardinal Pole arrived, and was received with great pomp. The Parliament joined in a petition expressive of their sorrow at the change in the national religion, and praying him to receive the country again into the Popish Church. With the Queen sitting on her throne, and the King on one side of her, and the Cardinal on the other, and the Parliament present,
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Gardiner read the petition aloud. The Cardinal then made a great speech to say that all was forgotten and forgiven, and that the kingdom was solemnly made Roman Catholic again. Everything was now ready for the lighting of the terrible fires of the Inquisition. The Queen declared to the Council, in writing, that she would wish none of her subjects to be burnt without some of the Council being present, and that she would particularly wish there to be good sermons at all burnings, so the Council knew pretty well what was to be done next. After the Cardinal had blessed all the bishops as a preface to the burnings, the Chancellor Gardiner opened a High Court for the trial of heretics. Here, two Protestant clergymen, Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester, and Rogers, a Prebendary of St. Paul's, were brought to be tried. Hooper was tried first for being married, though a priest, and for not believing in the mass. He admitted both of these accusations, and said that the mass was a wicked imposition. Then they tried Rogers, who said the same. Next morning the two were brought up to be sentenced. Soon afterwards, Rogers was taken out of jail to be burnt in Smithfield; and, in the crowd as he went along, he saw his poor wife and his ten children, of whom the youngest was a little baby. And so he was burnt to death. The next day, Hooper, who was to be burnt at Gloucester, was brought out to take his last journey, and was made to wear a hood over his face that he might not be known by the people. But they did know him for all that; and, when he came near Gloucester, they lined the road, making prayers and lamentations. His guards took him to a lodging, where he slept soundly all night. At nine o'clock next morning, he was brought forth leaning on a staff, for he had taken cold in prison, and was infirm. The iron stake, and the iron chain which was to bind him to it, were fixed up near a great elmtree in a pleasant open place before the cathedral, where, on peaceful Suudays, he had preached and prayed, when he was bishop of Gloucester. This tree was filled with people, and there was a great concourse of spectators in every spot from which a glimpse of the dreadful sight could be beheld. When
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the old man kneeled down on the small platform at the foot of the stake, and prayed aloud, the nearest people were observed to be so attentive to his prayers that they were ordered to stand farther back; for it did not suit the Romish Church to have those Protestant words heard. After that he went up to the stake and was chained ready for the fire. One of his guards had such compassion on him that, to shorten his agonies, he tied some packets of gunpowder about him. Then they heaped up wood and straw and reeds, and set them all alight. But, unhappily, the wood was green and damp, and there was a wind blowing that blew the flame away. As the fire rose and sank, his terrible death turned out to be even more terrible, and all that time they saw him, as he burned, moving his lips in prayer. Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer were soon tried, found guilty and sentenced to burning. Five days after the horrible execution of Ridley and Latimer, Gardiner went to his tremendous account before God, for the cruelties he had so much assisted in committing. Cranmer remained still alive and in prison. He was brought out for more examining and trying, by Bonner, Bishop of London: another man of blood, who had succeeded to Gardiner's work, even in his lifetime, when Gardiner was tired of it. *** There is no doubt that the Queen and her husband personally urged on these deeds, because they wrote to the Council, urging them to be active in the kindling of the fearful fires. As Cranmer was known not to be a firm man, a plan was laid for surrounding him with artful people, and inducing him to recant to the unreformed religion. Deans and friars visited him, showed him various attentions, talked persuasively with him, and induced him to sign six recantations. But when, after all, he was taken out to be burnt, he was nobly true, to his better self, and made a glorious end. Chained to the stake, he stood before the people with a bald head and a white and flowing beard. He was so firm now
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when the worst was come, that he again declared against his recantation, and was so impressive and so undismayed, that a certain lord, who was one of the directors of the execution, called out to the men to make haste! Cranmer's heart was found entire among his ashes, and he left at last a memorable name in English history. Cardinal Pole celebrated the day by saying his first mass, and next day he was made Archbishop of Canterbury in Cranmer's place. The Queen's husband, who was now mostly abroad in his own dominions, was at war with France, and came over to seek the assistance of England. England was very unwilling to engage in a French war for his sake. But it happened that the King of France, at this very time, aided a descent upon the English coast. Hence, war was declared, greatly to Philip's satisfaction, and the Queen raised a sum of money with which to carry it on, by every means in her power. But the English sustained a complete defeat. The losses they met with in France were great, and the Queen never recovered from that blow. There was a bad fever raging in England at this time, and the Queen took it, and the hour of her death came. The Queen died on the seventeenth of November, 1558, after reigning not quite five years and a half, and in the fortyfourth year of her age. Cardinal Pole died of the same fever next day. As Bloody Queen Mary, this woman has become famous, and as Bloody Queen Mary, she will ever be justly remembered with horror and detestation in Great Britain.
CHAPTER V
ENGLAND UNDER ELIZABETH THE FIRST Weary of the barbarities of Mary's reign, the people looked with hope and gladness to the new Sovereign. The nation seemed to wake from a horrible dream. Queen Elizabeth was twenty-five years of age when she rode through the streets of London, from the Tower to Westminster Abbey, to be crowned. Her hair was red, and her' nose something Queen Elizabeth I too long and sharp for a woman's. She was not beautiful, but she was well enough, and looked all the better for coming after the gloomy Mary. She was well educated, clever, but cunning and deceitful, and inherited much of her father's violent temper. She began her reign with the great advantage of having a very wise and careful minister, Sir William Cecil, whom she afterwards made Lord Burleigh.
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The coronation was a great success; and, on the next day, one of the courtiers presented a petition to the new Queen, praying that as it was the custom to release some prisoners on such occasions, she would have the goodness to release the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and also the Apostle Saint Paul, who had been for some time shut up in a strange language so that the people could not get at them. The Queen replied that it would be better first to inquire of themselves whether they desired to be released or not, and a great public discussion — a sort of religious tournament — was appointed to take place between certain champions of the two religions, in Westminster Abbey. It was soon made pretty clear, that for people to benefit by what they repeat or read, it is rather necessary they should understand something about it. Accordingly, a Church Service in plain English was settled, and other laws and regulations were made, completely establishing the great work of the Reformation. The Romish bishops were not harshly dealt with, and the Queen's ministers were both prudent and merciful. *** The one great trouble of this reign was Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. She was the daughter of the Queen Regent of Scotland, Mary of Guise. She had been married, when a mere child, to the Dauphin, the son and heir of the King of France. The Pope, who pretended that no one could rightfully wear the crown of England without his gracious permission, was strongly opposed to Elizabeth, who had not asked for the said gracious permission. And as Mary Queen of Scots would have inherited the English crown in right of her birth, supposing the English Parliament not to have altered the succession, the Pope and most of his followers maintained that Mary was the rightful Queen of England, and Elizabeth the wrongful Queen.
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As Mary was so closely connected with France, and France was jealous of England, there was far greater danger in this than there would have been if she had had no alliance with that great power. And when her young husband, on the death of his father, became Francis the Second, King of France, the matter grew very serious. The young royal couple called themselves King and Queen of England, and the Pope was on their side. Now, the reformed religion, under the guidance of a stern and powerful preacher, named John Knox, and other such men, had been making progress in Scotland. It was still a half-savage country, where there was a great deal of murdering and rioting continually going on; and the Reformers, instead of reforming those evils as they should have done, went to work in the ferocious old Scottish spirit, laying churches and chapels waste, pulling down pictures and altars, and knocking about the friars. This harsh spirit of the Scottish reformers put up the blood of the Romish French court, and caused France to send troops over to Scotland, with the hope of setting the friars on their legs again; of conquering that country first, and England afterwards; and so crushing the Reformation all to pieces. The Scottish Reformers, who had formed a great league which they called The Congregation of the Lord, secretly represented to Elizabeth that, if the reformed religion got the worst of it with them, it would be likely to get the worst of it in England too. Thus, Elizabeth, though she had a high notion of the rights of Kings and Queens to do anything they liked, sent an army to Scotland to support the Reformers, who were in arms against their sovereign. All these proceedings led to a treaty of peace at Edinburgh, under which the French consented to depart from the kingdom. By a separate treaty, Mary and her young husband renounced their assumed title of King and Queen of England. But this treaty they never fulfilled. Soon the young French King died, leaving Mary a young widow. She was then invited by her Scottish subjects to
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return home and reign over them. She was not happy in France after her husband's death, so she left for Scotland. Elizabeth had been Queen three years, when Mary Queen of Scots embarked at Calais for her own country. She was very fond of France, and sat on the deck, looking back at it and weeping, "Farewell, France! Farewell, France! I shall never see you again!" When that fair young princess came to Scotland, and settled in the palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh, she found herself among strangers and wild uncomfortable customs, which were very different from her experiences in the court of John Knox France. Among the people who were not disposed to love her, she found the powerful leaders of the Reformed Church, who were bitter upon her amusements, however innocent, and denounced music and dancing as works of the devil. John Knox himself often lectured her, violently and angrily, and did much to make her life unhappy. All these reasons confirmed her old attachment to the Romish religion, and caused her to give a solemn pledge to the heads of the Romish Church that if she ever succeeded to the English crown, she would set up that religion again. In reading her unhappy history, you must always remember this; and also that during her whole life she was constantly put forward against the Queen, in some form or other, by the Romish party. *** Elizabeth was not inclined to like her. She was very vain and jealous, and had an extraordinary dislike to people being married. She treated Lady Catherine Grey, sister of the
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beheaded Lady Jane, with such shameful severity, for her being secretly married, that she died and her husband was ruined. So, when a second marriage for Mary began to be talked about, probably Elizabeth disliked her more. Not that Elizabeth wanted suitors of her own, for they started up from Spain, Austria, Sweden, and England. Her English lover at this time, and one whom she much favoured too, was Lord Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester — himself secretly married to Amy Robsart, the daughter of an English gentleman, whom he was strongly suspected of causing to be murdered, down at his country seat, Cumnor Hall in Berkshire, that he might be free to marry the Queen. The Queen always declared that she would never be married at all, and would live and die a Maiden Queen. Many princes proposed to marry Mary, but the English court had reasons for being jealous of them all, and even proposed as a matter of policy that she should marry that very Earl of Leicester who had aspired to be the husband of Elizabeth. At last, Lord Darnley, son of the Earl of Lennox, and himself descended from the Royal Family of Scotland, went over with Elizabeth's consent to try his fortune at Holyrood. He could dance and play the guitar pretty well, so he gained Mary's heart, and soon married her. Mary's brother, the Earl, or Murray, and head of the. Protestant party in Scotland, had opposed this marriage, partly on religious grounds, and partly perhaps from personal dislike of the bridegroom. When it had taken place, Mary banished Murray for his pains; and, when he and some other nobles rose in arms to support the reformed religion, she herself, within a month of her wedding day, rode against them in armour with loaded pistols in her saddle. Driven out of Scotland, they presented themselves before Elizabeth — who called them traitors in public, and assisted them in private. Soon Mary began to hate her husband, who, in his turn, began to hate her secretary, David Rizzio, whom he believed to be her lover. He hated Rizzio to that extent, that he made
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a compact with Lord Ruthven and three other lords to get rid of him by murder. This wicked agreement they made in solemn secrecy upon the first of March, 1566, and on the night of Saturday the ninth, the conspirators were brought by Darnley mto a range of rooms where they knew that Mary was sitting at supper with her sister, Lady Argyle, and her secretary. When they went into the room, Rizzio ran behind the Queen for shelter and protection. "Let him come out of the room," said Ruthven. "He shall not leave the room," replied the Queen, "I read his danger in your face, and I want him to remain here." Then they set upon him, and killed him with fifty-six stabs. When the Queen saw that he was dead, she said, "No more tears. I must think of revenge!" Within a day or two, she gained her husband over, and prevailed him to abandon the conspirators and fly with her to Dunbar. There, he issued a proclamation, falsely denying that he had any knowledge of the late bloody business. Then they were joined by the Earl Bothwell, and some other nobles. With their help, they raised eight thousand men, returned to Edinburgh, and drove the assasins into England. Mary soon afterwards gave birth to a son — still thinking of revenge. She had a greater scorn for her husband after his late cowardice and treachery than she had had before. There is little doubt that she now began to love Bothwell instead, and to plan with him means of getting rid of Darnley. Bothwell had such power over her that he made her even pardon the assassins of Rizzio. The arrangements for the christening of the young Prince were entrusted to him, and he was one of the most important people at the ceremony, where the child was named James. Queen Elizabeth I was his godmother, though she did not present on the occasion. A week afterwards, Darnley, who had left Mary and gone to his father's house at Glasgow, was taken ill with the small-pox. Mary sent her own physician to attend him. But there is reason to apprehend that this was merely a show and a pretence, and that she knew what was doing, when
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Bothwell within another month proposed to one of the late conspirators against Rizzio to murder Darnley; "for that it was the Queen's mind that he should be taken away." It is certain that on that very day she wrote to her ambassador in France, complaining of him, and yet went immediately to Glasgow, pretending to be very anxious about him, and to love him very much. If she wanted to get him in her power, she succeeded to her heart's content; for she induced him to go back with her to Edinburgh, and to occupy, instead of the palace, a lonely house outside the city called the Kirk of Field. Here, he lived for about a week. One Sunday night, she remained with him until ten o'clock, and then left him, to go to Holyrood to be present at an entertainment given in celebration of the marriage of one of her favourite servants. At two o'clock in the morning the city was shaken by a great explosion, and the Kirk of Field was blown to atoms. Darnley's body was found next day lying under a tree at some distance. Mary was unquestionably a party to her husband's murder, and that was the revenge she had threatened. The Scotch people universally believed it. Voices cried out in the streets of Edinburgh in the dead of the night, for justice on the murderess. The indignation of the people knew no bounds, when Bothwell afterwards married the Queen. *** Such guilty unions seldom prosper. This husband and wife had lived together but a month, when they were separated forever by the successes of a band of Scotch nobles who associated against them for the protection of the young Prince, whom Bothwell would certainly have murdered, if the Earl of Mar, in whose hands the boy was, had not been firmly and honourably faithful to his trust. Before this angry power, Bothwei! fled abroad, where he died, a prisoner and mad, nine years afterwards. Mary was sent a prisoner to Lochleven Castle that stood in the midst of a lake, and could
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only be approached by boat. Here, Lord Lindsay made her sign her abdication, and appoint Murray Regent of Scotland. She had better have remained in the castle of Lochleven, but she could not rest there, and more than once tried to escape. The first time she had nearly succeeded, dressed in the clothes of her own washerwoman, but when she put up her hand to prevent one of the boatmen from lifting her veil, the men suspected her, seeing how white it was, and rowed her back again. A short^time afterwards, her fascinating manners enlisted in her cause a boy in the Castle, called the little Douglas, who, while the family were at supper, stole the keys of the great gate, went softly out with the Queen, locked the gate on the outside, and rowed her away across the lake, sinking the keys as they went along. On the opposite shore she was met by another Douglas, and rode away on horseback to Hamilton, where she raised three thousand men. Here, she issued a proclamation declaring that the abdication she had signed in her prison was illegal. Being a steady soldier, Murray pretended to treat with her, until he had collected a force about half equal to her own, and then he gave her battle. In one quarter of an hour he cut down all her hopes. She took shelter at Dundrennan Abbey, and then fled for safety to Elizabeth's dominions. As soon as Mary Queen of Scots came to England in 1568, she wrote to Elizabeth, entreating her assistance to oblige her Scottish subjects to take her back again and obey her. But she was told in answer that she must first clear herself. Made uneasy by this condition, Mary would have gone to Spain, or to France, or would even have gone back to Scotland. But, as her doing either would have been likely to trouble England afresh, it was decided that she should be detained here. She first came to Carlisle, and, after that, was moved about from castle to castle, as was considered necessary; but she never left England again. After trying very hard to get rid of the necessity of clearing herself, Mary, advised by Lord Hemes, her best friend in England, agreed to answer the charges against her, if
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the Scottish noblemen who made them would attend to maintain them before such English noblemen as Elizabeth might appoint for that purpose. Accordingly, such an assembly, under the name of a conference, met, first at York, and afterwards at Hampton Court. In its presence Lord Lennox, Darnley's father, openly charged Mary with the murder of his son. When her brother Murray produced against her a casket containing certain guilty letters aud verses which he stated to have passed between her and Bothwell, she withdrew from the inquiry. Consequently, she Mary Queen of Scots was then considered guilty. However, the Duke of Norfolk, an honourable but rather weak nobleman, partly because Mary was very beautiful, partly because he was ambitious, partly because he was over-persuaded by artful plotters against Elizabeth, decided to marry the Queen of Scots — though he was a little frightened by the letters in the casket. Mary expressed her approval of the idea, and the King of France and the King of Spain are supposed to have done the same. The news came to Elizabeth's ears, who warned the Duke "to be careful what sort of pillow he was going to lay his head upon." He made a humble reply at the time, but turned sulky soon afterwards, and, being considered dangerous, was sent to the Tower. Thus, from the moment of Mary's coming to England she began to be the centre of plots and miseries. A rise of the Catholics in the north was the next of these, and it was only checked by many executions and much bloodshed. It was followed by a great conspiracy of the Pope
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and some of the Catholic sovereigns of Europe to depose Elizabeth, place Mary on the throne, and restore the unreformed religion. It is almost impossible to doubt that Mary knew and approved of this, and the Pope himself was so hot in the matter that he openly called Elizabeth the "pretended Queen" of England.. A copy of this bull got into London, and was found one morning publicly posted on the Bishop of London's gate. Another copy was found in the chamber of a student of Lincoln's Inn, who confessed, being put upon the rack, that he had received it from a certain John Felton, a rich gentleman who lived across the Thames, near Southwark. This John Felton, being put upon the rack too, confessed that he had posted the placard on the Bishop's gate. For this offence he was, within four days, taken to St. Paul's Churchyard, and there hanged and quartered. As to the Pope's bull, it was not paid much attention to. On the very day when Felton was brought to his trial, the poor Duke of Norfolk was released. Even while he was in the Tower he corresponded with Mary, and as soon as he was out of it, he began to plot again. Being discovered in correspondence with the Pope, with a view to a rising in England which should force Elizabeth to consent to his marriage with Mary and to repeal the laws against the Catholics, he was recommitted to the Tower and brought to trial. He was found guilty, and was sentenced to the block. It is very difficult tq make out, at this distance of time, whether Elizabeth really was a humane woman, or desired to appear so, or was fearful of shedding the blood of people of great name who were popular in the country. Twice she commanded and countermanded the execution of this Duke, and it did not take place until five months after his trial. The scaffold was erected on Tower Hill, and there he died like a brave man. He refused to have his eyes bandaged, saying that he was not at all afraid of death, and he admitted the justice of his sentence, and was much regretted by the people.
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* * *
The Parliament, aggravated by what the Pope had done, made new and strong laws against the spreading of the Catholic religion in England, and declared it treason in anyone to say that the Queen and her successors were not the lawful sovereigns of England. Since the Reformation, there had come to be three great sects of religious people — or people who called themselves so — in England; that is to say, those who belonged to the Reformed Church, those who belonged to the Unreformed Church, and those who were called the Puritans, because they said that they wanted to have everything very pure and plain in all the Church service. These last were for the most part an uncomfortable people, who thought it highly meritorious to dress in a hideous manner, talk through their noses, and oppose all harmless enjoyments. But they were powerful too, and they were the determined enemies of the Queen of Scots. The Protestant feeling in England was further strengthened by the tremendous cruelties to which Protestants were exposed in France and in the Netherlands. Many thousands of them were put to death in those countries with every cruelty that can be imagined, and at last one of the greatest barbarities ever committed in the world took place at Paris. It is called in history, the Massacre of Saint Bartholomew, because it took place on Saint Bartholomew's Eve, Saturday the twenty-third of August, 1572. On that day all the great leaders of the Protestants (who were called Huguenots there) were assembled together to do honour to the marriage of their chief, the young King of Navarre, with the sister of Charles IX. Charles was made to believe by his mother and other fierce Catholics about him that the Huguenots planned to murder him. So he gave secret orders that, on the tolling of a great bell, the Huguenots should be slaughtered wherever they could be found.
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When the bell tolled, the murderers broke forth. During all that night and the two next days, they broke into the houses, fired them, shot and stabbed the Protestants, men, women, and children. About ten thousand Protestants were killed in Paris alone; in all France four or five times that number. The massacre produced a powerful impression upon the English. They began to persecute the Catholics at about this time, and the days of bloody Queen Mary must be remembered in their excuse. The Court was not so honest as the people. It received the French ambassador, with all the lords and ladies dressed in deep mourning, and keeping a profound silence. Nevertheless, a proposal of marriage which he had made to Elizabeth only two days before the eve of Saint Bartholomew, on behalf of the Duke of Alencon, the French King's brother, a boy of seventeen, still went on; while on the other hand the Queen secretly supplied the Huguenots with money and weapons. *** Elizabeth was "going" to be married pretty often for a Queen who made fine speeches about living and dying a Maiden Queen. Besides always having some English favourite or other, she held this French Duke off and on through several years. When he at last came over to England, the marriage articles were actually drawn up, and it was settled that the wedding should take place in six weeks. The Queen was then so bent upon it, that she prosecuted a poor Puritan named Stubbs, and a poor bookseller named Page, for writing and publishing a pamphlet against it. Their right hands were chopped off for this crime. But that marriage never took place after all, and the Duke went away, after nearly ten years of courtship. He died a couple of years afterwards, mourned by Elizabeth, who appears to have been really fond of him. It is not much to her credit, for he was a bad enough member of a bad family.
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* * *
To return to the Catholics. There arose two orders ot priests, who were very busy in England,, and who were much dreaded. These were the Jesuits (who were everywhere in all sorts of disguises), and the Seminary Priests. The people had a great horror of the first, because they taught that murder was lawful if it were done with an object of which they approved; and they had a great horror of the second, because they came to teach the old religion, and to be the successors of "Queen Mary's priests". The severest laws were made against them, and they were most unmercifully executed. Those who sheltered them in their houses often suffered heavily for that. However, there were many plots, both among the Jesuits, and with France, and with Scotland, and with Spain, for the destruction of Queen Elizabeth, for the placing of Mary on the throne, and for the revival of the old religion. If the English people were too ready to believe in plots, there were good reasons for it. When the massacre of Saint Bartholomew was yet fresh in their recollection, a great Protestant Dutch hero, the Prince of Orange, was shot by an assassin, who confessed that he had been trained for the purpose in a college of Jesuits. The Dutch, in this distress, offered to make Elizabeth their sovereign, but she declined the honour, and sent them a small army instead, under the command of the Earl of Leicester, who, although a capital Court favourite, was not much of a general, and did very little in Holland. At home, intelligence of plots began to thicken every day. One great plot was discovered, and it ended the career of Mary, Queen of Scots. A seminary priest named Ballard, and a Spanish soldier named Savage, set on and encouraged by certain French priests, imparted a design to Antony Babington, who had been for some time a secret agent of Mary's — for murdering the Queen. Babington then confided the scheme to some other Catholic gentlemen who 3 Зак. № 376
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were his friends, and they joined in it heartily. They were vain weak-headed young men, ridiculously confident: two of their number kept Elizabeth's wisest minister, Sir Francis Walsingham, acquainted with the whole project from the very beginning. Walsingham, having got full evidence against the whole band, resolved to seize them. Suspecting something wrong, they stole out of the city, one by one, and hid themselves in St. John's Wood, and other places which really were hiding places then; but they were all taken, and all executed. Mary was obviously involved in the plot, as her letters to Babington were found. Queen Elizabeth had been warned long ago that in holding Mary alive, she held "the wolf who would devour her." The question now was, what to do with her? The Earl of Leicester wrote a little note home from Holland, recommending to poison her.His black advice, however, was disregarded, and Mary was brought to trial at Fotheringay Castle in Northamptonshire, before a tribunal of forty, composed of both religions. There, and in the Star Chamber at Westminster, the trial lasted a fortnight. She was found guilty, and declared to have incurred the penalty of death. The Parliament approved the sentence, and prayed Elizabeth to have it executed. Then the Queen asked them to consider some means of saving Mary's life without endangering her own. The Parliament could not find any, and did not want to do that. They supposed that all the troubles would be ended by the death of the Queen of Scots. She, feeling sure that her time was now come, wrote a letter to the Queen of England, making three entreaties; first, that she might be buried in France; secondly, that she might not be executed in secret, but before her servants and some others; thirdly, that after her death, her servants should go home with the legacies she left them. Elizabeth did not answer that letter.
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* * *
Elizabeth wished one thing more than Mary's death, and that was to keep free of the blame of it. Only on the first of February, 1587, the Queen signed the warrant for the execution. So, on the seventh of February, the Earls of Kent and Shrewsbury, with the Sheriff of Northamptonshire, came with that warrant to Fotheringay, to tell the Queen of Scots to prepare for death. When the messengers were gone, Mary made a frugal supper, read over her will, went to bed, slept for some hours, and then arose and passed the remainder of the night saying prayers. In the morning she dressed herself in her best clothes. At eight o'clock the sheriff came for her. Only two of her women and four of her men were allowed to be present in the hall, where a low scaffold, only two feet from the ground, was erected and covered with black. The hall was full of people. While the sentence was being read, Mary sat upon a stool, and, when it was finished, she again denied her guilt, as she had done before. When her head and neck were uncovered by the executioners, she said that she had not been used to be undressed by such hands, or before so much company. Finally, one of her women fastened a cloth over her face, and she laid her neck upon the block. Some say her head was struck off in two blows, some say in three. When it was held up, streaming with blood, the real hair beneath the false hair she had long worn was seen to be as grey as that of a woman of seventy, though she was at that time only in her forty-sixth year. All her beauty was gone. But she was beautiful enough to her little dog, who cowered under her dress, frightened, when she went upon the scaffold, and who lay down beside her headless body after the execution. When Elizabeth knew that the sentence had been executed on the Queen of Scots, she showed the utmost grief and rage, and drove her favourites from her with indignation.
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James, King of Scotland, Mary's son, also made a show of being very angry on the occasion; but he was a pensioner of England to the amount of five thousand pounds a year. He
Such ships sailed to South America in search of gold
had known very little of his mother, and possibly regarded her as the murderer of his father, and he soon took it quietly. Philip, King of Spain, however, threatened to do greater things than ever had been done yet, to set up the Catholic religion and punish Protestant England. Elizabeth, hearing that he and the Prince of Parma were making great preparations for this purpose, sent out Admiral Drake (a famous navigator, who had already brought great plunder from Spain) to the port of Cadiz, where he burnt a hundred vessels full of stores. This great loss made the Spaniards put off the invasion for a year; but they still had one hundred and thirty ships, nineteen thousand soldiers, eight thousand sailors, two thousand slaves, and between two and three thousand great guns. England was making ready to resist this great force. All the men between sixteen years old and sixty, were trained and drilled; the national fleet of ships (in number only thirty-four at first) was enlarged by public contributions and by private ships, fitted out by noblemen. The city of London furnished double the number of ships and men that it was required to provide. The national spirit was
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up to resist the Spaniards. Some of the Queen's advisers were for seizing the principal English Catholics, and putting them to death; but the Queen, to her honour, rejected the advice, and only confined a few of those who were the most suspected, in the fens in Lincolnshire. The majority of Catholics deserved this confidence, as they behaved most loyally, nobly, and bravely. The country waited for the coming of the proud Spanish fleet, which was called the Invincible Armada. When it came into the English Channel, sailing along in the form of a half moon, of such great size that it was seven miles broad, the English were quickly upon it, and it soon appeared that the great Armada was not invincible at all. On a summer night, bold Drake sent eight blazing fire-ships right into the midst of the Armada. The Spaniards tried to get out to sea, and so became dispersed. The English pursued them at a great advantage. A storm came on, and drove the Spaniards among rocks and shoals, and the Invincible fleet lost thirty great ships and ten thousand men, and, defeated and disgraced, sailed home again. Being afraid to go by the English Channel, it sailed all round Scotland and Ireland, some of the ships getting cast away on the coast in bad weather. So ended this great attempt to invade and conquer England. Then the Spanish king conceived the absurd idea of placing his daughter on the English throne. But the Earl of Essex, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Thomas Howard, and some other distinguished leaders, put to sea from Plymouth, entered the port of Cadiz once more, and got possession of the town. In obedience to the Queen's express instructions, they behaved with great humanity; and the principal loss of the Spaniards was a vast sum of money which they had to pay for ransom. This was one of many gallant achievements on the sea, effected in this reign. Sir Walter Raleigh himself, after marrying a maid of honour and giving offence to the Maiden Queen thereby, had already sailed to South America in search of gold.
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The Earl of Leicester was now dead, and so was Sir Thomas Walsingham, whom Lord Burleigh was soon to follow. The principal favourite was the Earl of Essex, a favourite with the people as well as with the Queen. It was much debated at Court whether there should be peace with Spain or no, and he was very urgent for war. He also tried hard to have his own way in the appointment of a deputy to govern in Ireland. One day, while this question was in dispute, he hastily took offence, and turned his back upon the Queen. The Queen gave him a tremendous box on the ear, and told him to go to the devil. He went home instead, and did not reappear at Court for half a year or so, when he and the Queen were reconciled, though never thoroughly. From this time the fate of the Earl of Essex and that of the Queen seemed to be blended together. The Irish were still quarrelling and fighting among themselves, and he went over to Ireland, to the great joy of his enemies, who were glad to have so dangerous a rival far off. Knowing that his enemies would take advantage of that circumstance to injure him with the Queen, he came home again, though against her orders. The Queen gave him her hand to kiss, but in the course of the same day she ordered him to confine himself to his room, and two or three days afterwards had him taken into custody. He was a man who could find comfort and occupation in his books, and he did so for a time. But it happened unfortunately for him, that he held a monopoly in sweet wines: which means that nobody could sell them without purchasing his permission. This right, which was only for a term, expiring, he applied to have it renewed. The Queen refused, and the angry Earl, who had been already deprived of many offices, thought himself in danger of complete ruin, and turned against the Queen, whom he called a vain old woman who had grown as crooked in her mind as she had in her figure. These words were immediately carried to the Queen, whom they did not put in a better temper.
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The worst object of the Earl of Essex, and some friends of his, was to obtain possession of the Queen, and oblige her by force to dismiss her ministers and change her favourites. On the seventh of February, 1601, the council suspecting this, summoned the Earl to come before them. He, pretending to be ill, declined. It was then settled among his friends, that he should make one bold effort to induce people to rise and follow him to the Palace. This attempt failed. The Earl was arrested, and brought to trial on the nineteenth of February, and found guilty. On the twenty-fifth, he was executed on Tower Hill, where he died courageously, at thirty-four years old. His enemy, Sir Walter Raleigh, stood near the scaffold all the time. In this case, as in the cases of the Duke of Norfolk and Mary Queen of Scots, the Queen had commanded, and countermanded, and again commanded, the execution. It is probable that the death of her young favourite was never off her mind afterwards. * * * On the tenth of March, 1603, having been ill of a very bad cold, and made worse by the death of the Countess of Nottingham who was her intimate friend, Elizabeth fell into a stupor and was supposed to be dead. She recovered her consciousness, however, and then nothing would induce her to go to bed — she said that she knew that if she did, she should never get up again. There she lay for ten days, on cushions on the floor, without any food, until the Lord Admiral got her into bed at last. When they asked her who should succeed her, she replied that her seat had been the seat of Kings, and that she would have her cousin of Scotland for her successor.
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This was on the twenty-third of March. At three o'clock next morning, she very quietly died, in the forty-fifth year of her reign. That reign had been a glorious one, and is made forever memorable by the distinguished men who flourished in it. Apart from the great voyagers, statesmen, and scholars, whom it produced, the names of Bacon, Spenser, and Shakespeare, will always be remembered by the civilised world. It was a great reign for discovery, for commerce, and for English enterprise and spirit in general. It was a great reign for the Protestant religion and for the Reformation which made England free.
CHAPTER VI
ENGLAND UNDER JAMES THE FIRST Elizabeth's "cousin of Scotland" was ugly, awkward, and shuffling both in mind and person. His figure presented a most ridiculous appearance, dressed in thick padded clothes, as a safeguard against being stabbed (of which he lived in continual fear), of a grassgreen colour from head to foot, with a hunting-horn dangling at his side instead of a sword, and his hat and feather sticking over one eye, or hanging on the back of his head. He used to loll on the necks of his favourite courtiers, and kiss and pinch their cheeks; and the greatest favourite he ever had used to sign himself in his letters to his royal master, His Majesty's "dog and slave".
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His Majesty was the worst rider ever seen, and thought himself the best. He was one of the most impertinent talkers ever heard, and boasted of being unanswerable in all manner of argument. He wrote some of the most wearisome treatises ever read — among others, a book upon witchcraft, and thought himself a prodigy of authorship. He thought, and wrote, and said, that a king had a right to make and unmake any laws he pleased, and ought to be accountable to nobody on earth. He came to the English throne with great ease, and was accepted by the nation, even without being asked to give any pledge that he would govern well. He took a month to come from Edinburgh to London, and, by way of exercising his new power, knighted everybody he could lay hold of. He made two hundred knights before he got to his palace in London, and seven hundred before he had been in it three months. He also shovelled sixty-two new peers into the House of Lords — and there were many Scotchmen among them. His prime Minister Cecil was the enemy of Sir Walter Raleigh, and also of Sir Walter's political friend, Lord Cobham; and James's first trouble was a plot originated by these two, and entered into by some others, with the old object of seizing the King and keeping him in imprisonment until he should change his ministers. There were Catholic priests in the plot, and there were Puritan noblemen too. Though the Catholics and Puritans were strongly opposed to each other, they united at this time against the King, because they knew that he had a design against both, after pretending to be friendly to each. This design was to have only one high and convenient form of the Protestant religion, which everybody should be bound to belong to, whether they liked it or not. This plot was mixed up with another, which may or may not have had some reference to placing on the throne, at some time, the Lady Arabella Stuart, the daughter of the younger brother of the King's father, who, however, was quite innocent of any part
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in the scheme. Sir Walter Raleigh was accused on the confession of Lord Cobham, a miserable creature, who could not be relied upon. The trial of Sir Walter Raleigh lasted from eight in the morning until nearly midnight. He defended himself with eloquence and spirit against all accusations, but was found guilty, nevertheless, and sentenced to death. Execution was deferred, and he was taken to the Tower. Soon it was comfortably settled that there was to be only one form of religion, and that all men were to think exactly alike. But, although this arrangement was supported by much fining and imprisonment, it was not quite successful. Having uncommonly high opinion of himself as a king, James had a very low opinion of Parliament as a power that wanted to control him. He called his first Parliament after he had been king a year, and told them that he commanded them "as an absolute king." The Parliament thought those strong words, and saw the necessity of upholding their authority. James I had three children: Prince Henry, Prince Charles, and the Princess Elizabeth. It would have been well for one of these if he had learned a little wisdom concerning Parliaments from his father's obstinacy. * * *
This Parliament revived and strengthened the severe laws against the Catholics. And this angered a Catholic gentleman, Robert Catesby by name, so much, that he formed a scheme known as the Gunpowder Plot. His object was to blow up the King, lords, and commons at the next opening of Parliament. The first person to whom he confided this horrible idea was Thomas Winter, who had served in the army abroad, and had been secretly employed in Catholic projects. Winter went over to the Netherlands, and at Ostend he met Guido — or Guy — Fawkes, whom he had known when they were both soldiers abroad. Winter told Fawkes about Catesby's plan, and they both decided to join the plot, and came back to England together. Here, they
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admitted two other conspirators: Thomas Percy and John Wright, both related to the Earl of Northumberland. All these
Guido Fawkes, Thomas Percy and Robert Catesby forming a scheme known as the Gunpounder Plot
met together in a solitary house, and Catesby told the rest what his plan was. As Percy had occasional duties to perform about the Court, then kept at Whitehall, there would be nothing suspicious in his living at Westminster. So, having found a house to let, the back of which joined the Parliament House, he hired it for the purpose of undermining the wall. Having got possession of this house, the conspirators hired another one, which they used as a storehouse for gunpowder that was to be gradually carried at night to the house at Westminster. It was a dark wintry December night, when the conspirators met in the house at Westminster, and began to dig. The wall was very thick, and they had to dig by night and by day, and Fawkes stood sentinel all the time. And if any man's heart seemed to fail him at all, Fawkes said,
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"Gentlemen, we have a lot of powder here, and there is no fear of our being taken alive, even if discovered." The same Fawkes soon learned that the King had prorogued the Parliament again, from the seventh of February, the day first fixed upon, until the third of October. When the conspirators knew this, they agreed to separate until after the Christmas holidays, and the house in Westminster was shut up again. It was the beginning of February, 1605, when Catesby met his fellow-conspirators again at this Westminster house. He had now admitted three more — John Grant, Robert Winter, eldest brother of Thomas, and Catesby's own servant, Thomas Bates, who, Catesby thought, had had some suspicion of what his master was doing. And now, they all began to dig again, and they dug and dug by night and by day. They found it dismal work alone there, underground, with such a fearful secret on their minds, and so many murders before them. They were filled with wild fancies. Sometimes, they thought they heard a great bell tolling, deep down in the earth under the Parliament House; sometimes, they thought they heard low voices muttering about the Gunpowder Plot. Once in the morning, they really did hear a great noise over their heads. They stopped and looked at each other, wondering what had happened, when Guy Fawkes, who had been out to look, came in and told them that it was only a dealer in coals who had occupied a cellar under the Parliament House, removing his stock in trade to some other place. Upon this, the conspirators, who with all their digging and digging had not yet dug through the tremendously thick wall, changed their plan. They hired that cellar, which was directly under the House of Lords, put thirty-six barrels of gunpowder in it, and covered them over with fagots and coals. Then they all dispersed again till September, when the following new conspirators were admitted, Sir Edward Baynham, Sir Everard Digby, Ambrose Rookwood and Francis Tresham being among them. Most of these were rich, and were to assist the plot, some with money and some with horses on which the conspirators were to ride through the
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country and rouse the Catholics after the Parliament should be blown into air. Parliament was again prorogued from the third of October to the fifth of November. Thomas Winter said he would go up into the House of Lords on the day of the prorogation, and see how matters looked. Nothing could be better. The unconscious Commissioners were walking about and talking to one another, just over the thirty-six barrels of gunpowder. He came back and told the rest so, and they went on with their preparations. They hired a ship, and kept it ready in the Thames, in which Fawkes was to sail for Flanders after firing with a slow match the fagots that ware to explode the powder. A number of Catholic gentlemen not in the secret were invited, on pretence of a hunting party, to meet Sir Everard Digby at Dunchurch on the fatal day, that they might be ready to act together. Everything seemed to be ready. But, now, the great danger which had been all along at the bottom of this plot, began to show itself. As the fifth of November drew near, most of the conspirators, remembering that they had friends and relations who would be in the House of Lords that day, felt a wish to warn them to keep away. They were not much comforted by Catesby's declaring that in such a cause he would blow up his own son. Lord Monteagle, Tresham's brother-in-law, was certain to be in the house. So Tresham wrote a mysterious letter to his relative, urging him to keep away from the opening of Parliament. It contained the words: "the Parliament should receive a terrible blow". Lord Monteagle showed the letter to the King and his ministers, and it was decided to let the conspirators alone, until the very day before the opening of Parliament. * * *
In the afternoon of the fourth of November GUY Fawkes was keeping watch in the cellar as usual. At about two o'clock the Lord Chamberlain and Lord Monteagle threw open the
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door and looked in. "Who are you, friend ?" said they. "I am Mr. Percy's servant," said Fawkes, "and I am looking after his store of fuel here." The lords looked at each other, shut the door, and went away. Fawkes was left alone. After midnight he slowly opened the door, and came out to look about him. He was instantly seized by a party of soldiers. He had a watch upon him, some touchwood, and some slow matches, so his intentions were absolutely clear. They took him to the King's bedroom first of all, and there the King asked him how he could have the heart to intend to destroy so many innocent people? "Desperate diseases need desperate remedies," he answered boldly. Next day Fawkes was carried to the Tower, but would make no confession even under the torture. Other conspirators were less heroic. Tresham, taken and put in the Tower too, made all the necessary confessions. Soon all the conspirators were either arrested or killed. The trial of Guy Fawkes, and such of the other conspirators as were left alive was held on the fifteenth of January. They were all found guilty, all hanged, drawn, and quartered. A Jesuit priest, named Henry Garnet was said to assist the conspirators. He was arrested, found guilty and executed (the Catholic Church made a saint of him). The result of the Gunpowder plot was, that the Catholics were unjustly put under more severe laws than before. *** The King hated his Parliament. But he could not get money without the Parliament, so James I had to order it to meet. When the Parliament, in return, asked him to redress some public wrongs, he flew into a rage. The King was outraged even more, when the Parliament expressed their will to make the laws, while the King considered it to be his priviledge. But as James I could not do without the Parliament, their disputes and quarrels were going on. The King indulged himself in hunting and drinking. His greatest favourite was Sir Philip Herbert, whom he soon
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made Earl of Montgomery. Another favourite, Robert Carr, was made Viscount Rochester, and afterwards, Earl of Somerset. Then the King was charmed by George Villiers, who came to Court with all the Paris fashions on him, and could dance very well. While the King was promoting his favourites, three remarkable deaths took place in England. The first was that of Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury. The second was that of the Lady Arabella Stuart, who alarmed James I mightily, by marrying William Seymour, a descendant of King Henry the Seventh, who might strengthen her claim to the throne. At first she was separated from her husband, who was put in the Tower. Then she was also put there, and soon confined in the Tower, where she died Chere after four years of imprisontment. The last, and the most important of these three deaths, was that of Prince Henry, the heir to the throne, in the nineteenth year of his age. He was a promising young prince, and very popular. On the occasion of the preparations for the marriage of his sister the Princess Elizabeth with a foreign prince, he came from Richmond, where he had been very ill, to greet his new brother-in-law, at the palace at Whitehall. There he played a great game at tennis, in his shirt, though it was very cold weather, and was seized with a putrid fever. Then Sir Walter Raleigh, who had spent twelve long years in the Tower, proposed to resume his sea voyages, and to go to South America in search of gold. The King, divided between his wish to be on good terms with the Spaniards, and the desire to get the gold, did not know what to do. But, in the end, he set Sir Walter free, and Sir Walter fitted out an expedition at his own cost. On the twenty-eighth of March, 1617, he sailed away. The expedition failed and after having returned to England, Sir Walter was once again imprisoned. The King was disappointed in not getting any gold. Soon it was declared that Sir Walter Raleigh must die under his former sentence, now fifteen years old. On the twenty-ninth of October, 1618, at eight o'clock, after a cheerful breakfast,
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and a pipe, and a cup of good wine, he was taken to Old Palace Yard in Westminster, where the scaffold was set up, and where so many people gathered to see him die, that it was a matter of some difficulty to get him through the crowd. When he was bent down ready for death, he said to the executioner, finding that he hesitated, "What dost thou fear? Strike, man!" So, the axe came down and struck his head off, in the sixtysixth year of his age. The new favourite got on fast. He was made a viscount, he was made Duke of Buckingham, he was made a marquis, he was made Master of the Horse, he was made Lord High Admiral. He had the whole kingdom at his disposal, and his Walter Raleigh mother sold all the profits and honours of the State, as if she had kept a shop. He blazed all over with precious stones. Yet that gentleman called himself his Majesty's dog and slave, which might please the King. * * * James I was driven between the general dislike of the Catholic religion at home, and his desire to flatter it abroad, as his only means of getting a rich princess for his son's wife. The King wanted Prince Charles — who became Prince of Wales after his brother's death — to marry the Spanish King's daughter. But the young Prince fell in love with Henrietta Maria, the French King's sister. Henrietta Maria was to become the Prince's wife, and was to bring him a fortune of eight hundred thousand crowns.
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James's eyes were getting red with eagerly looking for the money, when the end of the life came upon him. After a fortnight's illness, on Sunday the twenty-seventh of March, 1625, he died. He had reigned twenty-two years, and was fifty-nine years old.
CHAPTER VII
ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES THE FIRST Charles became King Charles I in the twentyfifth year of his age. Unlike his father, he was usually amiable in his private character, and grave and dignified in his bearing; but, like his father, he had monstrously exaggerated notions of the rights of a king, and was not to be trusted. First of all he sent Buckingham to France, to bring his bride, Henrietta Maria to England. The Charles I English received their new Queen with great favour. But she, being a Catholic, hated the Protestant religion, and brought Catholic priests with her. Hence, the people soon came to dislike her, and she soon came to dislike them. In
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fact, Henrietta Maria did much in setting the King against his subjects. King Charles the First wanted to be a high and mighty King, and not to be called to account by anybody. His Queen also wanted him to put his Parliament down and to put himself up. That idea was enough to ruin any king. He was bent upon war with Spain, though neither the House of Commons nor the people were quite clear as to the justice of that war. But the King rushed into it hotly, raised money by illegal means to meet its expenses, and encountered a miserable failure at Cadiz, in the very first year of his reign. An expedition to Cadiz had been made in the hope of plunder, but as it was not successful, it was necessary to get money from the Parliament. When they met, the King told them "to make haste to let him have it, or it would be the worse for themselves". These words caused great indignation, and the members of the Parliament impeached the King's favourite, the Duke of Buckingham, as the cause of many great public wrongs. The King, to save his friend, dissolved the Parliament without getting the money he wanted. Then he began to raise money himself. He levied certain duties called tonnage and poundage which had not been granted by the Parliament. He called upon the seaport towns to furnish armed ships. He required the people to lend him large sums of money, the repayment of which was very doubtful. Those who refused to do so were punished. Five gentlemen, named Sir Thomas Darnel, John Corbet, Walter Earl, John Heveningham, and Everard Hampden, were sent to prison for refusing to lend money. All that was a violation of Magna Charta, and there was a fatal division between the King and the people. *** It became necessary to call another Parliament. The people felt the danger in which their liberties were, chose for it those who were best known for their determined opposition to the King. But still the King addressed the new Parliament
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in a contemptuous manner, and just told them that he had only called them together because he wanted money. The Parliament ignored his words, and laid before him one of the great documents of history, which is called The Petition of Right. It was said in the document that the free men of England should no longer lend the King money, and should no longer be pressed or imprisoned for refusing to do so; further, that the free men of England should no longer be seized by the King's special mandate or warrant, it being contrary to their rights and liberties and the laws of their country. The King was greatly alarmed, and had to give his consent to all that was required of him. Unfortunately, afterwards he departed from his word on these points. By this time England had been involved in war with France, as well as with Spain. Buckingham did much to start it. But he was destined to do little more mischief in this world. One morning, as he was going out of his house to his carriage, he was violently stabbed with a knife, which the murderer left sticking in his heart. He was stabbed by John Felton, a Protestant and a retired officer in the army. He said he had killed the Duke as a curse to the country. He had aimed his blow well, for Buckingham had only had time to cry out, "Villain!" and then he drew out the knife, and died. A little sooner John Felton was simply executed for the murder he had done. A murder it undoubtedly was, and not in the least to be defended: though he had freed England from a base court favourite. A very different man now arose. This was Sir Thomas Wentworth, a Yorkshire gentleman, who had sat in Parliament for a long time, and who had favoured arbitrary and haughty principles, but who had gone over to the people's side on receiving offence from Buckingham. The King, much wanting such a man — for, besides being naturally favourable to the King's cause, he had great abilities — made him first a Baron, and then a Viscount, and gave him high employment, and won him most completely.
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A Parliament, however, was still in existence, and was not to be won. On the twentieth of January, 1629, Sir John Eliot, a great man who had been active in The Petition of Right, brought forward other strong resolutions against the King's chief instruments, and called upon the Speaker to put them to the vote. To this the Speaker answered, "he was commanded otherwise by the King," and got up to leave the chair — which according to the rules of the House of Commons would have obliged it to adjourn without doing anything more — when two members, named Mr. Hollis and Mr. Valentine, held him down. A scene of great confusion arose among the members; and while many swords were drawn and flashing about, the King, who was kept informed of all that was going on, told the captain of his guard to go down to the House and force the doors. The resolutions were by that time, however, voted, and the House adjourned. Sir John Eliot and those two members who had held the Speaker down, were quickly summoned before the council. As they claimed it to be their privilege not to answer out of Parliament for anything they had said in it, they were committed to the Tower. The King then went down and dissolved the Parliament, having called these gentlemen "Vipers". As they refused to gain their liberty by saying they were sorry for what they had done, the King, always remarkably unforgiving, never overlooked their offence. When they still came before the court, they were sentenced to heavy fines, and to be imprisoned during the King's pleasure. When Sir John Eliot's health had quite given way, and he petitioned for his release, the King answered that the petition was not humble enough. When Sir Thomas died in the Tower, and his children petitioned to be allowed to take his body down to Cornwall, to lay it among the ashes of his forefathers, the King returned for answer, "Let Sir John Eliot's body be buried in the church of that parish where he died."
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* * *
I
For twelve long years, steadily pursuing his design of setting himself up and putting the people down, the King called no Parliament. For twelve years King Charles the First reigned in England unlawfully and despotically, seized upon his subjects' goods and money at his pleasure, and punished according to his will all who ventured to oppose him. William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, was the King's right-hand man in the religious part of the putting down of the people's liberties. Laud was a man of large learning but small sense. He was a Protestant, but he held opinions so near those of the Catholics, that the Pope wanted to make him a Cardinal, if he would have accepted that favour. He thought vows, robes, lighted candles, images and so on to be very important in religious ceremonies. He also regarded archbishops and bishops as a sort of miraculous persons. All that could not please the English. In the money part of the putting down of the people's liberties, the King was equally alarming. He levied those duties of tonnage and poundage, and increased them as he thought fit. He granted monopolies to companies of merchants on their paying him for them, notwithstanding the great complaints that had, for years and years, been made on the subject of monopolies. He revived the detested Forest laws. Above all, he determined to have what was called Ship Money for the support of the fleet. That was too much, and John Chambers, a citizen of London, refused to pay his part of the Ship Money. For this the Lord Mayor ordered John Chambers to prison, and for that John Chambers brought a suit against the Lord Mayor. Lord Say also declared he would not pay. But the best opponent of the Ship Money was John Hampden, a gentleman of Buckinghamshire, who had sat among the "vipers" in the House of Commons, and who had been the bosom friend of Sir John Eliot. This case was tried before the twelve judges in the Court of Exchequer, and again the
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King's lawyers said it was impossible that Ship Money could be wrong, because the King could do no wrong. Seven of the judges said that was quite true, and Mr. Hampden was bound to pay; five of the judges said that was quite false, and Mr. Hampden was not bound to pay. So, the King triumphed (as he thought), by making Hampden the most popular man in England. But the matters in the country were getting to that height now, that many honest Englishmen had to sail away across the seas to found a colony in Massachusetts Bay in America. It is said that Hampden himself and his relation Oliver Cromwell were going with a company of such voyagers, and were actually on board ship, when they were stopped by a proclamation, prohibiting sea captains to carry out such passengers without the royal license. But it would have been well for the King if he had let them go! *** This was the state of England. Laud did great mischief in Scotland. In his attempts to force his own ideas of bishops, and his own religious forms and ceremonies upon the Scotch, he rouse that nation to a perfect frenzy. They formed a solemn league, which they called The Covenant, for the preservation of their own religious forms; they rose in arms throughout the whole country; they summoned all their men to prayers and sermons twice a day by beat of drum; they sang psalms, in which they compared their enemies to the evil spirits; and they solemnly vowed to smite them with the sword. The Earl of Strafford and Laud were for conquering the Scottish people by force of arms. Other lords who were taken into council, recommended that a Parliament should at last be called, and the King had to do that. So, on the thirteenth of April, 1640, the Parliament met. It is called the Short Parliament, for it lasted a very little while. While the members were all looking at one another, doubtful who would speak first, Mr. Pym arose and set forth all that the King had done unlawfully during the past twelve years, and what was the position to which England was reduced. This
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great example encouraged other members, and they spoke the truth freely, though with great patience and moderation. The King, a little frightened, sent to say that if they would grant him a certain sum on certain terms, no more Ship Money would be raised. They debated the matter for two days, and then, as they would not give him all he asked without promise or inquiry, he dissolved them. But they knew very well that he must have a Parliament now. The King knew it too. So, on the twenty-fourth of September, being then at York with an army collected against the Scottish people, the King told the great council of the Lords, whom he had called to meet him there, that he would summon another Parliament to assemble on the third of November. The soldiers of the Covenant had now forced their way into England and had taken possession of the northern counties, where the coals are got. As it would never do to be without coals, and as the King's toops could make no head against the Covenanters so full of gloomy zeal, a truce was made, and a treaty with Scotland was taken into consideration. Meanwhile the northern counties paid the Covenanters to leave the coals alone, and keep quiet. The Long Parliament assembled on the third of November, 1641. That day the Earl of Strafford arrived from York, very sensible that the men who formed that Parliament were no friends towards him, as he had always opposed himself to their liberties. The King told him, for his comfort, that the Parliament "should not hurt one hair of his head." But, on the very next day Mr. Pym, in the House of Commons, and with great solemnity, impeached the Earl of Strafford as a traitor. He was immediately taken into custody and fell from his proud height. Only on the twenty-second of March, 1642, he was brought to trial in Westminster Hall. He tried to defend himself, but on the thirteenth day of the trial, Pym produced in the House of Commons a copy of some notes, in which Strafford had distinctly told the King that he was free from all rules and obligations of government, and might do with his
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people whatever he liked, as he had an army in Ireland to reduce the kingdom to obedience. It was not clear whether by the words "the kingdom" he had really meant England or Scotland. But the Parliament decided that he meant England, and this was treason. At the same sitting of the House of Commons it was resolved to bring in a bill of attainder declaring the treason to have been committed. So, a bill was brought in at once, was carried through the House of Commons by a large majority, and was sent up to the House of Lords. While it was still uncertain whether the House of Lords would pass it and the King consent to it, Pym disclosed to the House of Commons that the King and Queen had both been plotting with the officers of the army to bring up the soldiers and control the Parliament, and also to introduce two hundred soldiers into the Tower of London to effect the Earl's escape. The King had actually given his warrant for the admission of the two hundred men into the Tower, and they would have got in too, but the governor refused to admit them. These matters were made public, and great numbers of people began to riot outside the Houses of Parliament, and to cry out for the execution of the Earl of Strafford. The bill passed the House of Lords while the people were in this state of agitation, and was laid before the King for his assent, together with another bill declaring that the Parliament then assembled should not be dissolved or adjourned without their own consent. The King was in some doubt what to do; but he gave his consent to both bills, although he in his heart believed that the bill against the Earl of Strafford was unlawful and unjust. The Earl had written to him, telling him that he was willing to die for his sake. But he had not expected that his royal master would take him at his word so readily; for, when he heard his doom, he laid his hand upon his heart, and said, "Put not your trust in Princes!" On the twelfth of May he was beheaded on Tower Hill, having been blessed by Archbishop Laud, who was also confined in the Tower.
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The Parliament accompanied this bold and daring act by other famous measures, all originating in the King's having abused his power. The name of Delinquents was applied to all those who had been concerned in raising money from the people in an unlawful manner. Laud was impeached, and a bill was passed declaring that a Parliament should be called every third year, and that if the King and the King's officers did not call it, the people should summon it. The country was wildly excited, and the Parliament took advantage of this excitement. * * *
The King continued to plot with the officers, as he had done before, and signed their petition against the Parliamentary leaders. When the Scottish army was disbanded, he went to Edinburgh in four days — which was going very fast at that time — to plot again. Some suppose that he wanted to gain over the Scottish Parliament, as he did in fact gain over, by presents and favours, many Scottish lords and men of power. Some think that he went to get proofs against the Parliamentary leaders in England of their having treasonably invited the Scottish people to come and help them. But he did little good by going to Scotland. It is not absolutely proved that the King plotted in Ireland too, but it is very probable that he did, and that the Queen did, and that they had some hope of gaining the Irish people over to their side by favouring a rise among them. Whether or no, they did rise in a most brutal and savage rebellion, encouraged by their priests. They committed great atrocities upon numbers of the English, of both sexes and of all ages. Many Protestants were murdered in this outbreak. The King came home from Scotland, determined to make a great struggle for his lost power. He believed that, through his presents and favours, Scotland would take no part against him; and the Lord Mayor of London received him with such a magnificent dinner that he thought he must have become popular again in England. But soon the King found
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himself mistaken. Pym, Hampden and some other members of the Parliament put forward a celebrated paper called "The Remonstrance", which set forth all the illegal acts that the King had ever done, but politely laid the blame of them on his bad advisers. Taken no warning from this, the King still thought himself strong enough.- On the third of January, 1642, he took the rashest step that ever was taken by mortal man, having sent the Attorney-General to the House of Lords, to accuse of treason certain members of Parliament, Lord Kimbolton, Sir Arthur Haselrig, Denzil Hollis and John Pym, who as popular leaders were the most obnoxious to
English halberdiers of the 17th century
him. The King also ordered to enter their houses and seal up their papers. At the same time, he sent a messenger to the House of Commons demanding to have the five gentlemen who were members of that House immediately produced. But the House answered that there was no legal charge against them, and refused to obey the King. Next day the House of Commons sent into the City to let the Lord Mayor know that their privileges are invaded by the King. At the same time the King came to Parliament, with all his guard and from two to three hundred gentlemen and soldiers. He left the soldiers in the hall, and then, with
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his nephew at his side, went into the House, took off his hat, and walked up to the Speaker's chair. The Speaker left it, and stood silent. Then the King said he had come for those five members, and called John Pym by name. Nobody answered him, and then he called Denzil Hollis by name. There was silence again, and then he asked the Speaker of the House where those five members were. The Speaker was at a loss, as he knew that those gentlemen had gone away. At last he said that he was the servant of that House, and that he had neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak, anything but what the House commanded him. The King was enraged with his bold answer and replied that he would seek them himself, for they had committed treason, and after that he went away. *** When the King's plan was known, the five members had gone for safety to a house in Coleman-street, in the City, where they were guarded all night; and indeed the whole city watched in arms like an army. The King was frightened at what he had done, and for his own safety he left the royal palace at Whitehall, and went away with his Queen and children to Hampton Court. It was the eleventh of May, when the five members were carried in triumph to Westminster. Londoners came into the streets to greet them. Mr. Pym informed the House of Commons of the great kindness with which they had been received in the City. Then the House called the sheriffs in and thanked them, and requested them to guard the House of Commons every day. Then, four thousand Buckinghamshire men came on horseback, offering their services as a guard too, and bearing a petition to the King, complaining of the injury that had been done to Mr. Hampden, who was much beloved and honoured in their county. When the King set off for Hampton Court, the gentlemen and soldiers who had been with him followed him out of town as far as Kingston-upon-Thames. Next day, .Lord
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Digby came to them from the King at Hampton Court to inform them that the King accepted their protection. This, the Parliament said, was making war against the kingdom, and Lord Digby fled abroad. The Parliament then immediately got hold of the military power of the country, well knowing that the King was already trying hard to use it against them, and that he had secretly sent the Earl of Newcastle to Hull, to secure a valuable magazine of arms and gunpowder that was there. In those times, every county had its own magazines of arms and powder, for its own militia; so, the Parliament brought in a bill claiming the right (which up to this time had belonged to the King) of appointing the Lord Lieutenants of counties, who commanded these trainbands. These commanders were also to have all the forts, castles, and garrisons in the kingdom, in their hands. Naturally, all persons appointed had the confidence of the Parliament. The Parliament also passed a law depriving the Bishops of their votes. The King gave his assent to that bill, but would not abandon the right of appointing the Lord Lieutenants. When the Earl of Pembroke asked him whether he would not give way on that question for a time, he said, "By God! not for one hour!" and upon this he and the Parliament went to war. *** The King's young daughter was betrothed to the Prince of Orange. On pretence of taking her to the country of her future husband, the Queen was already got safely away to Holland, where she was raising an army on the King's side. The Lord Admiral being sick, the House of Commons now named the Earl of Warwick to hold his place for a year. The King named another gentleman; the House of Commons took its own way, and the Earl of Warwick became Lord Admiral without the King's consent. The Parliament sent orders down to Hull to have that magazine removed to London. The King went down to Hull to take it himself. The citizens would not admit him into the town,
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and the governor would not admit him into the castle. The Parliament resolved that they would issue laws themselves without the King's consent. These laws were called Ordinances. The King protested against this, and gave notice that these ordinances were not to be obeyed. The King, accompanied by the majority of the House of Lords, and by many members of the House of Commons, established himself at York. The Chancellor went to him with the Great Seal, and the Parliament made a new Great Seal.
English soldiers of the 17th century
The Queen sent over a ship full of arms and ammunition, and the King commanded to borrow money at high interest. The Parliament raised his own army, and the people willingly aided them with their money, jewellery, and trinkets — the married women even with their wedding-rings. Every member of Parliament who could raise a troop or a regiment in his own part of the country, dressed it according to his taste and in his own colours, and commanded it. Oliver Cromwell raised a troop of horse, and his men were, perhaps, the best soldiers that ever were seen. In some of their proceedings, this famous Parliament violtated the laws of the land, but the King had been doing that for twelve years. The great civil war between King Charles the First and the Long Parliament lasted nearly four years. It was a sad thing that
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Englishmen should once more be fighting against Englishmen on English ground. But it is some consolation to know that on both sides there was great humanity, forbearance, and honour. The soldiers of the Parliament were far more remarkable for these good qualities than the soldiers of the King (many of whom fought for mere pay without much caring for the cause), but those of the nobility and gentry
A Cavalier
A Roundhead
who were on the King's side were so brave, and so faithful to him, that their conduct cannot but command our highest admiration. The King might have distinguished some of these gallant spirits by giving them the command of his army. Instead of that, however, true to his old high notions of royalty, he entrusted it to his two nephews, Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice, who were of royal blood and came over from abroad to help him. These were great fighters, but bad generals. The general-in-chief of the Parliamentary army was the Earl of Essex, a gentleman of honour and an excellent soldier. A little while before the war broke out, there had been some rioting at Westminster between certain odious law students and noisy soldiers, and the shopkeepers and their apprentices, and the general people in the streets. At that time the King's friends called the crowd Roundheads, because the apprentices wore short hair. The crowd, in
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return, called their opponents Cavaliers. These two words now began to be used to distinguish the two sides in the civil war. * * * The war broke out in 1642. The fust battle took place at Edgehill on October, 23. The Royalist cavalry had the best of the fighting but there was no clear winner. After that battle, the King marched on London. But London, like most of the great and busy cities, was against the King. When it was considered necessary to fortify London, all ranks of people, from labouring men and women, up to lords and ladies, worked hard together. So the King had to give up his plan to capture his capital, and retreated to Oxford. There were local battles in many parts of the country. At first the Royalists did better. In 1643 they besieged and captured the important port of Bristol, and they controlled most of the north and west of England. But they still did not get near London. Then, in 1644, a Scottish army joined in on Parliament's side. That summer the King's main army was badly beaten at Marston Moor. Oliver Cromwell's cavalry, the Ironsides, and the Scottish infantry won that battle for Parliament. But the King was not yet defeated. So the Parliament appointed new efficient commanders and reorganized the army. The New Model Army was created to finish the war. In 1645, at Naseby, it was victorious. Eleven months passed, and Charles I had to surrender to the Scots at Newark. * * * During the whole of this war the people, to whom it was very expensive, and to whom it was made the more distressing by almost every family being divided — some of its members attaching themselves to one side and some to the other — were most anxious for peace. So were some of the best men in each cause. As soon as Cromwell and his army leaders got 4 Зак. № 376
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hold of Charles I, they started to discuss treaties of peace between the two parties. Unfortunately, they came to nothing. In all these negotiations, and in all his difficulties, the King showed himself at his best. He was courageous, cool, self-possessed, and clever; but he was never for one single moment to be trusted. Some of the historians suppose that he had unhappily promised the Queen never to make peace without her consent, and that this must often be taken as his excuse. However, discussing peace treaty with the Parliament, the King started plotting against it. He tried to enter into a secret treaty with the Duke of Lorraine for a foreign army of ten thousand men. After that plan had failed, he sent his friend, the Earl of Glamorgan, to Ireland, to conclude a secret treaty with the Catholic powers, to send him an Irish army of ten thousand men. And, when this treaty was discovered, the King denied his part in that business, and even deserted his friend, the Earl. At last, the King felt that if he would like to escape he must delay no longer. So, having altered the cut of his hair and beard, he dressed up like a servant and rode unknown to the Scottish camp. The Scottish men had been invited over to help the Parliamentary army, and had a large force then in England. So it is doubtful what he exactly meant by this step. HeJtpok it, anyhow, and delivered himself up to the Earl of Leven, the Scottish general-in-chief, who treated him as an honourable prisoner. Negotiations between the Parliament on the one hand and the Scottish authorities on the other, as to what should be done with him, lasted until the following February. Then the King was taken to one of his own houses, called Holmby House, in Northamptonshire. While the Civil War was still in progress, John Pym died, and was buried with great honour in Westminster Abbey — not with greater honour than he deserved, for the liberties of Englishmen owe a mighty debt to Pym and Hampden. The war was nearly over when the Earl of Essex died. He, too, was buried in Westminster Abbey.
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When the Parliament had got the King into their hands, they became very anxious to get rid of their army, in which Oliver Cromwell had already got great power, as he was a brave man and professed to be very sincere in the Scottish sort of Puritan religion that was then very popular among the soldiers. They were as much opposed to the Bishops as to the Pope himself. The Parliament could not be sure in such an army, and proposed to disband the greater part of it, and to send another part to serve in Ireland against the rebels, and to keep only a small force in England. But the army did not want to be broken up, and it started to act unexpectedly. A certain cornet Joice arrived at Holmby House one night, attended by four hundred horsemen, went into the King's room with his hat in one hand and a pistol in the other, and told the King that he had come to take him away. When the King asked the cornet what authority he had for taking him away, Joice replied, "The authority of the army." "Have you a written commission?" said the King. Joice, pointing to his four hundred men on horseback, replied, "That is my commission." " Well," said the King smiling as if he were pleased, "I have never read such a commission before." He was asked where he would like to live, and he said at Newmarket. So, to Newmarket they rode. The King believed the army to be his friends. He said so to general Fairfax, Oliver Cromwell, and his son-in-law Ireton, who came to persuade him to return to the custody of the Parliament. He preferred to remain as he was. And when the army moved nearer and nearer London to frighten the Parliament into yielding to their demands, they took the King with them. They treated him more respectfully and kindly than the Parliament had done. The Parliament had only allowed him to ride out and play at bowls. The army allowed him to be attended by his own servants, to be entertained at various houses, and to see his children for two days. Even Oliver Cromwell was friendly towards the King then. Cromwell had been present when the King received his
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children, and had been much affected by the scene. He saw the King often, he frequently walked and talked with him in the long galleries and pleasant gardens of the Palace at Hampton Court, where he was brought to. And in all this Cromwell risked something of his influence with the army. But the King was in secret hopes of help from the Scottish people; and the moment he was encouraged to join them he began to be cool to his new friends, the army. At the very time when he was promising to make Cromwell and Ireton noblemen, if they would help him up to his old height, he was writing to the Queen that he meant to hang them. Having known about that letter, Cromwell learned that the King could not be trusted. Still, even after that, he let the King know that there was a plot with a certain portion of the army to seize him. He might sincerely wanted the King to escape abroad, and to get rid of him without more trouble. So the King escaped from Hampton Court and went to the Isle of Wight. There he waited for the news from Scotland. But the army raised in that country turned out to be too small. Although it was helped by a rising of the Royalists in England and by good soldiers from Ireland, it could make no head against the Parliamentary army under such men as Cromwell and Fairfax. The King's eldest son, the Prince of Wales, came over from Holland with nineteen ships to help his father; but nothing came of his voyage, and he had to return to Holland. The most remarkable event of this second civil war was the cruel execution by the Parliamentary General, of Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle, two grand Royalist generals, who had bravely defended Colchester for nearly three months. *** The Parliament, after being fearfully bullied by the army — who demanded to have seven members whom they disliked given up to them — had voted that they would have nothing more to do with the King. On the conclusion,
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however, of this second civil war (which did not last more than six months), they appointed commissioners to treat with him. The King, who lived in a private house at Newport in the Isle of Wight, managed his own part of the negotiation with a sense that was admired by all who saw him, and gave up, in the end, all that was asked of him. Still, when his best friends joined the commissioners in beseeching him to yield all those points as the only means of saving himself from the army, he was plotting to escape from the island. Meanwhile the army, resolved to defy the Parliament, marched up to London. The Parliament was no more afraid of them, and voted that the King's concessions were sufficient ground for settling the peace in the kingdom. Upon that, Colonel Rich and Colonel Pride came to the House of Commons with their regiments, and took some of the members into custody. Cromwell was in the North, at the head of his men, at the time, but when he came home, he approved of what had been done. Having imprisoned some members, the army reduced the House of Commons to some fifty or so. These soon voted that it was treason in a king to make war against his parliament and his people, and sent an ordinance up to the House of Lords for the King's being tried as a traitor. The House of Lords, then sixteen in number, rejected it unanimously. Then the Commons proclaimed themselves the supreme government of the country, and brought the King to trial. The King had been taken for security to a place called Hurst Castle: a lonely house on a rock in the sea, connected with the coast of Hampshire by a rough road two miles long at low water. Then he was removed to Windsor. At last, when the day of his trial was appointed, he was brought up to St. James's Palace in London. *** His trial began on Saturday, the twentieth of January, 1649. The House of Commons had settled that one hundred and thirty-five persons should form the Court,
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and these were taken from the House itself, from among the officers of the army, and from among the lawyers and citizens. John Bradshaw was appointed president. The place was Westminster Hall. At the upper end, in a red velvet chair, the president sat. The rest of the Court sat on side benches. They were all wearing their hats. The King's seat was covered with velvet, like that of the president, and was opposite to it. When Charles I came in, he looked round very steadily on the Court, and on the great number of spectators, and then sat down. At the very beginning of the trial the King denied the authority of the Court, saying that there could be no parliament without a House of Lords, and that he saw no House of Lords there. Also, that the King ought to be there, and that he saw no King in the King's right place. Bradshaw replied, that the Court was satisfied with its authority, and that its authority was God's authority and the kingdom's. He then adjourned the Court to the following Monday. On that day, the trial was resumed, and went on all the week. When the Saturday came, as the King passed forward to his place in the Hall, some soldiers and others cried for "justice!" and execution on him. That day Bradshaw wore a red robe, instead of the black one he had worn before. The King was sentenced to death that day. As he went out, one solitary soldier said, "God bless you, Sir!" For this, his officer struck him. Having been brought to Whitehall, the King sent to the House of Commons, saying that he wished he might be allowed to see his darling children before the execution. It was granted. On Monday he was taken back to St. James's, and his two children then in England, the Princess Elizabeth thirteen years old, and the Duke of Gloucester nine years old, were brought to take leave of him. It was a sad and touching scene, when he kissed his poor children, and gave them tender messages to their mother, and told them that he died "for the laws and liberties of the land". There were ambassadors from Holland that day, to intercede for the unhappy King; but they got no answer. The Scottish Commissioners interceded too; so did the Prince of
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Wales, by a letter in which he offered as the next heir to the throne, to accept any conditions from the Parliament; so did the Queen. But their efforts were lost, and the warrant for the execution was signed that very day. *** On the thirtieth of January, Charles I rose two hours before day, and dressed himself carefully. He seemed to be very calm and untroubled by the knowledge that it was his last morning on earth. He put on two shirts not to tremble with the cold, and had his hair very carefully combed. At ten o'clock he was told it was time to go to Whitehall. When the King came to Whitehall, he was taken to his own bedroom, where he was to have his last breakfast. But he would eat nothing, as he had taken the Sacrament; but, at about the time when the church bells struck twelve at noon (for he had to wait till the scaffold was ready), he took the advice of the good Bishop Juxton who was with him, and ate a little bread and drank a glass of wine. Soon after he had taken this refreshment, Colonel Hacker came to the chamber with the warrant in his hand, and called for Charles Stuart. And then, through the long gallery of Whitehall Palace, which he had often seen light and gay and merry and crowded, in very different times, the fallen King passed along, until he came to the centre window of the Banqueting House, through which he emerged upon the scaffold, which was covered with black. He looked at the two executioners, who were dressed in black and masked; he looked at the troops of soldiers on horseback and on foot, and all looked up at him in silence; he looked at numerous spectators gazing upon ton; he looked at his old Palace of St. James's; and he looked at the block. He seemed a little troubled to find that it was so low, and asked if there were no place higher. He was not at all afraid to die. He put his hair up, under a white satin cap which the bishop had carried, and said, "I have a good cause and a gracious God on my side." The bishop told him that he had but one stage more to travel in
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this weary world, and that, though it was a turbulent and troublesome stage, it was a short one. Then the King kneeled down, laid his head on the block, and was instantly killed. One universal groan broke from the crowd; and the soldiers, who had sat on their horses and stood immovable as statues, were of a sudden all in motion, clearing the streets. Thus, in the forty-ninth year of his age, Charles the First perished.
CHAPTER VIII
ENGLAND UNDER OLIVER CROMWELL Before sunset on the memorable day on which King Charles the First was executed, the House of Commons passed an act declaring it treason to proclaim the Prince of Wales — or anybody else — King of England. Soon afterwards, it declared that the House of Lords was useless and dangerous, and ought to be abolished. Some famous Oliver Cromwell Royalists were captured, and the Duke of Hamilton, Lord Holland, and Lord Capel were beheaded. A Council of State was appointed to govern the country. It consisted of forty-one members, of whom five were peers. Bradshaw was made president. The House of Commons also readmitted members who had opposed the King's death, and made up its numbers to about a hundred and fifty.
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But, it still had an army of more than forty thousand men to deal with, and it was a very hard task to manage them. Before the King's execution, the army had appointed some of its officers to remonstrate between them and the Parliament; and now the common soldiers began to take that office upon themselves. The regiments under orders for Ireland mutinied; one troop of horse in the city of London refused to obey orders. For this, the ringleader was shot: which did not mend the matter, for, both his comrades and the people made a public funeral for him. Oliver was the only man to deal with such difficulties as these, and he soon cut them short by bursting at midnight into the town of Burford, near Salisbury, where the mutineers were sheltered, taking four hundred of them prisoners, and shooting a number of them by sentence of court-martial. The soldiers soon found, as all men did, that Oliver was not a man to be trifled with. And there was an end of the mutiny. *** The Scottish Parliament did not know Oliver yet; so, on hearing of the King's execution, it proclaimed the Prince of Wales King Charles the Second, on condition of his respecting the Solemn League and Covenant. Charles was abroad at that time, and so was Montrose, from whose help he had hopes enough to keep him holding on and off with commissioners from Scotland, just as his father might have done. These hopes were soon at an end; for, Montrose, having raised a few hundred exiles in Germany, and landed with them in Scotland, found that the people there, instead of joining him, deserted the country at his approach. He was soon taken prisoner and carried to Edinburgh There he was sentenced by the Parliament to be hanged on a gallows thirty feet high, to have his head set on a spike in Edinburgh, and his limbs distributed in other places, acfcording to the old barbarous manner. He said he had always acted under the Royal orders, and only wished he had limbs enough to be distributed through Christendom, that it might be the more widely known how loyal he had been. He went to the scaffold
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in a bright and brilliant dress, and made a bold end at thirtyeight years of age. Charles soon abandoned his memory, and denied that he had ever given him orders to rise in his behalf. Oliver had been appointed by the Parliament to command the army in Ireland, where he took a terrible vengeance for the sanguinary rebellion, and made tremendous havoc. But, Charles having got over to Scotland where the men of the Solemn League and Covenant made him very weary with long sermons and grim Sundays, the Parliament wanted Oliver for Scotland. Oliver left Ireton, his son-in-low as general in Ireland (he died there afterwards), and Ireton laid the country at the feet of the Parliament. Oliver came home, and was made Commander of all the Forces of the Commonwealth of England, and in three days he went away with sixteen thousand soldiers to fight the Scottish men. The Scottish men understood that their troops would be beaten in an open fight. Therefore they said, "If we live quiet in our trenches in Edinburgh here, and if all the farmers come into the town and desert the country, the Ironsides will be driven out by iron hunger and be forced to go away". This was the wisest plan, but as the Scottish clergy would interfere with what they knew nothing about, and would preach long sermons exhorting the soldiers to come out and fight, the soldiers got it in their heads that they must come out and fight. So they came out of their safe position. Oliver fell upon them instantly, and killed three thousand, .nd took ten thousand prisoners. *** To gratify the Scottish Parliament, and preserve their iavour, Charles had signed a declaration they laid before him, reproaching the memory of his father and mother, and representing himself as a most religious Prince, to whom the Solemn League and Covenant was as dear as life. On the first of January, 1651, the Scottish people crowned him at Scone. He immediately took the chief command of an army of twenty thousand men, and marched to Stirling. His hopes were heightened by Oliver being ill, but
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Oliver scrambled out of bed in no time, and went to work with such energy that he got behind the Royalist army and cut it off from all communication with Scotland. There was nothing for it then, but to go on to England. So it went on as far as Worcester, where the mayor and some of the gentry proclaimed King Charles the Second straightway. His proclamation, however, was of little use to him, for very few Royalists appeared; and, on the very same day, two people were publicly beheaded on Tower Hill for supporting his cause. Oliver came up to Worcester too, and he and his Ironsides completely beat the Scottish men, and destroyed the Royalist army. It took them only five hours to do that. *** The escape of Charles after this battle of Worcester did him good service long afterwards, for it induced many of the generous English people to take a romantic interest in him, and to think much better of him than he ever deserved. He fled in the night, with not more than sixty followers, to the house of a Catholic lady in Staffordshire. There, for his greater safety, the whole sixty left him. He cropped his hair, stained his face and hands brown as if they were sunburnt, put on the clothes of a labouring countryman, and went out in the morning with his axe in his hand, accompanied by four wood-cutters who were brothers, and another man who was their brother-in-law. These good fellows made a bed for him under a tree, as the weather was very bad; and the wife of one of them brought him food to eat; and the old mother of the four brothers came and fell down on her knees before him in the wood, and thanked God that her sons were engaged in saving his life. At night, hefcame out of the forest and went on to another house which was near the river Severn, with the intention of passing into Wales; but the place swarmed with soldiers, and the bridges were guarded, and all the boats were made fast. So, after lying in a hayloft covered over with hay, for some time, he came out of his place, attended by Colonel Careless, a Catholic gentleman who had met him there, and with whom he lay hid, all next day, up in the shady branches
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of a fine old oak. It was lucky for the King that it was September, and that the leaves had not begun to fall, since he could catch glimpses of the soldiers riding about below, and could hear what they spoke about. After that, he walked and walked until his feet were all blistered. At Bentley, a Miss Lane, a Protestant lady, had obtained a pass to be allowed to ride through the guards to see a relation of hers near Bristol. Disguised as a servant, Charles rode in the saddle before this young lady to the house of Sir John Winter, while Lord Wilmot rode there like a plain country gentleman, with dogs at his heels. It happened that Sir John Winter's butler had been servant in Richmond Palace, and knew Charles the-moment he set eyes upon him. But, the butler was faithful and kept the secret. As no ship could be found to carry him abroad, it was planned that he should go — still travelling with Miss Lane as her servant — to another house, at Trent near Sherborne in Dorsetshire; and then Miss Lane and her cousin, who had gone on horseback beside her all the way, went home. *** When Charles was safe at Trent, a ship was hired to take two gentlemen to France. In the evening of the same day, the King — now riding as servant before another young lady — set off for a publichouse, where the captain of the vessel was to meet him and take him on board. But the captain's wife, being afraid of her husband getting into trouble, locked him up and would not let him sail. Then they went away to look for another ship. Cornming to the next inn on their way, they found the stable-yard full of soldiers who were on the lookout for Charles, and who talked about him while they drank. Charles had such presence of mind, that he led the horses of his party through the yard as any other sergeant might have done. As he went along, he met a half-tipsy ostler, who rubbed his eyes and said to him, "Why, I was formerly servant to Mr. Potter at Exeter, and surely I have sometimes seen you there, young man!" He certainly had, for Charles had lodged there. His ready answer was, "Ah, I did live with him once;
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but I have no time to talk now. We'll have a pot of beer together when I come back." From this dangerous place he returned to Trent. Then he escaped to Heale, near Salisbury; where, in the house of a widow lady, he was hiding for five days, until the ship was found to carry him to France. On the night of the fifteenth of October, accompanied by two colonels, the King rode to Brighton, then a little fishing village, to give the captain of the ship a supper before going on board. But so many people knew him, that this captain knew him too, and not only he, but the landlord and landlady also. Before he went away, the landlord came behind his chair, kissed his hand, and said he hoped to live to be a lord and to see his wife a lady; at which Charles laughed. They had had a good supper by this time, and plenty of smoking and drinking. It was agreed that Charles would address the sailors and say he was a gentleman in debt who was running away from his creditors, and that he hoped they would join him in persuading the captain to put him ashore in France. As the King acted his part very well indeed, and gave the sailors twenty shillings to drink, they begged the captain to do what he asked, and Charles got safe to Normandy. *** Ireland was now subdued, and Scotland was also kept quiet by plenty of forts and soldiers put there by Cromwell. But the trouble with the Dutch emerged. In the spring of the year 1651 the Dutch sent a fleet into the Downs under their Admiral Van Tromp, to call upon the bold English Admiral Blake (who was there with half as many ships as the Dutch). Blake beat off Van Tromp, who, in the autumn, came back again with seventy ships, and challenged the bold English admiral to fight him again. Blake fought him all day; but, finding that the Dutch were too many for him (they were double as strong), he got quietly off at night. Upon this Van Tromp stalled to go to and fro about the Channel, between the North Foreland and the Isle of Wight, with a great Dutch broom tied to his masthead, as a sign that he could and would
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sweep the English off the sea. Within three months, Blake lowered his tone though, and his broom too; for, he and two other bold commanders, Dean and Monk, fought him three whole days, took twenty-three of his ships, and shivered his broom to pieces. Then the army began to complain to the Parliament that they were not governing the nation properly, and that they could do it better themselves. Oliver, who had now made up his mind to be the head of the state, supported them in this, and called a meeting of officers and his own Parliamentary friends to consider the best way of getting rid of the Parliament. After that Oliver went down to the House in his usual plain black dress, but with an unusual party of soldiers behind him. He left his soldiers in the lobby, and then went in and sat down. Presently he got up, and made a speech, telling them that the Lord had done with them. Having finished it, he gave a signal to his soldiers, and they entered the hall. "This is not honest," said Sir Harry Vane, one of the members. "Sir Harry Vane!" cried Cromwell, "O, Sir Harry Vane! The Lord deliver me from Sir Harry Vane!" Then he pointed out members one by one, and said this man was a drunkard, and that man a dissipated fellow, and that man a liar, and so on. Then he told the guard to clear the House. Cromwell formed a new Council of State after this extraordinary proceeding, and got a new Parliament. As it soon appeared that it was not going to put Oliver in the first place, he cleared off that Parliament, too. After that the council of officers decided that he must be made the supreme authority of the kingdom, under the title of the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth. So, on the sixteenth of December, 1653, a great procession was formed at Oliver's door, and he came out in a black velvet suit and a big pair of boots, and got into his coach and went down to Westminster, attended by the judges, and the Lord Mayor, and the aldermen, and all the other great and wonderful personages of the country. There, in the Court of Chancery, he publicly accepted the office of
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Lord Protector. Then he was sworn, and the City sword and the seal were handed to him as they are usually handed to Kings and Queens. Lord Protector — whom the people long called Old Noll — had signed a paper called "The Instrument", promising to summon a Parliament, consisting of between four and five hundred members, in the election of which neither the Royalists nor the Catholics were to have any share. He had also promised not to dissolve this Parliament without its own consent until it had sat five months. When this Parliament met, Oliver made a speech to them. He spoke for three hours, advising them what to do for the happiness of the country. Then he dismissed them to go to work and went to work himself. There was not at that time in England a man so able to govern the country as Oliver Cromwell. He ruled with a strong hand, and levied a very heavy tax on the Royalists, but he ruled wisely. He caused England to be respected abroad. He sent Admiral Blake to the Mediterranean Sea, to make the Duke of Tuscany pay sixty thousand pounds for injuries he had done to British merchants. He further sent his fleet to Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, to have every English ship and every English man delivered up to him that had been taken by pirates in those parts. All this was gloriously done. These were not all his foreign triumphs. He sent a fleet to sea against the Dutch, and the Dutch gave in, and peace was made. Then Oliver resolved not to bear the domination of Spain in South America. He told the Spanish ambassador that English ships must be free to go wherever they would, and that English merchants must not be thrown into the Spanish prisons of the Inquisition. To this the Spanish ambassador replied that the gold and silver country, and the Holy Inquisition were his King's two eyes, neither of which he could submit to have put out. Very well, said Oliver, then he was afraid he (Oliver) must damage those two eyes directly. So, another fleet was despatched for Hispaniola; where, however, the Spaniards got the better of the fight. The fleet
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came home again, after taking Jamaica on the way. Cromwell, indignant with its commanders, put them into prison. He declared war against Spain, and made a treaty with France. In accordance with that document France was not to shelter the King and his brother the Duke of York any longer. Then, Cromwell sent a fleet abroad under bold Admiral Blake, which sunk four Spanish ships, and took two more, laden with silver to the value of two million of pounds. After this victory, Admiral Blake sailed away to the port of Santa Cruz to cut off the Spanish treasure-ships coming from Mexico. There, he found them, ten in number, with seven others to take care of them, and a big castle, and seven batteries. Blake cared no more for great guns than for popguns. He dashed into the harbour, captured and burnt all the ships. This was the last triumph of this great commander, who died, as his successful ship was coming into Plymouth Harbour, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. There were plots enough against Oliver among the frantic religionists, and among the disappointed Republicans. He had a difficult game to play, for the Royalists were always ready to side with either party against him. Charles was ready to plot with anyone against his life; although there is reason to suppose that he would willingly have married one of his daughters, if Oliver would have had such a son-in-law. There had been very serious plots between the Royalists and Republicans, and an actual rising of them in England, when they burst into the city of Salisbury. But Oliver soon put this revolt down. He seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere, and possessed such sources of information as his enemies little dreamed of. For example, Sir Richard Willis, who was in the closest and most secret confidence of Charles, also supplied information to Cromwell. He had two hundred a year for it. Many people conspired to murder Cromwell, but all the plots were disclosed. A few of the plotters Oliver caused to be
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beheaded, a few more to be hanged, and many more to be sent as slaves to the West Indies. One of Oliver's friends, in sending him a present of six fine coach-horses, was very near doing more to please the Royalists than all the plotters put together. One day, Oliver went with his coach, drawn by these six horses, into Hyde Park, to dine with his secretary and some of his other gentlemen under the trees there. After dinner he decided to put his friends inside and to drive them home. But the six fine horses went off at a gallop, and Oliver fell upon the coachpole and narrowly escaped. He was dragged some distance by the foot, until his foot came out of the shoe, and then he came safely to the ground. *** The rest of the history of the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell is a history of his Parliaments. He was not pleased with his first parliament. So he waited until the five months were out, and then dissolved it. The next was better suited to his views; and from that he desired to get the title of King. He wished to become King himself, and to leave the succession to that title in his family. But he did not dare to take the title of King, as there was strong opposition of the army to that. It was the month of August, 1658, when Oliver Cromwell's favourite daughter, Elizabeth Claypole (who had lately lost her youngest son) lay very ill, and his mind was greatly troubled, because he loved her dearly. Another of his daughters was married to Lord Falconberg, another to the grandson of the Earl of Warwick, and he had made his son Richard one of the members of the Upper House. He was very kind and loving to them all, being a good father and a good husband; but he loved this daughter the best of the family, and went down to Hampton Court to see her, and stayed with her until she died. Although his religion had been of a gloomy kind, Cromwell had been a cheerful man. He had been fond of music in his home, and had kept open table once a week for all officers of the army not below the rank of captain. He
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encouraged men of genius and learning, and loved to have them about him. John Milton, a famous poet, was one of his great friends. But Cromwell had lived in busy times, had borne the weight of heavy State affairs, and had often gone in fear of his life. He was ill of the gout and ague, and when the death of his beloved child came upon him in addition, he sank, never to raise his head again. He told his physicians on the twentyfourth of August that the Lord had assured him that he was not to die in that illness, and that he would certainly get better. This was only his sick fancy, for on the third of September he died, in the sixtieth year of his age. The whole country lamented his death. He had appointed his son Richard to succeed him, and Richard became Lord Protector. He was an amiable country gentleman, but had none of his father's great talents, and was quite unfit for such a post. Richard's Protectorate, which only lasted a year and a half, is a history of quarrels between the officers of the army and the Parliament, and between the officers among themselves; and of a growing discontent among the people, who had too many long sermons and too few amusements, and wanted a change. At last, General Monk got the army into his own hands, and declared for the King's cause. He did not do this openly, but, in his place in the House of Commons, as one of the members for Devonshire, strongly advocated the proposals of one Sir John Greenville, who came to the House with a letter from Charles, dated from Breda, and with whom he had previously been in secret communication. There had been plots and counterplots, and risings of the Royalists that were made too soon. And there was nobody to head the country, so it was readily agreed to welcome Charles Stuart. The people began to drink the King's health in the open streets, and everybody rejoiced. Prayers for the Stuarts were put up in all the churches. Commissioners were sent to Holland to invite the King home, and Monk went to Dover,
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to kneel down before him as he landed. Charles kissed and embraced Monk, made him ride in the coach with himself and his brothers, and came to London on the twenty-ninth of May (his birthday), in the year 1660.
CHAPTER IX
ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES THE SECOND Having become the King, Charles II did much to those who seemed to be his faithful subjects, while some of his enemies were executed in the most barbarous way. On the anniversary of the late King's death, the bodies of Oliver Cromwell, Ireton, and Bradshaw were torn out of their graves in Westminster Abbey, dragged to Tyburn, hanged there on a gallows all day long, and then beheaded. Imagine the head of Oliver Cromwell set upon a pole to be stared at by a crowd, not one of whom would have dared to look the living Oliver in the face for half a moment! Of course, the remains of Oliver's wife and daughter were not to be spared either, though they had been most excellent women. The base clergy of that time gave up their bodies, which had been buried in the Abbey, and they were thrown into a pit, together with the bones of Pym and of the brave and bold old Admiral Blake. The clergy acted this disgraceful part because they hoped to get the nonconformists, or dissenters, thoroughly put down in this reign, and to have but one prayer-book and one service for all kinds of people, no matter what their private opinions were. This was pretty well for a Protestant Church, which had displaced the Romish Church because
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people had a right to their own opinions in religious matters. An Act was passed preventing any dissenter from holding any office under any corporation. The King had not been long upon the throne when his brother the Duke of Gloucester, and his sister the Princess of Orange, died within a few months of each other, of smallpox. His remaining sister, the Princess Henrietta, married the Duke of Orleans, the brother of Louis the Fourteenth, King of France. Charles's brother James, Duke of York, was made High Admiral, and by and by became a Catholic. He was a gloomy sullen man, who married Anne Hyde, the daughter of Lord Clarendon, then the King's principal Minister. It became important now that the King himself should be married, and many foreign monarchs proposed their daughters to him. The King of Portugal offered his daughter, Catherine of Braganza, and fifty thousand pounds: in addition to which, the French King, who was favourable to that marriage, offered a loan of another fifty thousand. The King of Spain, on the other hand, offered any out of a dozen of Princesses, and promised to give money, too. But the ready money carried the day, and Catherine came over to England. *** The whole Court was a great crowd of debauched men and shameless women; and Catherine had to degrade herself by their companionship. A Mrs. Palmer, whom the King made Lady Castlemaine, and afterwards Duchess of Cleveland, was one of the most powerful of the bad women about the Court, and had great influence with the King nearly all through his reign. Another merry lady named Moll Davies, a dancer at the theatre, was afterwards her rival. So was Nell Gwyn, first an orange girl and then an actress. The first Duke of St. Albans was this orange girl's child, while the son of a merry waiting-lady, whom the King created Duchess os Portsmouth, became the Duke of Richmond. The Merry Monarch was so exceedingly merry among these merry ladies, and merry lords and gentlemen, that he
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soon got through his hundred thousand pounds. To get money he sold Dunkirk to the French King. Charles was like his father in being worthy of no trust. When a Prince, he promised to respect all religious opinions. Yet, having become the King, he he consented to one of the worst Acts of Parliament ever passed. Under this law, every minister who should not give his solemn assent to the PrayerBook by a certain day, was declared to be a minister no longer, and to be deprived of his church. The consequence of this was that some two thousand honest men were taken from their congregations, and reduced to poverty. It was followed by another law, called the Conventicle Act, by which any person above the age of sixteen who wae present at any religious service not according to the PrayerBook, was to be punished. This Act filled the prisons to overflowing. After that Charles II undertook a war with the Dutch, who interfered with an African company, established with the two objects of buying gold-dust and slaves, of which the Duke of York was a leading member. After some preliminary hostilities, the Duke of York sailed to the coast of Holland with his mighty fleet. In the great battle between the two forces, the Dutch lost eighteen ships, four admirals, and seven thousand men. This victory was soon forgotten, as the country was seized with another trouble. This was the year of the Great Plague in London. * * * During the winter of 1664 it had been whispered about, that some few people had died here and there of the disease called the plague, in some suburbs around London. News was not published at that time, and some people believed these rumours, and some disbelieved them, and they were soon forgotten. But in May, 1665, the disease burst out with great violence, and people were dying in great numbers. The roads out of London were full of people trying to escape from the infected city. The disease soon spread so fast, that it was necessary to shut up the houses in which sick people were, and to cut them off from communication with the living. Everyone of these houses was marked on the outside of the
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door with a red cross. The streets were all deserted, and there was a dreadful silence in the air. When night came on, dismal rumblings used to be heard, and these were the wheels of the death-carts, attended by men who rang bells and cried in a loud and solemn voice, "Bring out your dead!" The corpses put into these carts were buried by torchlight in great pits. In the general fear, children ran away from their parents, and parents from their children. Some who were taken ill, died alone, and without any help. Some were murdered by hired nurses who robbed them of all their money. Some went mad. Such were the horrors of the time. The Great Plague raged more and more through the months of July, August and September. Great fires were lighted in the streets, in the hope of stopping the infection, but the rain beat that fires out. At last, the winds began to blow, and to purify the wretched town. The deaths began to decrease, the red crosses slowly disappeared, and the fugitives came back to the city. The plague had been in every part of England, and only in London it had killed one hundred thousand people. The fleet had been at sea, and healthy. The King of France was now in alliance with the Dutch, though his navy was chiefly employed in looking on while the English and Dutch fought. The Dutch gained one victory; and the English gained another and a greater; and Prince Rupert, one of the English admirals, was out in the Channel one windy night, looking for the French Admiral, with the intention of giving him something more to do than he had had yet, when the gale increased to a storm, and blew him into Saint Helen's. That night was the third of September, 1666, and that wind fanned the Great Fire of London. It broke out at a baker's shop near London Bridge. The fire spread and burned for three days. The nights were lighter than the days; in the day-time there was an immense cloud of smoke, and in the night-time there was a great tower of fire mounting up into the sky, which lighted the whole country landscape for, ten miles round. The summer had been very hot and dry, the streets were very narrow, and the houses were wooden. Nothing could
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stop the fire. Thirteen thousand houses and eighty-nine churches were ruined by it. Being a real disaster for many Londoners, the Fire was a great blessing to the city afterwards,.for it arose from its ruins very much improved — built more regularly, more widely, more cleanly and carefully, and therefore much more healthily. The Catholics were accused of having wilfully set London in flames. One poor Frenchman, who had been mad for years, even accused himself of having fired the first house. There is no reasonable doubt, however, that the fire was accidental. The King flung away among his favourites the money which the Parliament voted for the war with the Dutch, and the English sailors were starving and dying in the streets. Meanwhile the Dutch came into the River Thames, and up the River Medway, burned the guard-ships, silenced the weak batteries, and did what they would to the English coast for six whole weeks. Most of the English ships that could have prevented them had neither powder nor shot on board then. At that time Lord Clarendon was impeached by his political opponents. The King then commanded him to withdraw from England and retire to France. He did so, and died abroad some seven years afterwards.
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There then came into power a ministry called the Cabal Ministry, because it was composed of Lord Clifford, the Earl of Arlington, the Duke of Buckingham, Lord Ashley, and the Duke of Lauderdale, C.A.B.A.L. As the French were making conquests in Flanders, the first Cabal proceeding was to make a treaty with the Dutch, for uniting with Spain to oppose the French. It was no sooner made than the King concluded a secret treaty with the French king, making himself his pensioner for starting war against the Dutch, and declaring himself a Catholic when a convenient time should arrive. This religious king had lately been crying to his Catholic brother on the subject of his strong desire to be a Catholic; and now he concluded this conspiracy against the country he governed, promising to become a Catholic. As his head might have been far from safe, if these things had been known, they were kept in secret. Still the war was declared by France and England against the Dutch. But a very uncommon man, afterwards most important to English history arose among them, and for many long years defeated the whole projects of France. This was William of Nassau, Prince of Orange, son of the last Prince of Orange of the same name, who married the daughter of Charles the First of England. He was a young man at this time, only just of age; but he was brave, cool, and wise. His father had been so detested that, upon his death, the Dutch had abolished the authority to which this son would have otherwise succeeded (Stadtholder it was called), and placed the chief power in the hands of John de Witt, who educated this young prince. Now, the Prince became very popular, and John de Witt's brother Cornelius was sentenced to banishment on a false accusation of conspiring to kill him. John went to the prison where Cornelius was, to take him away to exile; and a great mob who collected on the occasion, cruelly murdered both the brothers. This left the government in the hands of the Prince, and from this time he exercised it with the greatest vigour, against the whole power of France, and in support of the Protestant religion. It was full seven years before this war ended in a treaty of peace.
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After that William, Prince of Orange, came over to England, saw Mary, the elder daughter of the Duke of York, and married her. Mary was a Protestant, but her mother died a Catholic. She and her sister Anne, also a Protestant, were the only survivors of eight children. Anne afterwards married George, Prince of Denmark, brother to the King of that country. *** Charles II obtained great sums of money from the French king for his services. But he still wanted money, and consequently was obliged to call Parliaments. In these, the great object of the Protestants was to thwart the Catholic Duke of York, who married a second time. His new wife was only fifteen years old, and she was the Catholic sister of the Duke of Modena. Meantime, the King of France intrigued with the King's opponents in Parliament, as well as with the King and his friends. The fears that the Catholic religion would be restored, if the Duke of York should come to the throne, and the low cunning of the King in pretending to share their alarms, led to some terrible results. A certain Titus Oates pretended to have acquired a knowledge of a great plot for the murder of the King, and the reestablishment of the Catholic religion. For that he was called the Saver of the Nation, and received a pension of twelve hundred pounds a year. Soon another villain upstarted. His name was William Bedloe. He charged two Jesuits and some other Catholics with having murdered a certain magistrate Godfrey. Oates, going into partnership with this new informer, accused the poor Queen herself of high treason. Then a third informer appeared, and accused a Catholic banker named Stayley of having said that the King was the greatest rogue in the world, and that he would kill him with his own hand. All the persons accused by the informers were tried and executed. Then a Catholic silversmith, Prance by name, was accused by Bedloe. That poor wretch was tortured into confessing that he had taken part in Godfrey's murder, and into accusing three other men of having committed it. They were arrested and
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executed together with Prance. Then the Queen's physician and three monks were put on their trial, but they were acquitted, as Oates and Bedloe had for the time gone far enough. The public mind, however, was so full of a Catholic plot, and so strong against the Duke of York, that James consented to obey a written order from his brother, and to go with his family to Brussels, provided that his rights should never be sacrificed in his absence to the Duke of Monmouth, the king's illegitimate son. But the House of Commons was not satisfied with this as the King hoped. It passed a bill to exclude the Duke from succeeding to the throne. In return, the King dissolved the Parliament. He had deserted his old favourite, the Duke of Buckingham, who was now in the opposition. *** To give any idea of the miseries of Scotland in this reign, would occupy a hundred pages. As the people did not want to have bishops, they were punished severely. In spite of that, the Covenanters persisted in worshipping God as they thought right. The King sent the Duke of Monmouth to Scotland to attack the rebels there. Marching with ten thousand men from Edinburgh, he found them, in number four or five thousand. They were soon dispersed, and Monmouth was rather mild in persecuting them. That made the young Duke even more popular. The King's son dreamed to be legitimated and to be proclaimed the heir to his father's throne. And when the House of Commons renewed the bill for the exclusion of James from the throne, Monmouth voted in its favour. The House of Commons passed the bill by a large majority, and it was carried up to the House of Lords. It was rejected there, and the fear of Catholic plots revived again all-over the country. Lord Ashley, of the Cabal, was now Lord Shaftesbury, and was strong against the succession of the Duke of York. The House of Commons were bitter against the Catholics generally. So the House of Commons refused to let the King have any money until he should consent to the Exclusion Bill.
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But, as the King got money from the King of France, he could pay no attention to the House of Commons. But as they went on with the Exclusion Bill, Charles II dissolved the Parliament. The Duke of York was in Scotland then. Under the law which excluded Catholics from public trusts, he had no right to public employment. Nevertheless, he was openly employed as the King's representative in Scotland, and there he entertained himself in persecuting the Covenanters, growing more and more unpopular. Having got rid of his Parliament, Charles became despotic. He wanted to control the corporations all over the country. If he could only do that, he could get what juries he chose, to bring in perjured verdicts, and could get what membeis he chose, returned to Parliament. Lord Shaftesbury, Lord William Russell, the Duke of Monmouth, Lord Howard, Lord Jersey, Algernon Sidney, John Hampden, and some others, used to hold a council together after the dissolution of the Parliament, arranging what it might be necessary to do, if the King carried his Popish plot to the utmost height. They used to invite some of their friends to these secret councils. But somebody informed the King about these meetings, and most of these gentlemen were arrested. *** Lord Russell knew very well that he had nothing to hope. Of course, he was found guilty, and was sentenced to death. When he had parted from his children on the evening before his death, his wife still stayed with him until ten o'clock at night; and when their final separation in this world was over, and he had kissed her many times, he still sat for a long while in his prison, talking of her goodness. Hearing the rain fall fast at that time, he calmly said, "Such a rain tomorrow will spoil a great show, which is a dull thing on a rainy day." At midnight he went to bed, and slept till four. Even when his servant called him, he fell asleep again while his clothes were being made ready. He rode to the scaffold in his
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own carriage, attended by two clergymen, and sang a psalm, as he went along. After saying that he was surprised to see so great a crowd, he laid down his head upon the block, as if upon the pillow of his bed, and had it struck off at the second blow. His noble wife was busy for him even then. She used to be his secretary, and after her husband's death that truehearted lady printed and widely circulated his last words. They made the blood of all the honest men in England boil. The University of Oxford distinguished itself on the very same day by pretending to believe that the accusation against Lord Russell was true. This paper the Parliament afterwards caused to be burned by the common hangman. *** The Duke of Monmouth had been making his uncle, the Duke of York, very jealous, by going about the country in a royal sort of way, playing at the people's games, becoming godfather to their children. His father had got him to write a letter, confessing his having had a part in the conspiracy, for which Lord Russell had been beheaded. But he was ever a weak man, and as soon as he had written it, he was ashamed of it and got it back again. For this, he was banished to the Netherlands. But he soon returned and had an interview with his father, unknown to his uncle. It would seem that he was coming into the King's favour again, and that the Duke of York was sliding out of it, when Death appeared to the merry galleries at Whitehall. On Monday, the second of February, 1685, Charles II fell down in a fit of apoplexv. By Wednesday his case was hopeless, and on Thursday he was told so. Then the Duke of York got all who were present away from the bed, and asked his brother, in a whisper, if he should send for a Catholic priest. The King replied, "For God's sake, brother, do!" The Duke smuggled in a Catholic priest to save the King's soul. Charles lived through that night, and died on the next day, which was Friday, the sixth of February, in the fifty-fifth year of his age, and the twenty-fifth of his reign.
CHAPTER X
ENGLAND UNDER JAMES THE SECOND Unlike his brother Charles II, King James II was a very disagreeable man. The only object of his short reign was to restore the Catholic religion in England, which made his career come to a close very soon. But at first people little supposed that the King had formed a secret council for Catholic affairs, of which a Jesuit, called Father Petre, was one of the chief members. The King of France hoped that James would achieve his object, and granted him five hundred thousand livres. James pocketed the money greedily, making some show of being independent of the French sovereign. The Parliament also granted James a large sum of money, so the new King began his reign with a belief that he could do what he pleased. A fortnight after the coronation, Titus Oates was tried for perjury. He was fined very heavily, and had to stand twice in the pillory, to be whipped without merey, and to stand in the pillory five times a year as long as he lived. This fearful sentence was actually inflicted on the rascal. Oates was so strong a villain that he did not die, but lived to be afterwards pardoned and rewarded.
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As soon as James was on the throne, Argyle and Monmouth went from Brussels to Rotterdam, and attended a meeting of Scottish exiles held there, to prepare a rising in England. It was agreed that Argyle should effect a landing in Scotland, and Monmouth in England. Argyle was the first to act. But the Government became aware of his intention,, and was able to act against him. As Argyle was moving towards Glasgow with his small force, he was betrayed by some of his followers, taken, and carried, with his hands tied behind his back, to Edinburgh Castle. James ordered him to be executed within three days. He was beheaded, and his head was set upon the top of Edinburgh Jail. Five or six weeks later the Duke of Monmouth landed, in Dorset. He set up his standard in the market-place, and proclaimed the King a tyrant, and a Popish usurper, charging him with all possible crimes. He even accused his uncle of setting fire to London, and poisoning the late King. Having raised some four thousand men by these means, he marched on to Taunton, where there were many Protestants who were strongly opposed to the Catholics. Here, both the rich and poor turned out to receive him, ladies waved a welcome to him from all the windows as he passed along the streets, and flowers were strewn in his way. Twenty young ladies came forward, in their best clothes, and gave him a Bible ornamented with their own fair hands, together with other presents. Encouraged by this homage, Monmouth proclaimed himself King, and went on to Bridgewater. But, here the Government troops were close at hand, and he was so dispirited at finding that he made but few powerful friends after all, that it was a question whether he should disband his army and fly to the Continent. It was resolved to make a night attack on the King's army. The horsemen were commanded by Lord Grey, who was not a brave man. He gave up the battle almost at the first obstacle, and although the poor countrymen, who had turned out for Monmouth,
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fought bravely, they were soon dispersed by the trained soldiers, and fled in all directions. The Duke of Monmouth also fled, but the unlucky Lord Grey was taken early next day, and then another of the party was taken, who had confessed that he had parted from the Duke only four hours before. Strict search was made, and Monmouth was found disguised as a peasant, with a few peas in his pocket which he had gathered in the fields to eat. He was completely broken. He wrote a miserable letter to the King, beseeching and entreating to be allowed to see him. When he was taken to London, and conveyed bound into the King's presence, he crawled to him on his knees. But James never forgave anybody, and his nephew was told to prepare for death. On the fifteenth of July, 1685, this unfortunate favourite of the people was brought out to die on Tower Hill. The crowd was immense, and the tops of all the houses were covered with people. Before laying down his head upon the block he felt the edge of the axe, and told the executioner that he feared it was not sharp enough, and that the axe was not heavy enough. The executioner replied that it was of the proper kind, and the Duke said, "I pray you have a care, and do not use me awkwardly." The executioner, made nervous by this, struck once and merely gashed him in the neck. Upon this, the Duke of Monmouth raised his head and looked at him reproachfully. Then he struck twice, and then thrice, and then threw down the axe, and cried out in a voice of horror that he could not finish that work. The sheriffs, however, made him continue, and he struck a fourth tixne and a fifth time. Then the wretched head at last fell off, and James, Duke of Monmouth, was dead, in the thirty-sixth year of his age. He was a handsome man, with many popular qualities, and had found much favour in the open hearts of the English. 5 Зак. № 376
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The atrocities, committed by the Government, which followed this Monmouth rebellion, form the blackest and most lamentable page in English history. At Dorchester alone, in the course of a few days, eighty people were hung. Those who escaped the gibbet were either whipped or imprisoned. Such executions took place in thirty-six towns and villages. The bodies of the executed were mangled, steeped in caldrons of boiling tar, and hung up by the roadsides. The sight and smell of heads and limbs, the hissing and bubbling of the infernal caldrons, and the tears and terrors of the people, were dreadful. One rustic, who was forced to steep the remains in the black pot, was ever afterwards called "Tom Boilman." The hangman has ever since been called Jack Ketch, because a man of that name went hanging and hanging, all day long.
After all this hanging, beheading, burning, and boiling, the King decided that he could do whatever he would. So he went to work to change the religion of the country with all possible speed. First of all, he tried to get rid of the Test Act, which prevented the Catholics from holding public employments. He revived the hated Ecclesiastical Commission, to get rid of Compton, Bishop of London, who manfully opposed him. He solicited the Pope to favour England with an ambassador, which the Pope (who was a sensible man then) did rather unwillingly. He flourished Father Petre before the eyes of the people on all possible occasions. He favoured the establishment of convents in several parts of London. He was delighted to have the streets, and even the court itself, filled with monks and friars in the habits of their orders. He wanted to make Catholics of all the Protestants about him. Protestants who held offices were removed, or resigned of themselves, and their places were given to Catholics. James II displaced Protestant officers from the army, and got Catholics into
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their places too. He tried the same thing with the corporations. All those who tried to oppose him were punished. Soon Father Petre was made his Privy Councillor. A spirit began to arise in the country, which the King little expected. He first found it out in the University of Cambridge. Having appointed a Catholic to be a dean at Oxford, without any opposition, James tried to make a monk a master of arts at Cambridge. But the University resisted the attempt, and defeated him. The King had issued a declaration that there should be no religious tests or penal laws, in order to let in the Catholics more easily, but the Protestant dissenters had joined the regular church in opposing it. The King and Father Petre now resolved to have this declaration read, on a certain Sunday, in all the churches, and to order it to be circulated for that purpose by the bishops. The bishops took counsel with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and resolved that the declaration should not be read, and that they would petition the King against it. The Archbishop himself wrote out the petition, and six bishops went into the King's bedchamber the same night to present it, to his infinite astonishment. Next day was the Sunday fixed for the reading, and it was only read by two hundred clergymen out often thousand. The King resolved to prosecute the bishops in the Court of King's Bench, and within three weeks they were summoned before the Privy Council, and committed to the Tower. As the six bishops were taken to the Tower, the people fell upon their knees, and wept for them, and prayed for them. When they got to the Tower, the officers and soldiers on guard besought them for their blessing. While they were confined there, the soldiers every day drank to their release with loud shouts. When they were brought up to the Court of King's Bench for their trial, the jury proclaimed them to be not guilty. The King was greatly alarmed with all that.
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Between the petition and the trial, the Queen had given birth to a son. The new prospect of a Catholic successor (for both the King's daughters were Protestants) made the Earls of Shrewsbury, Danby, and Devonshire, Lord Lumley, the Bishop of London, Admiral Russell, and Colonel Sidney invite the Prince of Orange over to England. James II, seeing his danger at last, made many great concessions, and tried to raise an army of forty thousand men. But the Prince of Orange was not a man for James to cope with. His preparations were extraordinarily vigorous, and his mind was resolved. On the fifth of November, 1688, his fleet anchored at Torbay in Devonshire, and the Prince marched into Exeter. But the people in that western part of the country7 had suffered so much for having supported Monmouth that they had lost heart. Few people joined William, the Prince of Orange, and he began to think of returning. At this crisis, some of the gentry joined him; the royal army began to falter; an engagement was signed, by which all who set their hand to it declared that they would support one another in defence of the laws and liberties of the three Kingdoms, of the Protestant religion, and of the Prince of Orange. Then the greatest towns in England began, one after another, to declare for the Prince, and the University of Oxford offered to melt down its plate, if he wanted any money. By this time the King was at a great loss. The newlyborn Prince was sent to Portsmouth, Father Petre went off like a shot to France, and all the Catholic priests and friars swiftly dispersed. One after another, the King's friends deserted him and went over to the Prince. In the night, his daughter Anne fled from Whitehall Palace; and the Bishop of London, who had once been a soldier, rode before her with a sword in his hand, and pistols at his saddle. "God help me," cried the miserable King, "even my children have forsaken me!"
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At last, James II resolved to fly from London. On the eleventh of December the King got out of bed, went down the back stairs, and rode to Feversham. But as the people there suspected him to be a Jesuit, he had to tell him who he was, and that the Prince of Orange wanted to take his life. The King had to put himself into the hands of the Lord Lieutenant of the county, and the Prince of Orange was informed about that. But William only wanted to get rid of him James, and not cared where he went. He was rather disappointed that they had not let him go away. James was brought back to London. But his stay there was very short, for the English guards were removed from Whitehall, Dutch guards were marched up to it, and he was told by one of his late ministers that the Prince would enter London next day, and he had better go to Ham. James said, Ham was a cold damp place, and he would rather go to Rochester. He thought himself very cunning in this, as he meant to escape from Rochester to France. The Prince of Orange and Iris friends knew that perfectly well, and desired nothing more. So, he went to Gravesend, in his royal barge, attended by certain lords, and watched by Dutch troops, and pitied by the generous people, when they saw him in his humiliation. On the night of the twenty-third of December, not even then understanding that everybody wanted to get rid of him, he got away to France, where he rejoined the Queen. Then all those who had served in any of the Parliaments of King Charles II resolved that the Protestant Prince and Princess of Orange should be King and Queen during their lives and the life of the survivor of them; and that their children should succeed them, if they had any. That if they had none, the Princess Anne and her children should succeed; that if she had none, the heirs of the Prince of Orange should succeed.
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On the thirteenth of January, 1689, the Prince and Princess, sitting on a throne in Wliitehall, bound themselves to these conditions. The Protestant religion was established in England, and England's Glorious Revolution was complete.
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COMMENTARY
CHAPTER I. ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE SEVENTH Генрих VII Тюдор (1457-1509) по материнской линии был потомком королевского дома Ланкастеров. При короле Ричарде III он находился в изгнании во Франции, и именно там, после получения известия о гибели несчастного Генри ха VI, принял решение бороться за английскую корону. 21 августа 1485 г. он сразится с Ричардом в битве при Босворте и одержал безоговорочную победу. Ричард III был убит. Для того, чтобы обеспечить себе поддержку не только Ланкасте ров, но и Йорков, Генрих, став королем, женился на племян нице Ричарда Елизавете Йоркской. Этот династический брак ознаменовал завершение Войны Алой и Белой розы, однако и по ее окончании Генриху VII пришлось столкнуться с не однократными попытками подорвать его власть. Вместе с тем его правление было ознаменовано расцветом абсолютизма в Англии. К стр. 7 son and heir of the late Duke of Clarence — сын и наслед ник покойного герцога Кларенса К стр. 8 Sweating Sickness — потливая лихорадка, инфекцион ное заболевание, часто завершавшееся смертельным исходом to defer — откладывать
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by employing about bis Court, some not very scrupulous persons who had been employed in the previous reign — дав придворные должности некоторым не слишком щепетильным личностям, которые находились при дворе в предыдущее царствование imposture — обман, жульничество to gratify his own ambitious ends — для достижения сво их собственных амбициозных целей no other than — ни кто иной как enlisted in their cause — привлекли на свою сторону; сде лали своими сторонниками governor — правитель; наместник perpetually — беспрестанно; бесконечно Dowager Duchess of Burgundy — the sister of Edward the Fourth, who detested the present King and all his race — Вдов ствующая герцогиня Бургундская — сестра Эдуарда IV, ко торая терпеть не могла нынешнего короля и весь его род К стр. 9 of her providing — снаряженные ею the Virgin Mary — Дева Мария (Богородица) who had good intelligence of their movements — который был хорошо информирован разведкой об их передвижениях where vast numbers resorted to him every day — куда к нему ежедневно прибывало большое число людей to gain but very few — добиться лишь очень немногого turnspit — тот, кто поворачивает вертел falconer — сокольничий to seize upon one's property — конфисковать чью-либо собственность to put somebody on one's guard — насторожить кого-либо Kemp. 10 body-guard — телохранитель to be turned adrift — быть покинутым на произвол судь бы; быть уволенным со службы her dear departed brother — ее дорогой покойный брат expressly for this deception — специально ради этого обмана
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to banish this new Pretender, or to deliver him up — из гнать этого нового претендента или выдать его revenge — месть commercial intercourse — торговые связи it was not unlikely that they might even go so far as to take his life — вполне вероятно, что они могли дойти до того, чтобы убить его desperate sally — отчаянная вылазка К стр. 11 deprived him of that asylum — лишил его этого убежища King James the Fourth of Scotland — Король Яков (Джеймс) Четвертый Шотландский, прадед английского ко роля Якова (Джеймса) I King Henry had bribed his Scotch lords to betray him more than once — король Генрих не один раз подкупал его шот ландских лордов, чтобы те предали его to announce — объявлять he would rather — он бы скорее К стр. 12 blacksmith — кузнец were hanged, drawn, and quartered — буквально: повеше ны, выпотрошены и четвертованы. Столь лютой тройной казни предавались обвиненные в государственной измене. Не дав задохнуться в петле, полуживым, им вспарывали живо ты и только потом приступали к последней стадии умер щвления truce — перемирие who was faithful to him under all reverses — которая была верна ему при всех превратностях судьбы to follow his poor fortunes — чтобы разделить его несча стную судьбу counterfeit — подставной К стр. 13 to surrender — сдаваться, подчиняться to hoot — улюлюкать, кричать
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being conveyed to London, he stood in the stocks for a whole day — будучи доставлен в Лондон, он целый день провел в колодках a paper purporting to be his full confession — документ, якобы являющийся его полным признанием К стр. 14 last male of the Plantagenet line — последний потомок Плантагенетов мужского пола too unused to the world — слишком неопытный ...is no less so — ...не менее вероятно Tyburn — Тайберн, место публичных казней в Лондоне (использовалось до 1783 г.) to die upon a gallows — умереть на виселице an ill-blood — вражда to feign — притворяться, прикидываться taxation — налогообложение gibbet — виселица traitor — предатель К стр. 14-15 in remembrance of the old British prince of romance and story — в память о древнем британском властелине из ры царских романов и легенд (т. е. в честь короля Артура) К стр. 15 crown — крона to prevail upon — убедить buying of those scoundrels the secrets they disclosed or invented — покупая у этих негодяев секреты, которые они раскрыли или выдумали gout — подагра on behalf of Spain — от имени Испании К стр. 16 to fit out ai\ English expedition — снарядить экспедицию
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CHAPTER II. ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE EIGHT Генрих VIII Тюдор (1491-1547), второй сын Генриха VII, стал королем в 1509 г. Мнения о нем как при жизни,, так и в последующие столетия высказывались весьма различные. В первые два десятилетия своего правления Генрих был вер ным сыном католической церкви и даже удостоился титула "Защитника Веры". Однако желание развестись с Екатери ной Арагонской и жениться на ее фрейлине Анне Болейн, не нашедшее поддержки в Ватикане, побудило Генриха объя вить себя верховным главой церкви в своих владениях. Ос таваясь католической по существу, церковь в Англии объяв лялась самостоятельной. Человек подозрительный, непосто янный и жестокий, Генрих VIII обрек на мученическую смерть многие сотни своих подданных, введя в практику массовые судебные процессы с надуманными обвинениями и привле чением лжесвидетелей. Для Ч. Диккенса этот английский государь — "самый непереносимый мерзавец, позор для чело веческой природы". К стр. 17 double-chinned — с двойным подбородком Hans Holbein — Ханс Хольбейн (1497 или 1498-1543) — немецкий живописец и график. Известен под именем Ханс Хольбейн Младший to rejoice — ликовать, радоваться К стр. 18 to be pilloried — быть поставленным к позорному столбу indefatigable — неутомимый occasioned by the reigning Princes of little quarrelling states — затеянная принцами-правителями маленьких враж дующих между собой государств to claim a share — требовать доли petty — мелкий, незначительный blundering allience — ошибочный союз to get stupidly taken in — быть обманутым по-глупому to leave in the lurch — покидать в беде to skim — проскользнуть row-boat — весельный корабль
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Kemp. 19 upshot — результат sham fight — потешное сражение to pitch silken tents — ставить шелковые палатки ignominiously — постыдным образом gaudy flags — яркие флаги the Battle of Spurs — "битва шпор". Произошла 16 ав густа 1513 г. близ Гюнегата. Отряд французском кавалерии был обращен в бегство союзными войсками Генриха VIII и австрийского императора Максимилиана I. Название дано в память о том, что бегущим с поля боя французам пригоди лись шпоры. to encamp — располагаться лагерем to draw up — выстраиваться a body of spearmen — отряд копейщиков the whole Scottish power routed — все шотландские силы были разгромлены a penance for having been an undutiful son — епитимья, наложенная за то, что забыл сыновний долг. Епитимья — род наказания, налагаемого церковью за нарушение религиозных норм dagger — кинжал К стр. 20 to contemplate peace — размышлять о мире to be betrothed to somebody — быть обрученным с кемлибо widow — вдова he must either do so then, or lose her forever — он либо должен сделать это сейчас, либо потеряет ее навеки Thomas Wolsey — Томас Уолси (ок. 1473-1530), канцлер английского королевства в 1515-1529 гг. С 1514 г. — архи епископ Йоркский, с 1515 г. — кардинал. В 1529 г. обвинен в государственной измене tutor — домашний учитель, наставник chaplain — капеллан On the accession of Henry VIII — По восшествии на престол Генриха VIII to be promoted — получить повышение to jest — шутить
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to be fond of pomp and glitter — любить пышность и блеск К стр. 21 to be high in estimation with somebody — высоко цениться кем-либо it was reckoned — как это было подсчитано his retinue was eight hundred strong — его свита состоя ла из восьмисот человек dressed out from top to toe in flaming scarlet — с головы до ног разодетый в ярко-пурпурные одежды blood-horse — чистокровная лошадь . to amble — идти мелким шагом, трусить рысцой A prodigious show of friendship — Удивительное прояв ление дружеских чувств brazen trumpets — медные трубы to secure one's interest — обеспечить чью-либо заинте ресованность thence (книжн.) — оттуда gold lace and gilt lions — золотое кружево и позоло ченные львы К стр. 22 on the evidence of a discharged servant — на основании показаний уволенного слуги to mumble and jumble out some nonsense — невнятно и сбивчиво нести какой-то вздор Neither did he keep his promise to Wolsey to make him Pope — He сдержал он и данного Уолси обещания сделать его Папой К стр. 23 Wittemberg — Виттенберг, город в Саксонии, где в 1517 г. Лютер выступил с 95 тезисами, отвергавшими основные дог маты католицизма The Reformation — Реформация, общественное движе ние против католической церкви в Запданой и Центральной Европе, основоположником которого стал Лютер Martin Luther — Мартин Лютер (1483-1546), крупней ший деятель Реформации, основатель лютеранства. Перевел на немецкий язык Библию
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Wickliffe — Уиклиф, Джон (ок. 1330-1384), английский реформатор, предшественник Реформации. Отвергал необ ходимость папства, требовал упразднения церковного зем левладения the New Testament — Новый Завет began to be very vigorous against the whole body, from the Pope downward — стали очень энергично протестовать про тив всех церковников, начиная с самого папы selling what were called1 Indulgences, by wholesale — про давая оптом так называемые индульгенции the punishment of Heaven — кара небесная Thomas More — Томас Мор (1487-1535), выдающийся юрист и государственный деятель, был противником Рефор мации. Писатель-гуманист, создатель "Утопии". Его автори тет побудил Генриха VIII неоднократно делать попытки пе ретянуть Мора на свою .сторону. Анна Болейн, вторая жена Генриха, зная об отношении Мора к разводу короля с Ека териной Арагонской, способствовала гибели этого честней шего и умнейшего в истории Англии канцлера королевства whom he afterwards repaid by striking off his head — ко торому он впоследствии отплатил отсечением головы Defender of the Faith — Защитник Веры flaming warnings — пылкие, грозные предостережения on pain of excommunication — под страхом отлучения от церкви for all that — несмотря на это in attendance on Queen — состоящей в услужении у ко ролевы К стр. 24 to get rid of somebody — избавиться от кого-либо to try the whole case — рассудить все дело in the endeavour to dissuade him — в попытке разубе дить его she could acknowledge no power in those Cardinals to try whether she should be considered his wife after all that time, or should be put away — она не может признать полномочий этих кардиналов решать, считаться ли ей его женой... или же быть отвергнутой
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Kemp. 25 to urge on — убедить в чем-либо to render — оказывать (помощь и т. д.) Sir Thomas More was made Chancellor in Wolsey's place — Сэр Томас Мор стал канцлером вместо Уолси Meanwhile, the opinions concerning the divorce, of the learned doctors and bishops and others, being at last collected, were forwarded to the Pope — Между тем собранные, нако нец, мнения ученых докторов, епископов и прочих относи тельно развода были направлены Папе entreaty — мольба was half distracted between his fear... and his dread — по чти обезумел, раздираемый между страхом... и боязнью... to evade — уклоняться to resign — отказаться с г должности, уйти в отставку to be resolved — твердо решиться without more ado — без дополнительных хлопот К стр. 24 She obeyed, but replied that wherever she went, she was Queen of England still, and would remain so, to the last — Она подчинилась, но ответила, что куда бы она ни направилась, она по-прежнему остается королевой Англии и останется ею до последнего своего вздоха faithless — вероломный Anne Boleyn... bought it at a dear price — Анне Болейн... это дорого обошлось Princess of Wales — Принцесса Уэльская. Титул наслед ницы престола (или жены наследного принца) в Англии atrocious — зверский, жестокий Henry VIII was always trimming between the reformed religion and the unreformed one — Генрих VIII всегда метался между реформированной и нереформированной религией the more... the more — чем больше, тем больше to roast alive — заживо жечь на костре К стр. 27 capital Christian — образцовый христианин who pretended to be inspired — которая притворялась вдохновляемой свыше
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heavenly revelations — божественные откровения uttered nothing but evil nonsense — не произносила ни чего, кроме дикой чепухи the supreme Head of the Church — верховный глава церкви he might have died naturally — он мог бы умереть есте ственной смертью to spite the King — чтобы позлить короля; назло королю К стр. 25 When he was doomed to death, and came away from his trial with the edge of the executioner's axe turned towards him — Когда он был приговорен к смерти и вышел из зала суда, сопровождаемый палачом, который нес топор, лезвием на правленный в его сторону К стр. 27-28 he bore it quite serenely — он перенес это довольно спо койно К стр. 28 to press through the crowd — протиснуться через толпу he was overcome — он дрогнул block — плаха at a blow — одним ударом to be worthy of somebody — быть достойным кого-либо Bull — булла, указ Папы римского. Название докумен ту дала круглая металлическая печать, которой он скреплял ся (bulla (лат.) — шарик) The King took all possible precautions to keep that document out of his dominions — Король принял все возможные предо сторожности, чтобы этот документ не попал в его владения a body of commissioners — группа членов королевской парламентской коммиссии to impose upon — обманывать were miraculously moved by Heaven — чудесным образом приводились в движение небесами bits of toe-nails — кусочки ногтей to demolish — разрушать
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Kemp. 28-29 stained glass windows, fine pavements, and carvings — вит ражные окна, красивые мозаичные полы и резьба К стр. 29 the whole court were ravenously greedy and rapacious for the division of this great spoil among them — весь двор обуяла неистовая жадность и алчность при дележе этой роскошной добычи The gold and jewels on his shrine filled two great chests, and eight men were needed to carry them away — Золото и дра гоценные камни с его раки заполнили два огромных ларца, и потребовалось восемь человек, чтобы их унести to cause discontent — вызывать неудовольствие to bring charges against somebody — выдвигать обвине ние против кого-либо to implicate — вовлекать they brought in Anne Boleyn guilty — они вынесли обви нительный приговор Анне Болейн К стр. 30 he rose up in great spirits and ordered out his dogs to go ahunting — он поднялся с постели в прекрасном расположе нии духа и приказал готовить собак на охоту fever — лихорадка; горячка very little could be rescued for such objects — очень не многое можно было спасти для таких целей to clutch — хватать, захватывать scaffold — эшафот К стр. 31 bedabbled with blood — забрызганные кровью to be no party — не принимать участия, не содейство вать All this the people bore, as they had borne everything else — Все это народ вытерпел, как прежде вытерпел все остальное to defy — игнорировать; оказывать открытое неповино вение bluff — грубовато-добродушный
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Act of Six Articles — Акт о шести статьях. Издан в 1539 г. Упразднял монастыри и показывал, что религия — не дело индивидуальной совести, но представляет собой националь ный интерес, нанесение ущерба которому является государ ственным преступлением. На основании этого акта казнено множество протестантов "the whip with six strings", which punished offences against the Pope's opinions, without mercy — "плеть с шестью языками", которая безжалостно карала отход от точки зрения Папы Cranmer would have modified it, if he could — Кранмер переделал бы его, если бы это было в его силах being overborne by the Romish party — будучи пересилен римской (т. е. католической) партией К стр. 32 he would rather not have his ladies to be shown like horses at a fair — он предпочел бы, чтобы его дам не выставляли напоказ, как лошадей на ярмарке to propose to somebody — сделать кому-либо предложение she might have thought of such a match if she had had two heads — она, возможно, подумала бы о таком браке, будь у нее две головы to protest against the abuses and impositions — протесто вать против злоупотреблений he swore she was "a great Flanders mare" — он выругал ся, обозвав ее "большой фламандской кобылой" His downfall dates from that time. — С этого момента начинается закат его карьеры on pretence that she had been previously betrothed to someone else — под предлогом, что прежде она была обручена с кем-то другим widower — вдовец Henry then applied himself to superintending the composition of a religious book called "A necessary doctrine for any Christian Man". — Затем Генрих занялся наблюдением за сочинени ем религиозной книги, называвшейся "Наставление христи анина" (буквально — "Необходимое каждому христианину наставление"; это сочинение также известно как "епископ ская книга")
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She leaned towards the reformed religion — Она тяготела к реформированной религии (т. е. к протестантизму) she argued a variety of doctrinal points with him on all possible occasions — при всех возможностях она спорила с ним по разнообразным вопросам вероучения К стр. 33 inevitably — неизбежно and gave her timely notice — и своевременно предупре дил ее to entrap her into further statements — чтобы поймать ее, принудив к дальнейшим высказываниям sweetheart — любимая the King honoured him with the epithets of a beast, a knave, and a fool — король почтил его эпитетами скотины, мошенника и болвана She... was considered as offending against the six articles — Было сочтено, что она... нарушает шесть статей (т. е. поло жения Акта о шести статьях) to be put upon the rack — быть вздернутым на дыбу to criminate — обвинять в совершении преступления obnoxious persons — неприятные особы he resolved to pull them down — он решил сбить с них спесь In that hour he perished — В этот час его не стало К стр. 34 the mighty merit of it lies with other men and not with him — огромная эта заслуга принадлежит не ему, а другим CHAPTER III. ENGLAND UNDER EDWARD THE SLXTH Эдуард VI (1537-1553) взошел на английский престол в девятилетнем возрасте и занимал его с 1547 по 1553 год. Бу дучи номинальным властителем (фактически страной прави ли регенты), он все же сумел оказать определенное влияние на исторические судьбы Англии. Эдуард был поборником протестантизма, и в его царствование англиканская церковь стала прртестантской. Вследствие этого в 1547 г. были от-
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менены законы об ответственности за уголовные преступле ния и измену, действовавшие при Генрихе VIII, большинство из которых было направлено против ранних протестантов. Судя по всему, Эдуард VI был против жестокостей и обещал стать выдающимся монархом. Однако в четырнадцать лет молодой государь заболел чахоткой, которая и стала причи ной его преждевременной кончины. К стр. 35 he made a will, appointing a council of sixteen to govern the kingdom for his son while he was under age — он составил завещание, назначив совет из шестнадцати человек, чтобы править королевством от имени его сына, пока тот не до стигнет совершеннолетия realm — королевство to advance and enrich oneself — добиться продвижения и обогатиться К стр. 36 enlarged his estate out of the Church lands — увеличил свои владения за счет церковных земель to submit to one's will — подчиниться чьей-либо воле sovereign — суверен, государь and did his best — и постарался изо всех сил The decorum of churches became modest — Убранство церквей стало скромным to worship — поклоняться; отправлять культ prayer — молитва Prayer Book — молитвенник the law was passed permitting to burn those who dared not to believe they were forced to believe by the Government — был издан закон, позволяющий сжигать на кострах тех, кто ос меливался не верить в то, во что их принуждало верить пра вительство not a single — ни единый to adhere to something — придерживаться чего-либо not for love, but for the strong persuasions of his advisers — не из любви, а по настоятельным рекомендациям его совет ников
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Edward was but a child — Эдуард был всего лишь ре бенком К стр. 37 from making an alliance with any foreign power — от вступ ления в альянс с какой бы то ни было иностранной державой excuse — предлог the Border men — жители Границы (поразумеваются области, прилегающие к границе между Англией и Шотлан дией) to encounter — встретиться twice as large as — в два раза больше, чем they undertook so fierce a charge that the enemy's army fled — они предприняли такую ожесточенную атаку, что вра жеская армия бежала to envy — завидовать - The Duke of Somerset had to be very careful not to loose his power. — Герцогу Сомерсету приходилось проявлять боль шую осторожность, чтобы не утратить свою власть К стр. 38 he was engaged with some of his brother's enemies in a plot to carry Edward VI off — вместе с некоторыми врагами сво его брата он был замешан в заговор с целью низложения Эду арда VI to confine — заключать в тюрьму to be impeached — обвиняться в государственной изме не to find guilty — счесть виновным, вынести обвинитель ный приговор Не was sentenced to death — Он был приговорен к смер тной казни the warrant for execution — ордер на смертную казнь to urge these ladies against his brother — настраивая этих дам против своего брата The monks might have been idle, but still they had been keeping hospitals for the sick and aimhouses for those who needed shelter, providing an opportunity for the poor to end their lives peacefully. — Возможно, монахи и были бездельниками, но все же они содержали больницы для больных и богадельни
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для тех, кто нуждался в крове, предоставляя беднякам воз можность окончить свои дни в мире и спокойствии Monasteries having ceased to exist, wandering beggars appeared, who were blamed for any trouble. — Так как монасты ри прекратили свое существование, появились нищие бро дяги, которых обвиняли во всех бедах charity institutions — благотворительные заведения Landlords were enclosing great territories for feeding of sheep, depriving the villagers of the common land — Земле владельцы огораживали обширные территории для выпаса овец, лишая деревенских жителей общинных земель К стр. 39 they could do little to stop the outraged mob — они мало что могли сделать, чтобы остановить разъяренную толпу desperate — отчаянный, безнадежный four thousand of the rebels are supposed to have fallen in that one county, either killed by the sword or hanged — пред положительно, четыре тысячи восставших погибли в одном этом графстве, сраженные мечом или повешенные tanner — дубильщик charter — хартия, грамота its principal demand being to stop the enclosures — основ ное требование которой заключалось в том, чтобы прекра тить огораживания unless from that moment they dispersed and went home — если они тотчас же не разойдутся и не вернутся домой to receive a pardon — получить прощение ringleader — зачинщик became much more influential — стал гораздо более вли ятельным К стр. 40 blew up church steeples with gunpowder to get the stone — взрывал церковные колокольни с помощью пороха, чтобы получить камень forfeiture — конфискация, потеря on making a very humble submission — весьма смиренно подчинившись
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reconciliation was little likely to last — едва ли примире ние должно было стать длительным accusing him of having conspired to seize and dethrone the King — обвиняя его в участии в заговоре с целью захвата и низложения короля Не was also accused of having intended — Он также был обвинен в том, что намеревался the bystanders rushed forward and steeped their handkerchiefs in his blood, as a mark of their affection — стоявшие поблизости ринулись вперед и мочили свои платки в его крови в знак своей привязанности Deseases were often killers and spread rapidly — Заболе вания часто завершались смертельным исходом и распро странялись быстро used to treat their patients by bleeding, or giving them purges and some medicines made from herbs that only sometimes did well — обычно лечили своих пациентов кровопусканием или давали им слабительные и некоторые другие лекарства, изго товленные из трав, которые лишь иногда приносили пользу К стр. 41 small-pox — оспа sickly condition — болезненное, нездоровое состояние to be the next to the throne — быть следующим в линии наследования престола they were sure to be disgraced — их неминуемо ждала опала the Duchess resigned her right in favour of her daughter Lady Jane Grey — герцогиня отказалась от своего права в пользу дочери, леди Джейн Грей consent — согласие, разрешение covetous — жадный, алчный to persuade the dying King to set aside both his sisters — убедить умирающего короля отстранить от трона обеих его сестер and appoint Lady Jane Grey his successor — и назначить своей преемницей леди Джейн Грей the attempts to set aside the Catholic heir to the throne failed — попытки отстранить престолонаследницу-католич ку провалились
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К стр. 42 there was nothing coarse or cruel in his disposition — в его нраве не было ничего грубого или жестокого Не might well grow up a great monarch — Он вполне мог стать великим монархом and his country was once more seized by a political chaos — и его страна вновь была погружена в политический хаос CHAPTER IV. ENGLAND UNDER MARY THE FIRST Мария I Тюдор (1516-1558) — дочь Генриха VIII от первого брака. До 1533 г., т. е. до рождения своей сводной сестры Елизаветы, считалась престолонаследницей. Брако разводный процесс родителей потряс принцессу до глубины души. В пятнадцать лет она была навеки разлучена с мате рью, но никогда не забывала Екатерину Арагонскую и сохра нила приверженность к католицизму, в котором была вос питана. Став в 1533 г. королевой, Мария Кровавая принес ла Англии немало горя, безжалостно карая всех, кто не при надлежал к вере, которую она считала истинной. За пять лет ее правления по обвинению в ереси более трехсот протес тантов приняли мученическую смерть на костре. Как коро лева не соблюдала интересы нации. Выйдя замуж за Филип па II Испанского, Мария I не была счастлива в супружестве и умерла бездетной. К стр. 43 being informed of that event as she was on her way to London to see her sick brother — проинформированная об этом собы тии по пути в Лондон, куда она направлялась, чтобы про ведать больного брата Lord Mayor of London — лорд-мэр Лондона, глава сто личного муниципалитета she was to be Queen — она должна стать королевой Lady Jane was so astonished that she fainted — леди Джейн Грей была так поражена, что упала в обморок On recovering — Прийдя в себя
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she knew she was unfit to govern the kingdom — она зна ет, что не годится управлять королевством К стр. 44 Some powerful men among the nobility declared on Mary's side. — Некоторые влиятельные вельможи объявили о сво ей поддержке Марии The Council would have despatched Lady Jane's father — Совет собрался было направить отца леди Джейн to implore — умолять to be well founded — иметь хорошее основание turned their backs on — отвернулись от to resign the Crown with great willingness — отречься от короны с большой охотой half-sister — сводная сестра the new Queen met some eminent prisoners then confined in it — новая королева встретилась с некоторыми выдающи мися узниками, заключеными в то время в нем issued under the great seal — изданный за (скрепленный) большой государственной печатью. Большая государственная печать предназначена для документов особой важности К стр. 44-45 and, if it were, whether they, who had obeyed them too, ought to be his judges — а если да, то следует ли быть его судьями тем, кто также повиновался этим приказам К стр. 45 to be incited by others — быть подстрекаемым другими to exhort — убеждать, призывать wrinkled in the face — с изборожденным морщинами лицом to have a great liking for bright colours — питать великую любовь к ярким цветам though it was dangerous work as yet, the people being something wiser than they used to be — хотя само по себе это было опасно, так как люди стали немного мудрее, чем прежде to groan for somebody — оплакивать кого-либо, плакать по кому-либо
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К стр. 46 in violation of the law — в нарушение закона as soon as might be — как можно скорее Philip, Prince of Spain — Филипп, принц Испанский, будущий испанский король Филипп II to detest — ненавидеть, питать отвращение popular tumults — народные волнения to hold out against somebody — выстоять против коголибо to fall away — покинуть, изменить dismayed — напуганный Kemp. 47 torture — пытка accomplice — сообщник with halters round their necks — с наброшенными на их шеи веревками to disdain — презирать to decline to do something — отказаться сделать что-либо lest she should be overpowered — чтобы остаться неслом ленной with a firm step — твердой поступью addressed the bystanders in a steady voice — недрогнув шим голосом обратилась к стоявшим рядом К стр. 48 she had done so with no bad intent, and that she died a humble Christian — она поступила так не из дурных намере ний и умирает смиренной христианкой She begged the executioner to despatch her quickly — Она попросила палача покончить с ней быстро to bandage — завязать to lay hold of somebody — схватить кого-либо this was pursued with great eagerness — эта цель пресле довалась с великим рвением to which she objected, but in vain — против чего она воз ражала, но тщетно proudly and scornfully — гордо и презрительно
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Kemp. 49 At length — Наконец He failed, however, in his design. — Однако его план про валился Hatfield House was assigned to her as a residence, under the care of Sir Thomas Pope. — Ей было предписано жить в Хэтфилд Хаус под опекой сэра Томаса Поупа overbearing, and gloomy — властный и угрюмый at a great pace — стремительно to be packed — быть составленным; подобранным which was done to enlist their selfish interest on the Pope's side — что бьшо сделано для того, чтобы возбудить у них корыстные интересы и привлечь их на сторону Папы К стр. 50 Prebendary of St. Paul's — пребендарий собора Св. Павла. Пребендапий — священник, получающий пребенду — жало ванье, а также недвижимость (дома, земли и т. д.) в награду за свой труд Не admitted both of these accusations — Он принял оба эти обвинения a wicked imposition — греховное заблуждение and was made to wear a hood over his face that he might not be known by the people — и его заставили скрыть лицо под капюшоном, чтобы народ его не узнал they did know him for all that — несмотря ни на что, его все же узнали making prayers and lamentations — творя молитвы и го рестно стеная slept soundly — крепко спал to lean on a staff — опираться на посох iron stake — железный столб elm-tree — вяз there was a great concourse of spectators in every spot from which a glimpse of the dreadful sight could be beheld — всюду, откуда только можно бьшо увидеть ужасное зрелище, собра лось великое множество зрителей К стр. 51 compassion — сострадание
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they heaped up wood and straw and reeds, and set them all alight — они навалили кучу дров, соломы и тростника и по дожгли все это As the fire rose and sank, his terrible death turned out to be even more terrible — Поскольку огонь то разгорался, то уга сал, его ужасная смерть оказалась еще более ужасной Gardiner went to his tremendous account before God — Гардинер отправился отчитываться в своих грехах перед Бо гом (т. е. умер) man of blood — жестокий человек; убийца; душегуб to be active in the kindling of the fearful fires — прояв лять активность в разжигании ужасных костров a plan was laid for surrounding him with artful people, and inducing him to recant to the unreformed religion — был состав лен план окружить его искусными людьми и вынудить его отречься, перейти в католическую веру Deans and friars — Деканы и монахи (декан — титул старшего после епископа духовного лица в англиканской и католической церкви) persuasively — убедительно К стр. 52 to make haste — поторопиться Cranmer's heart was found entire among his ashes — в прахе Кранмера было обнаружено его уцелевшее сердце and came over to seek the assistance of England — при был искать помощи Англии to engage in a French war for his sake — ради него ввя зываться во французскую войну by every means in her power — любыми средствами, ко торые были в ее власти to sustain a complete defeat — потерпеть полное пора жение There was a bad fever raging in England — В Англии сви репствовала жестокая лихорадка Bloody Queen Mary... will ever be justly remembered with horror and detestation — Королеву Марию Кровавую... всегда будут заслуженно вспоминать с содроганием и ненавистью
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CHAPTER V ENGLAND UNDER ELIZABETH THE FIRST Елизавета I Тюдор (1533-1603) — дочь Генриха VIII от второго брака. Ее мать Анна Болейн погибла на эшафоте, когда Елизавете было два года. Положение принцессы ослож нялось тем, что многие подданные английской короны не считали ее законнорожденной. Следовательно, после смер ти Марии I возникли сомнения в правах Елизаветы на анг лийский престол. Будучи протестанткой, младшая дочь Ген риха VIII столкнулась с мощной католической оппозицией, стремившейся возвести на трон Марию Стюарт, королеву Шотландскую, в жилах которой также текла кровь Генриха VII Английского. Сумев удержать власть, одаренная недю жинным умом, всесторонне образованная Елизавета прави ла Англией с 1558 по 1603 год. Ей удалось умерить раздирав шие страну религиозные распри. В ее царствование была одержана блистательная победа над испанской "Непобеди мой армадой". Покровительница наук и искусств, Елизаве та способствовала расцвету английской культуры, укрепле нию экономической мощи страны. Последняя представитель ница династии Тюдоров, она никогда не была замужем, не имела прямых наследников и передала престол Якову VI Шотландскому, сыну казненной Марии Стюарт. К стр. 53 Weary of the barbarities — Устав от жестокостей The nation seemed to wake from a horrible dream. — На ция, казалось, пробудилась от ужасного сна cunning and deceitful — коварная и лживая К стр. 54 one of the courtiers presented a petition to the new Queen, praying that as it was the custom to release some prisoners on such occasions, she would have the goodness to release the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and also the Apostle Saint Paul, who had been for some time shut up in a strange language so that the people could not get at them — один из придворных обратился к новой королеве с петицией, прося, чтобы в соответствии с обычаем по такому поводу выпускать на свободу некоторых узников она соблаговолила освободить
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четырех евангелистов — Матфея, Марка, Луку и Иоанна, а также апостола Св. Павла, которые некоторое время томи лись в плену чуждого языка, чтобы люди не могли понять их champions of the two religions — поборники этих двух религий for people to benefit by what they repeat or read — чтобы люди получали пользу от того, что повторяют или читают plain English — понятный английский язык prudent and merciful — благоразумны и милосердны the Queen Regent of Scotland, Mary of Guise — короле ва-регентша Шотландии, Мария Гиз. Бдова Якова V Шот ландского бьша принцессой французского герцогского дома Гизов. Осуществляла регентство при малолетней дочери, ко ролеве Марии Стюарт the Dauphin — дофин, титул наследника французского престола gracious permission — милостивое соизволение supposing the English Parliament not to have altered the succession — если бы английский парламент не изменил по рядок наследования to maintain — утверждать К стр. 55 a half-savage country — полудикая страна to put up the blood — разгорячить кровь The Congregation of the Lord — Христова конгрегация under which the French consented to depart from the kingdom — по которому французы соглашались покинуть королевство renounced their assumed title — отказывались от своего предполагаемого титула К стр. 56 to embark — садиться на корабль who were bitter upon her amusements, however innocent — которые резко осуждали ее развлечения, какими бы они ни казались невинными John Knox — Джон Нокс (1505 или ок. 1514-1572), ос нователь шотландской пресвитерианской церкви, политичес-
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кий противник шотландской королевы-католички Марии Стюарт caused her to give a solemn pledge to the heads of the Romish Church that if she ever succeeded to the English crown, she would set up that religion again — принудили ее... дать клятву иерар хам римской церкви, что если она когда-нибудь унаследует английскую корону, то вновь установит эту религию vain and jealous — тщеславная и завистливая К стр. 57 Not that Elizabeth wanted suitors of her own — He то что бы Елизавета хотела иметь собственных поклонников whom he was strongly suspected of causing to be murdered — в убийстве которой его сильно подозревали Maiden Queen — королева-девственница that very Earl of Leicester who had aspired to be the husband of Elizabeth — того самого графа Лестера, который стремился стать супругом Елизаветы to descend from the Royal Family of Scotland — быть по томком шотландского королевского дома Магу banished Murray for his pains — Мария отправила Марри в изгнание за его труды. Джеймс, граф Марри, был ее сводным братом, внебрачным сыном Якова V и леди Дуглас (впоследствии эта дама стала тюремщицей Марии в период ее заточения в замок Лохливен) in armour with loaded pistols in her saddle — в доспехах, с заряженными пистолетами в седельной сумке К стр. 57-58 to make a compact with somebody — заключить соглаше ние, договориться с кем-либо К стр. 58 Не shall not leave the room — Он не должен выходить из комнаты killed him with fifty-six stabs — убили его пятьюдесятью шестью кинжальными ударами she gained her husband over, and prevailed him to abandon the conspirators and fly with her — она переманила мужа на
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свою сторону и убедила его покинуть заговорщиков и бежать с ней assasin — убийца She had a greater scorn for her husband after his late cowardice and treachery than she had had before — Она еще больше презирала мужа после его недавнего малодушного и вероломного поступка christening — крестины to entrust — поручать, доверять godmother — крестная мать К стр. 59 Магу sent her own physician to attend him — Мария по слала своего личного врача для ухода за ним ambassador — посланник, посол to heart's content — сполна, вволю, всласть the city was shaken by a great explosion — город содрог нулся от сильного взрыва The Scotch people universally believed it — Этого мнения придерживались все шотландцы in the dead of the night — глубокой ночью Such guilty unions seldom prosper — Подобные преступ ные союзы редко бывают удачными by the successes of a band of Scotch nobles who associated against them for the protection — благодаря успехам группы шотландских вельмож, объединившихся против них для за щиты would certainly have murdered — наверняка убил бы faithful to his trust — верный возложенным на него опе кунским обязанностям К стр. 60 made her sign her abdication — заставил ее подписать отречение washerwoman — прачка fascinating — пленительный, очаровательный, обворо жительный she issued a proclamation declaring that the abdication she had signed in her prison was illegal — она издала проклама-
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цию, в которой подписанное ею в тюрьме отречение от пре стола объявлялось недействительным a steady soldier — стойкий воин to take shelter — найти приют, убежище entreating her assistance to oblige her Scottish subjects to take her back again and obey her — умоляя помочь принудить ее шотландских подданньк вновь принять ее и подчиниться ей to clear oneself — оправдаться to detain — задерживать Kemp. 60-61 agreed to answer the charges against her if the Scottish noblemen... would attend to maintain them before such English noblemen as Elizabeth might appoint for that purpose — согла силась ответить на выдвинутые против нее обвинения, если шотландские дворяне будут присутствовать, чтобы поддер жать их перед лицом тех английских дворян, которых для этого соблаговолит указать Елизавета К стр. 61 she withdrew from the inquiry — она удалилась со след ствия he was over-persuaded by artful plotters against Elizabeth — искусные заговорщики настроили его против Елизаветы to be careful what sort of pillow he was going to lay his head upon — позаботиться о том, на какую подушку он собирает ся опустить голову (намек на плаху) a humble reply — смиренный ответ sulky — угрюмый, мрачный bloodshed — кровопролитие К стр. 62 to depose — свергнуть с престола to be hot in the matter — принимать горячее участие в деле Lincoln's Inn — "Линкольнз инн", одна из четырех лон донских юридических корпораций. Названа по имени Томаса де Линкольна, первого владельца здания with a view to a rising in England which should force Elizabeth to consent to his marriage with Mary and to repeal the 6 Зак. № 376
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laws against the Catholics — с целью поднять в Англии вос стание, которое должно будет принудить Елизавету дать со гласие на его брак с Марией и отменить законы против ка толиков he was recommitted to the Tower — он был вторично водворен в Тауэр to be sentenced to the block — быть приговоренным к смерти на плахе to admit the justice of the sentence — признать справед ливость приговора was... regretted by the people — был... оплакан народом стр. 63 aggravated — раздраженный the Puritans — пуритане, последователи кальвинизма в Англии XVI—XVII вв., выступавшие за углубление Реформа ции, проведенной в форме англиканства meritorious — похвальный, достойный похвалы the Massacre of Saint Bartholomew — Варфоломеевская ночь {massacre — бойня, резня). Массовое избиение фран цузских протестантов, учиненное католиками в ночь на 24 ав густа 1572 г. Организаторами и вдохновителями этой акции были королева-мать Екатерина Медичи и представители гер цогского дома Гизов, сам герцог и его брат кардинал Лотарингский, дяди Марии Стюарт. Это выступление католиков пагубно отразилось на судьбе шотландской королевы: испу ганные протестанты в Англии стали настойчиво добиваться ее казни Saint Bartholomew's Eve — канун Св. Варфоломея Huguenots — гугеноты, французские протестанты, при верженцы кальвинизма the young King of Navarre — юный король Наварры, будущий король Франции и основатель новой королевской династии Бурбонов Генрих IV the sister of Charles IX — сестра Карла IX, принцесса Маргарита Валуа, воспетая А. Дюма в романе "Королева Марго" on the tolling of a great bell, the Huguenots should be slaughtered wherever they could be found — по сигналу большоА
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го колокола гугенотов должны были перерезать, где бы они ни были обнаружены К стр. 64 in all France four or five times that number — в четырепять раз больше по всей Франции in deep mourning — в глубоком трауре a profound silence — глубокое молчание she held this French Duke off and on through several years — в течение нескольких лет она то приближала, то отталкивала от себя этого французского герцога. Герцог Алансонский был сыном Генриха II Французского, младшим братом королей Франциска II, Карла IX и Генриха III the marriage articles were actually drawn up — в действи тельности были составлены статьи брачного контракта who appears to have been really fond of him — которая, видимо, по-настоящему любила его to her credit — к ее чести К стр. 65 Jesuits — иезуиты, члены католического ордена "Об щество Иисуса", основанного в 1534 г. в Париже Игнатием Лойолой Seminary Priests — семинарские священники, римскокатолические священники, учившиеся в семинариях для мис сионерской работы в Англии XVI—XVII вв. Их целью было возвращение Англии в лоно католической церкви murder was lawful if it were done with an object of which they approved — убийство является законным, если его со вершить с целью, которую они одобряли she declined the honour — она отклонила эту честь a capital Court favourite — главный придворный фаворит set on and encouraged — подстрекаемый и поощряемый imparted a design — доверил, сообщил план to confide the scheme — сообщить по секрету план К стр. 66 ridiculously confident — до смешного доверчивые to keep somebody acquainted with something — держать кого-либо в курсе чего-либо
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they stole out of the city, one by one — они один за дру гим выбрались из города in holding Mary alive, she held "the wolf who would devour her" — сохраняя жизнь Марии, она сохраняла жизнь "вол ку, который проглотит ее" to poison — отравить the Star Chamber at Westminster — Звездная палата в Вестминстерском дворце, высший королевский суд, создан ный Генрихом VII и существовавший с 1487 по 1641 гг. На звание получил по украшенному позолоченными звездами потолку помещения, где проводились заседания the trial lasted a fortnight — судебное разбирательство продолжалось две недели She was found guilty, and declared to have incurred the penalty of death — Она была признана виновной, и было объявлено, что она заслуживает смертную казнь to endanger — подвергать опасности her servants should go home with the legacies she left them — ее слуги должны уехать домой с наследством, которое она им оставила К стр. 67 to keep free of the blame — избежать обвинения messenger — посланец, вестник a frugal supper — скромный ужин and passed the remainder of the night saying prayers — и провела остаток ночи в молитвах she again denied her guilt — она вновь отрицала свою вину she had not been used to be undressed by such hands — она не привыкла, чтобы ее раздевали такие руки one of her women fastened a cloth over her face — одна из ее женщин набросила ей на лицо кусок ткани to cower — сжиматься, съежиться от страха she showed the utmost grief and rage — она разыгрывала самое глубокое горе и ярость К стр. 68 made a show of being very angry on the occasion — при творился очень рассерженным по этому поводу to threaten — угрожать
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England was making ready to resist this great force — Англия готовилась дать отпор этой великой силе were trained and drilled — обучались и практиковались the national fleet... was enlarged by public contributions and by private ships, fitted out by noblemen — национальный флот... увеличился благодаря общественным пожертвованиям и ча стным кораблям, снаряженным знатью furnished double the number of ships and men that it was required to provide — выставил в два раза больше кораблей и людей, чем был должен К стр. 69 advisers were for seizing the principal English Catholics, and putting them to death — советники были за то, чтобы схва тить главных английских католиков и предать их смертной казни to reject the advice — отклонить совет in the fens — в болотах they behaved most loyally — они вели себя самым верно подданническим образом The Invincible Armada — "Непобедимая армада", военноморской флот Испании The Spaniards tried to get out to sea, and so became dispersed. — Испанцы пытались выйти в море, и поэтому они рассредоточились to pursue — преследовать to put to sea — пуститься в морское плавание In obedience to the Queen's express instructions — Под чиняясь специальным приказам королевы to pay for ransom — заплатить выкуп gallant achievements on the sea, effected in this reign — доблестные победы на море, добытые в это царствование a maid of honour — фрейлина Kemp. 70 he was very urgent for war — он очень настаивал на войне in the appointment of a deputy to govern in Ireland — при назначении кандидатуры на пост наместника в Ирландии The Queen gave him a tremendous box on the ear — Коро лева дала ему сильную пощечину
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to reconcile — примириться thoroughly — полностью, окончательно to be blended together — быть связанными между собой who were glad to have so dangerous a rival far off — кото рые радовались, что опасный соперник находится так далеко Knowing that his enemies would take advantage of that circumstance to injure him with the Queen — Зная, что его враги воспользуются создаваемым этим обстоятельством преимуиеством, чтобы повредить ему в глазах королевы to take into custody — взять под стражу, арестовать without purchasing his permission — не приобретя у него разрешения This right, which was only for a term, expiring — Так как это право, которое было дано лишь на время, утрачивало силу a vain old woman who had grown as crooked in her mind as she had in her figure — тщеславная старуха, мысли которой утратили стройность, как и ее фигура К стр. 71 to obtain possession of the Queen, and oblige her by force to dismiss her ministers — захватить королеву и силой прину дить уволить ее министров summoned the Earl to come before them — потребовал, чтобы граф предстал перед ним (them — местоимение, заме щающее слово council) to decline — отказываться It was then settled among his friends, that he should make one bold effort to induce people to rise and follow him to the Palace. — Тогда среди его друзей было решено, что ему сле дует предпринять одну смелую попытку поднять людей и побудить их последовать за ним во дворец the Queen had commanded, and countermanded — коро лева отдавала распоряжения и отменяла их Elizabeth fell into a stupor and was supposed to be dead — Елизавета впала в ступор, и ее сочли мертвой then nothing would induce her to go to bed — she said that she knew that if she did, she should never get up again — ничто затем не могло убедить ее лечь в постель — она говорила, что знает, будто в этом случае ей никогда больше не подняться
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When they asked her who should succeed her, she replied that her seat had been the seat of Kings, and that she would have her cousin of Scotland for her successor — Когда ее спросили, кто должен наследовать ей, она ответила, что ее трон — место королей и она хотела бы иметь своим преемником шотланд ского кузена. К стр. 72 That reign... is made forever memorable by the distinguished men who flourished in it. — Это царствование... всегда будут помнить по ознаменовавшей его деятельности выдающихся людей Apart from — Помимо CHAPTER VI. ENGLAND UNDER JAMES THE HRST Яков (Джеймс) I Стюарт (1566—1625) стал шотландским королем Яковом VI, когда был всего лишь годовалым мла денцем. Он был воспитан в протестантской вере под бдитель ным оком своего опекуна графа Map. Однако ни опекун, ни его супруга, нежно привязанная к венценосному питомцу, не могли заменить Якову родителей: его отец был злодейски убит, а обвинение в его гибели выдвигалось против Марии Стюарт, матери Якова, и сыграло не последнюю роль в под готовке мятежа с целью лишить эту королеву шотландского престола. В детстве Яков нередко оказывался пешкой в по литических интригах рвавшихся к кормилу власти вельмож, однако впоследствии стал правителем, заставившим считать ся с собой всех. Между тем, в облике его не было ничего величественного. В 1603 году Яков унаследовал английскую корону. Пуритане связывали с ним свои надежды, но им суждено было испытать разочарование. Одновременно про тестант Яков встретил сильнейшее противодействие со сто роны католиков, о чем свидетельствует предпринятая про тив него в 1605 году террористическая акция, известная как "Пороховой заговор". Яков не преследовал подданных за ре лигиозные убеждения и стремился сохранить в своих королев ствах мир и покой. Это был образованный монарх, посвещавший досуг литературным трудам. Однако ему был присущ
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серьезнейший недостаток — лень, пользуясь которым, при дворные фавориты сосредоточили в своих руках немалую власть. К стр. 73 dressed in thick padded clothes, as a safeguard against being stabbed — одетый в плотную, подбитую войлоком одежду в качестве меры предосторожности против кинжального удара with a hunting-horn dangling at his side instead of a sword — с охотничьим рогом, болтающимся на боку вместо меча to loll on the necks of his favourite courtiers — обнимать за шеи своих любимых придворных to pinch — щипать Kemp. 74 impertinent — нахальный to boast — хвастаться the most wearisome treatises ever read — самые скучные трактаты, которые когда-либо читали a book upon witchcraft — книга о колдовстве a prodigy of authorship — чудо писательского мастерства ought to be accountable to nobody on earth — не должен быть подотчетным никому из живущих на земле pledge — обещание to shovel — сгребать to be bound to do something — быть обязанным сделать что-либо Kemp. 75 eloquence — красноречие nevertheless — тем не менее Execution was deferred — Казнь была отсрочена The Parliament thought those strong words, and saw the necessity of upholding their authority. — Парламент счел, что это слишком сильно сказано, и усмотрел необходимость упрочить собственную власть obstinacy — упрямство the Gunpowder Plot — "Пороховой заговор". Взрыв зда ния Парламента был намечен на 5 ноября 1605 г.
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Kemp. 76 As Percy had occasional duties to perform about the Court — Поскольку Перси надо было время от времени исполнять свои придворные обязанности a house to let — дом, который сдается внаем he hired it for the purpose of undermining the wall — он снял его с целью сделать подкоп под стену a storehouse for gunpowder that was to be gradually carried at night to the house at Westminster — склад пороха, который по ночам нужно было постепенно перенести в дом в Вест минстере wintry — студеный Fawkes stood sentinel ail the time — Фокс все время сто ял на часах К стр. 77 to prorogue — назначить перерыв в работе парламента they agreed to separate until after the Christmas holidays — они договорились разойтись до окончания рождественских каникул Thomas Bates... had had some suspicion of what his master was doing — У Томаса Бейтса... были некоторые подозрения относительно того, чем занимался его хозяин to mutter — бубнить, бормотать it was only a dealer in coals who had occupied a cellar under the Parliament House, removing his stock in trade to some other place — это был всего лишь торговец углем, который занимал подвал под зданием парламента, перевозивший часть своего товара куда-то в другое место barrel — бочонок fagot = faggot — связка прутьев К стр. 78 after firing with a slow match the fagots that were to explode the powder — после того как подожжет с помощью бик фордова шнура прутья, от которых должен был взорваться порох to keep away — держаться подальше in such a cause — ради такого дела
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Kemp. 79 He had a watch upon him, some touchwood, and some slow matches, so his intentions were absolutely clear — При нем были часы, трут и бикфордовы шнуры, так что его намерения бьши абсолютно очевидны to have the heart — отважиться, решиться "Desperate diseases need desperate remedies" — "Ужас ные недуги требуют ужасных средств для их лечения" the Catholics were unjustly put under more severe laws than before — против католиков бьши несправделиво введены бо лее суровые законы, чем действовавшие прежде to redress... wrongs — исправить... несправедливости he flew into a rage — его обуяла ярость to indulge oneself in something — позволять себе какоелибо удовольствие Kemp. 80 who might strengthen her claim to the throne — который мог усилить ее притязания на престол the heir to the throne — наследник престола putrid fever — сыпной тиф proposed to resume his sea voyages — предложил возоб новить свои морские путешествия under his former sentence — по прежнему приговору Kemp. 81 where so many people gathered to see him die — где со бралось так много людей, чтобы увидеть, как он умрет to hesitate — колебаться, мяться What dost thou fear? (устар.) — Чего ты боишься? to get on fast — быстро делать успехи Master of the Horse — шталмейстер, придворная долж ность распорядителя конюшнями. Шталмейстер сопровож дал монархов во время конных прогулок to flatter — льстить
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CHAPTER VII. ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES THE ITRST Карл (Чарлз) I Стюарт (1600—1649) был вторым сыном Якова I. После внезапной кончины брата Генриха в 1612 году стал наследником престола, в 1625 году — королем. Очень маленького роста, всего около 150 см., Карл обладал привле кательной внешностью, был ценителем и покровителем изящ ных искусств. Женившись по любви на французской прин цессе Генриетте-Марии, Карл попал под сильное влияние католиков. Опасность укрепления католической партии в стране тревожила протестантское большинство нации, со хранившей память об ужасах правления Марии Кровавой. Трагедия Карла заключалась в том, что он не прислушивал ся к мнению народа и истово верил в божественное проис хождение и незыблемость королевской власти. Заблуждения. Карла, его отказ считаться с волей парламента ввергли стра ну в кровавое десятилетие гражданских войн между "кава лерами" — сторонниками короля — и "круглоголовыми" — сторонниками парламента (1642—46 и 1648 гг.). Потерпев со крушительное поражение, Карл проявил редкое мужество в плену, на суде и в ожидании казни, приняв смерть со сто ическим спокойствием мученика идеи. Правление Карла I было ознаменовано кризисом абсолютной монархии. После его гибели и до реставрации королевской власти в 1660 году Англия была республикой. К стр. 83 monstrously exaggerated notions — чудовищно преувели ченные представления К стр. 84 to be called to account — быть призванным к ответу, отчету the King rushed into it hotly — король со страстью ввя зался в нее to encounter a miserable failure — потерпеть печальную неудачу "to make haste to let him have it, or it would be the worse for themselves" — "поторопиться предоставить их ему, или же им будет хуже"
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He levied certain duties called tonnage and poundage — Он стал взимать некоторые пошлины, называвшиеся грузовой пошлиной и пошлиной с веса Не called upon the seaport towns to furnish armed ships. — Он потребовал, чтобы приморские портовые города поста вили корабли с пушками the repayment of which was very doubtful — возмещение которых было весьма проблематичным a violation of Magna Charta — нарушение "Великой хар тии вольностей" (документа, статьи которого определяют права и обязанности и королей, и их подданных в Англии) К стр. 85 contemptuous — презрительный, высокомерный The Petition of Right — "Петиция о праве", представле на парламентом королю в 1628 г. it being contrary — что противоречило to depart from one's word — нарушить свое слово But he was destined to do — Однако ему не дано было совершить a retired officer in the army — отставной армейский офицер a curse — бич, проклятие A murder it undoubtedly was — Несомненно, это и было убийство not in the least — ничуть, ни в малейшей степени who had favoured arbitrary and haughty principles — кото рый предпочитал деспотические и высокомерные принципы К стр. 86 to bring forward — выдвигать to put to the vote — поставить на голосование he was commanded otherwise by the King — король при казал ему иначе to adjourn — отсрочить held him down — заставил его остаться на месте to force the doors — взломать двери "Vipers" — "гадюки" never overlooked their offence — никогда не забывал о нанесенном ими оскорблении
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to petition for release — подавать петицию об освобож дении to lay it among the ashes of his forefathers — чтобы поло жить его рядом с прахом предков К стр. 87 to venture — рисковать a man of large learning but small sense — хорошо образо ванный, но лишенный здравомыслия человек if he would have accepted that favour — если бы он при нял эту честь as he thought fit — как он считал нужным notwithstanding the great complaints that had, for years and years, been made on the subject of monopolies — несмотря на великие жалобы, которые в течение многих лет поступали по поводу монополий to revive the detested Forest laws — оживить ненавист ные "лесные законы" Ship Money — "корабельные деньги". В 1634 г. старин ная повинность прибрежных графств снаряжать для оборо ны страны определенное число кораблей была превращена в денежный платеж, а в 1635 г. король потребовал "корабель ных денег" уже и с внутренних графств to bring a suit against somebody — предъявить иск комулибо the Court of Exchequer — Суд казначейства. Занимался налоговыми делами К стр. 88 the matters in the country were getting to that height now — события в стране достигали такого накала to prohibit — запрещать without the royal license — без королевского разрешения a perfect frenzy — полное безумие The Covenant — Ковенант, религиозный союз шотланд ских пуритан для защиты кальвинизма и независимости they summoned all their men to prayers and sermons twice a day by beat of drum — дважды в день они созывали бара банным боем всех своих людей на молитвы и проповеди to smite them with the sword — покарать их мечом
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the Short Parliament — Короткий парламент. Заседал в апреле-мае 1640 г. Назван в противоположность Долгому парламенту, заседавшему в 1640—1653 гг. doubtful who would speak first — раздумывая, кто же за говорит первым to which England was reduced — до которого была дове дена Англия К стр. 89 if they would grant him a certain sum on certain terms — если они субсидируют его определенной суммой на опреде ленных условиях he would summon another Parliament to assemble — он созовет другой парламент where the coals are got — где добывают уголь could make no head — не могли добиться успеха full of gloomy zeal — преисполненные мрачного рвения to impeach as a traitor — предъявить обвинение в госу дарственном преступлении как предателю К стр. 90 to reduce the kingdom to obedience — принудить коро левство к повиновению it was resolved to bring in a bill of attainder — было реше но внести законопроект о парламентском осуждении винов ного в государственной измене a bill was brought in at once, was carried through the House of Commons by a large majority, and was sent up to the House of Lords — законопроект был принят большинством голосов в палате общин и передан в палату лордов to effect the Earl's escape — чтобы осуществить побег графа he was willing to die for his sake — он хотел умереть за него he had not expected that his royal master would take him at his word so readily — он не ожидал, что его венценосный господиь столь готовно поймает его на слове doom — приговор Put not your trust in Princes! = Don't put your trust in Princes! — He доверяйте принцам!
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Kemp. 91 The Parliament accompanied this bold and daring act by other famous measures, all originating in the King's having abused his power. — Парламент сопроводил этот смелое и отважное действие другими знаменитыми мерами, и все из-за того, что король злоупотреблял своей властью Delinquents — "Преступники", прозвище, данное пар ламентом тем, кто в период с 1642 по 1660 гг. участвовал в военных действиях на стороне Карла I и Карла II they did rise in a most brutal and savage rebellion — они все же подняли мятеж, сопррвождавшийся крайней жесто костью (brutal=savage — жестокий) atrocity — зверство, жестокость К стр. 92 to put forward — выдвигать "The Remonstrance" — "Ремонстрация" — жалоба на положение в стране, поданная парламентом королю в 1641 г. to set forth — излагать the rashest step that ever was taken by mortal man — са мый опрометчивый шаг, который когда-либо предпринимался смертным the Attorney-General — атторней-генерал, генеральный прокурор to seal up papers — опечатать бумаги (документы) demanding to have the five gentlemen who were members of that House immediately produced — требуя, чтобы пять джентль менов, являющихся членами этой палаты, немедленно пред стали перед ним legal charge — законное обвинение К стр. 93 the servant of that House, and that he had neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak, anything but what the House commanded him — слуга этой палаты, и у него глаза видят, а язык гово рит только то, что ему приказывает палата
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The Parliament then immediately got hold of the military power of the country, well knowing — Затем парламент немед ленно захватил военную власть в стране, прекрасно зная a valuable magazine of arms and gunpowder — ценный склад оружия и пороха militia = trainband — милиционная армия, городское ополчение, создававшееся в Англии в XVI—XVII вв. forts, castles, and garrisons — форты, замки и гарнизоны depriving the Bishops of their votes — лишая епископов избирательного голоса to give way — поддаваться, уступать Kemp. 94-95 The citizens would not admit him into the town, and the governor would not admit him into the castle — Горожане не пожелали впустить его в город, а комендант не пожелал впустить его в замок К стр. 95 full of arms and ammunition — полный оружия и боепри пасов to borrow money at high interest — занимать деньги под высокий процент К стр. 96 consolation — утешение humanity, forbearance, and honour — человечность, тер пимость и благородство many of whom fought for mere pay without much caring for the cause — многие из которых сражались просто за плату, не слишком заботясь о том, за что сражаются their conduct cannot but command our highest admiration — их поведение не может вызвать у нас ничего, кроме величай шего восхищения The King might have distinguished some of these gallant spirits by giving them the command of his army — Король мог бы отметить некоторых из этих доблестных людей, поручив им командовать своей армией
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Roundheads — "круглоголовые", прозвище пуритан-сто ронников парламента в гражданских войнах XVII в. в Анг лии К стр. 97 Cavaliers — "кавалеры", прозвище роялистов, сторон ников короля At first the Royalists did better — Сперва дела шли луч ше у роялистов the Ironsides — "железнобокие", прозвище кавалерис тов Оливера Кромвеля infantry — пехота The New Model Army — Армия "нового образца", пер вый в Европе образец регулярной революционной армии the people... were most anxious for peace — люди... боль ше всего хотели мира So were some of the best men in each cause — Того же хотели лучшие люди в обоих лагерях К стр. 98 they came to nothing — они ни к чему не пришли to conclude a secret treaty with the Catholic powers — за ключить секретный договор с католическими державами the King denied his part in that business — король отри цал свое участие в этом деле the King felt that if he would like to escape he must delay no longer -г король чувствовал, что если он хочет бежать, то нЪ должен больше тянуть с этим having altered the cut of his hair and beard — изменив фасон стрижки и бороды who treated him as an honourable prisoner — который обращался с ним как с почетным узником К стр. 99 he... professed to be very sincere in the Scottish sort of Puritan religion — он притворялся, что искренне принимает шотландский вариант пуританской религии he had come to take him away — он приехал, чтобы увез ти его
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who came to persuade him to return to the custody of the Parliament — который прибыл убедить его вернуться под стражу парламента to frighten the Parliament into yielding to their demands — чтобы запугать парламент и заставить его уступить их тре бованиям Oliver Cromwell was friendly towards the King — Оливер Кромвель относился к королю весьма дружелюбно К стр. 100 had been much affected — был сильно тронут, растроган there was a plot with a certain portion of the army to seize him — в определенных армейских кругах был составлен за говор с целью его захвата after being fearfully bullied by the army — получив отча янные угрозы со стороны армии К стр. 101 to treat — вести переговоры to beseech — умолять to defy — оказывать открытое неповиновение the King's concessions were sufficient ground for settling the peace in the kingdom — уступки короля были достаточ ным основанием для установления мира в королевстве to approve of — одобрять the army reduced the House of Commons to some fifty or so — армия сократила состав палаты общин примерно до пятидесяти человек an ordinance — указ, декрет . the Commons proclaimed themselves the supreme government of the country, and brought the King to trial — палата общин провозгласила себя верховным правительством страны и при влекла короля к суду К стр. 102 side benches — боковые скамьи At the very beginning of the trial the King denied the authority of the Court — В самом начале суда король отказался признать полномочия судей to be satisfied — быть удовлетворенным
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the trial was resumed — суд был возобновлен justice — справедливость, правосудие It was granted. — Это было разрешено to intercede for somebody — ходатайствовать за кого-либо К стр. 103 Не put on two shirts not to tremble with the cold, and had г his hair very carefully combed — Он надел две соро ки, чтобы не дрожать от холода, и тщательнейшим образом расчесал волосы he would eat nothing, as he had taken the Sacrament — он ничего не пожелал есть, поскольку уже принял святое при частие he took the advice — он последовал совету in very different times — в совсем другие времена Не seemed a little troubled to find that it was so low — Казалось, он был немного озадачен, обнаружив, что она та кая низкая К стр. 104 though it was a turbulent and troublesome stage — хотя это был неспокойный и мучительный этап One universal groan broke from the crowd — У толпы вырвался единый всеобщий стон CHAPTER VIII. ENGLAND UNDER OLIVER CROMWELL Оливер Кромвель (1599—1658) в течение последних ше сти лет своей жизни был единоличным правителем Англии. Воспитанный в строгих пуританских традициях, он стал вож дем пуритан, поднявшихся на борьбу против аморального королевского режима. В соответствии с пуританским веро учением о божественном предопределении Кромвель был убежден, что Господь избрал его орудием своей воли. Буду чи депутатом Долгого парламента, собравшегося в 1640 году, Кромвель был горячим сторонником расширения его полно мочий. В годы гражданских войн Кромвель показал себя выдающимся полководцем и организатором. Казалось, он был непобедим, ибо за всю жизнь не проиграл ни одного
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сражения. В 1649 году Кромвель развил бурную деятельность по превращению Англии в республику, а в 1653 году стал главой государства, приняв титул Лорда-Протектора. Впо следствии Кромвель отказался от республиканских идеалов и начал мечтать о королевском венце для себя и своего сына. Впрочем, ему не суждено было основать новую династию — боязнь народного гнева не позволила Кромвелю стать коро лем. Будучи выдающимся политическим деятелем, Кромвель добился значительных успехов во внешней политике, твер дой рукой правил государством. Сын Кромвеля Ричард не обладал талантами и волей отца и не сумел удержать достав шийся ему по наследству пост Лорда-Протектора. К стр. 105 the House of Lords... ought to be abolished — палату лор дов... следует упразднить К стр. 106 Council of State — государственный совет The House of Commons also readmitted — Также в пала ту общин вновь вошли it still had an army of more than forty thousand men to deal with, and it was a very hard task to manage them — ему попрежнему приходилось иметь дело с армией, насчитывавшей более сорока тысяч человек, и держать их в повиновении было очень непросто regiments under orders for Ireland mutinied — полки, до жидавшиеся отправки в Ирландию, подняли мятеж to mend the matter — исправить положение Kemp. 95 funeral — похороны to cut short — положить конец; пресечь by sentence of court-martial — по приговору военного суда Oliver was not a man to be trifled with — Оливер был не тот человек, с которым можно было шутить the Solemn League and Covenant — Торжественная лига и Ковенант, союзный договор английского парламента и
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шотландских пресвитериан, заключенный в 1643 г. и направ ленный против Карла I deserted the country at his approach — покидали мест ность при его приближении spike — кол limbs — конечности _ * Kemp. 107 he took a terrible vengeance for the sanguinary rebellion, and made tremendous havoc — он страшно отомстил за крово пролитное восстание и произвел чудовищные опустошения But, Charles having got over to Scotland — Однако, по скольку Карл перебрался в Шотландию son-in-law — зять the Commonwealth of England — название английской республики 1649—1660 гг. their troops would be beaten in an open fight — их войска будут разгромлены в открытом бою but as the Scottish clergy would interfere with what they knew nothing about — но поскольку шотландское духовенство вмешивалось в то, о чем не имело ни малейшего представ ления (would выражает привычное действие, относящееся к прошлому) to exhort — призывать То gratify the Scottish Parliament, and preserve their favour — Чтобы доставить удовольствие шотландскому парла менту и сохранить его расположение Scone — Сконское аббатство* (Шотландия). Здесь вен чались на царство шотландские короли и в древности нахо дился легендарный Камень Скона, игравший роль корона ционного трона. Сейчас этот камень находится в Вестмин стерском аббатстве в Лондоне, где проходят коронации бри танских монархов К стр. 107-108 His hopes were heightened by Oliver being ill, but Oliver scrambled out of bed in no time — Его надежды усилились в связи с болезнью Оливера, но Оливер быстро встал на ноги
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Kemp. 108 gentry — дворянство to induce — побуждать He cropped his hair, stained his face and hands brown as if they were sunburnt — Он обкорнал себе волосы, выкрасил лицо иицруки в коричневый цвет, словно они были загоре лыми were engaged in saving his life — участвовали в спасении его жизни '
К стр. 109 It was lucky for the King — Королю повезло to catch glimpses — увидеть мельком until his feet were all blistered — пока все ноги у него не покрылись волдырями a plain country gentleman, with dogs at his heels — простой сельский джентльмен со следующими за ним собаками butler — дворецкий public house — трактир, пивная vessel — судно to take on board — принять на борт being afraid of her husband getting into trouble, locked him up and would not let him sail — боясь, что ее супруг попадет в беду, заперла его и не позволяла уйти в плавание stable-yard — двор конюшни presence of mind — присутствие духа he met a half-tipsy ostler, who rubbed his eyes and said to him — он встретил полупьяного конюха, который протер глаза и сказал ему I did live with him once — Я действительно когда-то оста навливался у него К стр. НО a pot of beer — кружка пива to put ashore — высадить на берег to subdue — смирять, подчинять to emerge — возникать with half as many ships as the Dutch — имея в два раза меньше кораблей, чем голландцы
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challenged the bold English admiral to fight him — вызвал на бой отважного английскго адмирала to and fro about the Channel — взад-вперед по Ла-Маншу broom tied to his mast-head — привязанная к топу мач ты метла. Этот символ означал желание "вымести" против ника с моря К стр. 111 Presently — Вскоре; некоторое время спустя The Lord deliver me from — Избави меня, Господи a drunkard — пьяница a dissipated fellow — распутник Наг — лжец he must be made the supreme authority of the kingdom, under the title of the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth — он дол жен быть облечен высшей властью над королевством, при няв титул Лорда-Протектора. Церемония введения Кромве ля в должность состоялась 16 февраля 1654 г. в Вестминстер ском дворце attended by the judges, and the lord mayor, and the aldermen — в сопровождении судей, лорд-мэра и ольдерменов. Ольдер мен — член городского управления the Court of Chancery — канцлерский суд (верховный суд Великобритании до 1873 г.) К стр. 112 he was sworn — он был приведен к присяге Old Noll — Старина Нолль — прозвище Кромвеля. Нолль — уменьшительное от "Оливер" "the Instrument" — "Орудие правления". Принятая в 1653 г. конституция английской республики. По этому доку менту законодательная власть в стране вручалась Протекто ру "совместно с парламентом", а исполнительная — Протек тору "совместно с Государственным советом" in the election of which neither the Royalists nor the Catholics were to have any share — в выборе которого не долж ны были принимать никакого участия ни роялисты, ни ка толики for injuries he had done to British merchants — за ущерб, который он нанес британским купцам
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to give in — сдаваться Oliver resolved not to bear the domination of Spain in South America — Оливер решил не мириться с господством Испании в Южной Америке English ships must be free to go wherever they would — английские корабли должны свободно ходить туда, куда по желают Holy Inquisition — Святая Инквизиция К стр. 113 indignant with its commanders — разгневанный на его командиров Blake cared no more for great guns than for pop-guns — огромные пушки беспокоили Блейка не больше, чем игру шечные пугачи Не dashed into the harbour — он стремительно ворвался в гавань frantic religionists — оголтелые религиозные фанатики to side with either party against him — встать на сторону любой партии против него if Oliver would have had such a son-in-law — если бы Оливер пожелал иметь такого зятя and possessed such sources of information as his enemies little dreamed of — и располагал такими источниками инфор мации, о которых его враги даже не догадывались К стр. 113-114 A few of the plotters Oliver caused to be beheaded, a few more to be hanged, and many more to be sent as slaves to the West Indies — Нескольких из заговорщиков Оливер прика зал, обезглавить, немного большее число — повесить, и го раздо большее — отправить в рабство в Вест-Индию К стр. 114 was very near doing more to please the Royalists than all the plotters put together — чуть не сделал больше, чем все за говорщики, вместе взятые, чтобы порадовать роялистов went off at a gallop — галопом рванулись вперед to drag — волочить
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Protectorate — Протекторат — военная диктатура Кром веля и его сына Ричарда, с 1653 по 1660 гг. The next was better suited to his views — Другой лучше отвечал его взглядам the Upper House — верхняя палата, т. е. палата лордов в парламенте not below the rank of captain — не ниже, чем в звании капитана К стр. 114-115 Не encouraged men of genius and learning, and loved to have them about him. — Он поощрял одаренных и образованных людей и любил находиться в их обществе К стр. 115 John Milton — Джон Мильтон (1608—1674), крупнейший английский поэт-классицист и политический деятель gout and ague — подагра и малярийная лихорадка he sank, never to raise his head again — он сник, чтобы никогда не воспрянуть вновь sick fancy — больная фантазия Не had appointed his son Richard to succeed him — Он назначил преемником своего сына Ричарда but had none of his father's great talents — но не обладал ни одним из великих талантов своего отца a growing discontent among the people — растущее в на роде недовольство plots and counterplots — заговоры и контрзаговоры CHAPTER IX. ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES THE SECOND Карл (Чарлз) II Стюарт (1630—1685), несмотря на юные годы, был верным сторонником своего отца в бурных собы тиях 1640-х гг. Старшим сыновьям Карла I удалось покинуть Англию до того, как их отец предстал перед судом. После его казни принц Карл стал королем Шотландии и начал борьбу за английский престол. В 1651 году он высадился в Англии, но, потерпев сокрушительное поражение, был вынужден бе жать в Европу. После смерти могущественного Оливера Кром-
t
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веля надежды Карла воскресли. Воспользовавшись слабос тью режима Ричарда Кромвеля, унаследовавшего пост Лор да-Протектора от отца, Карл вновь высадился в Англии и в день своего тридцатилетия торжественно въехал в Лондон. Карлу II удалось избавить страну от мрачного господства пуритан. Новый король отнюдь не был поборником ригорис тической морали. Женившись на обожавшей его португаль ской принцессе, он не стал добродетельным супругом. Жад ный до всевозможных удовольствий, Карл превратил англий ский двор в самый "веселый" и безнравственный в Европе, напоминая поведением своего великого деда Генриха IV Фран цузского. Вместе с тем король покровительствовал искусству (в первую очередь театру) и наукам — именно он основал Ко ролевское научное общество для поощрения деятельности ученых. Прошедший нелегкую школу жизни, Карл II был серь езным политическим деятелем. Опираясь на помощь Фран ции, он упрочил королевскую власть и стремился соблюдать интересы Англии и ее народа, что делало его популярным государем, несмотря на некоторые очевидные компромиссы с собственной совестью, допускавшиеся этим монархом. К стр. 117 to tear out of the graves — извлекать из могил set upon a pole to be stared at by a crowd, not one of whom would have dared to look the living Oliver in the face — наса жена на шест, чтобы на нее глазела толпа, в которой ни один человек не посмел бы взглянуть в глаза живому Оливеру remains — останки base — низкий, недостойный pit — яма they hoped to get the nonconformists, or dissenters, thoroughly put down in this reign — в это царствование они надеялись, что нонконформисты, или диссентеры, будут окончательно по давлены. К стр. 118 preventing any dissenter from holding any office under any corporation — не позволяющий ни единому диссентеру за нимать какой-либо пост by and by — вскоре
s
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who was favourable to that marriage — который был на строен благосклонно по отношению к этому браку loan — заем the ready money carried the day — победу одержали на личные деньги debauched men and shameless women — развратные муж чины и бесстыжие женщины to degrade oneself — унизить себя an orange girl — апельсинная девушка (так называли торговок, продаваших апельсины в театрах) waiting-lady — фрейлина, придворная дама К стр. 119 Charles was like his father in being worthy of no trust — Карл походил на своего отца в том, что ему не стоило до верять the Conventicle Act — акт о тайных молениях англий ских пуритан (действовал при Карле II и Якове II) to overflowing — до переполнения the Great Plague — Великая чума, эпидемическая вспыш ка бубонной чумы в Лондоне в 1665 г. it had been whispered about — шепотом передавались сообщения rumours — слухи The roads out of London were full of people trying to escape from the infected city — Ведущие из Лондона дороги были забиты людьми, пытающимися спастись из зараженного го рода К стр. 120 dismal rumblings used to be heard — обычно раздавался унылый стук колес death-carts — похоронные дрожки Bring out your dead! — Выносите своих покойников! corpse — труп by torchlight — в свете факелов hired nurses — наемные сиделки to rob — грабить Some went mad. — Некоторые сходили с ума to purify — очистить
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fugitive — беженец; беглец his navy was chiefly employed in looking on — его военноморской флот в основном занимался тем, что наблюдал the gale increased to a storm — сильный ветер перерос в бурю that wind fanned the Great Fire of London — этот ветер раздул Великий лондонский пожар (1666) a great tower of fire mounting up into the sky — поднима ющийся к небу огромный стоб пламени К стр. 121 The Catholics were accused of having wilfully set London in flames. — Католиков обвиняли в том, что они умышленно предали Лондон огню accidental — случайный to fling away — разбросать; промотать; растратить sailors were starving — моряки голодали did what they would — делали, что хотели neither powder nor shot — ни пороха, ни пушечных ядер К стр. 122 the Cabal Ministry — "кабальное" министерство As his head might have been far from safe, if these things had been known — Поскольку его голове грозила бы опасность в том случае, если бы от этих вещах узнали Stadtholder — статхаудер (штатгальтер), глава исполни тельной власти в Республике Соединенных провинций в кон це XVI-XVHI вв. John de Witt — Ян де Витт (1625-1672),, фактический правитель Соединенных провинций в 1650-1672, добившийся отстранения принцев Оранских от управления страной was sentenced to banishment on a false accusation of conspiring to kill him — был приговорен к изгнанию по лож ному обвинению в том, что замышлял убить его mob — толпа К стр. 123 and consequently was obliged to call Parliaments — и в результате был вынужден сознать парламент {Parliaments — обе палаты парламента)
COMMENTARY
Ш
to thwart — расстраивать планы the low cunning of the King in pretending to share their alarms — низкое коварство короля, прикидывавшегося, что разделяет их беспокойство pretended to have acquired — притворился, что узнал reestablishment — восстановление the Saver of the Nation — Спаситель Государства Soon another villain upstarted — Вскоре выдвинулся дру гой злодей a certain magistrate — некий магистрат. Магистрат — судья, рассматривающий гражданские дела rogue — мошенник, негодяй That poor wretch was tortured into confessing... and into accusing three other men — Под пыткой у этого бедняги выр вали признание... и заставили оговорить еще троих человек К стр. 124 they were acquitted — они были оправданы provided that his rights should never be sacrificed in his absence to the Duke of Monmouth — при условии, что в его отсутствие его права не должны быть принесены в жертву герцогу Монмутскому to exclude the Duke from sucseeding to the throne — что бы не допустить наследование престола герцогом (этот билль получил название the Exclusion Bill — Билль об отлучении от престолонаследия) Monmouth was rather mild in persecuting them — Пресле дуя их, Монмут действовал довольно мягко The King's son dreamed to be legitimated — Сын короля мечтал быть признанным законным ребенком The House of Commons passed the bill by a large majority — Палата общин приняла билль подавляющим большинством голосов К стр. 125 Nevertheless, he was openly employed as the King's representative in Scotland — Тем не менее, он открыто испол нял обязанности представителя короля в Шотландии to bring in perjured verdicts — выносить предвзятые вер дикты
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when their final separation in this world was over — когда свершилось их последнее расставание на этом свете v К стр. 126 They made the blood of all the honest men in England boil — От них кровь закипела у всех честных людей Англии to distinguish oneself — отличиться (в ироническом смысле) common hangman — обыкновенный палач The Duke of Monmouth had been making his uncle... very jealous — Герцог Монмутский вызывал... сильнейшую рев ность своего дяди in a royal sort of way — по-королевски an interview — свидание It would seem that he was coming into the King's favour again, and that the Duke of York was sliding out of it — Могло бы показаться, что он вновь входит в милость у короля, а герцог Йоркский ее теряет fell down in a fit of apoplexy — был сражен апоплекси ческим ударом got all who were present away from the bed — отвел всех присутствующих от его ложа For God's sake — Ради Бога The Duke smuggled in a Catholic priest to save the King's soul. — Герцог провел в комнату католического священни ка, чтобы спасти душу короля CHAPTER X. ENGLAND UNDER JAMES THE SECOND Яков (Джеймс) II Стюарт (1634—1702) — сын Карла I и брат Карла II, стал королем в 1685 году. В отличие от стар шего брата, Яков II не скрывал симпатий к католицизму, религии его матери. Будучи человеком крайне впечатлитель ным, он находился под сильным влиянием своей первой жены Анны Хайд, которая перед смертью перешла в католи чество. Зная о настроениях брата и понимая их опасность для будущего династии, не имевший законных детей Карл II насто ял, чтобы дочери Якова, тогда еще герцога Йоркского, вос питывались вдали от родителей. Благодаря этому Мария и
COMMENTARY
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Анна, будущие английские королевы, выросли убежденны ми протестантками. Вторым браком Яков женился на като личке Марии Моденской. Брак был заключен по католичес кому обряду, что вызвало немалое возмущение среди англий ского протестантского большинства. Рождение наследного принца Карла Эдуарда в 1688 году изменило порядок престолонаследования, ибо этот младенец-католик оттеснил от тро на своих сводных сестер-протестанток. Категорическое не желание видеть своим королем паписта побудило англичан совершить в 1688 году так называемую "Славную револю цию". Яков II вместе с супругой и сыном был вынужден отправиться в изгнание во Францию, а народ и парламент возвели на английский престол дочь Якова Марию II и ее супруга и кузена Вильгельма III Оранского. Будучи сопра вителями, король и королева, вступив на престол, дали обя зательство соблюдать волю народа и парламента. Таким об разом, "Славная революция" положила конец английскому абсолютизму, превратив Англию в парламентарную монар хию. К стр. 127 James pocketed the money greedily — Яков жадно клал деньги в карман to try for perjury — судить за лжесвидетельство to fine — оштрафовать to stand twice in the pillory, to be whipped without mercy, and to stand in the pillory five times a year as long as he lived — дважды стоять у позорного столба, подвергнуться жесточай шему бичеванию и по пять раз в год стоять у позорного столба до самой своей смерти This fearful sentence was... inflicted on the rascal — Этот ужасный приговор... был вынесен этому мошеннику К стр. 128 Edinburgh Castle — Эдинбургский замок (городская ци тадель) Edinburgh Jail — Эдинбургская темница a Popish usurper — папистский узурпатор charging him with all possible crimes — обвиняя его во всех мыслимых преступлениях
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poisoning tbe late King — отравление покойного короля turned out to receive him — высыпали встречать его Encouraged by this homage — Вдохновленный подобным почетом whether he should disband his army — не следует ли ему распустить свою армию К стр. 129 Strict search was made — Был произведен тщательный розыск ' beseeching and entreating to be allowed to see him — умо ляя и упрашивая, чтобы ему разрешили встретиться с ним to convey bound — препроводить связанным I pray you have a care, and do not use me awkwardly — Прошу вас действовать точно и не обойтись со мной не уклюже merely gashed him — только нанес ему глубокую рану К стр. 130 the blackest and most lamentable page — самая черная и наиболее печальная страница The bodies of the executed were mangled, steeped in caldrons of boiling tar, and hung up by the roadsides. — Тела казненных разрубались на части, погружались в котлы с кипящей смо лой и развешивались вдоль обочин дорог the Test Act — Тест-акт, акт об отречении от призна ния папской власти и догмата преосуществления. Постанов ление, в соответствии с которым официальный пост предо ставлялся только на основе принадлежности кандидата к официально установленной религии. Ecclesiastical Commission — Церковная комиссия Не solicited the Pope to favour England with an ambassador — Он просил Папу почтить Англию своим послом to flourish — превозносить in the habits of their orders — в одеяниях своих орденов Kemp. 131 Privy Councillor — член Тайного совета
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193
there should be no religious tests or penal laws — не долж но быть никаких религиозных критериев или репрессивных законов the regular church — официальная церковь, государствен ная церковь to his infinite astonishment — к его крайнему изумлению to prosecute the bishops in the Court of King's Bench — преследовать епископов судебным порядком в Суде королев ской скамьи. Суд королевской скамьи — Королевский суд, проходивший под председательством самого монарха. Суще ствовал до 1873 г. besought them for their blessing — умоляли дать им бла гословение К стр. 132 concession — уступка his fleet anchored — его флот бросил якорь to falter — колебаться an engagement was signed, by which all who set their hand to it declared that they would support one another — было под писано обязательство, которым все подписавшие его заяв ляли, что будут поддерживать друг друга went off like a shot — пулей вылетел "God help me," cried the miserable King, "even my children have forsaken me!" — "Да поможет мне Бог!" — воскликнул несчастный король, — "даже дети покинули меня!" К стр. 133 went down the back stairs — спустился по черной лест нице the Lord Lieutenant of the county — лорд-наместник граф ства, глава судебной и исполнительной власти в графстве pitied by the generous people — жалеемый великодушным народом humiliation — унижение survivor — тот, кто переживет That if they had none, the Princess Anne and her children should succeed — Что если у них не будет детей, трон должны унаследовать принцесса Анна и ее дети 7 Зак. № 376
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Kemp. 134 bound themselves to these conditions — связали себя эти ми условиями Glorious Revolution — "Славная революция" (1688—1689), государственный переворот, приведший к установлению кон ституционной монархии в Англии
1
QUESTIONS
CHAPTER I. ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE SEVENTH 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.
What was the chief merit of King Henry VII? Who did the King marry? What was that reign remarkable for? Why did Simons declare Lambert Simnel to be the young Earl of Warwick? Who supported that pretended Earl of Warwick? Who declared himself to be Richard, Duke of York, the second son of King Edward IV? Why was that pretender supported by the French king? What did Henry's agents find out about the pretender? Why did James IV of Scotland welcome Warbeck? What rising took place in Cornwall? Why did Warbeck loose his Scottish refuge? What lady was called the White Rose? What was the end of the pretended Duke of York? What happened to Prince Arthur? How did Catherine become Prince Henry's wife? What famous expedition was fitted out in that reign?
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CHAPTER II. ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE EIGHTH 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
What was promised to those who bought Indulgences? What did Luther tell the people about Indulgences? Why did Henry VIII get the title of Defender of the Faith? Was Queen Catherine good-tempered? What did Queen Catherine say on the opening of the court of the Cardinals? Where did the Pope suggest Henry VIII and his Queen to come? What made the King send for Cranmer? In what way did Henry VIII recompense the clergy when he made himself the head of the English Church?
9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
How many daughters had King Henry VIII? What was the most atrocious feature of Henry's reign? What offence did John Fisher commit? Was Sir Thomas More a painter? Why was Sir Thomas More doomed to death? How long did it take to destroy monasteries and abbeys in England? 15. What caused great risings in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire? 16. Was Jane Seymour beheaded? 17. 18. 19. 20.
What is Miles Coverdale famous for? Why was Countess of Salisbury beheaded? What was called "the whip with six strings"? What did Protestants protest against?
CHAPTER III. ENGLAND UNDER EDWARD THE SIXTH 1.
What council was appointed in accordance with Henry the Eighth's will?
QUESTIONS
197
2. Who became the uncrowned king of the realm? 3. Was Edward a Protestant? 4. What religion was making progress in that reign? 5. How many Catholics were burnt in England in the reign of King Edward VI? 6. Why did Protector want to marry Edward to Mary Queen of Scots? 7. What do you know about the battle of Pinkey? 8. Who did Seymour supply with money to strengthen his power? 9. Where was Seymour confined in? 10. What was the great social problem England faced with? 11. What caused the general distress among peasants? 12. When did the rising led by Robert Ket take place? 13. Who sent Somerset to the Tower? 14. Why was Somerset to be executed secretly? 15. What perspective troubled the minds of good Protestants? 16. Who could be regarded as a heir to the throne? 17. In what way was Northumberland related to Lady Jane Grey? 18. How long did Jane reign? 19. What happened to England after Edward's death? CHAPTER IV. ENGLAND UNDER MARY THE FIRST 1. Was Lady Jane Grey happy to become Queen? 2. How old was Mary when she was crowned? 3. What did Protestants do to avoid the risk of being arrested? 4. Who did the Queen choose to be her husband? 5. Why did people detest the marriage?
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6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
What happened in Kent? Why was Lady Jane Grey beheaded within the Tower? Why did Mary want to lay hold of her sister Elizabeth? How was Elizabeth sent to the Tower? Who was Elizabeth's greatest enemy? Who did the Parliament consist of? How was England made Roman Catholic again? What was opened for the trial of heretics? Were Queen and King aware of the cruelties of Cardiner and Bonner? Who was made Archbishop of Canterbury in Cranmer's place? Was Philip in love with Queen Mary? What war was declared? Were the English victorious? What did Mary die of? Why has Mary become famous as Bloody Queen?
15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
CHAPTER V. ENGLAND UNDER ELIZABETH THE FIRST 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
How old was Elizabeth when she became Queen? Was she beautiful? Was she like her father? What petition was presented to Elizabeth after her coronation? Why was a Church Service in plain English settled? Was the Pope strongly opposed to Elizabeth? Who did the Pope consider to be the rightful Queen of England? What caused France to send troops over to Scotland? Why did Mary Queen of Scots make a solemn pledge to set up the Romish religion in Scotland?
QUESTIONS
199
10. Was Elizabeth married? 11. Who was the head of the Protestant party in Scotland? 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.
How was Darnley murdered? Where did Bothwell die? Why was Mary sent to Lochleven? How many attempts did she make to escape? What did the little Douglas do? Why did Mary fly to England? When did Mary Queen of Scots come to England? What did Elizabeth tell her? Why was Mary detained in England? Who charged Mary with the murder of her second husband? Who decided to marry Queen Mary? What events followed Mary's coming to England? Why was the Duke of Norfolk beheaded? What laws were made by the Parliament? What great sects of religious people were there in England? What strengthened the Protestant feeling in England? When did the Massacre of Saint Bartholemew take place? What priests were busy in England? Why were the people afraid of the Jesuits? Were there any plots for the destruction of Queen Elizabeth? Why was Mary Queen of Scots sentenced to death? How long did her trial last? What entreaties did Mary make in her last letter to Queen Elizabeth? How did Mary spend her last night?
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36. What did Elizabeth do when she knew that the sentence had been executed on Mary Queen of Scots? 37. Who was making great preparations to punish Protestant England? 38. What did Admiral Drake undertake? 39. In what way was England making ready to resist the Spaniards? 40. What was called the Invincible Armada? 41. What happened to the Invincible Armada? 42. Why did Sir Walter Raleigh sail to South America? 43. What is monopoly? 44. How did the Earl of Essex get in danger of complete ruin? 45. Who would Elizabeth have for her successor? 46. How many years did Elizabeth's reign last? 47. Was it a glorious reign? CHAPTER V. ENGLAND UNDER JAMES THE FIRST 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Why did James I wear thick padded clothes? Was James a great boaster? What did he think about the rights of a king? What made Cathohcs and Puritans unite against the King? What do you know about Arabella Stuart? What happened to Sir Walter Raleigh? What opinion had the King of his Parliament? How many children had the King? What laws did the Parliament revive? What do you know about the Gunpowder Plot? Who was the bravest among the plotters? Which day was fixed for the explosion?
QUESTIONS
201
13. Why was the explosion postponed? 14. How many barrels of gunpowder did the plotters bring to the cellar under the House of Lords? 15. How was Guy Fawkes arrested? 16. When was he arrested? 17. What did Fawkes say when he was found in the cellar? 18. Were all the conspirators heroic? 19. What was the result of the Gunpowder Plot? 20. Why did the King quarrel with his Parliament? 21. Why did Prince Henry die? 22. Who became the heir to the throne after Prince Henry's death? 23. Why was Walter Raleigh set free? 24. Was Raleigh's expedition a success? 25. How did Prince Charles marry the French king's sister? CHAPTER VI. ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES THE FIRST 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Was Charles I like his father? How did the English receive their new Queen? Why did they soon come to dislike Henrietta Maria? What idea was enough to ruin any king? How did the trouble between the King and his Parliament begin? What duties were levied by the King? What did people feel?
8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
What was said in the Petition of Right? Who was called "Vipers"? How long did Charles I reign in England unlawfully? In what way did he violate the law of the country? Who refused to pay his part of the Ship Money? Who was the best opponent of the Ship Money?
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14. How did Hampden become the most popular man in England? 15. What was the Covenant formed for? 16. When did the Short Parliament meet? 17. How did they get that name? 18. When did the Long Parliament assemble? 19. Who impeached the Earl of Stafford as a traitor? 20. How did they call those who had been concerned in raising money from the people in an unlawful manner? 21. What rebellion took place in Ireland? 22. What paper was put forth by Pym, Hampden and some others? 23. What was the rashest step the King took? 24. How did the war start? 25. What laws were called Ordinances? 26. Whose men were the best soldiers? 27. How long did the civil war last? 28. Which army had better generals? 29. What was the difference between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers? 30. Who won the battle at Edgehill? 31. Did the King capture his capital? 32. Who did better in 1642-43? 33. What happened in 1644? 34. When did the battle at Marston Moor take place? 35. Where did Charles I surrender to his enemies? 36. Why did Cromwell start to discuss treaties of peace between the two parties? 37. Could the King be trusted? 38. What do historians suppose? 39. What secret treaties did the King try to enter?
QUESTIONS
203
40. What happened when the Parhament had got the King into their hands? 41. Why did the Parhament propose to disband the greater part of their army? 42. How did Cromwell learn that Charles I could not be trusted? 43. What was the most remarkable event of the second civil war? 44. How long did the second civil war last? 45. What made the House of Commons proclaim themselves the supreme government of the country? 46. When did the King's trial begin? 47. Where did it take place? 48. Why did the King deny the authority of the Court? 49. Who was brought to StJames's to take leave of Charles I? 50. Who tried to intercede for the King? 51. When was Charles I beheaded? CHAPTER VII. ENGLAND UNDER OLIVER CROMWELL 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
What was appointed to govern the country? How big was the army then? What did Montrose do to help Charles II? Why did Cromwell go from Ireland to Scotland? Who laid Ireland at the feet of the Parhament? When was Charles II crowned the King of Scotland? Why did many people take a romantic interest in Charles II? 8. How did Charles get from Worcester to Trent? 9. How did he come to France? 10. What trouble emerged in 1651?
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11. What did a great broom tied to the masthead symbolize? 12. Was the army satisfied with the way the Parliament governed the nation? 13. What did Cromwell form? 14. How was Cromwell made the supreme authority of the country? 15. What title did he get? 16. What was promised in the paper called "The Instrument"? 17. Who could become a member of the Parliament summoned by Cromwell? 18. Was Cromwell a wise and powerful ruler? 19. Can you give an example of his foreign triumphs? 20. How did Cromwell struggle with Spain? 21. What treaty did he make with France? 22. Were there any plots against Cromwell? 23. Did Cromwell want to become a King? 24. Was he a loving father? 25. Was Richard Cromwell fit for the post of Lord Protector? 26. Why was it agreed to welcome Charles Stuart as the ruler of the country? 27. When did Charles II come to London? CHAPTER VIII. ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES THE SECOND 1. 2. 3.
Who was prevented from holding any office under any corporation? In what way was Charles II related to his principal minister? What desease burst out in England in 1665?
QUESTIONS
205
4. What did the cross marking the door mean? 5. When did the Great Fire of London begin? 6. How many houses and churches were ruined by the fire? 7. In what way did the city change after the Great Fire? 8. Was that fire accidental? 9. How did the Cabal Ministry get its name? 10. What was the essence of a secret treaty between Charles II and the French king? 11. Who married the elder daughter of the Duke of York? 12. What events preceeded that marriage? 13. What was the great object of the Protestants in the Parliaments? 14. Why was Titus Oates called the Saver of the Nation? 15. Why was the public mind so strong against the Duke of York? 16. What did the King do after the Parliament had passed a bill to exclude the Duke of York from succeeding to the throne? 17. Why were the Covenanters punished severely? 18. What made the Duke of Monmouth more popular? 19. What dreams had the Duke of Monmouth? 20. How did Charles II manifest his despotism? 21. Was the Duke of Monmouth plotting against his father? 22. What made the Duke of York very jealous? 23. Did King Charles II die a Protestant? CHAPTER DC ENGLAND UNDER JAMES THE SECOND 1. What was the difference between Charles II and James II? 2. What was the main object of the King's reign?
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3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
How was Oates punished? Why did Argyle land in Scotland? Was his landing a success? What did Monmouth accuse his uncle of? Did Monmouth make a lot of powerful friends? How was Monmouth seized? What followed the rebellion? Why was any hangman called Jack Ketch? Why did the King try to get rid of the Test Act? What did he do to change the religion of the country? Did anybody try to oppose the King's attempts to do away with Protestantism? How many bishops were prosecuted in the Court of King's Bench? What alarmed the King greatly? Why was the Prince of Orange invited over to England? When did the Prince's fleet anchor at Torbay in Devonshire? When did James II get away to France? Did William of Orange want to seize him? How did William and Mary become King and Queen?
14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
LIST OF PROPER NAMES Alen^on ['aelenson] Algernon ['aeld^anan] Algiers [эг\'6уэг] America [a'merika] Amy ['eimi] Andrew f'aendru:] Anne [aen] Antony ['aentani] Antwerp ['aentwarp] Arabella [,аегэ'Ье1э] Argyle [a:'gail] Arlington ['a:ligt9n] Armagh [a:'ma:] Arthur ['а:9э] Arundel ['aerandl] Ashley ['aejli] Askew ['aeskju:| Audley ['o:dli] Austria ['ostria] Babington ['baebigtan] Bacon ['beikan] Balfour ['ЬэзИэ] Ballard fbo:la:d] Banbury ['baenbari] Banqueting House ['baerjkwitig'haus] Bartholomew [ba:'9olamju:] Barton f'ba:tn] Bates fbeits] Beaulieu ['bju:li] Bedloe ['bledlou] Bentley ['bentli] Berkshire ['ba:kjia]
208 Blake fbleik] Border ['bo:da] Bothwell ['bo6wal] Bradshaw f'braedjo:] Braganza [bra'gaenza] Breda ['breda] Brentford ['brentfad] Brest ['brest] Bridgewater ['bridj.wota] Brighton ['braitn] Bristol ['bristl] Brittany f'britani] Buckingham fbAkinam] Burford ['ba:fad] Burgundy ['ba:gandi] Burleigh ['ba:li] Burnet ['ba:nat] Cabot ['kaebat] Cadiz [ka'diz] Calais ['kaelei] Cambridge ['keimbridj] Campeggio [kam'ped^iou] Canterbury ['kaentabari] Capel fkeipl] Careless ['ksalis] Carlisle fkarlail] Carr [kaer] Castlemaine ['ka:slmein] Catesby ['Kaetsbi] Catherine ['kaeGarin] Cecil ['sesl] Chamberlain ['tjeimbalin] Chambers ['tjeimbaz] Charles ['tjarlz] Charmouth ['tja:mae] Chichester f'tjit/asta] Christopher ['kristafa] Clarence ['klaerans] Clarendon f'klaerandan] Claypole ['kleipoul] Cleveland ['klirvland] Cleves fkli:vz]
THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND
209
LIST OF PROPER NAMES Clifford ['klifad] Cobham ['kobam] Colchester ['kaultjista] Coleman ['koulman] Columbus [ka'lAmbas] Compton ['komptan] Conde ['kondi] Corbet ['ko:bat] Cork [ko:k] Cornelius [ko:'niljas]
Cornwall
[ko:nwal]
Coverdale f'kovadeil] Cradoc ['kreidak] Cranmer ['kraenma] Cromwell ['kromwal] Cumnor ['клтпэ] Danby ['daenbi] Darnel ['da:nal] Darnley ['da:nli] David ['deivid] Davies ['deivis] Dean [di:n] Denmark ['denmcxk] Deptford fdeptfad] Devonshire ['devnjia] Digby ['digbi] Dorchester ['do:tjista] Dorset [do:sit] Dorsetshire ['do:sitjia] Douglas ['dAglas] Dover ['douva] Drake [dreik] Dublin ['dAblin] Dudley ['dAdli] Dunbar [dAn'ba:] Dunchurch [dAn'tJa:tJ] Dundrennan [dAn'drenan] Dunkirk [dAn'ka:k] Durham ['dAram] Edinburgh ['edinbara] Edmund ['edmand] Edward ['edwad]
ir
210 Eliot ['eljat] Elizabeth [i'lizaba6] Empson f'empsan] Enfield ['enfkld] England ['iggland] English C h a n n e l ['irjglij'tjaenl] Esk [esk] Essex ['esiks] E u r o p e ['juarap] Everard ['evara:d] Exeter ['eksita] Fairfax ['feafaks] Falconberg ['fo:lkanba:g] Falkland ['fo:kland] Fawkes [forks] Felton ['feltan] Feversham ['fkvajam] Fisher ['fija] F l a m m o c k ['flaemok] Flanders ['tla:ndaz] Fleet Street ['fli:f stri:t] Flodden fflDdn] Fotheringay ['foSarirjei] Framlingham ['fraemlirjam] France ['fra:ns] Francis ['frarnsis] Frith [fri9] Fryer ['fraia] G a r d i n e r ['ga:dina] G a r n e t ['gccnat] George ['djoid^] G e r m a n y ['d^armarni] G l a m o r g a n [gla'mo:gan] Glasgow ['glarsgou] Gloucester ['glosta] Godfrey ['godfri] G o r d o n [go:dn] Goring ['go:riQ] Gravesend ['greivzand] Greenville ['gri:nvjl] Grey [grei] Guilford ['gilfad]
THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND
LIST OF PROPER NAMES Guise ['gi:z] Guy [gai] Gwyn [gwin] Hacker ['haeka] Hal [hael] Hamilton ['haemiltan] Hampden ['haemdan] Hampshire ['haempjia] Hampton Court ['haemptan'kort] Hans [haens] Harrow ['haerou] Harry ['haeri] Haselrig f'heizlrig] Heath [hi:9] Henrietta [.henri'et] Henry ['henri] Herries ['ha:rjas] Hertford ['ha:fad] Hertfordshire ['ha:fadjia] Hewet t'hju:at] Hoddesdon ['hodazdan] Holbein ['holbein] Holborn ['holbo:n] Holland ['holand] Hollis ['holis] Holmby House ['halmbi'haus] Holyrood ['holiru:d] Home [haum] Hooper [hu:pa] Howard [hauad] Hull [hAl] Hurst ['ha:st] Hyde Park ['haid'pa:k] Ipswich ['ipswitj] Ireland ['aialand] Ireton ['aiatan] Isle of Whight failav'wait] Jamaica [d^a'meika] James ['d^eimz] Jane [d^ein] Jersey ['d^aizi] J o h n [djon]
211
212
THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND
Johnson ['d3onsan] Joice [djois] Joseph ['a^ousif] Juxon ['d3Aksan] Kent [kent] Ket [ket] Kimbolton [.kim'baultan] Kingston ['kinstan] Kirk of Field ['ka:kaVfi:ld] Knox [noks] Lambert ['laemba:t] Lambeth [ЧлтЬэв] Lancashire ['laegkajia] Lane [lein] Latimer ['laetima] Laud [lo:d] Lauderdale ['loidadeil] Lawrence ['lorans] Leicester fiesta] Leven ['li:van] Lincoln fligkan] Lincoln's Inn ['ligkanz'in] Lincolnshire ['ligkanjia] London flAndan] Lorraine [lo'rein] Louis ['lu:is] Lucas ['lu:kas] Luther ['lu:6a] Lyme [laim] Maidstone ['meidstaun] Mar [ma:] Margaret ['ma:garit] Maria [ma'raia] Mark [ma:k] Marston Moor ['ma:stan'mua] Martin ['ma:tin] Магу ['meari] Massachusetts Bay [maesa'tjursets'bei] Mathew ['mae6ju:] Maurice ['moris] Maximilian [.maeksi'miljan] Medway ['medwei]
LIST OF PROPER NAMES Mexico ['meksikou] Mideterranean Sea [.meditareinjan'si:] Milan [mi'laen] Miles [mailz] Moll [mol] Monk [тлпк] Monmouth ['тлптэб] Montgomery [ т э п Г д л т э п ] Montrose [mont'rauz] More [mo:] Mounteagle ['maunti:gl] Murray ['nwi] Naseby ['neizbi] Nassau ['naeso:] Navarre [na'va:] Nell [nel] Netherlands ['neoalandz] New Forest ['nju:'forist] Newbury ['nju:bari] Newcastle [ T nju:,ka:sl] Newgate ['nju:git] Newmarket ['nju:,ma:kit] Noll [nol] Norfolk ['norfak] North Foreland ['no:6'fo:land] N o r t h a m p t o n [no:'9aem(p)t3n] Northamptonshire [no'6aem(p)tanJia] Northumberland [no:'9Ambal3nd] N o t t i n g h a m ['notinam] Oates ['auts] Old Bailey ['auld'beili] Oldenburgh ['auldenbara] Oliver ['oliva] Orange ['orindj] Orleans [o:lei'a:rj] Oxford [oksfad] Page [peid3] Palmer ['pa:ma] Paris ['Paeris] Parma ['pa:ma] Parr [paer] Paul [po:l]
213
214 Pembroke ['pembruk] Percy ['pa:si] Perkin ['pa:kin] Peter ['pi:ta] Philip ['filip] Pinkey ['pinki] Plantagenet [plaen'taedjinit] Plunket fplAnkat] P l y m o u t h ['рМглэв] Pole [poul] Pope [poup] P o r t s m o u t h ['po:tsma8] Portugal ['po:tjugal] Potter f'pota] Prance ['pra:ns] Pride [praid] Pym [pirn] Raleigh f'raeli] Reading ['redirj] Reginald ['red^inld] Rich [ritj] Richard ['ritjad] Richmond ['ritjmand] Ridley ['ridli] Robert ['robat] Robsart ['robsa:t] Rochester ['rotjasta] Rogers ['rcx^az] Rome [roum] Roper ['roupa] Rumsey ['rAmsei] Rupert f'ru:pat] Russell f'rAsal] Ruthven frAGvan] Rye House ['rai'haus] Saint Helen's ['seint'helenz] Salisbury ['so:lzb(a)ri] Santa Cruz ['saenta'kru:z] Savage ['saavid^] Say [sei] Scotland ['skotland] Sebastian [si'baestjan]
THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND
LIST OF PROPER NAMES Severn [ s e v a n ] Seymour ['seimua] Shaftesbury [ Jarftsbari] Shakespeare ['Jeikspia] Sherborne ['Ja:ban] Shrewsbury [Jrouzbari] Sidney ['sidnij Simnel ['simnal] Skippon ['skipan] Smithfield ['smiefi:ld] Somerset ['sAmasit] South America ['sau9a'merika] Southwark ['влЗэк] Spain [spein] Spenser f'spensa] St. Michael's Mount ['seinf maiklz'maunt] Stafford ['staefad] Staffordshire ['staefadjia] Stayley ['steili] Stirling ['stailig] Strand [straend] Strode [stroud] Stuart ['stjuat] Stubbes [sUbz] Suffolk ['sAfak] Surrey
['SAM]
Sweden [swi:dn] Taunton ['to:ntan] Temple Bar ['templ'ba:] Tetzel ftetzal] Thames [temz] Thomas ['tomas] Till [til] Tillotson ['tilatsan] Titus f'titas] Torbay ['to:bei] Tower [taua] Trent [trent] Tresham ['traejam] Tripoly f'tripali] Tudor f'tjurda] Tunis ['tju:nis]
215
216
THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND
Turenne [tju'ren] Tuscany ['tju:skani] Twain [twein] Tyburn ['taiba:n] Valentine ['vselantain], Van Tromp ['vaen'tromp] Vane ['vein] Villiers ['viljaz] Wales [weilz] Walisngham ['wo:lsinam] Walter ['worlta] Warbeck ['wobak] Warwick ['worik] Warwickshire ['worikjia] Wentworth ['wentwa6] Westminster ['westminsta] Westminster Abbey ['westminsta'aebi] Whitehall ['wait'ho:!] William ['wiljam] Wilmot ['wilmat] Winchester ['wintjasta] Winter ['winta] Witt [wit] Wittemberg
Wolsey
[ r witamba:g]
['wulzi]
Woodstoke
['wudstauk]
Worcester ['wusta] Worcestershire ['wustajia] Wright [rait] Wyat
['waiat]
York [jo:k] Yorksire ['jo:kJia]
CONTENTS ВМЕСТО ПРЕДИСЛОВИЯ ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE SEVENTH
5 7
ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE EIGHTH ENGLAND UNDER EDWARD THE SIXTH
17 35
ENGLAND UNDER MARY THE FIRST ENGLAND UNDER ELIZABETH THE FIRST
43 53
ENGLAND UNDER JAMES THE FIRST ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES THE FIRST
73 83
ENGLAND UNDER OLIVER CROMWELL
105
ENGLAND UNDER CHARLES THE SECOND
117
ENGLAND UNDER JAMES THE SECOND
127
COMMENTARY
135
QUESTIONS
195
LIST OF PROPER NAMES
207
АО «ПИТЕР»
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Издательство «Питер» предлагает вашему вниманию следующие книги: Серия «JUST F O R PLEASURE» (на английском языке) The H i s t o r y of E n g l a n d by J. J. Bell сост.: Бурова И. И., 224 с, те. пер., книга поступила в продажу.
Книга знакомит читателей с ранним периодом в истории Англии — от заселения Британских островов до 1485 года. В ней содержатся интересные сведения о первых англосаксонских, норманнских и датских королях, рас сказывается о скрытой жизни сред невековых монастырей, детально рисует ся быт простых людей. Автор использует прием путешествия во времени, превра щая свой рассказ в цепочку ярких по форме «видений». Издание содержит большое количество иллюстраций, список транскрипций имен собственных, комментарии, контрольные задания и может использоваться на уроках английского языка в 7 —8-х классах школ с углубленным изучением английского языка.
The History of England. Parlamentary Monarchy сост.: Бурова И. И., 224 с, те. пер., срок выхода: ноябрь 1996 г. В центре повествования — инте реснейшие эпохи в истории развития Англии: Георгианская, Викторианская и Эдуардианская. Помимо этого в издании достаточно полно представлен новейший период истории. Книга написана в яркой, увлека тельной форме, содержит материалы по истории культуры, комментарии и тренировочные упражнения. Она может быть рекомендована учащимся 10—11-х классов школ с углубленным изучением английского языка, абитуриентам и всем интересующимся историей.
Glimpses of American H i s t o r y сост.: Бурова И. И., 224 с, те. пер., срок выхода: октябрь 1996 г. Эта книга — сборник увлекательных рассказов, знакомящих с историей США. Жизнь индейцев, открытие и освое ние Нового Света, возникновение пер вых европейских колоний, борьба за j независимость от метрополий, обра зование Соединенных Штатов — вот j далеко неполный перечень тем, затро нутых в ней. Издание адресовано всем изучаю- ; щим английский язык и интере- I сующимся историей. Оно снабжено комментариями, трени ровочными упражнениями и может быть рекомендована учащимся 7—11-х классов общеобразовательных школ.
British Literature and Culture. Part 1 сост: Сафонова В. В., 288 с, те. пер., срок выхода: октябрь 1996 г. Учебное пособие для учащихся 9 — 10-х классов школ с углубленным изучением английского языка знакомит читателей с кельтскими, германскими мифами и легендами, лучшими образцами поэзии и прозы XII —XVIII веков. Кроме отрывков из художест венных произведений, в него вошли лингвистические и историко-культурологические комментарии, серии заданий по работе с художественным текстом и иллюстративным материалом. Книга рекомендована в качестве учебного пособия Управлением развития общего и среднего образования Министерства образования России.
Traditional Festivals of Great Britain
сост.: Бурова И. И., 224с, те. пер., срок выхода: октябрь 1996 г. Книга знакомит читателей с тра дициями праздников, пользующихся особой любовью в Великобритании: Нового года, Дня Св. Валентина, Пасхи и Майского дня, 1 апреля, Кануна Дня Всех Святых, Ночи Гая Фокса и, разумеется, Рождества. В ней есть все: от детских песенок до описаний распространенных народ ных гаданий, от исторических сведений до рецептов праздничных блюд. Разная степень сложности текстов позволяет использовать их в качестве учебного пособия для учащихся разных классов общеобразовательных школ.
Ch. Culshaw. Headwork Stories (book one, 160 с, обл., срок выхода: август 1996 г.
two)
Совместное издание «ПИТЕР 1 ПРЕСС» и «Oxford University Press» адресовано учащимся средних и старших классов различных типов школ, всем изучающим английский язык. В него вошли разнообразные по фабуле, небольшие по объему рассказы, сопровождающиеся заданиями творчес кого характера — читателю предлагают подобрать ключ к разгадке, обсудить поведение героев, поразмышлять над описываемыми событиями.
АН Around You сост.: Утевская Н. Л., 224 с, те. пер., книга поступила в продажу. В частично переработанное и дополненное второе издание хорошо известной книги вошли короткие позна вательные рассказы, стихи, загадки, смешные истории о самых разнооб разных вещах и явлениях, окружаю щих ребенка. Отдельная глава посвя щена вопросам экологии и охраны окружающей среды. Материал книги тесно переплетается с темами школьной программы. Тексты сопровождаются тренировочными уп ражнениями и различными типами заданий. Книга прекрасно иллюстрирована и предназначена для учащимся 5 —6-х классов школ с углубленным изучением английского языка.
Серия «ZUM S P A S S U N D NUTZEN» (на немецком языке) Streifzug durch die deutsche Geschichte. Teil 1, 2, 3 сост.: Дрожжина Т. Е., 256 с, me. пер. Впервые за многие годы в нашей стране выходят книги, на немецком языке знакомящие с историей Германии. Первый том «Путешествия...» посвящен событиям, происходившим на территории страны с древнейших времен и до начала XIX века, второй — в XIX веке, третий — в XX веке. Читатели познакомятся с интересными фактами из жизни королей и импера торов, с бытом разных слоев немецкого общества, с немецкой культурой. Наличие приложений, в которох собраны документы, хронологические таблицы, тренировочные упражнения, лексический справочник и календарно-тематические планы позволяют использовать книги в различных учебных заведениях. Издания рекомендованы Управлением развития общего и среднего образования МО России в качестве учебных пособий для учащихся 8—11-х классов школ с углубленным изучением немецкого языка.
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