National School Magazine.

NO. 23.]

MARCH 15th, 1825.

(VOL. II.

SHORT HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

(No. XII.-Continued from p. 53,)

EDWARD the Second came to the throne at the age of twenty-three, in He was called Edward

the year 1307.

G

Carnarvon, because he was born at Carnarvon, in Wales. He was a fine looking young man, and very kind and gentle in his disposition, but he was unable to manage the affairs of a kingdom. His father, as we have said, had told him with his dying breath, never to be at peace with the Scotch till he had completely conquered them; and Edward did, indeed, go on with the war, but he carried it on in so weak and careless a manner, that he was soon beaten; and thus he lost all the power in Scotland which his father had gained. It was in the great battle of Bannockburn, that he was so completely beaten by Robert Bruce.

Besides his losses in the Scotch war, he suffered greatly from his rebellious subjects at home. He governed the nation indeed so badly, that the greater part of the nobility and principal gentlemen of the country raised a great army to oppose him. They took him prisoner; and, when he was in their power, they treated him with every kind of cruelty. They sent him to the tower of London *, and on his way thither, the

* See the picture.

people showed him no compassion, but used every kind of insult to him. After keeping him for some time in the tower, they sent him from one prison to another; and at last they shut him up in Berkley castle; and three noblemen were fixed upon to guard him by turns. These were lords Berkley, Montravers, and Gournay. They were to watch over him a month at a time. Lord Berkley was kind and gentle towards him, but the other two treated him in a very cruel and savage manner. They tried to wear him out by their ill treatment. It is said that they sometimes would take him out into the fields, and force him to be shaved with dirty water out of a ditch. These two cruel men were not content with this and other barbarities, but they determined to be the death of him, and they did indeed at last murder this poor king in Berkley castle, in a manner truly savage and dreadful. His loud groans and shrieks sounded all through the castle, and thus the murder was found out. Gournay was himself beheaded some time afterwards; and Montravers was tormented in a dreadful manner by

his own conscience for this horrid mur

der.

(To be continued.)

LESSON FOR A CHILD.
No. VII.

(FROM A BRIEF VIEW OF SCRIPTURE HISTORY FOR CHILDREN.)

(Continued from page 57.)

WHEN Lot was gone, Abram still continued in the land of Canaan. And the Lord said unto him, "Lift up thine eyes, and look at all the country round about thee; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever." Abram had no children at that time; but the Lord God told him that he should have sons, and that from one of them should come a great nation. And he said, "Thy wife Sarah shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and his seed shall be like the dust of the earth, or like the stars of heaven for number; so that if a man can count the stars, or number the dust of the earth, so shall thy seed also be numbered." And the

Lord said to Abram, "Thy name shall no more be called Abram, but it shall be called Abraham," which means a father of many nations. And God told Abraham that he had seen the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, and that he would punish them, and destroy them, because their sin was very grievous. The faith of Abraham was wellpleasing to God, and is related for an example to us all, that we seek to imitate it. And the accounts of the wicked men which we read of are given to warn us that we, seeing the punishment which follows sin, may seek to avoid it; that by God's help we may be enabled to walk in his ways, in faith, and love, and holy obedience.

Questions to be asked, after the child has read the Lesson.

Q. Where did Abram stay when Lot left him?

A. In the land of Canaan.

Q. What did the Lord tell him?

A. That he would give all that country to him, and to his seed (or family) after him?