all the attempts of the English to take him prisoner. At last he was basely betrayed by one of his own friends. He was carried to London, where he was put to death with the greatest cruelty.

Edward now thought that Scotland was quite conquered, but it was not so, for the brave ROBERT BRUCE determined to finish what Wallace had begun. He collected a band of followers, attacked the castles in which Edward's soldiers were, drove them out, and in a short time was crowned king. Edward was very angry when he heard of this; and he and his son took a vow that they would not sleep two nights in the same place till they had punished Bruce, and set out for the North. But Edward never reached Scotland. He fell ill at Burgh, near Carlisle, and died there on the 7th of July, 1307, in the thirty-fifth year of his reign.

EDWARD THE SECOND OF

CAERNARVON.

1307-1327.

THE reign of Edward of Caernarvon was a most unhappy one. He was not at all like his father; he had no taste for war. diately upon his father's death he marched from Scotland and returned to London!

Imme

In another matter Edward neglected the advice of his father. The late king had been much grieved to see his son spend his time in the company of idle and foolish young men ; and one of them, named Piers Gaveston, he had banished from the kingdom. Even on his death-bed he had made his son promise that he would not see Gaveston again. But no sooner had the old king died than Edward recalled his former companion and loaded him with riches and

honours.

The nobles were very angry at

this, and broke out into open open rebellion. Edward and his favourite were hunted from one part of the kingdom to another. In a short time Gaveston was taken prisoner and was immediately beheaded.

In the meantime Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, had not been idle. He had driven the English out of every castle, with the exception of Stirling; and the governor of that had promised that if not relieved within one year, he would deliver it up. To save Stirling, Edward marched to Scotland at the head of one hundred thousand men. Robert Bruce, with his brave army, waited his arrival at BANNOCKBURN, near Stirling; and there, on the 25th of June, 1314, was fought the saddest battle recorded in the history of England. The English army were totally defeated, and the King with difficulty escaped.

Edward again roused the anger of the nobles by making choice of a new favourite named Hugh le Despencer. On this occasion they were joined by Queen Isabel, who had deserted the King for one of the Barons named Mortimer. The poor king was soon taken, and carried to Kenilworth Castle. Here a number of the Bishops and Barons waited on him, and told him that the people of England would not allow him to be King any longer; and Sir Thomas Blount, high steward, broke his white wand of office, and declared that Edward was deprived of all kingly power.

From Kenilworth he was taken to Berkeley Castle, where his keepers treated him with the greatest cruelty. Finding that in spite of their bad treatment he continued to live, they put an end to his life by murdering him in a most shocking manner.