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was robuft: his ftrength and dexterity perhaps unequalled in his kingdom; and his fhape was unblemished in all other refpects, but that of his legs, which are faid to have been too long in proportion to his body; whence he derived the epithet of Long Shanks. In the qualities of his head, he equalled the greatest monarchs who have fat on the English throne. He was cool, penetrating, fagacious, and circumfpect. The remoteft corners of the earth founded with the fame of his courage: and all over Europe he was confidered as the flower of chivalry. Nor was he lefs confummate in his legislative capacity, than eminent for his prowess. He may be ftyled the Englifh Juftinian: for, befides the excellent ftatutes that were enacted in his reign, he new-modelled the adminiftration of juftice, fo as to render it more fure and summary; he fixed proper bounds to the courts of jurifdiction; fettled a new and easy method of collecting the revenue, and eftablished wife and effectual methods of preferving peace and order among his fubjects. Yet, with all thefe good qualities, he cherifhed a dangerous ambition, to which he did not fcruple to facrifice the good of his country; witnefs his ruinous war with Scotland, which drained the kingdom of men and money, and gave rife to that rancorous enmity which proved fo prejudicial to both nations. Though he is celebrated for his chastity and regular deportment, there is not in the whole courfe of his reign, one inftance of his liberality and munificence. He had great abilities, but no genius; and was an accomplished warrior, without the leaft fpark of heroism. Smollett.

61. Charaler of EDWARD II. It is not eafy to imagine a man more innocent or inoffenfive than this unhappy king; nor a prince less fitted for governing that fierce and turbulent people fubjected to his authority. He was obliged to devolve on others the weight of government which he had neither ability nor inclination to bear: the fame indolence and want of penetration led him to make choice of minifters and favourites, which were not always beft quaiified for the truft committed to them. The feditious grandees, pleafed with his weaknefs, and complaining of it, under pretence of attacking his ministers, infulted his perfon, and invaded his authority; and the impatient populace, ignorant of the fource of their grievances, threw all the blame

upon the king, and increafed the public diforders by their faction and infolence. It was in vain to look for protection from the laws, whofe voice, always feeble in those times, was not heard in the din of arms: what could not defend the king, was lefs able to give fhelter to any one of his pecple; the whole machine of government was torn in pieces, with fury and violence; and men, instead of complaining against the manners of the age, and the form of their conftitution, which required the moft fteady and the most skilful hand to conduct them, imputed all errors to the person who had the misfortune to be intrufted with the reins of empire. Murdered 21 September, 1327.

Hume.

§ 62. Another Character of EDWARD II.

Thus perished Edward II. after having atoned by his fufferings for all the errors of his conduct. He is faid to have resembled his father in the accomplishments of his perfon, as well as in his countenance: but in other refpects he feems only to have inherited the defects of his character: for he was cruel and illiberal, without his valour or capacity. He had levity, indolence, and irrefolution, in common with other weak princes; but the diftinguishing foible of his character was that unaccountable paffion for the reigning favourites, to which he facrificed every other confideration of policy and convenience, and at last fell a miferable victim. Smollett.

63. Character of EDWARD III. The English are apt to confider with peculiar fondnefs the hiftory of Edward the Third, and to efteem his reign, as it was one of the longeft, the most glorious alfo, which occurs in the annals of the nation. The afcendant which they began to have over France, their rival and national enemy, makes them caft their eyes on this period with great complacency, and fanctifies every measure which Edward embraced for that end. But the domeftic government is really more admirable than his foreign victories; and England enjoyed, by his prudence and vigour of adminiftration, a longer interval of domeftic peace and tranquillity, than fhe had been bleft with in any former period, or than fhe experienced for many years after. He gained the affections of the great, and carbed their licentioufnefs: he made them feel hir power, without their daring, or 3 B

even

fice the lafting advantages arifing from the truft and confidence of his people. Hence were derived his profufion to favourites, his attachment to ftrangers, the variablenefs of his conduct, his hally refentments, and his fudden forgiveness and return of affection. Instead of reducing the dangerous power of his nobles, by obliging them to obferve the laws towards their inferiors, and fetting them the falutary example in his own government, he was feduced to imitate their conduct, and to make his arbitrary will, or rather that of his minifters, the rule of his actions.

Inftead of accommodating himself, by a ftrict frugality, to the embarraffed fituation to which his revenue had been left, by the military expedition of his uncle, the diflipations of his father, and the ufurpations of the barons; he was tempted to levy money by irregular exactions, which, without enriching himself, impoverished, or at leaft difgufted, his people. Of all men, nature feemed leaft to have fitted him for being a tyrant; yet are there inftances of oppreffion in his reign, which, though derived from the precedents left him by his predeceffors, had been carefully guarded against by the great charter; and are inconfiftent with all rules of good government: and, on the whole, we may fay, that greater abilities, with his good difpofitions, would have prevented him from falling into his faults; or, with worfe difpofitions, would have enabled him to maintain and defend them. Died November 16, 1272, aged 64. Reigned 56 years,

Hume.

$58. Another Character of HENRY III. Henry was of a middle fize and robust make, and his countenance had a peculiar caft from his left eye-lid, which hung down fo far as to cover part of his eye. The particulars of his character may be gathered from the detail of his conduct. He was certainly a prince of very mean talents; irrefolute, inconftant, and capricious; proud, infolent, and arbitrary; arrogant in profperity, and abject in adverfity; profufe, rapacious, and choleric, though deftitute of liberality, œconomy, and courage; yet his continence was praife-worthy, as well as his averfion to cruelty; for he contented himfelf with punishing the rebels in their effects, when he might have glutted his revenge with their blood. He was pro digal even to excess, and therefore always in necefity. Notwithstanding the great

fums he levied from his fubjects, and though his occafions were never fo preffing, he could not help fquandering away his money upon worthless favourites, without confidering the difficulty he always found in obtaining fupplies from parliament. Smollett.

$59. Charader of EDWARD I.

The enterprizes finished by this prince, and the projects which he formed, and brought very near to a conclufion, were more prudent and more regularly conducted, and more advantageous to the folid intereft of this kingdom, than those which were undertaken in any reign either of his ancestors or fucceffors. He reftored authority to the government, difordered by the weaknefs of his father; he maintained the laws against all the efforts of his turbulent barons; he fully annexed to the crown the principality of Wales; he took the wifeft and most effectual measures for reducing Scotland to a like condition; and though the equity of this latter enterprize may reafonably be queftioned, the circumstances of the two kingdoms promifed fuch fuccefs, and the advantage was fo vifible, of uniting the whole island under one head, that those who give great indulgence to reafons of ftate in the meafures of princes, will not be apt to regard this part of his conduct with much feverity.

But Edward, however exceptionable his character may appear on the head of justice, is the model of a politic and warlike king. He poffeffed induftry, penetration, courage, vigour, and enterprize. He was frugal in all expences that were not neceffary; he knew how to open the public treasures on with feverity; he was gracious and affable proper occafions; he punished criminals to his fervants and courtiers; and being of cife, and in the main well-proportioned in a majestic figure, expert at all bodily exerhis limbs, notwithstanding the great length of his legs, he was as well qualified to captivate the populace by his exterior appearance, as to gain the approbation of men of fenfe by his more folid virtues. Died. July 7, 1307, aged 69. Reigned 35 years.

Ните.

$60. Another Character of EDWARD I.

He was a prince of very dignified ap; pearance, tall in ftature; regular and comely in his features; with keen piercing eyes, and of an afpect that commanded reverence and efteein. His conftitution

was robuft: his ftrength and dexterity perhaps unequalled in his kingdom; and his shape was unblemished in all other refpects, but that of his legs, which are faid to have been too long in proportion to his body; whence he derived the epithet of Long Shanks. In the qualities of his head, he equalled the greatest monarchs who have fat on the English throne. He was cool, penetrating, fagacious, and circumfpe&t. The remoteft corners of the earth founded with the fame of his courage: and all over Europe he was confidered as the flower of chivalry. Nor was he lefs confummate in his legislative capacity, than eminent for his prowess. He may be ftyled the Englifh Juftinian: for, befides the excellent ftatutes that were enacted in his reign, he new-modelled the administration of justice, fo as to render it more fure and summary; he fixed proper bounds to the courts of jurifdiction; fettled a new and easy method of collecting the revenue, and eftablished wife and effectual methods of preferving peace and order among his fubjects. Yet, with all these good qualities, he cherifhed a dangerous ambition, to which he did not fcruple to facrifice the good of his country; witness his ruinous war with Scotland, which drained the kingdom of men and money, and gave rife to that rancorous enmity which proved fo prejudicial to both nations. Though he is celebrated for his chastity and regular deportment, there is not in the whole courfe of his reign, one inftance of his liberality and munificence. He had great abilities, but no genius; and was an accomplished warrior, without the leaft fpark of heroifm. Smollett.

61. Charaler of EDWARD II. It is not eafy to imagine a man more innocent or inoffensive than this unhappy king; Dor a prince lefs fitted for governing that fierce and turbulent people fubjected to his authority. He was obliged to devolve on others the weight of government which he had neither ability nor inclination to bear: the fame indolence and want of penetration led him to make choice of minifters and favourites, which were not always best qualified for the truft committed to them. The feditious grandees, pleased with his weaknefs, and complaining of it, under pretence of attacking his ministers, infulted his perfon, and invaded his authority; and the impatient populace, ignorant of the fource of their grievances, threw all the blame

upon the king, and increafed the public diforders by their faction and infolence. It was in vain to look for protection from the laws, whofe voice, always feeble in those times, was not heard in the din of arms: what could not defend the king, was lefs able to give shelter to any one of his pecple; the whole machine of government was torn in pieces, with fury and violence; and men, instead of complaining against the manners of the age, and the form of their conftitution, which required the most fteady and the moft skilful hand to conduct them, imputed all errors to the perfon who had the misfortune to be intrufted with the reins of empire. Murdered 21 September, 1327.

Hume.

§ 62. Another Character of EDWARD II.

Thus perished Edward II. after having
atoned by his fufferings for all the errors of
his conduct. He is faid to have resembled
his father in the accomplishments of his
perfon, as well as in his countenance: but
in other refpects he feems only to have in-
herited the defects of his character: for he
was cruel and illiberal, without his valour
or capacity. He had levity, indolence, and
irrefolution, in common with other weak
princes; but the diftinguishing foible of his
character was that unaccountable paffion
for the reigning favourites, to which he fa-
crificed every other confideration of policy
and convenience, and at laft fell a mifer-
able victim.
Smollett.

$63. Character of EDWARD III.
The English are apt to confider with
peculiar fondnefs the hiftory of Edward
the Third, and to efteem his reign, as it
was one of the longeft, the most glorious
alfo, which occurs in the annals of the na-
tion. The afcendant which they began to
have over France, their rival and national
enemy, makes them caft their eyes on this
period with great complacency, and fanc-
tifies every measure which Edward em-
braced for that end. But the domestic
government is really more admirable
than his foreign victories; and England
enjoyed, by his prudence and vigour of
adminiftration, a longer interval of domef-
tic peace and tranquillity, than fhe had
been bleft with in any former period, or
than the experienced for many years after.
'He gained the affections of the great, and
carbed their licentiousness: he made them
feel hir power, without their daring, or
3 B

even

1

the murder of his fovereign and near relation; thefe were fuch enormities, as drew on him the hatred of his fubjects, fanctified all the rebellions against him, and made the executions, though not remarkably fevere, which he found neceffary for the maintenance of his authority, appear cruel as well as iniquitous to his people. Yet, without pretending to apologize for thefe crimes, which must ever be held in deteftation, it may be remarked, that he was infenfibly led into this blameable conduct, by a train of incidents, which few men poffefs virtue enough to withftand. The injuftice with which his predeceffor had treated him, in first condemning him to banishment, and then defpoiling him of his patrimony, made him naturally think of revenge, and of recovering his loft rights; the headstrong zeal of the people hurried him into the throne, the care of his own fecurity, as well as his ambition, made him an ufurper; and the fteps have always been fo few between the prifons of princes and their graves, that we need not wonder that Richard's fate was no exception to the general rule. All these confiderations made the king's fituation, if he retained any fenfe of virtue, very much to be lamented; and the inquietudes, with which he poffeffed his envied greatnefs, and the remorfes by which, it is faid, he was continually haunted, rendered him an object of our pity, even when feated upon the throne. But it must be owned, that his prudence, vigilance, and forefight in maintaining his power, were admirable; his command of temper remarkable; his courage, both military and political, without blemish and he poffeffed many qualities, which fitted him for his high ftation, and which rendered his ufurpation of it, though pernicious in after-times, rather falutary during his own reign, to the English nation.

Died 1413. Aged 43.

Hume

569. Another Character of HENRY IV.

Henry IV. was of a middle ftature, wellproportioned, and perfect in all the exercifes of arms and chivalry; his countenance was fevere, rather than ferene, and his difpofition four, fulien, and referved: he poffeffed a great share of courage, fortitude, and penetration; was naturally imperious, though he bridled his temper with a great deal of caution; fuperftitious though without the leaft tincture of virtue and true religion; and meanly parfimo

nious, though juftly cenfured for want of œconomy, and ill-judged profufion. He was tame from caution, humble from fear, cruel from policy, and rapacious from indigence. He rofe to the throne by perfidy and treafon; and established his authority in the blood of his fubjects, and died a penitent for his fins, because he could no longer enjoy the fruit of his tranfgreffions. Smollett.

§ 70. Character of HENRY V.

This prince poffeffed many eminent virtues; and, if we give indulgence to ambition in a monarch, or rank it, as the vulgar do, among his virtues, they were unftained by any confiderable blemith; his abilities appeared equally in the cabinet and in the field: the boldnefs of his enterprizes was no lefs remarkable than his perfonal valour in conducting them. He had the talent of attaching his friends by affability, and gaining his enemies by address and clemency.

The English, dazzled by the luftre of his character, fill more by that of his victories, were reconciled to the defects of his title. The French almoft forgot he was an enemy; and his care of maintaining juftice in his civil administration, and preferving difcipline in his armies, made fome amends to both nations for the calamities infeparable from those wars in which his short reign was almoft occupied. That he could forgive the earl of Marche, who had a better right to the throne than himfelf, is a fure proof of his magnani. inity; and that the earl relied fo on his friendship, is no lefs a proof of his eftablifhed character for candour and fincerity.

There remain, in history, few inftances of fuch mutual trust; and ftill fewer, where neither found reafon to repent it.

The exterior figure of this great prince, as well as his deportment, was engaging. His ftature was fomewhat above the middle fize; his countenance beautiful, his limbs genteel and flender, but full of vigour; and he excelled in all warlike and manly exercifes.

Died 31ft Auguft, 1422: in the year of his age 34; of his reign, the 10th. Hume.

§ 71. Another Character of HENRY V.

Henry was tall and flender, with a long neck, and engaging aspect, and limbs of the most elegant turn. He excelled all the youth of that age, in agility, and the exercife of arms; was hardy, patient, labo

rious, and more capable of enduring cold, hunger, and fatigue, than any individual in his army. His valour was fuch as no danger could ftartle, and no difficulty oppofe; nor was his policy inferior to his courage.

He managed the diffenfions among his enemies with fuch addrefs, as spoke him confummate in the arts of the cabinet. He fomented their jealoufy, and converted their mutual refentment to his own advantage.

Henry poffeffed a felf-taught genius, that blazed out at once, without the aid of

instruction and experience: and a fund of natural fagacity, that made ample amends for all thefe defects. He was chafte, temperate, moderate, and devout, fcrupulously jut in his adminiftration, and feverely exact in the discipline of his army; upon which he knew his glory and fuccefs, in a great measure, depended. In a word, it must be owned, he was without an equal in the arts of war, policy, and government. But we cannot be fo far dazzled with his great qualities, as to overlook the defects in his character. His pride and imperious temper loft him the hearts of the French nobility, and frequently fell out into out. rage and abuse; as at the fiege of Melun, when he treated the Marechal l'Ifle d'Adam with the utmost indignity, although that nobleman had given him no other offence, than that of coming into his prefence in plain decent apparel.

Smollett.

172. HUME's Account of HENRY VI. (for there is no regular Character of this Prince given by this Hiftorian) is exprefed in the following Manner.

In this manner finished the reign of Henry VI. who, while yet in his cradle, had been proclaimed king both of France and England, and who began his life with the most fplendid profpects which any prince in Europe had ever enjoyed. The revolution was unhappy for his people, as it was the fource of civil wars; but was almost entirely indifferent to Henry himfelf, who was utterly incapable of exercifing his authority, and who, provided he met perpetually with good ufage, was equally eafy, as he was equally enflaved, in the hands of his enemies and of his friends. His weakness, and his difputed title, were the chief caufes of his public misfortunes: but whether his queen and his minifters were not guilty of fome great abuses of

power, it is not eafy for us, at this distance of time, to determine. There remain no proofs on record of any confiderable violation of the laws, except in the death of the Duke of Gloucester, which was a private crime, formed no precedent, and was but too much of a piece with the ufual ferocity and cruelty of the times.

$73. SMOLLETT's Account of the Death of HENRY VI. with fome Strictures of Character, is as follows.

This infurrection in all probability haftened the death of the unfortunate Henry, who was found dead in the Tower, in which he had been confined fince the reof hiftorians have alledged, that he was ftoration of Edward. The greater part affaffinated by the Duke of Gloucefter, who affaffinated by the Duke of Gloucester, who was a prince of the most brutal difpofition; while fome moderns, from an affectation of fingularity, affirm that Henry died of grief and vexation. This, no doubt, might have been the cafe; and it must be from which either Edward or Richard owned, that nothing appears in hiftory, could be convicted of having contrived or perpetrated his murder: but, at the fame time, we muft obferve fome concurring circumftances that amount to ftrong prefumption against the reigning monarch. Henry was of a hale conftitution, but just turned of fifty, naturally infenfible of affliction, and hackneyed in the viciffitudes of fortune, fo that one would not expect he should have died of age and infirmity, or that his life would have been affected by grief arifing from his last difafter. His fudden death was fufpicious, as well as the conjuncture at which he died, immediately after the fuppreffion of a rebellion, which feemed to dewhile the head of the houfe of Lancaster clare that Edward would never be quiet, remained alive: and laftly, the fufpicion is confirmed by the characters of the reigning king and his brother Richard, who were bloody, barbarous, and unrelenting. Very different was the difpofition of the ill-fated Henry, who, without any princely virtue or qualification, was totally free from cruelty or revenge on the contrary, he could not, without reluctance, confent to the punishment of thofe malefactors who were facrificed to the public fafety; and frequently fuftained indignities of the groffeft nature, without discovering the leaft mark of refentment., He was chafte, pious, compaf

Revolt of the baftard of Falconbridge.

fionate,

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