The Comic History of England
CONTENTS
IN commencing this work, the object of the Author was, as he stated in the Prospectus, to blend amusement with instruction, by serving up, in as palatable a shape as he could, the facts of English History. He pledged himself not to sacrifice the substance to the seasoning; and though he has certainly been a little free in the use of his sauce, he hopes that he has not produced a mere hash on the present occasion. His object has been to furnish something which may be allowed to take its place as a standing dish at the library table, and which, though light, may not be found devoid of nutriment. That food is certainly not the most wholesome which is the heaviest and the least digestible.
Though the original design of this History was only to place facts in an amusing light, without a sacrifice of fidelity, it is humbly presumed that truth has rather gained than lost by the mode of treatment that has been adopted. Persons and tilings, events and characters, have been deprived of their false colouring, by the plain and matter-of-fact spirit in which they have been approached by the writer of the Comic History of England. He has never scrupled to take the liberty of tearing off the masks and fancy dresses of all who have hitherto been presented in disguise to the notice of posterity. Motives are treated in these pages as unceremoniously as men; and as the human disposition was much the same in former times as it is in the present day, it has been judged by the rules of common sense, which are alike at every period.
Some, who have been accustomed to look at History as a pageant, may think it a desecration to present it in a homely shape, divested of its gorgeous accessories. Such persons as these will doubtless feel offended at finding the romance of history irreverently demolished, for the sake of mere reality. They will-perhaps honestly though erroneously-accuse the author of a contempt for what is great and good; but the truth is, he has so much real respect for the great and good, that he is desirous of preventing the little and bad from continuing to claim admiration upon false pretences.
Gilbert Abbott À Beckett
THE COMIC HISTORY OF ENGLAND
Volumes One and Two
With Reproductions of the 200 Engravings by JOHN LEECH
PREFACE.
THE COMIC HISTORY OF ENGLAND.
BOOK I.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. THE BRITONS—THE ROMANS—INVASION BY JULIUS CÆSAR.
CHAPTER THE SECOND. INVASION BY THE ROMANS UNDER CLAUDIUS—CARACTACUS—BOADICEA—AGRICOLA—-GALGACUS—SEVERUS—VORTIGERN CALLS IN THE SAXONS.
CHAPTER THE THIRD. THE SAXONS—THE HEPTARCHY.
CHAPTER THE FOURTH. THE UNION OF THE HEPTARCHY UNDER EGBERT.
CHAPTER THE FIFTH. THE DANES—ALFRED.
CHAPTER THE SIXTH. FROM KING EDWARD THE ELDER TO THE NORMAN CONQUEST.
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. EDMUND IRONSIDES—CANUTE—HAROLD HAREFOOT—HARDICANUTE—EDWARD THE CONFESSOR—HAROLD—THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS.
BOOK II. THE PERIOD FROM THE NORMAN CONQUEST TO THE DEATH OF KING JOHN.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.
CHAPTER THE SECOND. WILLIAM RUFUS.
CHAPTER THE THIRD. HENRY THE FIRST, SURNAMED BEAUCLERC.
CHAPTER THE FOURTH. STEPHEN.
CHAPTER THE FIFTH. HENRY THE SECOND, SURNAMED PLANTAGENET.
CHAPTER THE SIXTH. RICHARD THE FIRST, SURNAMED COUR DE LION.
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. JOHN, SURNAMED SANSTERRE, OR LACKLAND.
BOOK III. THE PERIOD FROM THE ACCESSION OF HENRY THE THIRD, TO THE END OF THE REIGN OF RICHARD THE SECOND. A.D. 1216—1399.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. HENRY THE THIRD, SURNAMED OF WINCHESTER.
CHAPTER THE SECOND. EDWARD THE FIRST, SURNAMED LONGSHANKS.
CHAPTER THE THIRD. EDWARD THE SECOND, SURNAMED OF CAERNARVON.
CHAPTER THE FOURTH. EDWARD THE THIRD.
CHAPTER THE FIFTH. RICHARD THE SECOND, SURNAMED OF BORDEAUX.
CHAPTER THE SIXTH. ON THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE.
BOOK IV. THE PERIOD FROM THE ACCESSION OF HENRY THE FOURTH TO THE END OF THE REIGN OF RICHARD THE THIRD, A.D. 1399—1485.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. HENRY THE FOURTH, SURNAMED BOLINGBROKE.
CHAPTER THE SECOND. HENRY THE FIFTH, SURNAMED OF MONMOUTH.
CHAPTER THE THIRD. HENRY THE SIXTH, SURNAMED OF WINDSOR.
CHAPTER THE FOURTH. HENRY THE SIXTH, SURNAMED OF WINDSOR (CONTINUED).
CHAPTER THE FIFTH. EDWARD THE FOURTH.
CHAPTER THE SIXTH. EDWARD THE FIFTH.
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. RICHARD THE THIRD.
CHAPTER THE EIGHTH. NATIONAL INDUSTRY.
CHAPTER THE NINTH. OF THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE.
BOOK V. FROM THE ACCESSION OF HENRY THE SEVENTH TO THE END OF THE REIGN OF ELIZABETH.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. HENRY THE SEVENTH.
CHAPTER THE SECOND. HENRY THE EIGHTH.
CHAPTER THE THIRD. HENRY THE EIGHTH (CONTINUED).
CHAPTER THE FOURTH. HENRY THE EIGHTH (CONTINUED.)
CHAPTER THE FIFTH. HENRY THE EIGHTH (CONCLUDED).
CHAPTER THE SIXTH. EDWARD THE SIXTH.
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. MARY.
CHAPTER THE EIGHTH. ELIZABETH.
CHAPTER THE NINTH. ELIZABETH (CONTINUED).
CHAPTER THE TENTH. ELIZABETH (CONCLUDED).
BOOK VI. FROM THE PERIOD OF THE ACCESSION OF JAMES THE FIRST TO THE RESTORATION OF CHARLES THE SECOND.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. JAMES THE FIRST.
CHAPTER THE SECOND. JAMES THE FIRST (CONTINUED).
CHAPTER THE THIRD. CHARLES THE FIRST.
CHAPTER THE FOURTH. CHARLES THE FIRST (CONTINUED).
CHAPTER THE FIFTH CHARLES THE FIRST (CONCLUDED).
CHAPTER THE SIXTH. THE COMMONWEALTH.
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. RICHARD CROMWELL.
CHAPTER THE EIGHTH. ON THE NATIONAL INDUSTRY AND THE LITERATURE, MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND CONDITION OP THE PEOPLE.
BOOK VII. THE PERIOD FROM THE RESTORATION OF CHARLES THE SECOND TO THE REVOLUTION.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. CHARLES THE SECOND.
CHAPTER THE SECOND. CHARLES THE SECOND (CONTINUED).
CHAPTER THE THIRD. CHARLES THE SECOND (CONTINUED).
CHAPTER THE FOURTH. JAMES THE SECOND.
CHAPTER THE FIFTH. LITERATURE, SCIENCE, FINE ARTS, MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE.
BOOK VIII. THE PERIOD FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE ACCESSION OF GEORGE THE THIRD.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. WILLIAM AND MARY.
CHAPTER THE SECOND. WILLIAM THE THIRD.
CHAPTER THE THIRD. QUEEN ANNE.
CHAPTER THE FOURTH. GEORGE THE FIRST.
CHAPTER THE FIFTH. GEORGE THE SECOND.
CHAPTER THE SIXTH. GEORGE THE SECOND (CONCLUDED).
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. ON THE CONSTITUTION, GOVERNMENT AND LAWS, NATIONAL INDUSTRY, LITERATURE, SCIENCE, FINE ARTS, MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE.