JOHN, the fourth son of Henry II. took possession of the crown on Richard's decease, though his nephew Arthur of Bretagne, son of his elder brother Geoffrey Plantagenet, had an undoubted title to it.
His encroachments on the privileges of his people called forth the opposition of the spirited and potent Barons of that day: John was reduced to great straits; and Pope Innocent III. with the usual policy of the Holy Fathers, sided with John's disaffected subjects, and fulminated the thunders of the church against him, till he had brought him to his own terms: the King surrendered his crown at the feet of the Pope's Legate, who returned it to him on his acknowledging that he held it as the vassal of the Holy See, and binding himself and successors to pay an annual tribute thereto. The Barons and their cause were to be sacrificed to the Pope's interest, and the Legate commanded them to lay down their arms; they were however bold enough to make head against this powerful league, and by their steady opposition to the King, and their moderate demands when their efforts were crowned with success, immortalized their names: John was obliged to sign out two famous charters -- the first called Magna Charta, or the Charter of Liberties; the second the Charter of Forests; which two charters have since been the foundation of the liberties of this nation. Some time after, having thrown himself into a fever by eating peaches, he died at Newark October 28, 1216.
HENRY III. succeeded his father John in 1216, being but nine years old. He reigned 56 years, during the greatest part of which he was embroiled in a civil war. He founded the house of converts, and an hospital, in Oxford, and died at St. Edmundsbury in 1272.
EDWARD I. though in the Holy Land when his father died, yet succeeded him, and proved a warlike and successful Prince. He made France fear him, and forced the King of Scotland to pay him homage. He created his eldest son Prince of Wales, which title has been enjoyed by the eldest son of all the Kings of England ever since. In his last moments he exhorted his son to continue the war with Scotland, and added, "Let my bones be carried before you, for I am sure the rebels will never dare to stand the sight of them." He died of a bloody flux at Burgh on the sands
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, a small town in Cumberland, July 7, 1337, having reigned 34 years, and lived 68.
EDWARD II. succeeded his father, but proved an unfortunate Prince, being hated by his nobles, and slighted by the commons: he was first debauched by Gaveston his favourite, and afterwards by the two Spencers, father and son, whose oppressions he countenanced to the hazard of his crown. But the Barons taking up arms against the King, Gaveston was beheaded, the two Spencers hanged, and he himself forced to to resign the crown to Prince Edward his son. Soon after which he was barbarously murdered at Berkeley Castle, by means of Mortimer, the Queen's favourite. He reigned twenty years, and was buried at Gloucester.
EDWARD III. who succeeded his father on his resignation, claimed the crown of France, and backed his claim by embarking a powerful army for that country, where he made rapid conquests: the Scots favouring the French, invaded Cumberland, but were defeated by Edward's Queen Philippa, who took David Bruce, their King, prisoner. Edward's eldest son, sirnamed the Black Prince, gained two surprizing
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victories, one at Cressi