A student's history of England from the earliest times to the death of Queen Victoria

Front matter

GIFT OF John H, Mee

\^Ui

A

Preface To First Edition

The present Work is intended for such students as have already an elementary knowledge of the main facts of English history, and aims at meeting their needs by the use of plain language on the one hand, and by the avoidance, on the other hand, of that multiplicity of details which is apt to overburden the memory.

At the close of the book I have treated the last eleven years, 1874 to 1885, in a manner which precludes all expression of my own views, either on the characters of the actors or on the value of the work performed by them ; and something of the same reticence will be observed in the pages dealing with the years immediately preceding 1874. We have not the material before us for the formation of a final judgment on many points arising in the course of the narrative, and it is therefore better to abstain from the expression of decided opinion, except on matters so completely before the public as to leave no room for hesitation. Especially is this rule to be observed in a book addressed to those who are not yet at an age when independent investigation is possible.

I hope it will be understood that in my mention of various authors I have bad no intention of writmg a history of literature, however brief. My object has been throughout to exhibit vi PREFACE

that side of literature which connects itself with the general political or intellectual movement of the country, and to leave unnoticed the purely literary or scientific qualities of the writers mentioned. This will explain, for instance, the total omission of the name of Roger Bacon, and the brief and, if regarded from a different point of view, the very unsatisfactory treatment of writers like Dickens and Thackeray.

Those of my readers who have complained that no maps were to be found in the book may now be referred to a * School Atlas of English History,' recently edited by me for Messrs. Longmans & Co. To include an adequate number of maps in this volume would have increased its size beyond all fitting limits.

In the spelling of Indian names I have not adopted the modern and improved system of transliteration. Admirable as it is when used by those who are able to give the right sound to each letter, it only leads to mispronunciation in the mouths of those who are, as most of the readers of this volume will be, entirely in the dark on this point. The old rough method of our fathers at least ensures a fair approximation to the true pronunciation.

My warmest thanks are due to Mr. George Nutt, of Rugby, and to the Rev. W. Hunt. Mr. Nutt not only looked over the proof-sheets up to the death of Edward I, with excellent results, but gave me most valuable advice as to the general arrangement of the book, founded on his own long experience of scholastic teaching. The Rev. W. Hunt looked over a considerable portion of the remaining proof-sheets, and called my attention to several errors and omissions which had escaped my eye.

The illustrations have been selected by Mr. W. H. St. John

PREFACE vli

Hope, Assistant-Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries. He wishes to acknowledge much valuable assistance given to him in the choice of portraits by George Scharf, Esq., C.B., F.SA., who is recognised as the highest authority on the subject.

I am indebted to Her Majesty the Queen for permission to engrave two of the portraits appearing in the following pages — viz., those of Bishop Fisher, on p. 393, and the Duke of Norfolk, on p. 410 — the originals in both cases being at Windsor Castle.

I have to thank Earl Spencer for permission to engrave the portrait on p. 362 ; the Earl of Essex for that on p. 476 ; the Earl of Warwick for that on p. 403 ; the Earl of Carlisle for that on p. 459 ; the Viscount Dillon, F.S.A., for that on p. 376 ; the Hon Sir Spencer Ponsonby-Fane, K.C.B., for that on p. 365 ; Sir John Farnaby Lennard, Bart., for that on p. 463 ; Dr. Evans for those on pp. 2, 4, 6 ; Edward Huth, Esq., for that on p. 387 ; Mrs. Dent, of Sudeley, for that on p. 395 ; H. HucKS GiBBS, Esq., for that on p. 419 ; T. A. Hope, Esq., for that on p. 487 ; E. B. Nicholson, Esq., for the portrait of Lord Burghley in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, engraved at p. 479 ; the authorities of the University of Cambridge for that on p. 477 ; of Jesus College, Cambridge, for that on p. 414 ; and of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, for that on p. 567 ; and the Treasurer of Christ's Hospital, London, for the portrait of Charles H. on p. 579. I have also to thank Mr. John Murray for permission to engrave the figures on pp. 130, 150, 160, 166, 177, 188, 260 ; Messrs. Parker & Co., Oxford, for those on pp. 19, 51, 75, 91, 107, 128, 170, 192, 197, 230, 245, 246, 247, 253, 409, 451 ; Mr. W. Nives for those at pp. 381, 409, 451 ; Mr. J. G. Waller for those on pp. 219, 229, 292, 298, 515 ; Mr. Bruce for those on pp. 17, 18, 21 ; Messrs. Poulton & Sons, Lee, for those on pp. 7, vui PREFACE

132 ; Mr. G. A. Nichols, Stamford, for those on pp. 311, 316 ; Mr. G. T. Clarke, for that on p. 74 ; Messrs. Carl Norman & Co., Tunbridge Wells, for that on p. 171 ; Mr. R. Keene, Derby, for that on p. 318 ; the Rev. H. H. Henson, Vicar of Barking, Essex, for the photograph of the monument of Sir Charles Montague on p. 507 ; the Science and Art Department for those on pp. 371, 440, 518, 612 ; Mr. W. H. Wheeler, of Oxford, for those on pp. 319, 384 ; Messrs. Valentine & Sons, Dundee, for those on pp. 109, 206, 213, 238, 244, 276, 355. 378, 485, 662, 666, 668, 683, 907, 919, 937, 942 ; and Mr. R. Keene, Derby, for those on pp. 466, 467, 469, 471.

Chapter I Prehistoric And Roman Britain

PAGE

1. Palaeolithic Man of the River- 19,

Drift .... I

2. Cave-dwelling Palaeolithic 20.

3. Neolithic Man . . . 3 22.

4. Celts and Iberians . . 5 23.

5. The Celts in Britain . . 6

6. Goidels and Britons . . 6 24.

7. Phoenicians and Greeks . 7 25.

8. Gauls and Belgians . in

9. Culture and War . . . 9 ;

10. Religion of the Britons . 10 27.

11. The Romans in Gaul B.C. 35 10 28.

12. Caesar's First Invasion. B.C. I

13. Caesar's Second Invasion.

14. South-eastern Britain after 31.

15. The Roman Empire . . 12 ,«i64.

16. The Invasion of Aulus 35.

17. The Colony of Camulodunum 13

18. The Conquests of Ostorius

Scapula . -14

Government of Suetonius

Paullinus. 58 .

Boadicea's Insurrection. 61 The Vengeance of Suetonius Agricola in Britain. 78-84 Agricola's Conquests in the

North The Roman Walls The Roman Province of Bri

tain ....

Extinction of Tribal Antago

nism ...

Want of National Feeling Carausius and Allectus. 28^

-296 . . . ,

Constantius and Constantine

296-337 • Christianity in Britain .

Weakness of the Empire The Picts and Scots .

The Saxons .

Origin of the Saxons ,.

The Roman Defence .

End of the Roman Govern'

CONTENTS CHAPTER II

Britain after the Departure

of the Romans. 410-449 ? 26

The Groans of the Britons . 26

The Conquest of Kent. 449 ? 27

The South Saxons. 477 . 27 The West Saxon? and the

East Saxons ... 28

The Anglian Settlements , 28

Nature of the Conquest . 28

The Cultivators of the Soil . 29

Eorls, Ceorls, Gesiths . . 29 The Gesiths and the Villagers . . . -30 II. EngUsh and Welsh . .31

^3- 4-

7- 8.

12. The Township and the Hun-

dred 31

14. Compurgation and Ordeal . 32

15. Punishments . . -32

16. The Folk-moot . . -33

17. The Kingship . . .33

18. The Legend of Arthur . . 33

19. The West Saxon Advance . 34 Repulse of the West Saxons 35 The Advance of the Angles . 36 The Kymry . . . .36 Britain at the End of the

Sixth Century . . .37

20,

21,

22,

- 23,

Chapter III ••2

*-3- 4-

5- 6.

7- -.8.

14. 16.

England and the Continent .

vEthelberht's Supremacy

Gregory and the English

Augustine's Mission. 597 .

Monastic Christianity .

The Archbishopric of Canterbury ....

Death of ^thelberht. 616 .

The Three Kingdoms opposed to the Welsh .

^thelfriih and the Kymry .

^thelfrith's Victories .

The Greatness of Eadwine .

Eadwine's Supremacy

Character of the later Conquests ....

Political Changes .

Eadv^ine's Conversion and Fall . . .

Oswald's Victory at Heavenfield

17- --18.

41 41

-^24

43 44

Oswald and Aidan Oswald's Greatness and

Overthrow Penda's Overthrow The Three Kingdoms and

the Welsh The English Missionaries Dispute between Wilfrid and

Colman. 664 .

Archbishop Theodore and

the Penitential System Ealdhelm and Casdmon Bede. 673-735 .

Church Councils .

Struggle between Mercia

and Wessex Mohammedanism and the

Carolingian Empire .

Ecgberht's Rule. 802-839 .

50 51

52 52

Chapter IV The English Kingship And The Struggle With The Danes

-I. The West Saxon Supremacy 55 2. The Coming of the Northmen 56

3. The English Coast Plundered . . . -57 ,4. The Danes in the North . 57

^. Alfred's Struggle in Wessex.

871-878 .... 58 — ^. The Treaty of Chippenham,

and its Results. 878 , 59

*- 7. .Alfred's Military Work . 60

,^8. His Laws and Scholarship . 60 9. Eadward the Elder, 901-

925 62

10. Eadward's Conquests . . 62

II. Eadward and the Scots

PAGE

• 63

• 63 and

• 63

Danes and English

. 64

IS-

. 64

^6.

Dunstan

• 65

Archbishop Oda .

. 65

Eadwig's Marriage

. 67

Chapter V

.1. Eadgar and Dunstan. 959-

975 67

2. The Cession of Lothian . 68

3. Changes in English Institu-

4. Growth of the King's Power 69

5. Conversion of the Freemen

into Serfs . . . . 69 4—

6. The Hundred-moot and the

Lord's Court . . .72

7. The Towns . . . .72

8. The Origin of the Shires . tj,

9. The Shire-moot . . • Ti

10. The Ealdormen and the Witenagemot . . -73

11. The Land . . . .75 >I2. Domestic Life . . -75 .13. Food and Drink . . -75

Chapter VI

1. Eadward the Martyr. 975-

2. ^thelred's Early Years. 979

3. The Return of the Danes.

4. The Norman Dukes. 912-

5. Political Contrast between

Normandy and England . » 6. Svend's Conquest. 1002-

7. iEthelred Restored. 1014-

••8. Eadmund Ironside. 1016 . 9, Cnut and the Earldoms.

1016-1035 10. Cnut's Empire 'II. Cnut's Government 12. The Sons of Cnut. 1035-

^21.

'25-

Eadward the Confessor and

Earl Godwine. 1042-1051 86 The Banishment of Godwine.

1051 .... 87

Visit of Duke William. 105 1 88 William and the Norman

Church .... 88 The Return and Death of

Godwine. 1052-1053 . 89 Harold's Greatness. 1053-

1066 ... .89

Harold and Eadward. 1057

-1065 .... 90 Death of Eadward. ic66 . 90 Harold and William. 1066. 91 Stamford Bridge 1066 . 93 The Landing of William.

1066 . . . .96

The Battle of Senlac. 1066. 96 William's Coronation. 1066. 98

Chapter VII

1. The F*irst Months of the

2. The Conquest of the West

and North. 1067-1069 . >3. The Completion of the Conquest. 1070 . . . 103

4. Hereward's Revolt and the

Homage of Malcolm, 1070- 1072

5. How William kept down

the English .

6. How William kept down

the Normans . . . 105 l^M»»-II.

«iLrtt2.

Ecclesiastical Organisation Pope Gregory VII.

William and Gregory VH.

The Rising of the Earls

1075 The New Forest Domesday Book. 1085-

1086 William's Great Councils The Gemot at Salisbury

1086 William's Death. 1087

PAGE

106 107 108 no no

III 112

113 114

CHAPTER Vni

WILLIAM II. 1087 — IIOO

I. The Accession of the Red

King. 1087 . '2. The Wickedness of the Red King . .

3. Ranulf Flambard

4. Feudal Dues

5. Archbishop Anselm .

6. The Council of Rockingham

1095 William H. thers and his Bro-

"5 116 116 117

8. WilUam and Scotland.

1093-1094 . . .119

9. Mowbray's Rebellion. 1095. 120 to. The First Crusade. 1095-

1099 .... 120 tfi. Normandy in Pledge. 1096. 121 12. The Last Years of the Red

King . . . .121 •13. The Death of the Red King.

1100 . . . .122

Chapter IX

HENRY I. AND STEPHEN HENRY I , IIOO— II35. STEPHEN, II3S— II54.

■*» I. The Accession of Henry I

IIOO

^•2. Invasion of Robert, iioi ■w3. Revolt of Robert of BeMme 1 102

122 124

-4. The Battle of Tinchebrai.

1106 . . . .124

5. Henry and Anselm. iioo-

1107 . . . .125

6. Roger of Salisbury . . 126 xiu

PAGE

Growth of Trade . .127 The Benedictines . . 128 The Cistercians . . .129 The White Ship . . .129 The Last Years of Henry I. 131 Stephen's Accession. 1135 131 CivU War .... 133 Stephen's Quarrel with the Clergy. 1139 . . 134

17. Henry, Duke of the Normans. 1 149 .

4^18. The Last Days of Stephen. 1153-1154

PAGE 136

Chapter X

HENRY II. II54— 1189

■NC.

Henry's Accession. 1154 .

IS-

Pacification of England

138 ,

*«6.

Henry and Feudality .

The Great Council and the

-•17.

Curia Regis .

»5-

Scutage ....

Archbishop Thomas. 1162

Breach between Henry and

Thomas ....

-.20.

"■8.

The Constitutions of Claren -

The Persecution of Archbishop Thomas. II 64 .

The Assize of Clarendon.

^23.

II.

Recognitions

^24.

The Germ of the Jury .

The Itinerant Justices Re-

vived ....

.^26.

The Inquisition of the

Sheriffs. 1170

The Nobles and the Church The Coronation of Young

Henry. 11 70.

The Return of Archbishop

Thomas. 1170 Murder of Archbishop

Thomas. 11 70 Popular Indignation. 1171 State of Ireland .

Partial Conquest of Ireland.

1166-1172 Young Henry's Coronation

and the Revolt of the

Barons. 1172-1174 The Assize of Arms. 1181 .

Henry II. and his Sons The Fall of the Kingdom of

Jerusalem. 1187 .

The Last Years of Henry II,

1188-1189 The Work of Henry II.

149 151 151

153 154 155

Chapter XI

RICHARD I. II89— II99

1. Richard in England. 11 89 159 j ^7.

2. William of Longchamps. [ 8.

.3. The Third Crusade. 1189-

1192 .... 161

►4. The Return of Richard.

1192-1194 . . . 161

5. Heavy Taxation . . . 162

•3. The Administration of Hubert Walter, 1194-1198 163

Death of Richard. 1199 .

Church and State under the

Angevin Kings Growth of Learning , The University of Oxford Country and Town Condition of London .

Architectural Changes

165 167 167 168 169 170

Loi.ci'caA.,

Part III The Growth Of The Parliamentary Constitution. 1 199—1399

^ A

r/

CHAPTER

JOHN. TT99-

XII -T2l6

H

PAGE

PAGE

The Accession of John.

John Excommunicated.

i ll

John's First War with Philip II. 1 199-1200 .

^11.

The Pope threatens John with Deposition. 1212-

r

♦^3-

John's Misconduct in Poitou f/

1200-1201

John's Submission. 1213 .

•.4.

The Loss of Normandy

The Resistance of the

Barons and Clergy. 1213

Causes of Phihp's Success .

•^4-

The Battle of Bouvines.

The Election of Stephen Langton to the Archbishopric of Canterbury.

The Struggle between John

and the Barons. 1214-

•*7-

Innocent III. and Stephen

^16.

Magna Carta. 1215 .

Langton. 1206

-•17.

War between John and the

John's Quarrel with the

Conflict between Louis and

^9-

England under an Interdict. 1208

Chapter XIII T— I

Henry III. and Louis.

1216-1217

The Renewal of the Great

'-3-

Administration of Hubert

^4.

Administration of Peter des

Francis of Assisi .

St. Dominic

The Coming of the Friars.

1220-1224

Monks and Friars

— .9-

The King's Marriage. 1236

10. The Early Career of Simon

11. Papal Exactions. 1237-

1243 . . . -194

12. A Weak Parliamentary

Opposition. 1244 . . 194

13. Growing Discontent. 1244-

1254 .... 195 -14. The Knights of the Shire

in Parliament. 1254 . 196 15. Fresh Exactions. 1254-

1257 . . . .196 -h:6. The Provisions of Oxford.

1258 . . . .198

17, The Expulsion of the Foreigners. 1258

»i8. Edward and the Barons. 1259 . , . .

19. The Breach amongst the

20. Royalist Reaction and Civil

War. 1261 . ^i. The Mise of Amiens. 1264

PAGE

^^2. The Battle of Lewes,

199 ,^23. Earl Simon's Government.

199 ^4. The Battle of Evesham.

199 i 25. The Last Years of Henry I in. 1265-1272

200 I 26. General Progress of the 200 ' Country ....

PAGE

1264 201

204 206

Chapter XIV

EDWARD I. AND EDWARD II.

*- 7

The First Years of Edward

I. 1 272-1 279 Edward L and Wales,

I 276-1284 Customs Duties. 1275 Edward's Judicial Reforms

I 274-1 290 Edward's Legislation. 1279

-1290 Edward as a National and

as a Feudal Ruler .

The Scottish Succession 1285-1290 8. Death of Eleanor of Castile, 1290 — 9. The Award of Norham I 291-1292 10. Disputes with Scotland and

France. 1293-1295 i:c. The Model Parliament. 1295 _ 12. The First Conquest of Scotland. 1296

13. The Resistance of Arch-

bishop Winchelsey. 1296 -1297 . . . .

14. The ' Confirmatio Carta-

210 210

214 ,^1

216 218

*— 15. Wallace's Rising. 1297-

1304 .... 221

*-i6. The Second Conquest of

17. The Incorporation of Scot-

land with England. 1305 222

18. Character of Edward's Deal-

ings with Scotland . . 222 ]~'I9. Robert Bruce. 1306 . . 223 I -20. Edward's Third Conquest ) of Scotland and Death.

23. Lancaster's Government.

1314-1322 . . . 228 \ 24. A Constitutional Settlement.

ii^26. The Deposition and Mur- ; der of Edward II.

Chapter XV

FROM THE ACCESSION OF EDWARD III. TO THE

TREATY OF BRETIGNI. 1327— 1360

1. Mojrtimer's Government.

1327-1330

2. The French Succession.

1328-1331 f#i-3. Troubles in Scotland. 1331-

232 1337 • • . . 234 xvi

5. Edward's Allies. 1337-

6. Chivalry and War

7. Commerce and War .

8. Attacks on the North of

France. 1 338-1 340 "^ 9. Battle of Sluys. 1340

10. Attacks on the West of

11. The Campaign of Crepy.

12. The Tactics of Crepy. 1346

13. The Battle of Crepy. Au-

gust 26, 1346 . ji\. Battle of Nevill's Cross

and the Siege of Calais,

1346-1347 15. Constitutional Progress

1337-1347

235 235 236

237 239

240 241

16. Edward's Triumph. 1347. ' 17. The Black Death. 1348 .

" 18, The Statute of Labourers.

1349 , . . . . 19. The Statute of Treasons.

1352 . . . .

-20. The Black Prince in the

South of France. 1355 .

"21. The Battle of Poitiers.

22. The Courtesy of the Black

Prince . . . .

23. Misery of France. 1356-

1359 . . . .

"24. Edward's Last Invasion.

1359-1360 -25. The Treaty of Bretigni.

PAGE 246

248 250