XLII.-CHARLES 1.-PARLIAMENT THE KING'S ADVISERS-BUCKINGHAM- LAUD-STRAFFORD THE KING'S THIRD PARLIAMENT CROMWELL- SHIP-MONEY-EPISCOPACY IN SCOTLAND-THE KING'S DIFFICULTIES— XLIII.-CHARLES I.-SEIZURE OF THE FIVE MEMBERS-THE KING'S FORCES— THE PARLIAMENT'S ARMY-CIVIL WAR-RELIGIOUS PARTIES-THE KING AND THE SCOTS-CROMWELL-THE KING'S DOWNFALL XLIV. ENGLAND A COMMONWEALTH.-CHANGES-IRELAND-PRINCE CHARLES XLV.-CROMWELL AS LORD PROTECTOR.-THE RULER AND HIS PARLIAMENT— THE PROTECTORSHIP-FOREIGN POLICY-THE PURITAN COURT-DO- MESTIC AFFLICTION-THE PROTECTOR'S DEATH-RICHARD CROMWELL XLVI.-CHARLES II.-ACTS OF PARLIAMENT THE REGICIDES-INGRATITUDE OF THE KING-SCOTLAND-FOREIGN RELATIONS-PLOTS AND THEIR XLVII.-JAMES II.-HIS DECLARATIONS-HIS CONDUCT—ARGYLE-MONMOUTH- XLVIII-JAMES II.-EFFORTS TO RESTORE ROMANISM-THE NATION'S RESIST- ANCE-REVOLUTION-WILLIAM OF ORANGE XLIX.-WILLIAM III.-SETTLEMENT OF THE CROWN-CHARACTER OF THE KING -RESISTANCE IN SCOTLAND-IN IRELAND-SIEGE OF LONDONDERRY- WILLIAM'S VICTORIES PAGE 249-256 257-265 266-270 271-274 274-280 280-283 283-288 L.-WILLIAM III.-GLENCOE-FOREIGN WARS-DEATH OF THE QUEEN-HER III.-CONDITION OF ENGLAND IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.-ROADS- LONDON-COMMERCE-MANUFACTURES-BANK OF ENGLAND-STYLE LIII.-ANNE-GEORGE I.-FOREIGN WARS-POLITICAL PARTIES—UNION— LITERATURE-HOUSE OF HANOVER-THE PRETENDER-SEPTENNIAL LIV.-GEORGE II.-WALPOLE'S ADMINISTRATION-FOREIGN WARS-THE YOUNG PRETENDER-ENGLAND AND THE SEVEN YEARS' WAR LV.-GEORGE II.-THE ENGLISH IN INDIA-THEIR COLONIES-THE GREAT LVII.—THE ENGLISH IN INDIA.—BRITISH CONQUESTS—THE RULE OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY-WARREN HASTINGS-HIS CAREER IN INDIA-HIS LVIII-GEORGE III.-THE FRENCH REVOLUTION-ITS EFFECT UPON ENGLAND- WAR-VICTORIES-MUTINY IN THE FLEET-CAMPERDOWN-BATTLE OF THE NILE-ACRE-IRELAND-THE UNION LIX.-CONDITION OF ENGLAND IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.-RELIGION- LITERATURE-DISTINGUISHED WRITERS LX.-CONDITION OF ENGLAND IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.-THE MINIS- LXI. GEORGE III.-THE ARMED NEUTRALITY-TRAFALGAR-PENINSULAR WAR-WATERLOO-WAR WITH AMERICA-BARBARY PIRATES LXII. GEORGE IV.-TRIAL OF THE QUEEN-CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION-PAR- LXIII.-WILLIAM IV.-PARLIAMENTARY REFORM-MUNICIPAL REFORM-ABOLI- 387-392 LXV.-VICTORIA.-THE CHARTIST REBELLION-FOREIGN RELATIONS-TROUBLES LXVI. VICTORIA.-ENGLISH TROOPS IN THE CRIMEA-ALMA-SIEGE OF SEBAS- HISTORY OF ENGLAND. : : ⠀⠀ PART I. ANCIENT BRITAIN. -A. D. 420. "From Tan, a country, and Breit, tin, And only as the Land of Tin, Was it first known to fame." HANNAH TOWNSEND. CHAPTER I. BRITAIN BEFORE THE ROMAN CONQUEST. In the Atlantic Ocean, somewhat to the north-west of the mainland of Europe, lies the island of Great Britain. It is small compared with the other natural divisions of the earth, and yet this little sea-girt isle is the centre of an empire so vast, that the Englishman may proudly repeat the boast once uttered by the Spaniard, "that on the dominions of his sovereign the sun never sets." We know but little about this island in very early times. The first inhabitants of whom we have any certain knowledge were of the Celtic race, and were in a rude and barbarous condition. At first, their island was called Albion, which means "The White Isle," but afterwards it was better known (9) B. C. 1000. by the name of Britannia, which probably meant "The Land of Tin." In the days when old Tyre and Sidon were in all their glory, their mariners made bolder voyages than any other people. Their merchant vessels passed beyond the Pillars of Hercules (for so the ancients named the straits of Gibraltar) into the stormy Atlantic. They even went to Britain, and traded with the natives for lead and tin. The ancients mixed tin with copper, forming a metal called brass, but which in truth, was more properly bronze. Perhaps the brazen sea and vessels "of bright brass," wrought by Tyrian workmen for King Solomon's Temple at Jerusalem, were made in part of British tin. Britain was a cold country, and the people, excepting those on the southern coast, knew very little about cultivating the ground. They lived upon the milk and flesh of their flocks and herds, or upon wild fruits. They had no towns. A Roman geographer says: "the forests of the Britons are their cities; for when they have enclosed a very large space with felled trees, they build within it, houses for themselves and hovels for their cattle." Their collection of wicker-work canister-shaped cottages, looked very much like the Kraals or Hottentot villages of the present day. The savage Britons in the middle of the island wore very little clothing. They tattooed their skins, somewhat in the manner of the South Sea islanders, and painted them with woad, a plant which yields juice of a blue color. The more civilized people of the coast wore trousers and tunics made of chequered cloth, of various colors, the chief and favorite stripe being red. This dress resembled the tartan-plaid of the Highlanders. Over their garments they wore chains, and collars or necklaces called torques, also bracelets and rings, made of gold, silver, or brass. These ornaments, as also their dyed cloth, prove that the southern Britons knew something of manufactures. They made metal rings which they used for money, and drinkingvessels and urns of coarse earthenware. The Britons were divided into numerous petty tribes, and ་ as these were nearly always fighting with each other, the art of war therefore was better known among them than any other. Their weapons were broadswords and spears. At the end of the spear was sometimes fixed a hollow ball filled with pieces of metal, which making a rattling noise when thrown, would frighten the horses of an enemy. The The most formidable instrument of war among the Britons was armed chariot. This was a kind of car, breast-high in front and open behind, sometimes of rude structure, and sometimes curiously and beautifully wrought. To the axletrees of this car, were fastened scythes and hooks. chariot was drawn by horses so well trained, that although urged at speed over the roughest country, they could be stopped instantly at the voice of the driver. These chariots, filled with warrior Britons, driven into the midst of the battle, cutting and tearing all before them, spread the greatest terror through the ranks of their enemies. The shields of the Britons were made of basket-work covered with hides and coated with metal. Their little walnut-shaped boats, called coracles, were also made of twigs of osier covered with skins. The religion of the Britons, called Druidism, was a strange and cruel superstition. They worshipped the sun, the moon, the serpent, and many of the Greek and Roman divinities. Their priests were called Druids, and besides being the ministers of religion, they were the judges of the people, and the instructors of the youth. It was thought that the greater the number of the Druids, the greater would be the prosperity of the country. They became, consequently, a very large and powerful class. They worshipped in groves of oak watered by fountains or running streams, which were regarded as sacred. Within these groves a circular row of huge upright stones enclosed an open space, in the centre of which was the Cromlech, an altar consisting of a large flat stone laid horizontally upon others. The most remarkable of these Druidical relics now found in Great Britain, are those at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, and the curious cromlech known as Kits Coty House, near Aylesford in Kent. |