 Our Island Story, Introduction What a funny letter Daddy said Spent as he looked at the narrow envelope which had just arrived and listened to the crumple of the thin paper. Do you think so, said Daddy? It is from home. From home, said Spent, laughing, why Daddy, this is home. I mean from the old country, Spent. The old country, Daddy, said Vida, leaving her dolls and coming to lean against her father's knee. The old country, what do you mean? I mean the little island in the west to which we belong and where I used to live, said Daddy. But this is an island, a great big one, Mother says, so how can we belong to a little island? Asked Spent. Well, we do, at least the big island and the little island belong to each other. Oh, Daddy, do explain yourself, you are not explaining yourself at all, said Vida. Well, said Daddy with a sigh, long, long ago. Oh, said Spent, it's a story, and he settled himself to listen. Yes, said Daddy, it's a story and a very long one too, I think I must ask someone else to tell it to you. And Daddy did ask someone else, and here is the story as it was told to Spent and Vida. I hope it will interest not only the children in this big island, but some of the children in the little island in the west too. I must tell you though that this is not a history lesson, but a story book. There are many facts in school histories that seem to children to belong to lessons only. Some of these you will not find here, but you will find some stories that are not to be found in your school books. Stories which wise people say are only fairy tales and not history. But it seems to me that they are part of our island story, and ought not to be forgotten, any more than those stories about which there is no doubt. So, although I hope you will not put this book beside your school books, but quite at the other end of the shelf beside Robinson Crusoe and Noah's Ark Geography, I hope too that it will help you to like your school history books better than ever, and that when you grow up you will want to read for yourselves the beautiful big histories which have helped me to write this little book for little people. Then when you find out how much has been left untold in this little book, do not be cross. But remember that when you were very small, you would not have been able to understand things that seem quite simple and very interesting to you as you grow older. Remember too, that I was not trying to teach you, but only to tell a story. H. E. Marshall End of The Introduction Read by Kara Schellenberg on May 9th, 2006 in Oceanside, California. Our Island Story, Chapter 1 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Kara Schellenberg. Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 1 The Stories of Albion and Brutus Once upon a time there was a giant called Neptune. When he was quite a tiny boy, Neptune loved the sea. All day long he played in it, swimming, diving, and laughing gleefully as the waves dashed over him. As he grew older he came to know and loved the sea so well that the sea and the waves loved him too and acknowledged him to be their king. At last people said he was not only king of the waves, but God of the sea. Neptune had a very beautiful wife, who was called Amphitrite. He had also many sons. As each son became old enough to reign, Neptune made him king over an island. Neptune's fourth son was called Albion. When it came his turn to receive a kingdom, a great council was called to decide upon an island for him. Now Neptune and Amphitrite loved Albion more than any of their other children. This made it very difficult to choose which island should be his. The Mermaids and Mermen, as the wonderful people who live in the sea are called, came from all parts of the world with news of beautiful islands. But after hearing about them, Neptune and Amphitrite would shake their heads and say, No, that is not good enough for Albion. At last a little mermaid swam into the pink and white coral cave in which the council was held. She was more beautiful than any mermaid who had yet come to the council. Her eyes were merry and honest, and they were blue as the sky and the sea. Her hair was as yellow as fine gold, and in her cheeks a lovely pink came and went. When she spoke her voice sounded as clear as a bell, and as soft as the whisper of the waves as they ripple upon the shore. Oh, Father Neptune, she said, let Albion come to my island. It is a beautiful little island. It lies like a gem in the bluest of waters. There the trees and the grass are green, the cliffs are white, and the sands are golden. There the sun shines and the birds sing. It is a land of beauty. Mountains and valleys, broad lakes and swift flowing rivers all are there. Let Albion come to my island. Where is this island? said Neptune and Amphitrite, both at once. They thought it must indeed be a beautiful land if it were only half as lovely as the little mermaid said. Oh, come and I will show it to you, replied she. Then she swam away in a great hurry to show her beautiful island, and Neptune, Amphitrite, and all the mermaids and mermen followed. It was a wonderful sight to see them as they swam along. Their white arms gleamed in the sunshine, and their golden hair floated out over the water like fine seaweed. Never before had so many of the sea folk been gathered together at one place, and the noise of their tails flapping through the water brought all the little fishes and great sea monsters out. Eager to know what was happening. They swam and swam until they came to the little green island with the white cliffs and yellow sands. As soon as it came in sight, Neptune raised himself on a big wave, and when he saw the little island lying before him, like a beautiful gem in the blue water, just as the mermaid had said, he cried out in joy, This is the island of my love. Albion shall rule it, and Albion it shall be called. So Albion took possession of the little island, which until then had been called Samothea, and he changed its name to Albion, as Neptune had said should be done. For seven years Albion reigned over his little island. At the end of that time he was killed in a fight with the hero Hercules. This was a great grief to Neptune and Amphitrite. But because of the love they bore to their son Albion, they continued to love and watch over the little green island, which was called by his name. For many years after the death of Albion the little island had no ruler. At last one day there came sailing from the far off city of Troy, a prince called Brutus. He, seeing the fair island with white cliffs and golden sands, landed with all his mighty men of war. There were many giants in the land in those days, but Brutus fought and conquered them. He made himself king, not only over Albion, but over all the islands which lay around. He called them the Kingdom of Britain, or Britannia, after his own name, Brutus, and Albion he called Great Britain, because it was the largest of the islands. Although after this the little island was no longer called Albion, Neptune still loved it. When he grew old and had no more strength to rule, he gave his scepter to the islands called Britannia, for we know Britannia rules the waves. This is a story of many thousand years ago. Some people think it is only a fairytale. But however that may be, the little island is still sometimes called Albion, though it is nearly always called Britain. In this book you will find the story of the people of Britain. The story tells how they grew to be a great people, till the little green island set in the Lonely Sea was no longer large enough to contain them all. Then they sailed away over the blue waves, to far distant countries. Now the people of the little island possess lands all over the world. These lands form the Empire of Greater Britain. Many of these lands are far, far larger than the little island itself. Yet the people who live in them still look back lovingly to the little island, from which they or their fathers came, and call it home. End of Chapter 1. Read by Kara Schellenberg, www.kray.org, on May 9th, 2006, in Oceanside, California. Our Island Story, Chapter 2. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Kara Schellenberg. Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall. Chapter 2. The Coming of the Romans. Hundreds of years passed after Brutus conquered Alvion and changed its name to Britain, during which time many kings and queens reigned over the island. Our great poet Shakespeare has written about one of these kings, who was called King Lear. Someday you must read his story. There were many good and wise rulers among these ancient British kings, but it would take too long to tell of them, so we must pass on to the time when another great warrior heard of the little lonely island and came to conquer it. The name of this great warrior was Julius Caesar. He was a Roman. At that time the Romans were a very powerful people. They called themselves the masters of the world. It is true, they were very clever. They had taught themselves how to fight, how to make swords and armor, and how to build fortresses, better than any of the peoples who lived then. So it happened that the Romans generally won the victory over all who fought against them. But they were a very greedy people, and as soon as they heard of a new country they wanted to conquer it and call it part of the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar had been fighting in Gaul, or France, as we now call it. While there he heard of the little island with white cliffs over the sea. He was told that the people were very big and brave and fierce. He also heard that it was a rich land full of tin, lead, and other useful metals, and that the shores were strewn with precious pearls. So he resolved to conquer this land and add it to the Roman Empire. Caesar gathered together about eighty ships, twelve thousand men, and a great many horses. These he thought would be enough with which to conquer the wild men of Britain. One fine day he set sail from France and soon came in sight of the island. The Britons in some way or other had heard of his coming and had gathered to meet him. As he drew near Caesar saw with surprise that the whole shore was covered with men ready for battle. He also saw that the place which he had chosen for landing was not good, for there were high steep cliffs upon which the Britons could stand and showered darts upon his soldiers. So he turned his ships and sailed along the coast until he came to a place where the shore was flat. The Roman ships were called galleys. They had sails, but were also moved by oars. The rowers sat in long lines down each side of the galley. Sometimes there were two or three tiers of them sitting one above the other. These rowers were generally slaves and worked in chains. They were often soldiers who had been taken prisoner in war, or wicked men who were punished for their misdeeds by being made to row in these galleys. It was a dreadful life. The work was very hard, and in a storm, if the vessel was wrecked, as often happened, the poor galley slaves were almost sure to be drowned because their heavy chains prevented them from swimming. As the Roman galleys sailed along the coast the British warriors with their horses and war chariots followed on land. The war chariots of the British were very terrible. They were like light carts and held several men, one to drive the horses and the others to fight. On either side, from the centre of the wheels, swords stuck out. As the wheels went round, these swords cut down, killed, or wounded everyone who came within reach. The Britons trained their horses so well that they would rush madly into battle, or stand stuck still in a moment. It was a fearful sight to see these war chariots charge an enemy. After sailing along the coast a little way, Caesar found a good place at which to land, and turned his vessels in shore. But the great galleys required so much water in which to sail that they could not come quite close to land. Seeing this, Caesar told his soldiers to jump into the water. But the soldiers hesitated, for the Britons had rushed into the water to meet them, and the Romans did not like the idea of fighting in the sea. Although the Romans were very good soldiers they were not such good sailors as might have been expected. They did not love the water as the Britons did. These fierce barbarians, as the Romans called the Britons, urging their horses into the waves, greeted the enemy with loud shouts. Every inch of the shore was known to them. They knew exactly where it was shallow and where it was deep, so they galloped through the water without fear. Suddenly a brave Roman, when he saw how the soldiers hesitated, seized a standard and leaped overboard, crying, "'Meep forth now, soldiers, if you will not betray your ensign to the enemy, for I surely will bear myself as is my duty.'" The Romans did not have flags, such as we have in our army. Their standard was an eagle which was carried upon a pole. The eagle was of gold, or gilded, to look like gold. Wherever the eagle led there the soldiers followed, for it was the emblem of their honour, and they fought for and guarded it as their most precious possession. So now when the Roman soldiers saw their standard in the midst of the enemy they followed with all haste. Their fear was great lest it should be taken. It was counted as a terrible disgrace to the Romans if they returned from battle without their standard. Death was better than disgrace, so they leaped into the water to meet the fierce Britons. A fearful fight followed. The Romans could not keep their proper order, neither could they find firm footing. Way down with their heavy armour they sank in the sand or slipped upon the rocks. All the while the Britons showered darts upon them and struck at them fiercely with their battle axes and swords. The Britons were very brave, but they had not learned the best ways of fighting as the Romans had. So after a terrible struggle the Romans reached the land. On shore they formed in close ranks and charged the Britons. The Britons in their turn charged the Romans with their war chariots. The horses tore wildly along, neighing and champing their bits and trampling underfoot those who were not cut down with the swords on the wheels. As they galloped the fighting men in the carts threw darts and arrows everywhere among the enemy. When they were in the thickest of the fray the horses would suddenly stand still. Then the soldiers, springing out of the chariot, would fight fiercely again for a few minutes with their battle axes, killing everyone within reach. Again they would leap into the cart, the horses would start forward and once more gallop wildly through the ranks of the enemy, leaving a track of dead behind them wherever they passed. But in spite of all their wild bravery the Britons were beaten at last and fled before the Romans. Thus Caesar first landed upon the shores of Britain, but so many of his soldiers were killed and wounded that he was glad to make peace with these brave islanders. He sailed away again in such of his ships as had not been destroyed, for fierce storms had arisen a few days after his landing and wrecked many of his vessels. Caesar did not gain much glory from this fight. Indeed, when he went away it seemed rather as if he were fleeing from a foe than leaving a conquered land. End of Chapter 2 Read by Kara Schellenberg, www.kra.org, on May 9, 2006, in Oceanside, California. Our Island Story, Chapter 3 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Kara Schellenberg. Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall, Chapter 3 The Romans Come Again Caesar must have felt that he had not really conquered the Britons, for as soon as he arrived safely in France he began to gather together another army. In the spring of the following year he again sailed over to Britain. He came now not with eighty, but with eight hundred ships and many thousands of men. But this time there was no one to meet him when he landed. The Britons indeed had heard of his coming and had gathered in great force to resist him. But when they saw such a huge number of ships their hearts were filled with fear and they fled into the forests and hills to hide. It must have been a wonderful sight in the eyes of the ancient Britons to see so many ships sailing on the sea all at once. They knew scarcely anything of the great lands which lay beyond the blue sea surrounding their little island. They had not even dreamed that the whole world contained as many ships as they now saw. So it was not surprising that at first they were afraid and fled, but they did not lose courage for long. They soon returned and many battles were fought. The Romans seemed to think that they won all these battles but the Britons were not at all sure of it. Certainly a great many people on both sides were killed. If the Britons had been less brave than they were they would have been very badly beaten, for the Romans wore strong armour and carried shields made of steel, while the Britons had little armour, if any at all, and their shields were made of wood covered with skins of animals. The Roman swords too were strong and sharp, while those of the Britons were made of copper. Copper is a very soft metal and swords made of it are easily bent and so made useless. The Britons at this time were divided into many tribes, each following their own chief. They were used to quarrel among themselves. Now, however, they joined together against their great enemy and chose a brave man, called Casa Velounas, to be their leader. Casa Velounas led the Britons so well and Caesar found it such a difficult task to conquer them, that at last he was glad to make peace again and sail back to his own country. He did not like to go away as if he had been defeated, so he sent messengers to the British chief saying, if you let me take some of your warriors back to Rome as a sign that you are now Roman subjects and will not rebel against me, I will go away. The Britons were only too glad to be rid of Caesar and his soldiers at any price. They gave him some British soldiers to take back to Rome and even promised to pay him a certain sum of money every year. But it almost seemed as if Neptune had been doing battle for his beloved Albion with his winds and waves. For while Caesar had been fighting the Britons, such fierce storms arose that his ships were thrown upon the rocky shore, and many of them dashed to pieces. Indeed, so few of his ships remained fit to put to sea again that Caesar could not take all his soldiers away at one time. As many went as could, and the ships came back again for the others. Caesar did not leave any soldiers in Britain at all, so it does not seem as if he had really conquered the land. These things happened in the year 54 BC, that is, 54 years before Christ was born. All Christian lands count time from the year in which Christ was born because his coming is the most wonderful thing which has ever happened. Anything that took place before Christ was born is said to be in such and such a year BC. Everything which has taken place since then is said to be AD or Anodomani, which means in the year of our Lord. For instance, this book is written in the year 1905 AD or 1905 years after the birth of Christ. End of Chapter 3 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org On May 9, 2006, in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 4 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 4 How Caligula Conquered Britain and how Chorepticus refused to be conquered After the second coming of Caesar, years passed during which the Romans left the Britons in peace, but they had by no means forgotten about the little green island in the blue sea. Julius Caesar had been dead many years when a Roman emperor called Caligula said he would go to Britain and thoroughly conquer the island. He did not mean to land and fight in one small part of it as Julius Caesar had done. He meant to march over the island, north, south, east and west, and bring it all under the power of Rome. That is what he said he was going to do. What he really did was something quite different. He gathered a great army and marched from Italy right through France till he reached the coast. There news came to him that Gildarius, the king of Britain, had heard of his coming and had also gathered his soldiers together. Caligula must have been afraid when he heard that the brave Britons were ready to fight him, for this is how he conquered Britain. He drew his soldiers up in battle array upon the shore. Then he himself went into his galley and told his sailors to row him out to sea. After they had rowed him a short way he told them to return. When he had landed again he climbed into a high seat like a pulpit which he had built on the sands. Then he sounded a trumpet and ordered his soldiers to advance as if to battle. But there was no enemy there. In front of the soldiers there was nothing but the blue sea and the sandy shore covered with shells. They could not fight against the waves and the sand and the brave Britons whom they had come to fight were far away on the other side of the water and quite out of reach. So the soldiers stood and wondered what to do. Then Caligula ordered them to kneel down upon the sand and gather as many shells as they could. The first thing a Roman was taught was to obey. So now the soldiers did as their general commanded and gathered the cockle shells which lay around in hundreds. It must have been a curious sight to see all these strong soldiers armed with sword, shield, and helmet picking up shells upon the seashore. When they had gathered a great quantity, Caligula made a speech. He thanked the soldiers as if they had done him some great service. He told them that now he had conquered the ocean and the islands in it and that these shells were the spoils of war. He praised the soldiers for their bravery and said that the shells should be placed in the temples of Rome in remembrance of it. Then he rewarded them richly and they marched home again. That was how Caligula conquered Britain. After the death of Caligula another Roman called Claudius tried to conquer Britain. He sent generals and came himself but he could not thoroughly subdue the Britons. A few chiefs indeed owned themselves beaten but others would not. They would rather die than be slaves of Rome, they said. Among those who would not yield was a brave man called Caracticus. A great many of the Britons joined him and fought under his orders. Caracticus and his men fought well and bravely but in the end the Romans defeated them. After many battles Caracticus chose for his camp a place on the top of a hill, on the borders of Shropshire, Cheshire and Lancashire. There he made a very strong fortress surrounded by three walls and a deep ditch. These walls were so well built to that after all these long years they can still be seen quite plainly today. When the Roman soldiers came to the foot of the hill Caracticus prepared for battle. He called his soldiers together and made a speech to them. Show yourselves to be men, he said. Today is either the beginning of liberty or of eternal bondage. Remember how your forefathers fought against Julius Caesar and fight now for your homes as they did for theirs. Then all the Britons called out, We will die for our country. The noise of their shouts was carried by the wind to the camp of the Romans. It sounded to them as if the Britons were rejoicing. The Romans feared Caracticus. They knew how brave he and his men were. They knew that it would be very difficult to take his strong fortress. Yet they felt quite sure of taking it in the end and they wondered what cause the Britons had for rejoicing. And it happened as the Romans expected. After fierce fighting and great slaughter on both sides, the camp was taken. Caracticus, his wife and daughter and all his brothers were made prisoner and led in chains to Rome. There was great sorrow in Britain. Whenever a Roman emperor returned from battle and victory, he used to have what was called a triumph. Everyone in Rome had a holiday. The streets were gay with flowers and green reeds. The conqueror, dressed in beautiful robes and wearing a crown of bay leaves, rode through the streets. He was followed by his soldiers, sermons and friends. Then came a long train of the captives he had made during the war, with the armour, weapons, jewels and other riches he had taken from the conquered people. After the war with Britain was over, Claudius had a triumph. The fame of Caracticus had already reached Rome and when it became known that he had been taken prisoner and would walk in the triumph, there was great excitement. The people crowded into the streets eager to see this brave warrior and although in chains he looked so proud and noble that many even of the Romans were sorry for him. When he was brought before the emperor and Empress, Claudius and Agrippina, he did not behave like a slave or a captive, but like the free-born king and Britain he was. I am as nobly born as you, he said proudly to Claudius. I had men and horses, lands and great riches. Was it wonderful that I wished to keep them? You fight to gain possession of the whole world and to make all men your slaves, but I fought for my own land and for freedom. Kill me now and people will think little of you, but if you grant me my life, all men will know that you are not only powerful, but merciful. Instead of being angry, Claudius was pleased with the proud words of Caracticus. He was so pleased that he set him at liberty with his wife and all his family. But whether Caracticus ever returned to his dear country or whether he died in that far-off land, we do not know. We do not hear anything more about him. CHAPTER V Although the Britons had lost their great general Caracticus, still they would not yield to the Roman tyrants. Soon another brave leader arose. This leader was a woman. Her name was Bodica, and she was a queen. She ruled over that part of the country which is now called Norfolk and Suffolk. As I said before, the Romans were a very greedy people. They wanted to take away the freedom of Britain and make the island into a Roman province. They also wanted to get all the money and possessions which belonged to the Britons for themselves. The husband of Bodica knew how greedy the Romans were, and when he was about to die he became very sad. He was afraid that the Roman emperor would rob his wife and daughters of all their money when he was no longer there to take care of them. So to prevent this he made the emperor a present of half of his money and lands and gave the other half to his wife and children. Then he died happy, thinking that his dear ones would be left in peace. But the greedy Romans were not pleased with only half of the dead king's wealth. They wanted the whole, so they came and took it by force. Bodica was a very brave woman. She was not afraid of the Romans, and she tried to make them give back what they had stolen from her. Then these cruel, wicked men laughed at her, and because she was a woman and had no money, they beat her with rods and were rude to her daughters. But although the Romans were clever they sometimes did stupid things. They thought very little of their own women, and they did not understand that many of the women of Britain were as brave and as wise as the men, and quite as difficult to conquer. After Bodica had been so cruelly and unjustly treated, she burned with anger against the Romans. Her heart was full only of thoughts of revenge. She called her people together and, standing on a mound of earth to see and hear her, she made a speech to them. She told them first how shamefully the Romans had behaved to her, their queen. Then, like Caractacus, she reminded them how their forefathers had fought against Julius Caesar and had driven the Romans away for a time at least. Is it not better to be poor and free than to have great wealth and be slaves? She asked. And the Romans take not only our freedom but our wealth. They want to make us both slaves and beggars. Let us rise! O brothers and sisters, let us rise and drive these robbers out of our land. Let us kill them every one. Let us teach them that they are no better than hairs and foxes and no match for greyhounds. We will fight, and if we cannot conquer then let us die, yes, every one of us, die rather than submit. Queen Bodica looked so beautiful and fierce as she stood there, with her blue eyes flashing and her golden hair billowing round her in the wind that the hearts of her people were filled with love for her and anger against the Romans. As she spoke, fierce desires for revenge grew in them. They had hated their Roman conquerors before. Now the hatred became a madness. So, when Bodica had finished speaking a cry of rage rose from the Britons. They beat upon their fields with their swords and swore to avenge their queen to fight and die for her and for their country. Then Bodica, leaning with one hand upon her spear and lifting the other to heaven, prayed. She prayed to the goddess of war and her prayer was as fierce as her speech, for she had never heard of a god who taught men to forgive their enemies. As she stood there praying, Bodica looked more beautiful than ever. Her proud head was thrown back and the sun shone upon her lovely hair and upon the golden band which bound her forehead. Her dark cloak, slipping from her shoulders, showed the splendid robe she wore beneath and the thick and heavy chain of gold round her neck. At her feet knelt her daughters, sobbing with hope and fear. It was a grand and awful moment and deep silence fell upon the warriors who listened to the solemn words. Then with wild cries they marched forward to battle, forgetful of everything but revenge. The battles which followed were terrible indeed. The words of Queen Bodica had stirred the Britons until they were mad with thoughts of revenge and hopes of freedom. They gave no mercy and they asked none. They utterly destroyed the towns of London and of St. Albans or Berylamian, as it was then called, killing everyone, man, woman and child. Again and again the Romans were defeated. Philip almost seemed as if the Britons really would succeed in driving them out of the country. Bodica herself led the soldiers, encouraging them with her brave words. It is better to die with honour than to live in slavery, she said. I am a woman, but I would rather die than yield. Will you follow me, men?" And of course the men followed her gladly. At last the Roman leader was so downcast with his many defeats that he went himself to the British camp, bearing in his hand a green branch as a sign of peace. When Bodica was told that an ambassador from the Romans wished to speak to her, she replied proudly, My sword alone shall speak to the Romans. And when the Roman leader asked for peace, she answered, You shall have peace, peace, but no submission. A British heart will choose death rather than lose liberty. There can be peace only if you promise to leave the country. Of course the Romans would not promise to go away from Britain, so the war continued and for a time the Britons triumphed. But their triumph did not last long. The Roman soldiers were better armed and better drilled than the British. There came a dark day when the Britons were utterly defeated and many thousands were slain. When Bodica saw that all hope was gone she called her daughters to her. My children, she said sadly, as she took them by the hand and drew them towards her. My children, it has not pleased the gods of battle to deliver us from the power of the Romans, but there is yet one way of escape. Tears were in her blue eyes as she kissed her daughters. She was no longer a queen of fury but a loving mother. Then taking a golden cup in her hands, drink, she said gently. The eldest daughter obeyed proudly and gladly, but the younger one was afraid. Must I, mother? she asked timidly. Yes, dear one, said Bodica gently. I too will drink and we shall meet again. When the Roman soldiers burst in upon them they found the great queen dead with her daughters in her arms. She had poisoned both herself and them, rather than that they should fall again into the hands of the Romans. End of Chapter 5 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 18th, 2006, in Oceanside, California. Our Island Story Chapter 6 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 6 The Last of the Romans Caracticus was dead, Bodica was dead, many other brave British leaders were dead, but the Britons still continued to give the Romans a great deal of trouble. At last Vespasian, who was then emperor of the Romans, sent a general called Julius Agricola to see if he could subdue the people and govern the island of Britain. Julius Agricola was a very clever soldier and a wise man. When he had gained one or two victories over the Britons, he tried what kindness would do. This was something the Romans had never done before. Julius Agricola tried to understand the people. He was just and fair. He not only took away many of the heavy taxes which the Romans had made the British pay, but he built schools and had the people taught to read and write. For up to this time the Britons had had no teachers and no schools. None of them could read or write and perhaps there was not a single book in the whole island. Of course, books in those days were quite different from what they are now. There was no paper and printing was unknown, so when people wanted to make a book they wrote upon strips of parchment which was made from the skins of animals. These strips were then rolled up and looked very much like the maps we hang upon the wall, only they were smaller. Besides building schools, Agricola built public halls and courts where the people might come and ask for justice whenever they had been wronged. The Britons what? Obedience, law and order meant and in every way tried to make them live good lives. Soon the Britons began to understand that the Romans could give them some things which were worth having, so there was much more peace in the land. Julius Agricola also built a line of forts across the island from the fourth to the Clyde. He did this to keep back the wild Picts and Scots or people of the north. For as they could not be brought under Roman rule nor tamed in any way, they were taken into their own country. Later on an Emperor called Antonin built a great wall along the line of Agricola's forts for the same purpose. But while Julius Agricola was doing all this good work in Britain, the Emperor who had sent him died and another ruled instead. This Emperor was jealous of Agricola because he managed the people of Britain so well. He was so jealous that he told Agricola to come back to Rome and sent another man to govern Britain instead of him. But once he did his work well he ought rather to have been glad. The people of Britain soon showed him how foolish he had been for they once more rebelled against Roman rule. Later on another great Emperor who was called Hadrian Reign and he himself came to Britain. He found the wild people of the north very troublesome so he built a wall across Britain from the Tyne to the Solway. He did not try to drive these wild people so far north as Agricola had done. The wall which Hadrian built is still to be seen to this day so you can imagine what a very strong wall it was and what a fierce people they were who lived beyond it. Hadrian was as wise as Agricola had been. He thought the Britons many things which were good and useful to know but very soon after he left the island the people rebelled again. And so it went on until at last nearly five hundred years after the first coming of Julius Caesar the Romans gave up and left Britain altogether. That was about the year 410 AD. The wonder is that they had stayed so long for the Britons had certainly given them a great deal of trouble. But after all although the Britons always fought against the Romans they had learned many things from them. Before the Romans came the Britons had been very ignorant and wild. In many parts of the country they wore no clothes at all. Instead they stained their bodies blue with a dye called woad. Their houses were only little round huts with a hole in the middle of the roof which let some light in and the smoke of the fire out. There were no schools and little boys and girls were taught nothing except how to fish and hunt and how to fight and kill people in battle. There were hardly any roads and there were no churches. The ancient Britons were heathen. They worshipped the oak tree and the mistletoe. The British priests were called Druids. It is said that they received their name from Druis who was a very wise king of Albion in far off times. The Druids were the wisest people in the land and if anyone was in doubt or difficulty he would go to them for advice. They were very solemn and grand old men with long white beards and beautiful robes. There were no churches as I said but the people worshipped in dark hollows in the woods and in open spaces surrounded by great oak trees. Some of the teaching of the Druids was very beautiful but some of it was very dreadful and they even killed human beings in their sacrifices. But the Romans taught the Britons many things. They taught them how to build better houses how to read and write and much more that was good and useful and presently priests came from Rome bringing tidings of a new and beautiful religion. They came to tell the people of Britain how the Son of God came to earth to teach men not to hate and kill each other but to love each other and above all to love their enemies. It is difficult to understand what a wonderful story this must have seemed to the wild island people for they were a people who were born and who lived and died among wars and hatred. Yet many of them believed and followed this new religion. Gradually the Druids disappeared and the priests of Christ took their place. Although the religion of Christ came from Rome the Romans themselves were nearly all pagans and one of the last Roman emperors who tried to rule Britain hated the Christians very much. He forbade the worship of God and Christ and killed and tortured those who disobeyed his orders. But the people who had once become Christian would not again become heathen. They chose rather to die. And therefore his religion is called a martyr. In the next chapter is the story of the first Christian martyr in Britain. End of Chapter 6 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 18, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 7 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 7 The Story of St. Albin The first Christian martyr in Britain was called Albin. He lived in the town called Verulamium. He was a Briton, but he was one of those who had learned many things from the Romans. When he was a boy he had even traveled to Rome and had seen the beautiful city from which these conquerors took their name. And all that he had seen and learned had helped him to grow up a noble, generous man. Albin had a great deal of money and with it he used to help the poor people who lived around him. Everyone loved and trusted him. Even the Christians loved and trusted him although he was a heathen. If anyone was in trouble he would go for help to Albin, the great, rich, kind man. When the wicked Roman emperor sent men to kill the Christians in Britain a holy man called Amphibales who also lived in Verulamium fled to the house of Albin for shelter. My lord, said this old man, the soldiers of the emperor seek me to take my life hide me and God will reward you. What evil have you done? asked Albin. I have done no evil, replied Amphibales. I am a Christian, that is all. Then fear nothing, said Albin kindly. I have heard much of the Christians but nothing that is bad. Then Albin took Amphibales into his house and hid him. He seemed quite safe there as the soldiers did not think of looking for him and who was a heathen. Albin talked every day with Amphibales who told him all the story of Christ. It seemed to Albin very beautiful and wonderful that anyone should die to save others. He felt that this religion of love and gentleness was much better than the fierce teaching of the Druids. For some days Amphibales lived in peace but one day, while he sat talking with Albin, a frightened servant came to say that soldiers were at the gate. They had found out where Amphibales was hiding. "'Son,' said the old man trembling, "'I must say farewell, for I am about to die.' "'No,' replied Albin, "'I will save you yet. Give me your robe.' Then hastily taking off his own beautiful robe, he threw it over the old man's shoulders and thrust a purse of gold into his hand. "'Go,' he said, "'go quickly. My servant will take you by secret ways. I will keep the soldiers from pursuing you. But bless me, father, before you go.' Albin knelt and Amphibales gently laid his hand upon the bowed head. "'May God the Father reward you, and may the Holy Spirit lead you in the true way of Christ. Farewell, my son.' Then he made the sign of the cross over him and was gone. Albin wrapped himself in the robe which Amphibales had taken off and, drawing the hood over his head, waited. The soldiers, having at last forced away into the house, rushed in upon him. Seeing a man in the robe of a priest, they seized and bound him, never doubting that it was Amphibales the Christian. Albin was then led before the Roman governor. There his hands were unbound, and there he threw off his long robe. Great was the astonishment of the soldiers when they discovered that their prisoner was not the Christian priest for whom they had been seeking, but the heathen Lord Albin. The governor happened to be offering up sacrifices to idols when Albin was led before him. He was very angry with the soldiers for allowing Amphibales to escape and still more angry with Albin for helping him to do so. Albin asked the rebellious people in your house. He asked, You must tell me where this Christian is hiding and offer sacrifices to the gods to show that you are sorry for what you have done. I can do neither of these things, replied Albin. Who are you that you dare to defy me? demanded the governor. What does it matter to you who I am? replied Albin. I asked for your name! repeated the governor in furious anger. Tell it to me at once. Then, Albin, if you would have the gods forgive you, you must offer sacrifices to them and repent of your wicked words and deeds. I cannot, replied Albin. I no longer believe in these old gods. They teach men to be cruel and wicked. I shall never sacrifice to them again. Amphibales is a good and gentle old man. He has never hurt nor wronged anyone. Yet these gods tell you to torture and kill him. I will not believe in them any more. I would rather believe in the god of Amphibales who teaches people to love one another. Then the governor cried out, this man is too wicked to live. Take him and put him to death. The soldiers led Albin away and it soon became known all over the town that Albin, who was good and kind and loved by everyone, was to be put to death. So a great crowd followed him as he was led across the river and up the grassy slope to the top of a hill. Indeed, so many people followed that no one was left in the town except the wicked governor. Perhaps, when he was alone he felt sorry for what he had done but it was too late. Albin had gone to death and there was not one person remaining in the town whom the governor could send after him to bring him back. With tears and sobs the people followed and pressed round Albin. Everyone was eager to show his love for him and to say alas, goodbye. When they came to the little bridge over the river the crowd was so great that it was impossible for Albin to pass. So the soldiers, impatient and angry a wonderful thing happened. The water of the river dried up and Albin passed over on dry land. On they went up the hillside. It was a beautiful green grassy slope where the children used to play in the summer sunshine. Sweet-scented wildflowers made it gay with their bright colors. Pretty butterflies fluttered about and the air was full of the hum of bees and the song of birds. On the top of the hill Albin knelt down feeling tired and thirsty. Just at that moment there seemed to spring from the ground a clear stream of water which no one had noticed before. Albin bent down, drank from it and felt refreshed. A tall soldier had been walking beside Albin carrying a great sword with which to cut off his head but when he saw how gentle and good Albin was and how the people loved him he began to feel sorry for what he had to do. As Albin knelt upon the grass the soldier threw down his sword crying out this is a holy man, I cannot kill him. The captain of the soldiers was very angry at this take up your sword, he said, and do your duty. I cannot, replied the man, I would rather die. Then you shall die, replied the captain and drawing his own sword with one blow he cut off Albin's head and with a second the head of the soldier. At the same moment we are told the captain lost his sight and remained blind for the rest of his life. This is the story of how the first martyr in Britain died. He was brave and wise and kind and like Christ he gave his life for others. After his death Albin was called St. Albin and the name of the town in which he had lived was changed from Verilamium to St. Albin's. The sorrowing people built a church on the spot where he died and when it became so old that it fell into ruins a still more beautiful one was built. That church remains to this day and people still worship God on the very spot where the first Christian martyr in Britain died. Although we need not believe the wonderful stories of what happened at St. Albin's death it is interesting to know that there is still a spring called Holy Well at St. Albin's and that the hill up which the people followed the saint is still called Holy Well Hill. End of Chapter 7 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kray.org on May 18th, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 8 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schallenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 8 Vortigarne and King Constance During nearly all the time that the Romans remained in Britain, the Britons fought with them and rebelled against them. But strange to say hardly had the Romans gone away then the Britons wanted them to come back. While they remained in Britain the Romans took all the strongest and bravest of the Britons for soldiers. They made them go into the Roman army and taught them how to fight like the Romans. When they left Britain they took away all these British soldiers as well as their own. So the poor country was left with very few men who were able to fight. There were no great generals either, like Cassavallownas, Carapticus, or Bodica to lead them. And in those days when people were almost always fighting and quarreling it was very necessary not only to have brave soldiers but wise generals. You will remember that the Romans built two walls across Britain in order to keep back the wild people who lived in the north, that is, in the part of the island which we now call Scotland. As long as the Romans remained in Britain they rebuilt and repaired these walls whenever it was necessary. Soldiers too lived in the forts which were placed at short distances along the walls. These soldiers kept watch so that the Picts and Scots had not much chance of getting into the south part of the island. But when the Romans went away there was no one to guard and repair these walls. The Picts and Scots soon found this out. They broke down the walls and overran the whole south country reaching even as far as London. Fierce and brave as the Britons were there were no match for the Picts and Scots. Besides they had very few soldiers left and no great leader so in despair they sent a letter to the Roman emperor asking for help. This letter was so sad that it was called the groans of the Britons. Come and help us, it said, for the barbarians drive us into the sea and the sea drives us back again to the barbarians. So those of us who are not killed in battle are drowned and soon there will be none of us left at all. The Romans, you remember, called the Britons barbarians and now the Britons in their turn called the Picts and Scots barbarians. But by this time the Romans had as much as they could do to fight their own battles. They could spare no soldiers to send to Britain so the Britons had to help themselves as best they could. It was a very sad and miserable time for Britain. Till at last a wise king called Constantine began to reign and he succeeded in driving the Picts and Scots back into their own country. But one day a wicked Pict killed this wise king and things became as bad as ever, if not worse. For the people, besides fighting with their enemies, began to quarrel among themselves as to who should be king next. King Constantine had three sons. The eldest, Constance, was a monk. He was a man who takes a vow that he will not marry and have a home of his own. He lives in a big house with other monks and spends his time in praying, in reading good books, and in helping people who are poor or ill. Constantine's eldest son was a man like this. His two younger sons, who were called Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon, were little boys. Now some people said we cannot have a monk for our king. Others said we cannot have little boys. He was a prince called Vortigarn. He was very wise, but not very good. He now went to Constance and said to him your father is dead, your brothers are only little boys, you ought to be king. Be a monk no longer, but trust yourself to me and I will make you king. Only you must promise to take me for your chief advisor. It is considered a very wicked thing for a man to break his vows and cease to be a monk after he has promised to be one for all his life. But perhaps Constance was rather tired of that way of living for he promised to do everything that Vortigarn asked. Vortigarn took Constance away from the monastery as the house in which monks live is called. They went to London together and Vortigarn marched into the king's palace, took the crown, and put it on Constance's head. Then he told the people that Constance was their new king. The people were not very pleased at having a king chosen for them in this way, but as Vortigarn was such a powerful prince they were afraid to fight with him, so they let Constance be king. Vortigarn really wanted to get the whole of the power for himself. He knew that Constance, having lived all his life in a monastery, could not know much about ruling people. So although Constance was called king it was really Vortigarn who ruled. First Vortigarn took charge of the king's money. Next he got all the strong castles into his hands and filled them with his own soldiers. Then he said to the king, I hear that the Picts and Scots are coming to fight against us again. We ought to have more soldiers. I leave everything to you. Get more soldiers if you think we need them. Then Vortigarn said, I think the Picts would be the very best soldiers to get. They will come and fight for us if we pay them well. In those days people did not always fight for their own country. There were many soldiers who would fight for any country and any cause if only they were paid well. So Vortigarn sent to Scotland for a hundred Picts. When they came he treated them very kindly. He gave them more money and better food and clothes than any of the other soldiers. The Picts thought Vortigarn was a very kind master. They soon saw that he really had all the power and that Constance was only a pretence king. Now Vortigarn wanted these Picts to murder Constance, but he was too cunning to tell them this plainly. So one day he appeared with a sad face and told the Picts that Constance gave him so little money that he could not afford to live in Britain any more and must go somewhere else. This made the Picts very angry with Constance. They were so afraid of losing their kind master that they resolved to kill Constance and make Vortigarn king. That night while Constance was asleep they rushed into his room, cut off his head and carried it to Vortigarn. Vortigarn was really delighted that his plan had succeeded so well, but he pretended to be very sad at the death of Constance and very angry with those who had killed him. He ordered all the Picts to be put into prison and then had their heads cut off. He did this because he was afraid they might say afterwards that he had told them to murder Constance. When the two little boys, Aurelia Sambrosius and Uther Pendragon, heard what had happened to their brother, King Constance, they were afraid that Vortigarn might kill them too. For although Vortigarn tried hard to make believe that he had had nothing to do with the murder of Constance, the people felt quite sure that he was really to blame for it. So Aurelia Sambrosius and Uther Pendragon fled away to that part of France called Brittany, where they remained in safety for many years. End of Chapter 8 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 18th, 2006 in Oceanside, California. Our Island Story Chapter 9 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 9 The Story of the Coming of Hengist and Horsa Vortigarn now became king for he was so powerful that none of the other princes dared to oppose him. But the Picts and Scots were very angry when they heard how their friends had been treated. They resolved to avenge them and at once made war on the Britons. They defeated Vortigarn in many battles and killed more than half of his soldiers. The Britons were in despair. Then Vortigarn called all the nobles and princes together in council to discuss what was best to do. At this time there were really no very clever men among the nobles of Britain. They were all in great fear of the Picts and they had no good council to offer. Vortigarn therefore was able to do very much as he liked. We must have help, he said. If we are not to be thoroughly conquered by these wild barbarians from the north, the Romans will not help us. We must ask someone else. Across the sea, called the North Sea, there is a great country called Germany. The people who live in this country are Saxons. They are very brave and valiant fighters. Let us send over to Germany and ask the Saxons to come and help us. Then all the nobles and princes said to the place, let it be done. So Vortigarn sent messengers to Germany with promises of money and land to the Saxons if they would come to fight against the Picts and Scots. The Saxons were very glad to come and soon there appeared sailing over the sea three ships filled with some of their strongest and bravest men. Their captains were two brothers called Hengist and Horsa. Both these names in the old Saxon language mean horse. They were so called because they were strong and brave. The Saxons landed in Britain in 449 A.D. and little did the Britons think that they had come not only to help but to conquer them. As soon as the strangers landed, Vortigarn led them northward to fight the Picts and Scots. There was a terrible battle. Both sides fought with the fiercest bravery and on both sides many soldiers were killed. But in the end the Saxons had the best of it and the Picts and Scots were driven back to their own country. The Britons were greatly delighted and rewarded the Saxons with money and lands. Hengist and Horsa, seeing what a fine country Britain was, resolved never to go away again. They resolved rather to stay and conquer it for themselves. So they first told Vortigarn that Aurelia Sanbrosius and Uther Pendragon, the brothers of the Dead King Constance, were coming to fight against him and then they advised him to send over to Germany for more soldiers. Vortigarn was very much afraid of the Dead King's brothers so he said, send messengers to Germany and ask whom you like to come. I can refuse you nothing since you have freed us of your thoughts. Then Hengist said, you have indeed given us lands and houses but as we have helped you so much I think you should give me a castle and make me a prince. I cannot do that, replied Vortigarn. Only Britons are allowed to be princes in this land. You are strangers and you are heathen. My people would be very angry if I made anyone but a Christian a prince. At that Hengist made a low bow pretending to be very humble. Give your servant then just so much land as can be surrounded by a leather thong, he said. Vortigarn thought there could be no harm in doing that so he said, yes, you may have so much but he did not know what a cunning fellow Hengist was. As soon as Vortigarn had given his consent Hengist and Horsa killed the largest bullock they could find. Then they took its skin and cut it round and round into one long narrow strip of leather. This they stretched out and laid upon the ground in a large circle enclosing a piece of land big enough upon which to build a fortress. If you do not quite understand how Hengist and Horsa managed to cut the skin of a bullock into one long strip, get a piece of paper and a pair of scissors. Begin at the edge and cut the paper round and round in circles till you come to the middle. You will find that you have a string of paper quite long enough to surround a brick castle. If you are not allowed to use scissors ask some kind person to do it for you. Vortigarn was very angry when he learned how he had been cheated by Hengist and Horsa but he was beginning to be rather afraid of them so he said nothing but allowed them to build their fortress. It was called Thong Castle and stood not far from Lincoln at a place now called Keister. While this fortress was being built messengers were sent to Germany for more men. They returned with eighteen ships full of the bravest soldiers they could find. In one of the ships, too, was a very beautiful lady. This was Rowena, Hengist's daughter. Soon after these soldiers and this beautiful lady arrived the castle was finished. Then Hengist gave a great feast and asked Vortigarn to it. Rowena went to the castle very much although he was still rather angry with Hengist for having cheated him about the land. Towards the end of the feast Rowena came into the room carrying a beautiful golden cup in her hands. Vortigarn stared at her in surprise. He had never seen anyone so pretty before. He thought that she must be a fairy. She was so lovely. Rowena went up to Vortigarn and kneeling before him held out the cup speaking in the Saxon language. Vortigarn did not understand. She calls you Lord King and offers to drink your health. You must say, drink Hyal, he answered. Vortigarn said, drink Hyal, although he did not know what it meant. Rowena then drank some of the wine and handed the cup to Vortigarn who drank the rest. Then Vortigarn made Rowena sit beside him. They could not talk to each other because he could only speak British and she could only speak Saxon. But they looked at each other all the more. Vortigarn loved Rowena. He loved her so much that he wanted to marry her. He knew that Hengist had hoped would happen. He knew he would have a great deal of power in Britain when his daughter was Queen. But at first he pretended to object and only consented at last as if it were a great favour. He made Vortigarn give him the whole of Kent, too, in return for allowing him to marry Rowena. When the people heard that the King had married a Saxon lady, they were very angry. Vortigarn had been married before and his sons, who were now men, were very angry too. But the Prince of Kent was most angry of all when he heard that his land had been given to the Saxons. Hengist, seeing how angry the Britons were, thought it would be safer to have more of his own people around him. So he sent over to Germany for men and almost every day more and more Saxons landed in Britain. And Vortigarn loved Rowena so much that he allowed her father, Hengist, to do anything he liked. But the Britons did not mean to let their country be conquered a second time, so they rebelled against Vortigarn and chose his son, Vortimer, to be King. Vortimer was young and brave and loved his country. Under his leadership the Britons fought so well that they soon drove the Saxons away. Horsa was killed in one of the battles and soon afterwards Hengist and most of his soldiers took their ships and fled back to Germany. They left their wives and children behind them, however, which looked very much as if they expected to come back again some day. End of Chapter 9 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 18th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story, Chapter 10 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 10 Hengist, Treachery The Britons were very glad to see the last of these heathen Saxons and Vortimer began to restore order and rebuild the towns and churches, which Hengist and Horsa and their men had destroyed. Vortimer was a very good king and his people loved him and obeyed him, but there was one person in the land who hated him. That person was his stepmother, Rowena. She hated him because he had driven her father, Hengist, and all her countrymen away. Rowena tried in many ways to kill Vortimer, but she could not succeed. His people loved him so much that they guarded him well. At last, however, she found a wicked man who, because she promised him a great sum of money, agreed to poison Vortimer. So one day the people were told the sad news that their good king was dead. After this, we do not hear very much more of Rowena, nor do we know if she was ever punished for her wickedness. As soon as Vortigarn heard that his son was dead, he came from the castle in Wales, where he had been hiding, and made himself king again. Then Rowena sent messengers to her father, and he gathered all his ships and men together and came sailing over the sea to Britain once more. When the Britons heard that Hengist was coming, they were very angry and prepared to fight. Vortigarn was frightened, too. He sent a message to Hengist, telling him that he must go away again. The Britons are ready for battle, he said, and you and your men will all be killed if you try to land. But Hengist was as cunning as ever. He sent back a message to Vortigarn, saying that he did not know that Vortimer was dead. I came to fight for you, to help you to regain your throne, he said. But now that you are king again, there is no need to fight. Let us be friends. Let us all, Britons and Saxons, meet together at a great feast. Let us forget our quarrels and make peace. Then I will go home again with my soldiers. Vortigarn told the British nobles that Hengist wanted to make friends. The Britons really did not wish to fight any more, so they readily agreed to meet Hengist in a friendly way on the plain of Salisbury and feast together. A day was fixed. It was in May. The grass was green and the sky blue and the birds sang on this bright spring day. From all sides came the British nobles in their gayest holiday clothes, wearing no armour and carrying no weapons. The Saxons, too, came godly clad and seemingly unarmed. There was laughter and talk and friendly greeting, and the feast began. Suddenly over the noise of the feasting the voice of Hengist sounded loud, Draw your daggers! Then every Saxon drew his dagger, which he had hidden in his stocking, and stabbed the Britons next to him. The Britons fought and struggled bravely, but they had no chance. They had only their bare hands, with which to defend themselves, for they had not dreamed of such treachery. Only two of all the Britons were saved. One was Vortigarn, the king, who ordered his soldiers not to kill him. The other was Eddall, Earl of Gloucester. He found a wooden stake lying on the ground and defended himself so bravely with it that, it is said, he killed seventy of the Saxons and then escaped with his life. After this wicked and cowardly slaughter of unarmed men, Hengist took possession of Britain. His wild, heathen soldiers swarmed all over the land, killing people, burning towns, and making terrible havoc everywhere. The Britons fled in terror to the mountains and forests. Vortigarn himself fled into a lonely part of Wales. There he built a strong castle in which to hide, for he was very much afraid. He was afraid of Hengist and the Saxons, and he was afraid of the Britons. He was also afraid of Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon, the two brothers of King Constance. For by this time they were no longer little boys, but had grown up into brave men. Vortigarn had need to be afraid of Aurelius and Uther for, hearing how Hengist had taken possession of Britain, they thought it was now time to fight for their country. So they gathered ships and soldiers together and came sailing over from France to Britain. When the Britons heard that Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother had landed, they took heart again. They came out from the places in which they had been hiding from the Saxons. Joyfully they offered themselves to fight under the banner of the brothers. As soon as Aurelius and Uther had collected their army, they marched straight to Wales to deceive Vortigarn in his castle. They had not forgotten that he had murdered their brother, Constance, and they meant to punish him. But the castle was very, very strong. Try how they might. The Britons could not take it. Vortigarn sat behind the thick walls and laughed at all their efforts. At last the Britons fell upon a plan. They cut down trees and gathered dry sticks and leaves from the forests round about. These they piled high round the castle. Day by day Vortigarn watched the pile of wood rising and wondered what was going to happen. When the Britons had gathered enough wood, they set fire to it in several places at once. So one morning Vortigarn awoke to hear the crackle, crackle of newly lit fires. He looked out and saw smoke and flames all around him. Wherever he looked he saw little tongues of fire. Soon the little tongues grew longer and longer. Higher and higher leapt the flames. Fiercer and fiercer grew the heat. Vortigarn's laughter was turned to wild shrieks. In vain he prayed the Britons to have mercy on him and let him escape. Had you any mercy on our brother, Constance? said Ambrosius and Uther. Had you any mercy on our fathers and brothers when you let Hengis slay them on Salisbury plain? asked the Britons. You had no mercy. You shall find none. The roar of the fire drowned all else. The flames leaped higher. With a crush the roof of the strong castle fell in. Vortigarn, the betrayer of his people, was dead. End of Chapter 10 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 18th, 2006 in Oceanside, California. Our Island Story Chapter 11 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Kara Schellenberg. Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 11 The story of how the giant's dance was brought to Britain. Vortigarn was dead but the Saxons whom he had brought to Britain were still rulers of the land. So after burning the castle of Vortigarn Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon marched against the Saxons. They defeated them in a great battle and Hengis was taken prisoner. Aurelius called all the British nobles together in council to decide what should be done with Hengis. Aurelius was a very brave man but he was not cruel. He was noble and above all things he hated a lie. Hengis was brave too but he was cruel, revengeful and deceitful. Aurelius would have spared Hengis's life because he was such a brave man but Eddall, Earl of Gloucester, that noble who fought so well when the Britons were destroyed on Salisbury Plain, stood up. He has brought much sorrow on our land. Through his fault nearly all our nobles were killed on Salisbury Plain. Let him die. Then all the people shouted Let him die. So Aurelius bowed his head and said It is just, let him die. Eddall then led Hengis away and cut off his head. But although their leader was gone many Saxons still remained in Britain and afterwards you will hear how powerful they became. Aurelius was now chosen to be king of Britain and like Vortimer he began to restore order and rebuild the churches and towns which the heathen Saxons had a second time destroyed. The land which the Saxons had stolen he gave back to those of the Britons to whom it really belonged. He revised the laws and once more peace and justice reigned in the kingdom. When Aurelius had put everything in good order he went to Salisbury Plain to see the place where so many of his people had been put to death by Hengis and his wicked Saxons. As he stood upon the great Plain turning to his nobles who surrounded him he said, My people died trying to make peace for their country yet there is no stone to mark the spot I will have a noble monument raised so that the wickedness of Hengis and the bravery of my people may be remembered forever. Then Aurelius sent for all the best builders and masons in the country and told them to make a splendid monument but one after another they refused We are not clever enough to do such a great thing they said. This made Aurelius sorry for he wished that people should not forget these British heroes. Then a wise man came to him and said, Send for Merlin if anyone can build a great monument he can. Who is Merlin? asked Aurelius. Merlin is a great magician, replied the wise man. He used to live with Vortigaern and do wonderful things for him. Since Vortigaern's death he has been hiding somewhere in Wales. If you can find him he will build the monument for you. A magician is a person who can do difficult things quite easily. His real home is in Fairyland and he understands fairy language. The fairies come and whisper their wonderful secrets to him although no one else can see or hear them. Aurelius was very glad to hear about Merlin. He sent messengers into all the land to look for him. They searched about for a long time until at last they found Merlin and brought him to the king. As soon as Merlin knew what Aurelius wanted he said, If you really wish to honour the burying place of these men with a monument which will last forever, send to Ireland for the giants dance. Ask Aurelius. The giants dance is a great ring of stones, replied Merlin. They are so wonderful and so old that no one is sure how they came there. But it is said that long, long ago giants brought these stones from a far-off country called Africa. When Aurelius heard that he burst out laughing. How is it possible, he asked, to remove such big stones from a far-off country? Have we not enough stones in Britain with which to build a monument? And he laughed again. Merlin gravely. They are wonderful stones. Every one of them will cure some kind of illness. They are fairy stones. When the Britons heard that they made up their minds to have these stones and Uther Pendragon was chosen to go with Merlin to bring them. So taking a great army of men and many ships they set sail for Ireland. When they arrived in Ireland they sent a message to the king asking him to let them take the giants dance away. It was now the king of Ireland's turn to laugh. What mad people these Britons are, ever such folly heard of, have they not enough stones in their own country that they must come to take mine? I shall certainly not give them one single stone of the giants dance, tell them to go home again and not to be so foolish. But the Britons had quite made up their minds to have the giants dance. As the king of Ireland would not give it to them they resolved to fight for it. This they did and soon put the Irish to flight. Then Merlin led the Britons to the place where the giants dance stood. Once they saw it they were filled with joy and wonder and set to work at once to move the stones. But to try how they might they could not move even the smallest of them one single inch. They pulled and pushed, struggled and strained till they were hot and tired but the stones stood as firm as rocks. Merlin sat by watching them and smiling. Then when they were all worn out and cross and tired he rose. Now let me try, he said, it is really quite easy. And in a very short time with all the magic he had moved all the stones and put them on board the ships. The people looked on in amazement and as soon as he had finished they set sail for Britain with great rejoicing. When they landed messengers were sent to tell King Aurelius Ambrosius. He gathered all the nobles and clergy and wearing his crown and royal robes rode to Salisbury Plain. There with great feasting and ceremony the stones were set up as a memorial to the dead British heroes. They were placed in exactly the same order as they were found in Ireland. They came from Giants Dance to Stonehenge and the great monument may be seen on Salisbury Plain to this day. Most people say this is a fairy tale and ought not to be put in a history book. They say that the stones on Stonehenge were there long before Merlin lived long before Hengist and his Saxons or Caesar and his Romans even long before Brutus of Troy came. They say that probably no one will ever find out how these stones came to be there or why they were placed as they are. I dare say they are right and this fairy tale, if it is one, is to be found in some of the first histories of Britain that were ever written. So certainly at one time people must have believed it to be true. Unfortunately soon after this a wicked Saxon poisoned the good king Aurelius Ambrosius. The Britons were very sad at his loss and they buried him within the Giants Dance for so many other noble Britons lay. Then because Aurelius had no children the people chose his brother Uther Pendragon to be king. He too was good and wise but he had to spend most of his time fighting against the Saxons. After the death of Hengist very many Saxons had remained in Britain and now many more came again in ships from Germany. Fierce and terrible battles were fought and although the Saxons were often defeated the Britons could not succeed in driving them away altogether. But the name of Uther Pendragon became a terror to these heathen. It is said that when he was so old and feeble that he could not stand he was carried to battle in a litter and so great was the power and fame of his courage Ah! he said laughing these heathen call me the half-dead king and so indeed I am yet victory to me half-dead is better than to be safe and sound and vanquished for to die with honour is better than to live with disgrace. But alas! Uther Pendragon like so many of the good kings before him was also poisoned by the wicked Saxons. So he died and the people buried him close to his brother Aurelius Ambrosius within the Giants Dance End of Chapter 11 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 18th, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 12 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall The Coming of Arthur As soon as Uther Pendragon was dead the mighty nobles of Britain began to quarrel among themselves as to who should be king next. Each noble thought he had the best right so the quarrelling was dreadful. While they were all gathered together fighting and shouting at each other Merlin came among them leading a tall, fair-haired boy by the hand. When the nobles saw Merlin they stopped fighting and were silent. They knew how clever he was and what wonderful things he could do and were rather afraid of him. Merlin stood quietly looking at them all from under his bushy eyebrows. He was a very old man but he was tall and strong and splendid with a long white beard and fierce glittering eyes. It was no wonder that the Britons felt afraid of him. Lords of Britain said Merlin at last. Why fight ye thus? It were more meat that ye prepared to do honour to your king. Uther Pendragon is indeed dead but Arthur, his son, reigns in his stead. Uther, where is he? asked the nobles angrily. Uther Pendragon had no son. Hear me, said Merlin. Uther Pendragon had a son. It was told to me that he should be the greatest king who should ever reign in Britain. So when he was born, lest any harm should befall him, he was given into my care till the time should come for him to reign. He has dwelt in a land of Avalon where the wise fairies have kept him from evil and whispered wisdom in his ear. Merlin lifted Arthur up and placed him upon his shoulders so that all the people could see him. There was something so noble and splendid about Arthur, even although he was only a boy, that the great lords felt odd. Yet they would not believe that he was the son of Uther Pendragon. Who is this Arthur? they said again. We do not believe what you say. Uther Pendragon had no son. Then Merlin's bright eyes seemed to flash fire. You dare to doubt the word of Merlin? he shouted. Oh, vain and foolish Britons, follow me. Taking Arthur with him, Merlin turned and strode out of the hall and all the nobles followed him. As they passed through the streets the people of the town and the women and children followed too. On they went, the crowd growing bigger and bigger till they reached the great door of the cathedral. There Merlin stopped and the knights and nobles gathered around him, those behind pushing and pressing forward eager to see what was happening. There was indeed something wonderful to be seen. In front of the doorway was a large stone which had not been there before. Standing upright in the stone was a sword, the hilt of which glittered with gems. Beneath it was written, whoso can draw me from this stone is the rightful king of Britain. One after another the nobles tried to remove the sword. They pulled and tugged till their muscles cracked. They strained and struggled till they were hot and breathless, for each one was anxious to be king. But it was all in vain. The sword remained firm and fast in the rock. Then last of all Arthur tried. He took the sword by the hilt and drew it from the stone quite easily. A cry of wonder went through the crowd and the nobles fell back in astonishment leaving a clear space round the king. Then as he stood there holding the magic sword in his hand, the British nobles one after another knelt to Arthur, acknowledging him to be their lord. Be thou the king and we will work thy will. We love thee. Then the king in low, deep tones and simple words of great authority bound them by so straight vows to his own self that when they rose, knighted from kneeling, some were pale as at the passing of a ghost, some flushed and others dazed as one who wakes half-blinded at the coming of a light. Arthur was only fifteen when he was made king, but he was the bravest, wisest, and best king that had ever ruled in Britain. As soon as he was crowned, he determined to free his kingdom from the Saxons. He swore a solemn oath that he would drive the heathen out of the land. His knights he bound by the same solemn oath. Then taking the sword which he had won and which was called Excalibur and his mighty spear called Ron, he rode forth at the head of his army. Twelve great battles did Arthur fight and win against the Saxons. Always in the foremost of the battle he was to be seen in his armor of gold and blue, the figure of the virgin upon his shield, a golden dragon and crown upon his helmet. He was so brave that no one could stand against him, yet so careless of danger that many times he would have been killed, had it not been for the magic might of his sword Excalibur and of his spear Ron. And at last the Saxons were driven from the land. End of Chapter 12 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 19th, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 13 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 13 The Founding of the Round Table It is said that Arthur not only drove the Saxons out of Britain but that he conquered many parts of Europe until at last he ruled over 30 kingdoms. Then for some years there was peace. During these years Arthur did much for his people. He taught them to love truth and goodness and to be Christian and gentle. No king had ever been loved as Arthur was loved. Liberal to each man, I wean Knight with the best, wondrous keen to the young he was as father to the old as comforter. Wondrous stern to the unwise. Wrong could he suffer no wise. Right, dear exceeding was to him. Now was Arthur right good king. His folk and all peoples loved him. In those fierce and far off days when men spent most of their time fighting it was very necessary for them to be brave and strong in order to protect their dear ones but they were very often cruel as well and nearly always fierce. Arthur taught people that it was possible to be brave yet kind, strong yet gentle. Afterwards people forgot this again but in the days of Arthur the fame of his court and of his gentle knights spread far and wide. No noble thought himself perfect unless his armor and clothes even were made like those of Arthur's knights. No man thought himself worthy of love until fighting for the right against the wrong he had three times conquered an enemy. Many pretty stories are told of Arthur and his gentle courteous knights although they did not learn all their gentleness and their courtesy at once as you shall hear. Upon an Easter day Arthur called together all his knights and nobles from his many kingdoms to a great feast. They came from far and near kings, earls, barons and knights gay in splendid clothes glittering with jewels and gold. As they waited for the king they laughed and talked together but secretly each heart was full of proud thoughts. Each man thought himself nobler and grander than any of the others. The tables were spread for the feast they were covered with white silk cloths silver baskets piled with loaves golden bowls and cups full of wine stood ready and as the knights and nobles talked and waited they began to choose where they would sit. In those days master and servants all sat together at the same table for meals. The master and his family sat at the top and the servants and poor people at the bottom of the table. So it came to be considered that the seats near the top were the best. The further down the table anyone sat the less honour was paid him. At his feast no servants nor poor people were going to sit at table yet all the nobles wanted places at the top. We will not sit in the seats of scullions and beggars they said. So they began to push each other aside and to say make way this is my seat. Nay I am more honourable than you you must sit below me. How dare you my name is more noble than yours this is my seat. Give place I say. At first it was only words. Soon it came to blows. They had come to the feast unarmed so they had only their hands with which to fight but as they grew angrier and angrier they seized the bowls of wine and threw them at each other. Next the loaves of bread and the golden silver cups were thrown about the tables and benches were overturned howls and yells filled the hall and everything was in dreadful confusion. When the noise was at its worst the door opened and the king appeared. His face was stern and grand as he looked down on the struggling yelling crowd. Sit ye, sit ye down quickly every man in the place where he is, he cried. Whoso will not he shall be put to death. At the sound of their king's stern voice the foolish nobles were filled with shame. Silently they sat down. The tables and benches were put back in their places and the feast began. But Arthur was sad at heart. Then I teach my people to be gentle and kind if my knights will not even sit at meet in peace, he said to himself. Then as he sat sorrowfully wondering what he could do Merlin came to him. Be not sad, O king, he said, but listen to my advice. Tell your carpenters to make a great round table at which there shall be a place for every night. Then there can be no more quarreling for at a round table there is neither top nor bottom so no knight can say that he sits above or below another. All shall be equal. Then Arthur was sad no longer. He did as Merlin advised and had a great round table made at which there was a seat for each one of his knights. After that there was no more quarreling as to who should have the best place for all were equal and Arthur's knights became known as the Knights of the Round Table. But alas the time of peace did not last. Again came days of war and strife. In a great and terrible battle Arthur and nearly all his knights were killed. Once more the fierce heathens swept over the land filling it with sorrow and bloodshed and the glory and beauty of knighthood were forgotten in Britain. But some people think that Arthur did not die. They say that when he was wounded so that he could fight no more the wise fairies came to take him back to Fairyland. They say that he is still there and that some day he will come again. Other people say the stories about Arthur and his knights are not true but at least we may believe that in those far off fierce fighting days there was a king who taught his people that to be gentle was not cowardly and that to be cruel was not brave. Who reverenced his conscience as his king whose glory was redressing human wrong who spake no slander, no, nor listened to it who loved one only and who clave to her. End of Chapter 13 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg You'll remember that the Romans came to Britain and in a manner conquered it but after staying several hundred years they again went away. When the Romans came to the island the people who lived there were Britons. When the Romans left the island the people who lived there were still Britons. The Romans could not make the Britons Romans however hard they tried. They could not even make them speak Latin which was the language of the Romans. The Britons learned many things from the Romans but in spite of all they learned they never forgot that they were Britons. When the Saxons came to Britain things happened very differently. You remember that first of all Vortigaar and asked the Saxons to come and that afterwards every British king fought against them and tried to drive them away. It seemed sometimes as if the Britons In fact from the day Hengist and Horsa landed Britain had never really been free from these fierce heathen people. As time went on they came in greater and greater numbers from over the sea. They were all Saxons but there were many different tribes of them. Some called Jutes, some Angles and some by other names. The Britons fought nobly for their country but all in vain. However many of the Saxons were killed did not seem to matter for their ships always brought more and more of them from over the sea. At last the Saxons had killed nearly all the Britons and the few who remained took refuge in the mountains, in that part of the country which we now call Wales and in Cornwall. So to this day the men of Cornwall and the Welsh are the descendants of the ancient Britons and the language they speak is very like the language spoken by the ancient Britons. I want you to understand that the kings and people of whom you are now going to read are not British but Saxon, the new people from over the sea who had gradually taken possession of the whole of the south of Britain. While their time was taken up with fighting against the Saxons, the story of their lives is not very interesting. These wild Saxons did not at once settle down quietly into one kingdom. No, they had many leaders and each leader seized a part of Britain for himself and his followers, so there arose seven different kingdoms. And although they were really all one race of people and spoke almost the same language, they were always fighting with each other. This lasted until Egbert, one of the seven kingdoms, succeeded in making the others own him as a kind of overlord. He was an Angle and he changed the name of the country from Britain to Angleland or England. So we may say that he was the first king of England. The Saxons were heathen, as you know, and they pulled down the churches and killed the Christian priests. So all the land became heathen again. Only in the wild mountains of Wales the teaching of Arthur and his Christian knights was remembered. It was brought to Britain and you shall now hear how it happened. In those days slavery was allowed, that is, people used to buy and sell men and women and little boys and girls just as if they were cattle. The merchants who came to trade with Britain used to take away slaves to sell in far off countries. One day a good man called Gregory was walking through the marketplace in Rome. It was market day and the square was crowded with people buying and selling. It was very noisy and gay. All the lives went from stall to stall trying to find what was cheapest and best. Friends met and chatted and through all the noise and bustle Gregory walked with his head bent, deep in thought. Suddenly he stood still. He had been awakened from his dream by the sound of children's voices and now he stopped to watch them as they laughed and played together. These children had fair faces and rosy cheeks. Their eyes were merry and blue and their hair shone like gold in the sunshine. Gregory thought they were the prettiest A very tender look came into Gregory's eyes as he stood and watched them playing. Then he sighed, for he saw by the chains round their necks that they were to be sold as slaves. Poor children, he said, so far from home. He knew they must come from some far off country because all the people in his own land had dark faces and black hair. Where do these children come from? he asked, turning to the man who had charge of them. From the island called Britain, replied the man, but the people are called Angles. Angles, said Gregory, as he gently put his hand on their curly heads. Nay, not Angles, but Angels they should be called. The children could not understand what Gregory said, but they knew from his voice that it was something kind. They ceased their play and stood round him, looking up trustingly into his face with their big blue eyes. Gregory stroked their curly heads and as he bent over them he felt love for the pretty fair-haired children grow in his heart. He asked many questions about them and he heard that they were heathen. He made up his mind to buy them and teach them to be Christians. Gregory took the pretty children home with him. He was very kind to them and taught them how to grow up into good men and women. They loved him, you may be sure, and he loved them so much that he made up his mind to go to Britain to teach all their brothers and sisters there to be Christians too. But the people of his own land were so fond of Gregory that they would not let him go, so although it was a great sorrow to him he was obliged to give up his plan. But Gregory did not forget about it. Some years after this he was made Bishop of Rome and so became a very powerful and important person. And one of the first things he did after he became powerful was to send a good man called Augustine to preach about Christ to the Angles. Augustine took about forty other good men with him and set out for Britain. We are not told if the pretty children, whom Gregory had bought in the Roman marketplace so many years before, were among these men, but I think very likely they were. They would be so glad to go back to their own country to teach their brothers and sisters all the good things they had learned from Gregory. It is a long way from Italy to England, and in those days when there were no trains and travelling was both difficult and dangerous it seemed very long indeed. But after many adventures, Augustine and his men arrived safely on the seashore of France. There they had to wait for a ship to take them across to Britain, or England, as we must now call it. While they waited, Augustine and his men heard such stories about the fierceness of the Angles and the Saxons that they were frightened. They were so frightened that they turned back to Rome. When Gregory heard that they had returned he was very angry. I am ashamed that you should be so cowardly, he said to Augustine. Go back again. If the people of England kill you, you die for others, even as Christ did. So Augustine set out again. This time he reached England. Although the Saxons were fierce and lawless, they treated Augustine and his followers very kindly. Ethelbert, who was king of Kent, one of the seven kingdoms into which England was divided, was the first to listen to them. He was a heathen, but he had married a Christian lady, and so had already heard something of the story of Christ. Soon he and all his people were baptized. Augustine does not seem to have had any difficulty in persuading the Saxons to leave off worshiping idols. One would think that the heathen priests at least would have been very angry and that they would have tried to stop the teaching of this new religion, but they did not. A story is told of a priest whose name was Coyfee. He sat one day among the people listening very attentively to the story of God and Christ. When the preacher had finished speaking there was a great silence. This new religion seemed to the people to be very beautiful, but they were so accustomed to believing that their idols had power to punish them if they neglected them or disobeyed them that they were afraid. Then Coyfee rose. No one, he said, has ever served the old gods more faithfully than I have. I have tried to believe in them all my life, yet they have never done anything to make me better or happier. This new teaching seems to me to be good. Let us destroy our old gods and turn to the teaching of Christ. Then while the astonished people looked on in fear Coyfee took a spear in his hand, mounted upon a horse, and riding at full speed knocked over the great idol which for so many years he had worshiped as God. When the people saw their God fallen and broken they trembled. They felt sure something dreadful would happen to Coyfee for his wickedness, but nothing happened. So taking heart and following the example of Coyfee their temple, which was soon burned to the ground and the idols with it, then all the people were baptized and became Christians. In time Augustine or his followers went through all the seven kingdoms of England. It took a long time, but at last the whole land became Christian. Although of course the people did not learn all at once to live as good Christians ought. End of Chapter 14 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kra.org on May 20th, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story, Chapter 15 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 15 How King Alfred Learned to Read When the Saxons first came to England they came only to fight and kill, but soon they began to love their new home and when two or three hundred years had passed they forgot that they had ever lived in any other country. So instead of fighting against England they began to fight for and love the land as their own. Then English kings arose who tried to make good laws and rule the people well as some of the British kings had done. But just as the Romans had come to conquer Britain and as the Saxons themselves had come so now another people came. These new enemies were the Northmen or Gaines. They came from the countries which we now call Denmark, Norway and Sweden. These Danes as we shall call them were fierce wild men. They loved to sail upon the sea. They loved to fight. They were heathen too just as the Saxons had been when they first came to England. Many and long were the battles which were fought between the English and the Danes, but year by year the Danes grew stronger and the English weaker till it seemed as if the land was going to be conquered once again. But at last a great English king called Alfred began to rule. He beat the Danes in many battles of the country. Alfred was the youngest son of Ethelwulf who was king of Wessex, one of the seven kingdoms into which England was divided. He was also the grandson of Egbert that king who changed the name of Britain to England. Although Ethelwulf was really king only of Wessex he was overlord over all the rulers of the other seven kingdoms of England so you must remember when we speak of the king of England at this time that we do not mean that he was the only king in the land. But Wessex was the chief of the seven kingdoms and the king of Wessex was the chief of the seven kings. In the end the king of Wessex became real king of all England while the other kingdoms disappeared and their kings were forgotten. King Ethelwulf's wife was called Osberga. She was a good and wise woman and a very kind mother to her little children. She was clever too and fond of reading which was rather uncommon in those days when very few people could read or cared about it. In the time of the Romans you remember books were written on strips of parchment and rolled up like maps. Now they were shaped and bound just like our books only as there was no paper and no printing they were still written on parchment and the pictures were all painted by hand. It took a long time to make a book and required a great deal of money to buy one. One day when Alfred, the youngest son of King Ethelwulf, was quite a tiny boy he was playing with his big brothers while Osberga, his mother, sat watching them and reading. The book she read was one of old English songs. Osberga was very fond of these songs and used to say them to her little boys when they were tired of play. It was a pretty book full of pictures and bright letters in gold and blue and red. As Osberga turned the pages Alfred saw the pretty pictures so he left his play and came to lean against his mother's knee to look at them. What a pretty book it is, mother, he said. Do you like it, little one? said Osberga. Yes, mother, I do. replied Alfred. Then all the other boys came crowding around their mother to see the pretty book too. They pressed against her and leaned over her shoulder to see a scene but five curly heads close together. Oh, isn't it lovely, they said, as Osberga slowly turned the pages, explaining the pictures and letting them look at the beautiful colored letters at the beginnings of the songs. When Osberga saw how they all liked the book she was very much pleased. She pushed them all away from her a little and looked round their happy eager faces. You see, in those days even King's sons had no picture books, such as every child has now and it was quite a treat for these princes to be allowed to look at this beautiful one. Do you truly like this book? asked Osberga. Oh, yes, mother, we do. They all answered at once. Then boys, she said, I will give it to the one who first learns to read it. Oh, mother, do you mean it? May I try too? asked Alfred. Yes, I do mean it, and of course you may try, answered Osberga, smiling at him. And perhaps she hoped that he would win the prize for both his father and his mother loved Alfred best of all their children. He was so eager to have the book that he worked hard all day long and one morning while his big brothers were still trying to read the book he came to his mother and read it without making any mistakes. Then Osberga kissed him and gave him the prize as she had promised. All his life afterwards Alfred was fond of books and even when he became king and had many, many other things to do he still found time not only to read but to write them. End of Chapter 15 On May 20th, 2006, in Oceanside, California Our Island Story, Chapter 16 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schallenberg. www.kray.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 16 King Alfred in the Cowherds Cottage When Ethel Wolf, Alfred's father, died each of his sons became king in turn. During these reigns the Danes became more and more troublesome. Nearly all the time was spent in fighting so that the country came to be in a very sad state indeed. When Ethel Red, who was the last of Ethel Wolf's sons except Alfred, came to the throne Alfred had grown to be a man and although he was still very young he helped his brother a great deal. And when Ethel Red died the people chose Alfred to be their king because they had two sons, they were little boys and no one thought of making either of them king. The people knew that a strong and wise man was needed to rule in England and Alfred was both strong and wise. No king has ever had to fight more bravely for his kingdom than Alfred had. When he came to the throne the Danes were growing more and more bold. They did not now only come in their ships to plunder and rob and then sail away again. They came now to live in the land killing the people and then taking their houses for themselves. So all the first years of Alfred's reign were spent in fighting these fierce enemies but Alfred did not only fight bravely he thought too. The Danes were brave and daring sailors just as the English had been before they came to live in England but somehow after the English settled down they seemed to have forgotten about how to build ships and how to sail upon the sea. But Alfred was wise and saw how much better it would be to stop the Danes before they landed at all so he built ships and went in them to fight the Danes on the sea. In the year 875 AD King Alfred and his ships met the Danes and their ships and fought a great battle and won a great victory. That was the first of many, many sea victories which the English have won and ever since the days of Alfred England has had a navy and Britannia has ruled the waves. Ye mariners of England that guard our native seas whose flag had braved a thousand years the battle and the breeze your glorious standard launch again and sweep through the deep while the stormy winds do blow while the battle rages loud and long and the stormy winds do blow Britannia needs no bulwarks no towers along the steep her march is on the mountain waves her home is on the deep with thunders from her native oak she quells the floods below as they roar on the shore when the stormy winds do blow when the battle rages loud and long and the stormy winds do blow. Alfred gained this battle at sea the Danes were not beaten altogether again and again Alfred had to fight but at last he forced the Danes to make peace they swore by a most solemn and dreadful oath that they would go away and never make war against the English again this vow was taken with great ceremony sheep and cattle were killed and offered in sacrifice to the heathen gods for the Danes you remember were heathen a beautiful ring of gold called the holy bracelet was dipped in the blood of the animals this bracelet was then placed upon an altar and laying their hands upon it the Danish chiefs swore to fight no more against the English this was not the first time that the Danes had promised to go away and fight no more but they had always broken their promises now Alfred thought they would be sure to keep their word because of the very solemn vow they had taken but the Danes did not mean to keep this promise any more than the others very soon they came back again as bold as before or bolder once more fierce battles raged till at last weary of fighting and forsaken by nearly all his followers Alfred was forced to hide for a time in the marshes of Somerset this was the saddest part of Alfred's life he was a king yet he had neither crown nor royal robes neither palace nor servants he was so poor that he went to live in the cottage of a cowherd called Denowulf his clothes were so old and worn that the cowherd's wife thought that he was a friend of her husband and so she treated him as if he had been a common man and not a great king one day Denowulf's wife was very busy she had been baking cakes and had still many things to do Alfred meanwhile was sitting by the fire he had been mending his bow and arrows but they had dropped from his hand for thinking deeply about his kingdom and his people and of how he could free them from the Danes he had forgotten all else it seemed to Denowulf's wife that Alfred was a lazy sort of fellow she did not know the great matters he had to think of and she wondered how anyone could sit for hours by the fire doing nothing while she and her husband had to work so hard now she said to herself this lazy fellow can at least look after my cakes while I go to do something else here good man just mind my cakes for me and don't let them burn when they are nice and brown on one side turn them over onto the other side like this and she showed him how to do it alright good wife I will look after your cakes for you replied Alfred sank once more deep in thought as he watched the cakes he looked into the fire soon in the red glow of the burning ashes he saw wonderful things the cakes and the cowherds cottage vanished once again he was leading his army his banner with its golden dragons fluttered in the breeze his spear was in his hand his crown upon his head he heard the shout of his soldiers as they charged the Danes the ranks of the enemy broke they fled to their ships they fled fast behind them came the English they set fire to the Danish ships he smelt the smoke as it rolled upward heard the crackle of the flames the shrieks of the dying the shouts of victory England was saved then suddenly he was awakened out of his dream by a blow to his shoulder and an angry voice in his ear canst he not mind the cakes man and doesn't these see them burn by his bound they'll eat them fast enough as soon as tis I turn alas the cakes and not the Danish ships it was a great king but he had proved a poor cook and the good wife was very angry she scolded him well little thinking that she was scolding her king she was still rating when Denowulf came in hush the e-woman hush the e he said ashamed and frightened hush shall I she cried angrily the lazy loon the idle good for not to sit by the fire and see the cakes burn and never stir a finger hush the e-woman said Denowulf again in despair it is the king the king cried the good wife astonished and the little frightened too well king or no king she added grumblingly after a minute he ought to have minded the cakes Alfred was not angry as Denowulf feared he would be and afterwards when he came to his kingdom again Alfred made the cowherd a bishop for he had found out while hiding in his cottage that Denowulf was a good and wise man so his wife became a great lady and perhaps never baked any more cakes certainly she never again had a king to watch them for her End of Chapter 16 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 22nd, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 17 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 17 More about Alfred the Great Soon Alfred was joined in his hiding place in Somerset by his wife and children and a few of his nobles They chose a hill which rose above the surrounding marshes for their camp and there Alfred and his nobles worked like common men building a strong fort Because of this the place was called Athelney which means the Isle of Nobles While Alfred worked on the Isle of Nobles he sent messengers secretly among his people telling them where he was Soon a small but faithful band gathered round him Then one day some of Alfred's friends suddenly attacked the Danes won a victory and seized a great Danish banner called the Raven The Danes were very sad at the loss of this banner for they believed it to be a magic one They said that when they were going to win a battle the Raven would spread its wings as if to fly but when they were going to lose the Raven drooped its wings in sorrow Now that their precious banner had been taken they were always afraid of losing This victory cheered the English very much and when the people heard of it more and more of them gathered round their king Alfred now began to feel that the time for striking a blow had come but first he wanted to find out exactly how many Danes there were and what plans they had So he dressed himself like a minstrel or singer and taking his harp he went to the Danish camp There he began to play upon his harp and to sing the songs he had learned when he was a boy The Danes were a fierce, wild people yet they loved music and poetry They were delighted with Alfred's songs and he was allowed to wander through the camp wherever he liked Alfred stayed in the Danish camp for several days singing his songs and playing sweet music and all the time watching and listening He found out how many Danes there were and where the camp was strong and where it was weak He listened to the king as he talked to his captains and when he had found out everything he could he slipped quietly away and went back to the Isle of Nobles The Danes were sorry when they found that the gentle minstrel had gone and little did they think that it was the great and brave king Alfred who had been singing and playing to them Alfred now knew that his army was strong enough to fight the Danes so he left his fort on the Isle of Nobles and boldly marched against them A battle was fought in which the Danes were defeated and from that time onwards Alfred was victorious The dark days were over The power of the Danes was crushed Their king, Guthorm, submitted to Alfred When he was baptized Alfred stood as godfather to him and changed his name from Guthorm to the English name of Ethelston Then Alfred made a peace with the Danes called the Peace of Wedmore and although the Danes did not leave England they did not fight anymore and they left Wessex and kept within the land which was given to them in the north Afterwards this part was called the Danela or Daneland And now it was in the time of peace that Alfred began to do great things for his people, the things by which he earned his name of Alfred the Great He collected the laws and wrote them out so that people could understand them He did away with the laws which he thought were bad and made others One law he made was that a man who had done wrong could not be punished unless twelve men agreed that he really had been wicked and ought to be punished This was called trial by jury and means trial by those who have promised to do justly Our word jury comes from a Latin word It was a very good law for sometimes if a man hated another man he would say he had done something wicked in order to have him punished but when twelve men had to agree about it it was not easy to have an innocent person unjustly punished Alfred was much loved He made good laws and the people kept them They kept them so well that it is said that golden chains and bracelets might be hung upon the hedges and no one would touch them King Alfred was fond of reading and learning In those days the monasteries were the chief places to which people went to learn but the Danes had destroyed nearly all the monasteries so Alfred began to build them again and he also founded schools Then as nearly all the books which were worth reading were written in Latin he translated into English several of the best he had read He did this because he saw how much more difficult it was for people to learn to read when they had to do so in a foreign language Alfred built more great ships and sent people into far countries He encouraged the English to make all kinds of things in order to trade with these far-off countries In fact, during all his life Alfred was thinking only of his people and of what was best for them He will wonder how he found time to do all these things and indeed it is wonderful especially in those days when there were no clocks to strike the hours and remind people how time was flying Yet Alfred divided the day into three parts eight hours for work, eight hours for study and eight hours for rest He invented a kind of clock for himself He had great candles made which were marked off into parts each part burning for an hour A man watched the candle and when the flame burned down to the mark he went to the king and said Oh King, another hour has fled Alfred was good and wise and kind There never was a better king in England He had to fight many battles and war is terrible and cruel but he did not fight for love of conquering as other kings did He fought only to save his country and his people We never hear of him doing one unjust or unkind act He was truthful and fearless in everything It is no wonder then that we call him Alfred the Great Alfred the Truth Teller England's Darling End of Chapter 17 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 22nd, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story, Chapter 18 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 18 Eiffelred the Unready Alfred died in 901 A.D. and his son Edward became king after him He is called Edward the Elder because he was the first of a great many kings of that name He was a good king and was greatly helped by his sister Eiffel Fleda She was the daughter of the King of Mercia She was a brave wise woman and, like Borica, often led her soldiers in battle For the Danes began to be troublesome again and Edward and Eiffel Fleda had to fight many battles with them When Edward the Elder and Eiffel Fleda both died Edward's son, Ethelstain, came to the throne He too was a good king and he too had to fight with the Danes After him came six kings who have been called the Boy Kings because they were all so young when they came to the throne They were wise and good and all of them had to fight with the Danes Year by year the Danes were becoming more and more powerful in England They not only came and went in their ships but many more of them settled in the country They made their homes in England and forgot about their old homes in Denmark That would not have mattered much if they had become good English subjects willing to obey an English king but that is what they did not do Instead they rebelled always against the king and so wars and fighting went on After the Boy Kings, his name was Ethelred and because he was foolish and slow he was also called the Unready He lived about a hundred years after Alfred In his reign everything seemed to go wrong The Danes soon found out what a foolish man he was and they came in greater numbers than ever Ethelred had not spirit enough to be a good leader he was never sure of what he wanted to do so his soldiers lost heart and his captains quarreled among themselves He built ships but they were shattered by storms Ethelred of London caught fire by accident and was burnt to the ground everywhere there was misery and misfortune Then Ethelred thought of an unhappy plan for ridding the country of the Danes He said to them I will give you a large sum of money if you will go away The Danes of course were delighted at the idea of getting money so easily and they gladly promised Ethelred gave them the gold and they sailed away and the English people rejoiced But the Danes, as you know were never careful about keeping their promises when they went home it is true but when they had spent all the money which Ethelred had given them, they said let us go to England again and rob the people perhaps their foolish king will give us more money and so they sailed to England Ethelred again gave them money to go back to Denmark again they sailed away but when the money was spent once more they returned Over and over again the same thing happened Ethelred always giving the Danes larger and larger sums for they grew more and more greedy and foolish English king give them money How did Ethelred get all the money which he gave to the Danes? Was it his own? No In order to get the money Ethelred taxed the people that is he made each person pay a certain sum every year and this was called Danegilt or Dane Money The English were already accustomed to pay taxes for various things and at first they did not mind paying this new one Indeed they were glad to do it in the hope of getting rid of their terrible enemies But when the Danes returned time after time when year by year the tax grew heavier and heavier the people grew wary of it and angry We strive and toil, they said to earn money that we may live in peace and comfort but it is of no use the king takes our money and gives it to these idle heathen we will work and pay no more so the people grew moody and the country was in greater misery than before Then Ethelred thought of another plan by which to get rid of the Danes this plan was both terrible and wicked he sent messengers into every part of England telling the English that on the 13th of November they were to kill all the Danes men, women and children this was a most cruel and wicked order besides it was not the Danes who were living in England who gave the greatest trouble but those who year by year came across the sea in their ships to plunder and kill but Ethelred was weak and cowardly he dared not fight the fierce sea kings as they were called so he thought he would murder their peaceful brothers and sisters and the most dreadful thing is that Englishmen all over the country were found willing to carry out the cruel order yet we must not think too hardly of these old Englishmen for they had suffered so much from the Danes that it was little wonder that they hated them even those Danes who were living peaceably in England were so proud and haughty that the English hated them they always thought they should have the best of everything they expected to be called Lord Dane they treated the English like slaves and if an Englishman and a Dane met in a narrow passage or on a bridge they would go back until my Lord Dane had passed so when the 13th of November came the Englishmen rose and slaughtered the Danes every one, man, woman and child rich and poor, high and low none were saved among those who were killed was the Princess Gunhilda sister of the King of Denmark she had married an English Lord and was living with him in England she was not only very beautiful but good the Danes were heathen in a simple way she tried to bring about peace between the English and the Danes when the terrible slaughter began and the air was filled with shrieks Gunhilda's husband, son and servants gathered round her to protect her bravely they fought for her but all in vain first her husband and then her son fell dead at her feet pierced by many spears then a cruel man seized the beautiful Gunhilda by the hair and buried his sword in her heart alas! she said dying to the ground my death will bring great sorrow upon England End of Chapter 18 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 22nd, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story, Chapter 19 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 19 How Edmund Ironside Fought for the Crown Gunhilda was right This act of Ethelreds proved to be not only wicked but foolish and it brought great sorrow upon England For as soon as Swain, King of Denmark heard of the cruel murder he determined to avenge his sister's death Gathering a great company of soldiers and a most wonderful fleet of ships he set sail for England Over the blue waves came the fierce sea kings in their splendid ships with purple sails and glittering golden prows Beasts and birds, dragons and serpents were carved upon the painted and gilded ships and it seemed as if all the monsters of Fairyland were gathered to terrify and conquer the people of England No storm stayed the ships Soft winds blew gently over sunny sparkling waters as nearer and nearer they came Never before had the Danes come in such splendor and such force The frightened people fled as these fierce sea warriors landed and where they landed and on through all the country wherever they passed they left behind them a track of death and desolation The people were killed, the towns were burned the crops and cattle trampled and destroyed hunger, misery and tears filled the land Ethelred, weak and cowardly as ever deserting his country in the hour of need fled to France with his wife and children Ethelred fled to France because his wife Emma was the daughter of the Duke of Normandy Normandy is part of France Queen Emma's father received them kindly and no doubt Ethelred enjoyed himself very much at the Norman court, riding and hunting and quite forgetting his poor country So Swain, king of Denmark was master of England But though he was proclaimed king he never wore the crown for he died suddenly leaving the throne to his son, Canute But Englishmen could not forget the great Alfred and his good sons they longed to have a king of their own people again So when Swain died they sent messengers to France begging Ethelred to come back and promising to be true to him and to fight for him if only he would rule a little better than he had done Ethelred came back and had he had a little courage he might soon have won all England again for his people were ready and willing to die for their country they only waited for a brave man to lead them But Ethelred was neither better nor wiser than before soon his soldiers lost heart again and some of them even deserted and went to fight for Canute to the Dane this too in spite of all that Edmund Ironside the brave son of Ethelred could do Edmund was called Ironside because of his strength and courage he tried to keep the army together but he could not hide his father's cowardice and weakness from the soldiers Soon, however, Ethelred died and the people immediately crowned Edmund King But some of the wise men and nobles thought it was of no use to try to fight against the Danes any longer so they crowned Canute King Thus there were two kings of England an English king and a Danish and the wars between the two nations continued as fiercely as ever But now the English had a wise king and a brave leader that was all they asked they took heart again and joyfully followed him five great battles were fought and in nearly all of them the English were victorious that seems to show that it was truly Ethelred's fault that the English were ever beaten he did not love his people he did not care what happened to them he thought only of his own pleasure and comfort But Edmund Ironside was different he thought only of his country and although he was winning battle after battle it made him sad and sick at heart to see his people die The horror of war had filled the land for so many years that he longed for peace One day as the two armies lay opposite each other ready for battle Edmund sat in his tent, sad and weary the summer sun shone on unclouded fields and ruined homes all around there was sorrow and desolation as Edmund looked across the land with sad eyes he thought to himself that he would gladly die if he could bring peace to his dear country he sat some time in thought and then suddenly calling one of his captains he said to him Go to Canute the Dane say to him that I, Edmund Ironside King of England sent him greeting that weary of battle and death I challenged him to fight in single combat with me alone He who dies shall die and be buried as befits a king He who lives shall be ruler over all England The captain bowed low before the king and mounting upon his horse he rode off to the Danish camp with this strange message When Canute heard it he sat silently thinking for some time then turning to the messenger he said Go tell Edmund Ironside that I will meet him and please God, although I am the lesser man I shall conquer him and still be King of England Both kings then arrayed themselves in splendid armor with field and sword and spear and rode out to fight The two armies stood around watching in hope and fear At first the kings fought with their spears while riding upon their horses then leaping to the ground they attacked each other fiercely with their swords Both were strong but Edmund was the taller and Canute soon began to feel that he was being beaten So in a loud voice he cried out Why should we fight thus? Two kings as we should be brothers We shall stop fighting and divide the kingdom and be at peace Then King Edmund throwing down his sword held out his hands to Canute Brother, he said, we will be kings together So once more England was divided Edmund Ironside the Englishman ruled over the south part and Canute the Dane ruled over the north part and there was peace in the land But this did not last very long for very soon Edmund died Altogether he had only reigned seven months and had been spent in fighting yet he had done more for his people than Ethelred had done in many years End of Chapter 19 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kra.org on May 22nd 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 20 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org by Kara Schallenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 20 Canute and the Waves When Edmund Ironside died Canute became king over all England as it had been agreed between them that whoever lived the longest should have the whole kingdom Edmund had two sons and Canute was afraid that the people might wish to make one of them king so he sent both to a far off country called Hungary Perhaps it was wrong to banish these children but at least it was better than killing them as some people say he wanted to do Canute did not begin by being a good king At first he was bad and cruel but he ended by being very good and wise In fact he seems to have ruled so well that the English came to love him almost as if he had been an English king They loved him but they flattered him too He was certainly a great king for he ruled not only over England but over Denmark, Norway and Sweden The nobles thought it pleased Canute with great greatness so they used often to let him hear them praise him One day as they were walking upon the seashore the nobles began as usual to tell Canute how powerful he was All England obeys you they said and not only England but Denmark, Norway and Sweden Should you desire it you need but command all the nations of the world and they will kneel before you as their king and lord You are king on sea and land even the waves obey you Now this was foolish talk and Canute, who was a wise man did not like it He thought he would teach these silly nobles a lesson so he ordered his servants to bring a chair When they had brought it he made them set it on the shore close to the waves The servants did as they were told and Canute sat down while the nobles stood around him Then Canute spoke to the waves Go back, he said I am your lord and master and I command you not to flow over my land Go back and do not dare to wet my feet But the sea of course neither heard nor obeyed him The tide was coming in and the waves rolled nearer and nearer until the king's feet and robe were wet Then Canute rose and turning sternly to his nobles said Do you still tell me that I have power over the waves? Oh foolish men do you not know that to God alone belongs such power? He alone rules earth and sky and sea and we and they alike are his subjects and must obey him The nobles felt how foolish they had been and did not again try to flatter Canute in such a silly way From that day too Canute never wore his crown but placed it upon the figure of Christ in the minster at Winchester as a proof of his humility From this story we learn that Canute was a Christian although many of the Danes were still heathen but no doubt they very soon followed the example of their king and became Christians too Gradually the differences between the Danes and the English passed away The Danes began to forget that they had ever lived in any other country and lived like Englishmen taking English ways and customs for their own So once more England became a united kingdom but this of course did not happen all at once it was many years before the English and the Danes quite forgot their quarrels As Canute had other countries to govern as well as England he felt the need of someone to help him rule so he divided England into four earldoms and placed an earl over each part These earls ruled the kingdom under the king Over the part which was called Wessex Canute placed a man named Godwin who afterwards became of very great importance in English history In the year 1035 A.D. King Canute died and was buried in the minster at Winchester After him his two sons Harold Harefoot and Harte Canute reigned Neither of them was good and at the death of Harte Canute the English were easily persuaded by Earl Godwin not to have any more Danish rulers Following his advice they chose Edward the son of Ethelred the Unready to be their king End of Chapter 20 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on May 22nd, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 21 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall Chapter 21 Edward the Confessor You remember that when the Danes invaded England in the time of Swain, Canute's father Ethelred, who was then king, fled to France with his wife and children After Ethelred's death Edmund Ironside, one of his sons, became king shared the kingdom with Canute and died after a reign of only seven months Edward, whom the English now chose to be king was Edmund Ironside's brother another son of King Ethelred the Unready Edward was a boy when he was first taken to Normandy so, although he was English he had lived all his life in Normandy and he liked the Normans better than the English He brought Norman friends over from France with him The Norman language, Norman customs and fashions were soon heard and seen everywhere in England It had been greatly through the advice of Godwin, Earl of Wessex that Edward had been chosen and now the Earl was sorry when he found that the king seemed not to be English but Norman thought that an English wife might make Edward love England better so he persuaded the king to marry his daughter Edith but, although Edward married this beautiful and good lady, he never loved her Indeed, although he was perhaps not really cruel to her he was not kind and he hardly ever even spoke to her so she had no chance of making him love England better The Normans, like the Danes were very proud and haughty and Edward's friends behaved so haughtily towards the English that very soon they were hated just as the Danes had been hated the hatred grew and grew and at last it broke out into fighting It happened that one of Edward's friends called Eustace, Count of Boulogne was going back to France after having visited the king Like most of the Normans Eustace was proud and he and his company rode into Dover on their way to their ships with jingling swords and clanking armour making a great noise and stir and behaving as if the whole town belonged to them They went to the best houses rudely demanding food and lodging They entered the houses without leave and took what they wanted without a word of thanks Now the English have ever been hospitable but an Englishman's house is his castle He will give freely, but he does not like to be bullied and robbed so one brave man refused to allow the Normans to enter his house Angry at that, a Norman soldier struck him in the face The man returned the blow It was enough, in a few minutes a fierce fight had begun the Normans against the men of Dover The Englishmen fought well They were glad to have a chance of showing their dislike of the Normans They beat them thoroughly and drove them out of the town Back to King Edward Road Count Eustace in furious rage See, he cried, bursting into the room where the King was See how these Englishmen of yours have treated us They sat upon us as we rode peaceably through Dover They have killed twenty of my men and I myself have barely escaped with my life Is this the way to treat your friend and guest, my Lord King? Count Eustace, you see, did not tell the story truly He did not tell King Edward His men had begun the quarrel and were to blame King Edward was very angry with the English He sent at once for Earl Godwin as Dover was in his earldom Godwin came, but when he heard the story of the fight he felt sure that the fault was not all on the side of the English So when the King told him to take an army and go to punish the brave men of Dover he refused You have only heard one side of the story, he said You have no right to blame or punish the Englishmen until you have heard what they have to say I will not go King Edward was so angry at this that he banished Earl Godwin and his sons from the land and gave their earldoms to other people Then he shot Queen Edith up in a convent because she was Godwin's daughter Now there was no one to hinder the King from doing just as he wanted He brought more people than ever from France and among them came his cousin the Duke of Normandy William of Normandy only came for a visit but many of the other nobles remained in England and Edward gave them all the best places at Cork William thought England was a very beautiful country and before he went away he made Edward promise that he should be King next and Edward was so fond of his cousin that he promised Of course Edward had no right to do this he could not give away the crown of England to anyone without the consent of the people and certainly the people did not wish a Norman King The kings of England had really no power to act in great matters without calling together a council of the nobles and wise men The English had always been a free people who had a share in governing themselves Their kings had been kings not tyrants Nearly all the chief men at court were now Normans and the people longed for Godwin and his sons to return and free them from these hated strangers At last they did return Edward was angry when he heard that these banished men had come back without leave but the people rejoiced and flocked to join the great Earl and it seemed as if there might be war but there was none Earl Godwin was very clever and somehow he forced the king to send away his Norman favourites and put Englishmen in their places without any fighting at all The Frenchmen fled back to their own country and things went better in England Soon after this Earl Godwin died and his son Harold took his place During what remained of Edward's reign it was really Harold who ruled for the king was growing old and feeble and Harold governed well for love of England filled his heart He even banished his own brother, Tostig who was Earl of Northumbria because he governed his Earldom badly This was a difficult thing for Harold to do but although he loved his brother he loved his country more and when he had to choose between them he chose his country Now a very sad thing happened which, together with Edward's foolish promise made a great difference in the lives of the English people and perhaps changed all our island's story One day Harold was sailing upon the sea when a terrible storm arose The sailors worked hard and tried to get into a safe port but it was of no use The masts were broken, the sails torn away helplessly and at last was dashed to pieces on the rocky coast of Normandy Harold and some of the sailors escaped drowning but they fell into the hands of Duke William Now Duke William had never forgotten what a beautiful country England was and he still hoped to be its king He knew that Harold was a very great man in England and he was glad to have him in his power Duke William pretended to treat Harold very kindly but he really kept him prisoner He would not let him go home until he promised to help him to become king when Edward died At last Harold promised Now of course Harold had no more right to do this than Edward had but there was more excuse for Harold than for Edward because the king was a free man in his own country while Harold was a prisoner in a foreign country and to make this promise was his only hope of freedom We must blame Harold for making a promise which he did not mean to keep but we must blame William more for forcing him to make it as he took a mean advantage of a helpless prisoner Harold went back home very angry but sad at heart at the remembrance of what William had forced him to do and hating the Normans more than ever Very soon after this on the 5th of January 1066 AD King Edward died He was buried with great pomp and ceremony in the grand new church at Westminster which he had built and which had been finished only a few days before King Edward on the whole was a good king but he had not those things in him which make a great king He was gentle and pious In his death people began to think that he was really a holy man and called him Edward the Confessor by which name we remember him in history If his reign was a happy one for England it was partly because the great Earl Godwin and his noble son Harold were so powerful that they forced the king to act justly Edward did not feel as all great kings must feel that they are put in their high position not to please themselves but to do what is best for their people Edward did not love his people and he pleased himself by bringing his proud and by giving them all the chief posts in England He thought more about building churches and buying relics or bones of holy men long since dead than of strengthening his castles and trying to make the lives of his people peaceful and happy This and his foolish promise to his cousin Duke William of Normandy brought great sorrow upon the country End of Chapter 21 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kray.org on June 2nd 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 22 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 22 Harold When Edward the Confessor died the people chose Harold Godwin to be their king although he was not the real heir to the throne the real heir was Edgar Ethling Edward's grand-nephew and grandson of Edmund Ironside that king who had such a short and troubled reign and who fought so bravely against Canute the Dane but Edgar Ethling was only a little boy it seems to the people as if he was not even an English boy because he had lived all his life in a far-off country called Hungary to which Canute had banished his father and had come to England only a few months before Edward his grand-uncle had died He did not understand the English language so nearly all the people looked upon him as a stranger they were very tired of the strangers and foreigners with whom Edward had filled his court and so they said let us have a real Englishman to rule over us and one who is brave and wise they knew Harold was brave for he had already led them many times in battle they knew that he was wise because Edward, during the last years of his life had been very ill and weak and had allowed Harold to rule for him and above all they knew Harold bitterly hated Edward's friends, the Norman nobles and they were sure he would drive them out of the country but they did not know what was perhaps Harold's chief reason for hating the Normans they did not know that he had promised the Crown of England to the most powerful of them all William, Duke of Normandy so it came about that the day after Edward the Confessor was buried the people crowded again to the grand new church at Westminster this time they came to see the new King Crown the church was filled with the nobles and the great people of the land outside the common folk and those who could not get inside waited impatient to know what was happening it was in the beginning of January and the weather was bitterly cold but the people did not seem to mind that so eager were they to see their new King as he passed although the wind blew keenly from the north the sky was blue and the winter sun shone brightly on the gay colors of their holiday clothes making the gold ornaments of the women and the helmets and shields of the soldiers glitter and sparkle the day before the streets had been full of grave and mourning crowds sorrowing for the death of their King this day there was no mourning everything seemed joyful and glad and hope shone in the faces of all only here and there in the crowd could be seen a few scowling Normans but they soon slunk away afraid of the fierce looks and angry words with which the Saxons greeted them within the church all was solemn and quiet after earnest prayer to God the Archbishop of York holding the crown in his hand turned to the people humbly at the steps of the High Altar while a breathless hush filled the great church from end to end then in the silence the voice of the old Archbishop rang out clear and sharp do you choose Harold, Earl of Wessex son of Godwin to be your King like the thunder of the waves as they break upon the beach came the answer we do, we do the words sounded again and again through the aisles of the great church echoing and re-echoing from the vaulted roof till it seemed as if all England had answered outside the church the people took up the cry Harold, son of Godwin Harold, son of Godwin Harold the Englishman for our King in the silence which followed Harold placed his hands between those of the Archbishop and promised to fear God to rule wisely and to keep the laws of the land then the Archbishop speaking solemn words anointed him with holy oil placed the crown of England upon his head and the scepter in his hand Harold rose from his knees no longer Earl of Wessex but King of England as he turned to the people he looked so brave, handsome and kingly that a cry of love and gratitude rose from them and once again the arches of the great church rang with shouts one after another the lords and mighty men of England passed before their King they knelt to him promising to be true to him to fight for and obey him just as he had promised them that he would try to rule well and be a good King the last the solemn ceremony was over Harold passed down the long aisles followed by the Archbishop and bishops in their splendid robes and the lords and knights in their shining armor out of the dim church into the open air they went out into the sunshine where the people were waiting for their King when Harold appeared wearing the crown and royal robes and carrying the scepter in his hand they shouted and cheered again and again for joy Harold for ever Harold the King they cried and all England was glad and at peace but the peace and gladness did not last long as soon as Harold was crowned the few Normans who still remained in England fled to Normandy they went to Rohan, the town in Normandy where Duke William lived nowadays if one wants to speak to a King or great Prince it is not always easy for soldiers and servants guard the doors but in those days it was much more easy so one of these Normans who fled from England went to find Duke William William was out hunting when this messenger from England arrived he was so eager to tell the news that he could not wait until the Duke returned but followed him into the park he searched about for some time and at last saw William riding towards him surrounded by all his lords and ladies his falcon on his wrist and his bow in his hand the Duke looked so splendid and powerful that the messenger was almost afraid to tell the news he brought my lord, he said dropping on his knees Edward, King of England, is dead Duke William's bright eyes, shown with joy ah he exclaimed and Harold, son of Godwin, is crowned King in his stead went on the man then Duke William's eyes flashed fire his bow dropped from his hand his face grew red and dark with anger the Saxon dog the Oathbreaker he thundered in a voice which made those who heard him tremble then he was silent and those around him were silent too trembling in fear before the awful wrath of their lord for many minutes William sat in dumb rage clasping and unclasping the rich cloak which fell from his shoulders then still without uttering a word he turned and rode back to his palace he seemed neither to see nor hear anything but throwing himself on a couch he buried his face in his cloak and gave himself up to angry thoughts his courtiers stood round whispering and frightened at last one more bold than the others went up to him and laying his hand upon the Duke's shoulder rouse yourself, my lord, he said you have a message to send to Harold Godwinson before the common folk hear how he has insulted you I that I have said William fiercely then he called for the man who had brought the news he came in fear and trembling but William only looked darkly at him go, he said, after a pause go back to England tell Harold Godwinson he would not call him King Harold that I, William of Normandy demand the crown and throne of England tell him, if he will not give it peaceably that I will come and take it by force so the messenger returned to England and came to Harold as he was sitting in state surrounded by his lords and nobles Harold listened quietly to the message then in a clear and calm voice he replied go tell your master that the crown and throne of England are not mine to give and take at will tell him that the people of England have given them to me in trust and guard them as best I can let William of Normandy beware when the messenger returned to Ryan with this message William's anger was terrible at first he could neither speak nor think for rage but soon he recovered himself and called all his lords together he asked them to go with him over the sea to help him fight Harold and make himself King of England but his lords and nobles refused it is a very dangerous thing to do they said these English are a great and brave people they will not go although William was lured over these men he could not force them to go across the sea with him he could only ask them to go he was very angry with them for refusing so he broke up the council and sent all the nobles away then he made each one come to him alone and tried to persuade them one by one to go with him over the sea to England but it was of no use one after another they refused it is all very well for you they said if you win you will have the crown of England those of us who are not killed will return poorer than before we will not go then Duke William said if you will only come with me I will give you fair lands strong castles and great stores of money England is a rich country and when I have conquered the people I will take their lands and money away from them and give them to you then all the nobles answered we will go after that they went to their own homes to gather their soldiers together but William was not content with the soldiers which his own Norman nobles had promised he sent messengers into all parts of France with the promise of land and money as reward to everyone who would come to fight for him very many came from far and near they flocked to the court of William glad at the thought of possessing the green fields and broad forest lands of England but William had not ships enough to carry so large a company over the sea so he bought ships and made people build them for him sometimes with money sometimes with promises of English land never was such a wonderful army and so great a fleet gathered together in so short a time but William was a great leader he was fierce, strong and determined he had set his heart on being king of England and king of England he meant to be so night and day he planned and worked persuading and forcing people in one way or another to help him end of chapter 22 www.kra.org on June 1st 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 23 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 23 The Battle of Stamford Bridge Meanwhile Harold was ruling England quietly and well the people loved him and were glad they had chosen such a brave and generous man to rule over them Harold was kind to everyone but he was specially kind to Edgar Ethling he knew that it would have been a very bad thing for England had the people chosen an ignorant little boy as king yet he felt sorry for Edgar and tried to make him grow into a brave and honest English boy Harold kept the good laws which had been made before the time of Edward and altered the unjust ones he was always thinking of the happiness of his people and the good of his country often and often he looked anxiously across the blue sea to the shores of France watching for the white sails of Duke William's ships Months passed and still they did not appear but Harold knew that one day they would come although William sent no more messages Harold's friends crossed the sea to find out what the great Duke was doing they brought back news of the mighty army which was gathering on the shores of the river Dive Harold watched and waited and he too gathered together men and horses swords and armor often King Harold sighed to see that there were no strong castles and fortresses to guard the shores of his dear land for Edward instead of building ships and castles to keep the country safe from enemies had spent his people's money in building great churches and in buying the bones of holy men who had lived and died long long ago these bones, he foolishly thought would keep wicked men away from his shores one day while Harold watched and waited for the coming of William a messenger all breathless arrived from the north he was covered with dust and worn and tired with long travelling he burst into the room where the king sat and threw himself on his knees my lord and king he cried Tostig, thy brother and Harold Hardrada, king of Norway have landed in the north with a mighty army of heathen folk they have defeated Earl Morkar they have taken York, they slay and burn without mercy through fear many of thy subjects have joined the banner of Tostig now they are making ready to march south to take London and Harold Hardrada of Norway will be master of all England then the messenger was silent fainting for weariness and lack of food this news made Harold very sorry Tostig was his brother and he did not wish to fight against his own brother but for the sake of England he knew that he must for Harold loved England better than all the world it is said that after he was dead people found the word England on his breast just over his heart but whether that is true or not this is true that Harold held England in his heart and in his thoughts and always tried to do what was best for his country so now Harold gathered all his own soldiers or huscarls as they were called and set out for Yorkshire to meet the enemy at this time England had not a great army as it has now ready at all times for battle the king only kept a few soldiers always near him they were called his huscarls or his bodyguard as their duty was to guard his house when he was at home and his person wherever he went the rest of the soldiers were the servants of the great nobles and rich merchants whenever the king had need of them he used to call them together and when the fighting was over they went back again to their own homes and to their own masters Harold had called these men together to be ready for William but as months passed and the dreadful duke did not come they grew tired of waiting and went home the fields were yellow with the ripe grain and the orchards were laden with fruit so the men who had come to fight went home again to gather the fruit and cut the corn before the winter set in but hardly had they gone when the messenger came with the terrible news from Yorkshire Harold did not stop to gather his army together again but set out as quickly as he could with the few soldiers he had as he rode northward he looked back with many a sigh he looked across the blue waters which separated him from Duke William but there was no sign of a sale please God, he murmured I may yet return in time to meet the Norman wolf in those days the roads were very bad some of them were only tracks worn by the feet of horses there was no means either of going from place to place except by walking or riding but there was one great road which the Romans had made long, long before this stretched all the way from York to London Harold was so clever that in a few days he brought his little army along this road from the very south to the middle of England by the 24th of September he had arrived at York on the 25th a great battle was fought at a place near there called Stamford Bridge in memory of that great fight it was afterwards called Battle Bridge before the fighting began the two armies stood facing each other up and down the lines of the Norwegian army rode a very tall man on a lovely black horse he was dressed in splendid steel armor and a beautiful blue cloak hung from his shoulders as he rode his horse stumbled and fell and the tall man was thrown to the ground he sprang up again with a laugh oh, he said, a fall means good luck to a traveller but Harold, who had been watching turned to someone beside him who is that tall man with the blue cloak and beautiful helmet, he asked that is Harold Hardrada, king of Norway was the reply he has had a fall, said Harold of England that means bad luck to him one side you see he thought it was good luck and the other thought it was bad really of course it made no difference one way or another but in those days people were very superstitious that is they found a meaning in things that had no meaning at all Harold of England looked sadly along the lines of the army opposite he was looking for the banner of his brother Tostig when he saw it he rode almost alone right up to the Norwegian army his men looked on in surprise and fear as he rode so near the enemy attended only by a few nights when he was quite close to them he stopped his horse and called out Earl Tostig, son of Godwin in this army Tostig himself answered yes, what want you with him and he rode out to meet the king although Tostig's face was hidden by his helmet King Harold knew his brother's voice so his tone was kind and gentle as he answered your brother King Harold sends you greeting he does not wish to fight against you if you will send away these soldiers he will forgive you all the wrong you have done and he will give you the earldom of Northumbria once more and if I accept his offer, said Tostig what will he give to my friend Harold Hadrada King Harold's voice grew stern as he answered he shall have seven feet of English ground for a grave or a little more perhaps as he is so much taller than other men then, said the Earl, go and tell King Harold to get ready for battle or it shall never be said that Tostig brought his friend to England to betray him then the brothers parted sad and angry each riding back to his own side who was that fine man with whom you have been speaking? asked Harold Hadrada as Tostig came back that was King Harold of England, replied the Earl why did you not tell me? said the King he was so near, so near death, for had I known who he was he would never have gone back to his own people but although Tostig was a wild wicked man he was not altogether bad he looked sadly at King Harold Hadrada and said he came to offer me peace and forgiveness he is my brother, though my enemy had I betrayed him to you I should have been not only his foe but his murderer then it seemed as if Harold Hadrada was ashamed soon the battle began Harold Hadrada rode in front singing a loud battle song advance, advance, no helmets glance but blue swords play in our array advance, advance, no male coats glance but hearts are here that nare new fear he sang that because these North men, as they were called often fought in their shirts and wore no armor or protection of any kind so they got the name of Berserkers and in Scotland to this day the word Sark is used to mean shirt the fight was fierce and long sometimes it seemed as if the English would win sometimes the North men in the very thickest of the fight rode the two kings each cheering on his men when battle storm was ringing where arrow cloud was singing Harold stood there, of armor bare his deadly sword still swinging the foe men felt its bite, his horsemen rushed to fight danger to share with Harold there where steel on steel was ringing but at last both Earl Tostig and King Harold Hadrada were killed and their soldiers fled in all directions King Harold of England was very kind to those who were not killed he did not take them prisoners but allowed them to go away with their ships to their own country having first made them promise never to fight against England again End of Chapter 23 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kray.org On June 1, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 24 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schallenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 24 The Battle of Hastings While these things were happening in York the Great Duke had finished his preparations He had gathered together his huge army and his mighty fleet of ships The wind blew fair from the coast of France and he set sail for England Over the blue sea they came the white-sailed vessels crowded with knights in armor champing war-horses, bowmen and spearmen such an army had seldom before been seen Duke William's vessel was the gayest and proudest of them all The sails were crimson, the deck and masts were gaily painted A golden boy was on the prow leaning forward as if to catch the first glimpse of England By day the proud banner embroidered with the three golden lions of Normandy fluttered in the breeze By night a crescent of light shone from the mast head so that all could see their lord's ship and follow where he led On they came day and night till, with a shout they greeted the shores of England No army was awaiting them King Harold, who had for so many months watched anxiously for their coming was far away fighting another foe and when at last the white sails glimmered in the distance only the frightened fisherfolk stood upon the shore watching and the peasants fled in fear to hide On came the Duke's fleet till the vessels touched the shore Duke William was the first to spring to land but as he did so he stumbled and fell Alas! what bad luck! cried the soldiers around him but William sprang up with a laugh and turning to them showed his hands full of earth See! he cried I have already taken hold of my kingdom Then a soldier who had sprung ashore after the Duke ran to a cottage and tearing from it some thatch said, take hold not only of England but of what England holds I accept it said the Duke May God be with us Soon the whole army landed the Duke then caused all the ships to be sunk or pulled far up the shore so that they could not be put out to sea again For, he said, we will either conquer or die we will never return to Normandy disgraced Now after the battle of Stamford Bridge while Harold and his men were resting in York before going southward again the clatter of horses hoofs was heard at the castle gate and in a few minutes a breathless messenger flung himself at the King's feet My Lord! he cried My Lord! William of Normandy has landed in England I myself have seen him he has come with a great and fierce host and is laying waste to all the land I have not rested night nor day but have hasted with the tidings This was very terrible news Harold's men were wounded and weary with fighting but before an hour had passed he and they were again on the great Roman road marching southward As he went King Harold sent messages into all the country calling the soldiers together from every side they came to him for they loved their King and country Harold had done a very wonderful thing when he marched his men north in so short a time Now he did an even more wonderful thing when he brought them back again for it is said that he arrived in London on the 6th of October and they had to ride and walk all the way from York which they only left on the 27th of September Here in London they rested a few days until more soldiers were gathered together and here Geirth, his brother tried to make Harold remain behind and let him go forward with the army to meet William It will not matter so much if I am killed he said and besides I have made no promises to William so I can fight him better Then you must burn all the houses cut down the trees and lay waste to the cornfields between here and at the sea coast so that if I cannot keep William back he will find no food nor shelter for his army when he arrives But Harold looked proudly at his brother I am the King, he said I will never harm an English village nor an English house I will never harm the goods nor lands of any Englishman How can I hurt the people who are given me to rule? So once more the King set out at the head of his army and on the 12th of October they arrived in sight of the Normans who had camped near Hastings, on the south coast Harold camped on the hill called Sennlach and there it was that the battle took place and from the names of the two camps the battle is sometimes called Hastings sometimes Sennlach The English army was not nearly so large as the Norman but Harold chose a very good place on the top of a hill he also built a strong fence all round his camp When the battle began the first person who had advanced from the Norman side was not a soldier but a minstrel or singer called Taelifer He rode out from the ranks gaily dressed He was tall and handsome and had a laughing merry face On he came riding not as if in battle but as if in play His horse capered and pranced while he whirled his sword throwing it high into the air and catching it again and again And as he so rode and played he sang The song he sang was an old song of France telling of the wonderful deeds of the great hero, Roland It stirred the hearts of the Frenchmen making them eager to fight and conquer So led by their minstrel the whole army took up the song and as they marched the air was full of the music of men's voices Oh, Roland, sound your ivory horn To the ear of Carl shall the blast be born He will bid his legions backward bend and all his barons their aid will end Now God forbid it for very shame that for me my kindred were stained with blame or that gentle France to such vileness fell This good sword that hath served me well my Durandana such stroke shall deal that with blood and crimson shall be the steel By their evil star are the felons led they shall all be numbered among the dead Taelifer whirled his sword, struck a mighty blow and the first Englishman fell dead I will not sound on mine ivory horn it shall never be spoken of me and scorn that for heathen felons one blast I blew I may not dishonor my lineage true but I will strike ere this fight be o'er a thousand strokes and seven hundred more and my Durandana shall drip with gore Our Franks will bear them like vassals brave the Saracens flock but to find a grave Again the sword of Taelifer flashed in the sunlight and again an Englishman lay dead It seemed as if he rode alone to defy the whole English army but behind him marched a mighty host singing God and his angels of heaven defend that France threw me from her glory bend Death were better than fame laid low Our emperor loveth at downright blow Then the singer's voice was dumb for an English sword flashed and the bright blade was buried in his heart but over his dead bodies swept the host still singing Then from the Franks resounded high Mon joy, whoever had heard that cry would hold remembrance of chivalry Then ride they, how proudly, oh God, they ride with rowls dashed in their coarser's side Fearless too are their pain in foes Franks and Saracens thus they close So the fight began and all through the long day it raged Sometimes it seemed as if one side would win sometimes as if the other Once a cry went through the Norman ranks that Duke William was killed Hearing that they would have fled but Duke William rode among them bare-headed calling to them and cheering them on and when the Normans saw their great Duke's face they took heart and turned once more to the fight As the day drew to an end it was seen alas that the English were beaten They gathered close around their king and his standard fighting fiercely and bravely to the last and when Harold fell pierced with an arrow his brave knights fought still over his dead body but when night came all the bravest and the best men of England lay with their king dead upon the field The splendid standard of Harold was torn bloodstained and trampled in the dust and the three lions of Normandy fluttering in the cold autumn wind kept watch over the dead William came over the sea with bloody sword came he cold heart and bloody hand now rule the English land King Harold was buried on the seashore not far from where he fell even William fierce and cruel though he was must have felt some pity for the man who had fought so bravely for his country let him lie by the seashore he said he guarded it well while he lived let him still guard it in death so wrapped in a purple robe as befits a king they buried him by the sounding sea beneath the great arch of heaven over his grave William caused a stone to be placed upon it in Latin were engraved the words here lies Harold the unhappy but after many years the body was removed to Waltham Abbey which Harold himself had founded on the spot where Harold fell William of Normandy perhaps in sorrow and remorse built another great Abbey which he called Battle Abbey and the remains of both may be seen to this day so died Harold the last of the English kings he had reigned only nine months and died fighting for the freedom of his people and his country on Saturday October 15th 1066 end of chapter 24 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on June 1st 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 25 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schellenberg our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 25 William the Conqueror the story of Harroward the Wake William of Normandy had won the Battle of Hastings but he had not won England but the people would not call William King for five days after the battle he waited expecting the English lords to come to do homage to him as their new master but not one came the people were full of grief and anger at the death of Harrow and of sullen hate for the Conqueror they would not own him as King after five days William waited no longer more soldiers had come from Normandy to replace those who had been killed at the Battle of Hastings with these new soldiers William marched through the land so fierce and terrible was he that he forced the people to own him as King by December all the south of England was in William's power and on Christmas Day he was crowned at Westminster scarcely a year before the people had crowded to the same place to see Harrow and to cheer and welcome him as their King now all was changed the people were sullen and silent the way was lined with Norman soldiers and Norman faces and Norman costumes were everywhere to be seen Stigund the Archbishop who had crowned Harrow refused to crown William and William in wrath retorted that he was no true Bishop and that he did not wish to be crowned by him yet William forced Stigund to be present at the coronation once again as so short a time before the voice of the Bishop rang through the great church do you take William of Normandy to be your King once again the answer came we do but this time the question was asked and answered in French voices were silent so the question was asked again in English and the answer came from unwilling English lips but not from English hearts we do then an echoing cry was heard without not the shout of a glad people but a cry of agony and despair the Norman soldiers instead of keeping order had begun to fight and kill they had set fire to the houses near the church and were slaying and robbing those within the church rushed out some in fear others eager to join the robbers William was left alone with only the bishops and the priests then for the first time in his life the great William was afraid through the windows of the church he could see the flicker of flames and could hear the savage yells of soldiers and the shrieks of frightened women and children yet he did not know whether the English had risen in revolt or whether it was only his own wild soldiers who were attacking the people but whatever it might be William meant to be king of England a king crowned and anointed so although his cheek was pale and his voice shook he forced the Archbishop to go on with the ceremony with trembling hands the Archbishop placed the crown upon William's head not Harold's crown but a new one glittering with splendid gems and in a hurried and mumbling voice he finished the service then William kneeling at the altar promised to fear God to rule the people well and to keep the laws of Alfred and Edward so that the people be true to me he added as he stood up no shout greeted him the church was silent and empty he passed down the aisle in lonely splendor followed only by the trembling priests while without was heard the sound of the crackling flames mingled with fierce yells and curses William was crowned but the English rejected him as king they wanted an English king but alas there was no strong man whom they could choose Harold's brave brothers had all died with him at Hastings there too had fallen the noblest and the best of the English lords he loved to seem to have any right to the throne except the little boy Edgar Aethling Edmund Ironside's grandson even he did not seem to be English for he had lived nearly all his life in Hungary and could hardly speak his own language but at least he was not Norman so the English chose him to be king the people of Northumberland rose in fierce rebellion against William and he in as fierce anger marched against them with his soldiers from north to south he laid waste to the country burning towns, destroying farms killing cattle, murdering the people till the whole of Northumberland was one dreary desert so fierce and terrible was his wrath that even the plows and farming tools were destroyed and the land lay untilled and desolate those of the people who were not killed in battle died miserably of cold and hunger when William marched south again he left only blackened ruins and dismal waste where happy homes and smiling fields had been from very need most of the English lords now bowed to William and owned him master even Edgar came to him to do homage and strange to say William treated him kindly perhaps he felt he was so strong and Edgar so weak that he had no need to fear him still the English were not all conquered in the Isle of Eli in what is called the Fenn country the people made one last stand there under the leadership of a brave Englishman called Heroard they held out against William in the time of Edward the Confessor Heroard had been banished for some reason perhaps because he had quarreled with one of Edward's Norman friends he had lived for many years across the sea in a country called Flanders but when he heard that Edward was dead that Harold was also dead and that William the Norman had seized the crown of England Heroard came back determined to fight for his own land all the noblest and bravest of the English who still resisted William gathered to Heroard and they made their camp in the Isle of Eli the monks who already lived there shared their monastery with the soldiers so in the great hall peaceful monks and warlike men sat side by side at meals and the walls which had been hung with Holy Relics and pictures of saints were now covered with weapons and armour Heroard built a castle at Eli but it was a wooden one while all through England the Normans were building strong fortresses of stone such as the English had never seen before Heroard hoped that from his castle at Eli he would gradually win all England again and hope was vain for William was too strong yet it took him a long time to conquer Heroard like Harold Heroard was a good general and he was both clever and brave after trying vainly to find a way through the marshes and fens to Heroard's camp William decided at last to build a road strong enough and broad enough to carry his army over so the soldiers set to work at once with stones wood and skins of animals to make a strong broad solid road when it was finished they marched over it to attack Heroard's men in their own camp but the English fought desperately and the Normans were driven back in those days people believed in witches so William next found a poor old woman who was supposed to be a witch he built a wooden tower placed it on wheels and with the witch inside pushed it along the road at the head of the Norman army this poor old woman was meant to cast a spell over the English soldiers so that they would not be able to fight anymore and Heroard and his men captured the tower and burned it up, witch and all again William had failed Heroard had brought large stores of food into the camp and he and his men hunted wild animals so that there was always enough to eat although the fare was plain but the monks who were used to living a very easy life and to having fine things to eat and drink grew tired of fighting and of plain food and they sent a message to William telling him of a secret way through the fens to the camp so Heroard who could not be conquered was betrayed one evening the Norman soldiers led by the wicked monks came stealthily through the thick woods among the marshes in the gathering dusk they came creeping silent and eager then when they were close upon the camp they burst with wild cries upon the unsuspecting English and when the sun had set the sky was red with the flames from burning English homes many lay dead many were taken prisoners of the most very cruel he put out their eyes cut off their hands and treated them so dreadfully that they cried aloud it is better to fall into the hands of God than into those of the Norman tyrant Heroard escaped and with some of his bravest followers continued to fight although all hope of freedom for England was gone but he too yielded at length and bowed his proud head to the conqueror William of Normandy was at last master of all England he was indeed William the Conqueror End of Chapter 25 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kray.org on June 1, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 26 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schallenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall William the Conqueror The Death of the King William was ruler of the land but English hearts never accepted him Norman and Englishmen lived side by side yet a wide sea of hatred kept them apart As he had promised William rewarded the Norman barons and nobles who had helped him to conquer England He gave them the lands and goods of the conquered people so it was not wonderful that there was fierce hatred between the two races The Normans were greedy They not only took the lands which William gave them but they forced the English to pay large sums of money too Every high position was filled by Normans and the English were forced to be the servants and slaves of these proud Norman masters The Normans talked a great deal of right but the more they talked of right the more wrong they did The very sheriffs and judges who ought to have seen that the laws were kept and that justice was done were more greedy than thieves and robbers and the king was greedyest of all May the people pay tolls and taxes until they had hardly any money left Much of this money he took away with him to France Much he kept locked up in his strong treasure room As if he had not already spoiled enough of the country in battle, William next laid waste a great part in the south simply because he was very fond of hunting and he wanted a good hunting crowd He turned the people out of their houses burning and ruining whole villages in order to make a great place in which to ride and hunt was so called to this day Having made this forest, William also made forest laws. These laws were very cruel If any person was found hunting or killing the deer or other wild animals his eyes were put out or his hands and ears were cut off So the poor people who had been driven from their homes dared not even kill the wild animals for food William did not do much that was kind but some things which he did were wise Among the wise things was the law which he made that all lights and fires were put out at 8 o'clock at night Nowadays we should think it very hard indeed if all fires and lights had to be put out at 8 o'clock but in those days people used to rise very early and go to bed very early so that it was not a great hardship It was really a wise rule because nearly all the houses were built of wood and if people were careless and went to bed leaving large fires burning the houses were apt to catch fire In a town all built of wood if one house caught fire sometimes a whole street would be burned to the ground before the fire could be put out By this wise law William made the danger of fires much less Every night at 8 o'clock a bell was rung This bell was called the curfew from the French words cover feu which means cover fire Another wise thing which William did was to make what is called the doomsday book or book of judgment This was a very big book in which a description of all the great houses and lands in the kingdom was written down with the names of the people to whom the land and houses belong This book was very useful at the time and it has been very useful since For one thing it shows us how much land was taken from the English and given to the Normans When William gave the Normans land he did not give it to them for nothing In return they had to promise to come to help the King in battle and to bring men with them The more land they got the more men they had to promise to provide in time of war When William wished to know how many men a certain lord would bring to fight for him he only needed to look at his great book to see how much land he had This plan of paying for land by fighting the feudal system and it lasted in England for many years William spent a great deal of time in Normandy for though he was proud to be king of England he loved his Norman home far better It was in Normandy that he died William had been fighting with the king of France and with his usual cruelty he had burned a town belonging to that king While William was riding about among the ruins his horse stepped upon some hot ashes stumble and he was thrown to the ground William was by this time very fat and old and the fall hurt him so much that in a few days he died Only two of William's sons were with him at the time Robert the eldest had quarreled with his father long before and was far away but as he lay dying William wished to be at peace with everyone He forgave Robert and left the crown of Normandy to him and he said although the crown of England is not mine to give away I should like William to have it and the son, eager to claim his father's crown seized the great signet ring which the dying king still wore and drew it from his finger To Henry, his youngest son William left a large sum of money Then William and Henry hurried off to England the one to demand the crown the other to make sure of his treasure The great conqueror was left to die alone A strange thing happened while William was being buried fire broke out in the streets just as it had done when he was being crowned The people who were carrying the beer fled So once more The conqueror was left alone with a few priests They would have buried him hurriedly but as they began the service a young man stepped forward and stopped them This ground, he said was taken from my father by the very king whom you now wish to bury here He has no right to this land It is mine, not his I refuse to allow him to be buried in it So even in death the conqueror was to find no resting place But the priests bargained with the young man and at last for the sum of sixty shillings in his ground And there the conqueror was at last laid to rest End of Chapter 26 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org On June 1st, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story, Chapter 27 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 27 The Story of William the Red William Rufus or the red as he was called from the color of his hair took the ring from his father's hand and hurried off to seize the throne of England without waiting even till the conqueror should die In little more than a fortnight the crown was upon the head of William Rufus and England had another Norman king But even the Norman nobles were not pleased with their new king The conqueror had ruled them with an iron hand and they had hoped, when he was dead to have someone who would be less severe They wanted Robert, the eldest son of William the Conqueror because they knew that he was much less harsh than William and they thought that they would be able to do what they liked if Robert were king So they rebelled against William the Red and asked Robert to come to England to fight for the crown Now the English hated to have a Norman king but they hated the Norman nobles even more Because Norman, he had lived in England ever since he had been about six years old He could speak English, which the Conqueror could never learn to do, and which the Confessor had never cared to do So William the Red appealed to the English people He said to them, if you stand by me and fight for me, I will reward you I will take away some of the heavy taxes I will give you more liberty and I will not allow the Norman barons to oppress you So the English people fought for their Norman king and they beat the Norman nobles Robert was obliged to fly back to France and William the Red, with the help of the English people sat safely on the English throne But as soon as he was safe William forgot about his promises He oppressed the people as much as ever and they were almost more unhappy than they had been in the time of his father The Red King was wicked and greedy He stole money from everyone, even from the churches and spent it on his own pleasure Little good can be said of him except that he was fearless Still, when he was ill and thought he might die he became frightened because of the wicked things he had done and promised to do better But as soon as he was well again he forgot his fears and was as wicked as before He was not truly a brave man and he was very cruel One day William the Red went to hunt with his friends in the new forest that forest which his father had made by destroying so many villages Before the hunting party started a man came to the king and gave him six beautiful new arrows The king admired them very much and he gave one of them to his friend, Walter Turrell who was a very good shot, saying the best arrows should be given to him who knows best how to use them It was a gay scene The king and his rich hunting dress rode first His friends and servants, gaily dressed, followed There was much talking and laughing and barking of dogs As they rode into the forest the frightened deer fled before them and soon everyone was eagerly following the chase In the many paths of the forest the king became separated from his friends The nobles did not notice that the king was not among them for it often happened in hunting that a few would be separated from the others When the hunt was over one by one the hunting party returned to the palace Only the king did not return The king and one noble, Walter Turrell What had happened? As the shadows began to lengthen and the sun to set the people of his household became uneasy Who was with the king? Who saw him last? As the question was asked Vincent's cart came slowly up the street It was a rough wooden cart drawn by an old white horse led by a peasant in poor and shabby clothes The question was answered In the cart, the king who so short a time before had ridden gaily away lay dead with an arrow through his heart Who has done this? asked the barons, seizing the peasant Villain answer I know not of it, my lords replied the man I was passing through the forest on my way home and I found this man lying dead as you see him I be-thought me that it was the king so I brought him thither How William the Red was killed can never be known Some people say that Walter Turrell while aiming at a deer hit the king by mistake that the arrow struck a tree and glancing off pierced the king in the breast and killed him These people think that Walter Turrell frightened at what he had done fled away as fast as he could that he fled to the seashore got into a ship and sailed over to France Certain it is that Walter Turrell died that day and did not return to England for many years but when he came back he vowed very solemnly that he had not done the deed and that he had not even been near the king that day when he died There was no sorrow for the dead king he was hated so much that when he was buried no bell was rung no prayers were said and when some time after the tower of the church fell people said it was because of the wickedness of William the Red King who lay buried there End of Chapter 27 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on June 1, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 28 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall Chapter 28 Henry I The Story of the White Ship William the Red died in 1100 A.D. He had no children so his brother Henry became king after him Henry was the youngest son of William the Conqueror he was fond of learning and could read and write better than most people in those days so he was called Boclerc which is French and means fine scholar Henry's eldest brother Robert Duke of Normandy was still alive and the Norman Barons in England still wanted to have him for their king so they sent over to France and asked Robert to come to fight again for the crown Once more the English people had to choose between the Norman King and the Norman Barons Once more they decided for the king and fought for him even although William the Red had forgotten his promises and cruelly deceived them for although Henry's father and mother had been Norman Henry himself had been born in England and the English people felt as if that almost made him English so once more they chose to fight for the king against the Barons Henry Boclerc did not repay the people with promises only as his brother had done he gave them a written letter or charter as it was called in which he promised to do away with many of William the Red's cruel laws to restore the good laws of Edward and to lessen the power of the Barons later on another king gave the people a much more important charter but in the meantime the English were very glad to get this one besides giving them this charter Henry pleased the English very much by marrying the Scottish princess Maud or Matilda as she was sometimes called Edgar the Etheling had a sister named Margaret the Scottish king Malcolm the Third and this princess Maud was their daughter and the great granddaughter of Edmund Ironside when Henry married her and she became Queen of England the English felt that the crown had come back again to their own people and they were very glad but the Norman nobles were angry about it they thought Henry ought to have married a Norman lady although many of the nobles were angry Henry's marriage did a great deal of good for other Normans followed the king's example and married English ladies so that the hatred between the two races would disappear a little thus it happened that when Robert and his Barons came to fight Henry they were met by an army of English whose hearts were with their king and who no wise feared the Normans so hopeless did Robert feel it to be that he made peace with his brother and went back to Normandy without fighting then Henry punished the rebel Barons by taking their lands away from many of them and banishing others the English helped him and rejoiced at the defeat of the proud Barons later on Robert and Henry quarreled again Henry sailed over to Normandy with an army of English soldiers defeated his brother and took possession of Normandy so now instead of England belonging to Normandy Normandy belonged to England when Henry had been king for about twenty years a great and terrible grief came upon him he and his son Prince William had been in Normandy together just as they were ready to return to England a sailor came and begged Henry to honour him by using his ship my father Stephen he said and your father sailed over to England when he went to conquer Harold my father was a good sailor and he served King William until he died I too am a sailor like my father I have a beautiful boat called the White Ship it is newly rigged and freshly painted it is manned by fifty trusty sailors and is in every way worthy of a king honour me as your father honoured my father and give me leave to steer you to England I thank you good master fit Stephen said Henry but I have already made choice of the ship in which I intend to sail and I cannot change but he added seeing the man looked disappointed my son Prince William is with me and you may steer him and his company over the channel Thomas fit Stephen was very glad when he heard that and he hurried away to tell his sailors to prepare to receive the prince late in the afternoon King Henry set sail leaving Prince William to follow in the White Ship but Prince William was young and gay and he did not feel inclined to start at once he stayed on shore drinking and feasting and making merry with his friends when at last he did go on board he ordered the captain to give the sailors three barrels of good red wine with which to drink his health so there was still further delay as was usual in those days priests came to bless the ship before it started but the prince and his gay companions laughed at them and the sailors whom the wine had made merry chased them away one of the king's friends who had been left behind with the prince now urged the captain to start oh there is no hurry said fit Stephen my beautiful white ship has sails like the wings of a bird she skims over the water swifter than a swallow we can easily overtake the king and be in England before him at last they started the deck was crowded with fine ladies and gay gentlemen these ladies and gentlemen had many servants so that together with the sailors there were about 300 people on board the ship the sails were set the sailors bent to the oars and to the sound of song and laughter the gay ship left the harbour and said it was a clear and frosty winter's evening the red sun had sunk and a silver moon shone brightly all was merry-ment and laughter when suddenly there was an awful crash the ship seemed to shiver from end to end and then stand still the next minute it began to sink it had struck upon a rock one fearful wail of agony rose from the hearts of 300 people breaking the stillness of the night far away over the sea Henry heard that cry what is it he asked straining anxious eyes through the darkness only some night bird sire replied the captain me thought it was some soul in distress said Henry, still looking back over the sea anxious he knew not why on the white ship all was terrible confusion without losing a moment fit Stephen thrust the prince into the only small boat and bad the sailors row off he at least must be saved though all the rest should perish the prince hardly knowing what had happened he allowed the sailors to row away from the sinking vessel but suddenly a voice called to him oh, William, William do you leave me to perish? it was the voice of his sister Marie William was careless and selfish but he loved his sister he could not leave her go back, he said to the sailors, go back we must take my sister too we dare not, sire, replied the boatman we dare not, we must go on you dare not, cried the prince am I not the son of the king of England Marie the prince spoke so sternly that the men turned the boat and went back to the sinking ship as the boat drew near the princess Marie with a cry of joy leaped into her brother's arm but alas many others eager to be saved crowded into the little boat the sailors tried in vain to keep them back the little boat was overturned and the prince was drowned the white ship sank fast until only the mast was seen above the water clinging to it were two men all that were left of that gay company one of these men was a noble called Geoffrey de Lible the other was a poor butcher of Rouen called Bertold as they clung there a third man appeared swimming through the waves it was the captain, Fitz Stephen what of the prince, he asked the prince is drowned, replied Geoffrey ah, woe is me, cried Fitz Stephen and throwing up his arms, he sank hour after hour the two men clung to the mast they were numbed with cold and perishing from hunger again and again as long as they had strength they called aloud for help but there was no one to hear the bright stars twinkled overhead and the moon shone calmly making paths of shining silver over the still water but no voice answered their cries all through the terrible long night the noble and the butcher talked and tried to comfort each other but towards morning the noble became exhausted goodbye friend I am a shepherd to Bertold God keep you, I can hold out no longer then he slipped into the water and Bertold was left alone when the wintry sun rose Bertold faint and benumbed was still clinging to the mast he was the poorest of all those who had sailed in the beautiful white ship while the others had been dressed in silk and satin and velvet his coat was of sheepskin and perhaps that helped to save him for the rough skin kept out the cold and wet far better than a coat of satin could have done beginning to grow light when three fishermen passing in their boat caught sight of something floating in the water they rode near to see what it was and found the poor butcher almost dead from cold and hunger the fishermen lifted him into their boat and took him home when they had warmed and fed him and he could speak again he told his dreadful story alas what news to carry to England there was mourning and tears among the nobles when they heard it for almost every one among them had lost a son but who should tell the king no one dared the nobles knew that Henry loved his son above everything on earth so for three days in spite of his anxious questions no one dared to tell him the truth when alone they wept for their dear ones but in presence of the king they put away their tears and tried to smile and jest as usual I last one of the nobles taking his little son by the hand and whispering to him go tell the king gently pushed the child into the room where Henry was sitting the little boy felt frightened and shy at finding himself alone with the stern king although he hardly understood how terrible a tale he had to tell half sobbing with excitement and fear he knelt before Henry and stammered out the story as Henry listened his hands clutched his robe his lips moved but no sound came then suddenly he fell senseless to the floor and the little boy now quite frightened burst into loud sobbing at the sound of the fall the nobles rushed into the room they lifted the king and placed him upon a couch he lay there with white face and closed eyes when he opened his eyes again there was a look in them that no one had seen before his face was lined and drawn with sorrow and no one ever saw him smile again Henry had no other son but he had a daughter who was called Matilda as her mother had been he resolved that this daughter should be queen after he was dead in those days it was thought strange the woman and the haughty Norman nobles hated the thought of it but Henry was so strong and stern that he forced them to promise that Matilda should be queen how they kept that promise you shall hear after Prince William's death Henry spent a great deal of his time in Normandy he was there when he died it is said that his death was caused by eating too many lamp rays lamp rays are fish something like eels Henry was very fierce and stern but he was wise and in those days it was necessary for a king to be stern to keep the strong barons in check he loved justice so much that he was called the Lion of Justice he took the side of the English people against the Norman barons and the English repaid him by being true to him we read of Henry that good he was and Mikkel awe was of him no man durst mid-so with other in his day peace he made for man and deer peace he made and peace he loved so that he was called the peace-loving king kneeling beside King Henry as he lay dying the archbishop of Ruan prayed God give him the peace he loved end of chapter 28 read by Kara Schellenberg on June 17th 2006 in Oceanside, California our island story chapter 29 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schellenberg our island story H.E. Marshall Chapter 29 the story of King Stephen Henry I died in 1135 A.D. and the barons instead of keeping their promise to him and making his daughter queen chose his nephew Stephen to be their king Stephen was the son of Adela, William the Conqueror's daughter the barons chose Stephen for several reasons they were so proud that they hated the thought of being ruled by a woman and that woman too not even a Norman Matilda's mother was a great-granddaughter of Edmund Ironside and as she had been born in England and lived a great part of her life there she was far more English than Norman Matilda's husband was Geoffrey Count of Anjou he was also called Geoffrey Plantagenet because when he went into battle he used to wear a sprig of yellow broom in his helmet so that his friends might know him when his face was covered with his visor the Latin name for broom is Plantagenista and gradually it came to be pronounced although Geoffrey was French he was not a Norman and the Normans looked upon him as quite as much a stranger as an Englishman and they did not wish to be ruled by him as would happen if his wife Matilda were made queen besides this the barons knew that Stephen was kind and gentle and they thought he would be a king who would allow them to do just what they liked and so he did Stephen was too gentle to rule the wild barons someone's stern and harsh was needed to keep them in check and Stephen was neither he allowed the barons to build strong castles all over the country these castles had dark and fearful dungeons which were used as prisons there such deeds of cruelty were done by the barons that the people said the castles were filled not with men but with evil spirits God has forgotten England they said Christ sleeps and his holy ones not even at the time of the conquest had there been such misery in England then there had been one stern ruler who had forced everyone to bend to his will now each baron set himself up as a king and tyrant his castle was his kingdom where he tortured and killed according to his own wicked will Stephen was a courteous knight and gentleman but during the nineteen years of his reign there was only lawlessness and sorrow in England when the barons made Stephen king of England Matilda and her husband Jeffrey fled to Normandy but there too the barons rebelled against them and chose Stephen for their duke then David the king of Scotland gathered an army and came to fight for his niece Matilda ever since the days of the Romans the Scots and English had been enemies and the Scots were still almost as fierce and wild as they had been then they marched through England as far as Yorkshire doing dreadful deeds of cruelty as they went at a place called North Allerton a great battle was fought it was called the battle of the standard because the sacred banners of four saints were hung upon a pole which was fixed to a cart and around this the English gathered their forces the Scots were fiercely brave but they were no armour and although they rushed to battle with splendid courage they could not break through the line of steel-clad Normans nor stand against the arrows of the English so they were defeated and David could not help Matilda as he had meant to do later on Matilda came back from France and until the death of Stephen England was filled with civil war civil war means war within a country itself the people of that country instead of fighting against a foreign nation fighting among themselves this is the most terrible kind of war for often friends and brothers fight on different sides killing and wounding each other in this civil war those who wished Matilda to be queen fought against those who wished Stephen to remain king for a time Matilda's army was successful but she was so proud and haughty that she soon made enemies even of those who had at first fought for her then came a time when she was shut up in Oxford while the army of Stephen lay around the king's soldiers kept so strict to watch that no food could be taken into the town and no person could escape from it this is called a siege the people in Oxford began to starve for they had eaten up all the food they had and Stephen's soldiers took good care that no more was allowed to be taken into the town it was the middle of winter the river Thames was frozen over snow lay everywhere around the cold was terrible and the people had no wood for fires at last Matilda could bear it no longer she made up her mind to run away one night four figures dressed in white crept silently through the streets of Oxford they reached the gate in silence it was opened for those guarding it knew who the white-clad figures were one by one the figures passed through out into the snow-covered fields they crept moving softly and swiftly unnoticed by Stephen's soldiers it was Matilda and three faithful knights they had dressed themselves in white so that they might pass unseen over the snow there was no bridge over the river but the frost was so hard that they crossed upon the ice and so got safely away although Matilda fled the war still went on until at length her son Henry landed in England determined to fight for the crown but Stephen was weary of war and all the land longed for rest so listening to the advice of a wise priest Stephen and Henry made peace their first meeting was on the banks of the Thames where it runs still as a little stream they stood one on one bank and one on the other Stephen, a broken-ruined man worn and aged with wars and troubles Henry, young, handsome and hopeful and there they made a treaty called the Peace of Wallingford by this treaty it was agreed that Stephen should keep the crown while he lived that he should acknowledge Henry as his adopted son that Henry should reign after the death of Stephen and that the dreadful castles which Stephen had allowed the wicked barons to build and which they used as dark and horrible prisons should be destroyed so the land had rest soon afterwards Stephen died and in 1154 AD Henry came to the throne amid the great rejoicing of the people End of Chapter 29 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on June 17th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 30 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 30 Henry Plantagenet The Story of Gilbert and Rojesia Henry II, as you know got his name Plantagenet from his father Geoffrey of Anjou who used to wear a piece of Plantagenista in his helmet He was the first of several kings ruling England who were all Plantagenets Henry II was only 21 years old He began to reign and, like his grandfather Henry Booklark, he reigned 35 years Like him too he did much to draw the English and Norman people together The misrule and confusion of the reign of Stephen had been so great that Henry had to work very hard to bring his kingdom into order again He not only worked hard himself but he made other people work too It is said of him that he never sat down but was on his feet all day long The first thing Henry did was to send away all the foreign soldiers who had come to England and Matilda in their wars Next he made the barons pull down their castles in which they used to do such dreadful deeds of cruelty He told that they must live in ordinary houses and not in fortresses which could be turned into fearful prisons and places of torture The barons were very angry but like his grandfather Henry Booklark Henry II was stern and forced people to obey him These are only a few of the things which he did for the reign of Henry II was a great one To help and advise him in his work Thomas A. Beckett Thomas A. Beckett's father was called Gilbert and his mother, Rohesia Gilbert was a London merchant and when he was young he had made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land as was common in those days At that time Jerusalem was in the hands of people called Saracens They were pagans and hated the Christians and they treated very badly those who came to visit the sepulcher of Christ While Gilbert was on his pilgrimage a rich Saracen seized and put him in prison saying he should not come out until he had paid a great sum of money This Saracen had a beautiful daughter Rohesia, for that was her name had seen the handsome young Englishman before her father put him in prison and she felt sorry for him She used to come to the little window of his cell to speak to him and to bring him things to eat and drink Night after night she came and they whispered to each other through the bars of the little prison window There was no one to hear and only the stars and the moon to keep watch All day long Gilbert used to wait impatiently until night came and he would hear her whisper Gilbert, Gilbert and she would slip her little hand through the bars and touch his Rohesia could speak no English but Gilbert could speak her language and he taught her to say his name She learned to say London, too and knew that that was where he lived Gilbert and Rohesia grew to love each other very much and all the day seemed long and dreary until night came and they could whisper to each other through the prison bars But one night Rohesia came breathless and pale Gilbert, she whispered Gilbert, my father is asleep and I have stolen the keys I will unlock the door, you are free Gilbert hardly believed the good news until he heard the key turn in the lock Then the door swung open and he knew that he was indeed free He took Rohesia in his arms and kissed her promising that he would never forget her As soon as I get back to England I shall send for you, he said You must come to me and we shall be married and never part any more Then Gilbert went away and Rohesia was left all alone She felt very sad after he had gone but she comforted herself always by remembering that he was going to send for her and that then they should be together and happy ever after Gilbert arrived safely in England but he forgot all about the beautiful Saracen maiden and his promise to her He had so many things to do when he got back to London that the time for him went very quickly But for Rohesia the time passed slowly slowly day after day went In the morning she said Do you want to send? In the evening she wept and said he has not sent At last she could bear the waiting no longer so she set out to try to find Gilbert She knew only two words of English but she was not afraid She travelled all through the land until she reached the seashore There she said London, London to everyone whom she met until at last she found a ship that was going there She had not much money but she gave the captain some of her jewels and in those days was much smaller than it is now but Rohesia had never seen so many houses and people before and she was bewildered and frightened Everyone turned to stare at the lovely lady dressed in such strange and beautiful clothes who kept calling Gilbert, Gilbert as she passed from street to street Gilbert was sitting in his house when suddenly he heard his name He knew the voice yet he could hardly believe his ears Could it indeed be Rohesia? In a flash he remembered everything the dark little prison, the lovely Saracen girl his love for, his promise to her He ran to the door and opened it quickly The next minute Rohesia was sobbing in his arms Her long journey was ended She had found Gilbert As Gilbert held Rohesia in his arms he found all his old love for her had come back so they were married and were happy They had a little son whom they called Thomas He grew up to be that Thomas Ah Becket who was King Henry's great chancellor and friend I must tell that some people say that this story of Gilbert and Rohesia is only a fairy tale Perhaps it is This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schallenberg Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall Henry Plantagenet The story of Thomas Ah Becket King Henry was very fond of Thomas Ah Becket They used to work very seriously but when work was done they would play together like two boys The chancellor took care of the king's great seal looked after the royal chapel and had many other duties He was a very important person lived in splendid style and dressed magnificently In fact his house and servants were richer and grander than those of the king Many of the nobles sent their sons to serve in the chancellor's house and the proudest were glad to wait on him and to try to please him Every day a great number of people dined with the chancellor Sometimes the king would come in from riding in the middle of dinner, jump over the table with a merry jest and sit down among the guests Many stories are told of the fun the king and the chancellor used to have together One day while out riding Thomas and King Henry met an old beggar shivering and in rags It would be a good action that poor man a coat, said the king It would indeed, replied the chancellor Then give him yours and the king laughingly seized the cloak which Thomas was wearing It was a beautiful new cloak of silk and fur and Thomas did not wish to lose it so he held it tight while the king tugged hard to pull it off Neither would let go until between struggling and laughing they both nearly fell off their horses The courtiers watched and laughed too but at last the king succeeded in getting the cloak and flung it to the beggar He was very pleased, but he had to make the best of it and go shivering for the rest of his ride The poor beggar went away greatly delighted with the king's joke Once Henry sent Thomas with a message to the king of France Thomas took so many soldiers and servants in glittering dress, so many horses and carriages with him that the people came out of their houses to stare at him wherever he passed Who is it? everyone asked The chancellor of England was the reply Only the chancellor, cried the astonished people What must the king be if the chancellor is so grand? Henry worked hard and with the help of his chancellor improved many things in England He found that the church and the clergy like everything else had grown very unruly and disorderly He determined with them in order and Thomas a becket he thought would be the best man to help him Thomas had been brought up as a priest and King Henry resolved to make him Archbishop of Canterbury and head of all the clergy in England But Thomas was gay and worldly He loved fine clothes and rich food I do not want to be Archbishop of Canterbury He said to the king You must be, said the king Then we shall quarrel, said Thomas Why, said the king Because if you make head of the church I shall work for the church and not for you We shall no longer be friends but enemies replied Thomas But King Henry did not believe Thomas when he talked like this and in spite of all he could say he made him Archbishop of Canterbury As soon as he became Archbishop Thomas changed his way of living He gave up his fine house and fine clothes and his great number of servants He began to wear coarse rough clothes lived in a little narrow cell ate very plain food and drank only water It is difficult to understand why he did this Perhaps he thought that the primate of all England as the Archbishop of Canterbury is called ought to be a very holy man and he knew no other way of becoming holy for in those days if a man fasted and went barefoot and wore coarse clothing it was thought that he must be a saint Thomas now wrote to the king to find another Chancellor as he could not be Archbishop and Chancellor too This was a great surprise and grief to the king In those days it was nothing unusual for one man to be Archbishop as well as Chancellor Henry had expected Thomas still to be Chancellor and still to help him He had nearly made him primate so that he should help him more But that was only the beginning of the troubles The Bishop of Rome whom we call the Pope said that he was the head of the whole Christian church and that no one could be made a bishop in England without his consent Henry said that he, the king, was the head of the English church and he would make what bishops he chose Thomas instead of siding with the king sided with the Pope so they quarreled as Thomas had warned Henry that they would In those days some of the clergy had grown very wicked Instead of leading good lives and being an example to others they led bad lives Priests and clergy who did wicked things were not judged by the same courts as other people They were judged by a bishops court Now a bishops court had no power to order any very severe punishment If a priest killed a man, the worst that could happen to him would be that he would be beaten not very hard and have only bread and water to live on for a few days Many wicked people became priests simply that they might be able to do as much wrong as they liked without being punished for it Henry wished to put an end to this so he said that all people who did wrong must be tried by the same judges whether they were priests or not But Thomas Abeket would not agree Clergy men had always been judged by a bishops court, he said and by a bishops court they should continue to be judged So the king and the primate quarrelled worse than ever till the quarrel grew so fierce and the king so angry that Thomas fled over the sea to escape from him After a time Henry forgave Thomas and he came back to England but almost at once he again began to quarrel with the king This time Henry lost all patience and in a burst of anger he exclaimed Are there none of the idle people who eat my bread that will free me from this quarrelsome priest Henry was angry and did not really mean what he said but four nights heard and thinking to please their king they took ship before Henry was in Normandy at this time crossed the sea to England and rode to Canterbury arrived there they went to the Archbishop's house they found him almost alone with angry words they told him that he must either promise not to quarrel with Henry or he must leave England I shall do what I think is right replied Thomas if the king tells me to do things which I think are wrong I will not obey him I am the servant of God God is higher than the king I shall obey him this answer enraged the knights and more angry words were spoken then they went away telling Thomas to beware for they would come again you will find me here replied Thomas proudly never again will I forsake my people all the Archbishop's friends and the monks and priests who lived with him were very much afraid they felt sure that these angry knights meant to do something dreadful they feared Thomas to leave his house and take refuge in the cathedral but he would not I said they would find me here he replied to all entreaties the day passed the time for evening service came then only did Thomas consent to leave his house and go into the cathedral for he said it is my duty to lead the service the priests tried to hurry him they tried to drag him along quickly but Thomas would not hasten he walked slowly and solemnly there was no man when at last he was safe within the cathedral the priests wished to lock and bar the doors but Thomas forbade them this is not a fortress but the house of God into which everyone is free to enter I forbid you to bar the doors he said the priests were in despair they loved their Archbishop they knew that he was in danger but he would not try to save himself even as he spoke there was a great noise without the door burst open in their hands rushed into the cathedral the frightened people fled in all directions the Archbishop was left almost alone only three remained with him his cross-bearer and two other faithful friends in the dim twilight which filled the cathedral it would have been easy for Thomas to escape but he would not go I told them that they should find me here he said again to the monks who tried to drag him away even as it was the knights could not find him they were attacked and clanged through the great church seeking him where is the traitor called one of them no one answered only the word traitor echoed again through the silence where is the Archbishop he called again I am here answered the voice of Thomas Abeket out of the darkness I am here no traitor but a servant of God what do you want they stood before him four armed knights against one unarmed priest yet he was not afraid will you be at peace with the king asked the knights what I have done I shall continue to do replied Thomas then die the knights seized him and tried to drag him out of the cathedral for they feared to kill him in a holy place but Thomas would not go he held tightly to a pillar his cross-bearer still holding the cross through one arm round the Archbishop trying to protect him the knight who had first spoken struck at Thomas the cross-bearer received the blow upon his arm which dropped to his side broken the next stroke fell on Thomas Abeket's defenseless head in a few minutes all was over in the name of Christ and for the defense of the church I die willingly said Thomas and spoke no more then the knights fearful of what they had done fled leaving the dead Archbishop alone in the dark silent cathedral end of chapter 31 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kare.org on June 19th 2006 in Oceanside California our island story Chapter 32 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schellenberg our island story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 32 Henry Plantagenet the story of the conquest of Ireland when Henry heard of what had happened to Thomas Abeket he was very sorry but strangely enough he had no power to punish the four knights their sin was a sin against the church and they could only be tried by a bishops court the bishops court punished them by sending them on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land so Thomas Abeket in quarreling with the king had protected his own murderers but perhaps their punishment was very real for they were forsaken and shunned by all their friends no one would speak to them nor eat with them and at last they died in misery and loneliness all England was filled with horror at the dreadful deed the people had loved Thomas when he was alive now that he was dead they called him a saint from far and near they came as pilgrims to his grave over which a splendid shrine littering with gold and gems was placed nearly four years later the king himself came as a pilgrim to show his sorrow and repentance he rode on horseback to Canterbury but as soon as he came within sight of the cathedral he got off his horse and walked barefoot wearing only a shirt and carrying a lighted candle in his hand until he reached the shrine for a whole day and night having nothing to eat or drink he knelt in prayer before the grave for a still greater punishment he made the monks beat his bareback with knotted cords all this show of sorrow could not bring back the great archbishop who had been murdered in consequence of a few words spoken in anger but it pleased the pope who was very angry because Thomas Abeket had been killed he blamed Henry and would scarcely believe that he had not told the four knights to do the wicked deed in those days the pope was very powerful indeed even kings stood in awe of him and Henry was glad to make peace with him by any means in his power until now in this book we have spoken only of England although England is but one of the countries which formed the United Kingdom each of these countries has a history of its own but it would be too difficult to tell all the stories in one book so I shall tell only the story of each country after it has been joined to England there are four countries in the United Kingdom England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales of these England and Ireland were the first to be joined together this happened in the reign of Henry II in 1172 AD England you remember had at one time been divided into seven kingdoms and in the same way Ireland was still divided into four and the kings of these four divisions were always fighting with each other now one of these kings who was called Dermot came to Henry and asked for help against another of the Irish kings Henry promised help if King Dermot would acknowledge him as overlord this King Dermot said he would do Henry was very glad to fight with the Irish because he knew it would please the Pope and perhaps make him forget about the death of Thomas Abeket the Pope was angry with the Irish because they would not pay him some money to which he thought he had a right Henry first sent some Norman knights over to Ireland and then went himself there was a good deal of fighting but in the end Ireland was added to England and ever since the kings of England have been lords of Ireland too although many years passed before they could be said really to rule there Henry's great reign closed in sorrow his sons did not love him and they rebelled and fought against him they were encouraged in this by their mother who was not a good woman two of Henry's sons died before him both of them while fighting with their father two others called Richard and John were kings of England after him John was Henry's favourite son he was the only one who had not rebelled against him but when the king lay very ill the nobles came to tell him that John too had rebelled this last sorrow broke Henry's heart crying out ah John John now I care no more for myself nor for the world he turned his face to the wall and died Henry was a very rich king for besides being king of England and lord of Ireland he was ruler over more than half of France later you will hear how one of his sons lost all these French possessions end of chapter 32 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on June 19th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 33 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 33 the story of Richard Corde Leon this king Richard I understand ere he went out of England let make an axe for the nonce therewith to cleave the Saracens bones the head in sooth was wrought full wheel thereon was 20 pounds of steel the country where Christ was born lived and died is called Palestine the capital of that country is Jerusalem from that far off country the story of Christ was carried all over the world many listened to the story and were glad but the country where he lived fell into the hands of the Saracens and Turks who neither believed in nor loved Christ when people for the love of Christ went the long long journey to Palestine in order to see for themselves the Holy Sepulcher these Saracens and Turks ill treated them and insulted their religion at last a monk called Peter the Hermit went through Europe, preaching and calling upon all Christians to fight for the city of their lord if they truly loved Christ he said they would deliver his grave from the hands of the Saracens at his call Christian people rose eager to show their love and journey to Palestine but the way was long and difficult they reached the capital the people however were not disheartened and the following year a great army set out which did reach Jerusalem and after much fighting the Holy Sepulcher was taken from the Turks later on the Turks took it back again and so for nearly 200 years with times of peace between Christians and Turks were at war these wars were called crusades which means wars of the cross the word comes from the Latin word crux they were called crusades because the people of Christ died upon the cross as a badge or sign they wore a cross upon their armor or clothes many kings and princes joined these wars Henry II had been making ready to go to Palestine when he died his son Richard the First who was king after him made up his mind to go as soon as he was crowned Richard had not been a good son he had helped to make his father's last days unhappy but when his father was dead he was sorry for what he had done and he punished the people who had helped him to rebel instead of rewarding them as they had expected Richard was very brave as his name Cordelion which means lion-hearted shows he was a great soldier he loved to fight he loved to have adventures so instead of staying at home and looking after his kingdom as he ought to have done he went far away to Palestine to fight and his people were proud of their king and glad to have him go for they knew that he would make the name of England famous wherever he went although Richard himself was really hardly English he had indeed been born in England but he had lived nearly all his life in France and he did not know nor care much about the English people Richard Cordelion came to England to be crowned he sold everything he could in order to get money for the crusade for wars always cost a great deal of money and then he sailed away but first he chose two bishops to rule the country while he was gone one was a very old man and the other, William Longchamps, was Norman he could hardly speak a word of English and he treated the people so badly that they hated him and soon rebelled now Richard's younger brother John wanted to be king of England so he encouraged the people to rebel then he began to rule but the unhappy people soon found that John was no kinder than William Longchamps indeed he was rather worse for John wanted the kingdom for himself and Longchamps, although proud and haughty and cruel to the people, was at least true to his king John and his Norman friends oppressed the people and the hatred between English and Norman to which Henry II had done so much to put an end flamed up again many of the English left their homes were driven from them and the land became full of robbers and outlaws one of the most famous of these outlaws was Robin Hood he lived in Sherwood a forest which at that time covered a great part of the centre of England he was the head of a large band and so powerful was he that he was called the king of Sherwood and indeed his followers loved and obeyed him as they would have done a king robbers as a rule are not men to be admired but these were wild times, very different from ours he had been forced to become a robber through the wickedness of the rulers of the land among his own band he kept such good order that in Sherwood women and children could wander safely for it was dangerous for haughty knights and wicked priests to go Robin's rules were strict and those who would not obey them were driven out of the band of merry men as his followers were called but looky do no husband men harm that tilleth with his plow no more ye shall the good yeoman that walketh by Greenwood Shaw nor no knight nor no squire that will be good fellow these bishops and archbishops ye shall them beat and bind the high sheriff of Nottingham hold him in your mind the sheriff of Nottingham was Robin's greatest enemy many times he tried to catch Robin but he never succeeded in those days bows and arrows were used in battle instead of guns as gunpowder had not been invented bows and arrows were also used for hunting wild animals the English archers were the most famous in the world and Robin Hood was the most famous archer in England he could split a willow wand and hit a mark which another man could hardly see Robin and his men lived in caves in the forest shooting the king's deer for food and getting money by robbing the rich knights and priests who travelled through the Greenwood but they never hurt or robbed the poor people indeed Robin used to help many of them the common people loved him although the rich and great barons and nobles hated him far away in Palestine news of the wicked things which John was doing reached Richard and he felt that it was time that he should go home again he had not succeeded in what he had set out to do he had not won Jerusalem from the Turks but he made a truce with their great leader, Saladin a truce means that the people who have been fighting do not make peace for good and all but that they promise not to fight against each other for some arranged time Saladin and Richard made a truce for three years during which time Saladin promised that no harm should be done to the pilgrims who came to the Holy Sepulcher Richard set sail for home but his heart was in the Holy Land tears filled his eyes as its shores grew dim in the distance stretching out his hand as if in prayer blessed land he cried farewell to God's keeping I commend thee may he give me life that I may return to deliver thee from the hand of the unbeliever as Richard sailed homeward storms arose and his ship was wrecked upon the shore of Austria nearly everyone was drowned but the king and a few of his knights escaped while in Palestine Richard had quarreled with the Duke of Austria and he knew that it would not be safe to travel openly in this land so the king and his knights disguised themselves as merchants hoping in that way to pass safely on their journey but they had many adventures and more than once were nearly discovered at last Richard was left with only one knight and one little page when they arrived at the large town near which the Duke of Austria lived Richard and the knight lay hidden while the page went into the town to buy food they had been travelling for several days without daring to enter a house and all the food they had was finished and they were both weary and hungry Richard, like many brave and reckless people, was neither thoughtful nor careful he gave the page a large sum of money and allowed him to go into the town carrying the king's gloves in his belt in those days only very rich people wore gloves and Richard's were beautifully embroidered with silk and gold such as only kings and princes wore the page had often before bought food for his master and he went fearlessly into the marketplace to get what was needed but when he handed the merchant a large piece of gold and payment the man looked sharply at him Who is your master? he asked My master is a rich merchant called Hugh, replied the boy he is returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land merchant indeed said another man, look at his gloves a third plucked them from his belt merchant indeed, he too cried, these are king's gloves Who is your master, boy? I have told you, replied the page steadily he is a merchant called Hugh but the townspeople would not believe that they beat and tortured the poor lad still he would not tell they dragged him before the Duke with whom Richard had quarrelled in Palestine he was more strong and cruel than the others and at last forced the page to confess that his master was Richard Cordeleon, the king of England then Leopold Duke of Austria was very glad he hated Richard with a great hatred he sent soldiers to the king's hiding place, seized him and put him in prison Duke Leopold kept Richard prisoner for some time and then he sold him to the emperor of Germany for a large sum of money the emperor of Germany also hated Richard so he, in his turn, put him into prison then the emperor wrote to the king of France telling him that the king of England was safely imprisoned in one of his strong castles and King Philip of France was glad for he too hated Richard and had been helping Prince John stir up the English people to rebellion when Prince John heard about it, he was glad too so a great many people rejoiced that Richard Cordeleon was in prison Chapter 34 Richard Cordeleon the story of how Blondel found the king Richard Cordeleon, who loved to be free who loved to fight and ride and hunt to do great deeds of strength and daring hated to be shut up in a dark and narrow prison yet he did not despair he loved too to laugh and sing and he made friends with his jailers wrestling and fighting with them and astonishing them by his great strength and when he was weary of that but sometimes he was sad although nearly all the poetry which Richard wrote has been lost, one mournful little song which he made in prison is still left it was written in French for Richard, you remember, was almost French and could speak very little English here it is in English words no captive ever sings so sweet a strain as he who weareth not the prisoner's chain yet song may glad his days of weariness friends fail me not but shame for them I fear I do lie for lack of gold this vile duress sustain another year well know my knights and servants every one English, Guatavan, Norman or Gascon that to no comrade would I help refuse but I would spend my wealth till he were free and this I say yet them I not accuse for my captivity true it is said and I have learned it soar dead folk no lovers have nor captives more but if to save their wealth here I do lie disgrace and scorn shall unto them be still and if I suffer more they suffer will though I be left to die Prince John felt that nothing now stood between him and the throne of England he told the people that the king was dead and would never come back again he sees the royal castles and what golden jewels he could find belonging to the king in England but the English would neither believe nor follow John meanwhile Blondel a minstrel or singer who loved King Richard took his harp and wandering from castle to castle sought his master all through Germany for the emperor kept secret where he had imprisoned Richard wherever Blondel heard of some unknown prisoner there he stopped and sang a song which Richard and he had made and sung together again and again Blondel sang this song but no answering voice ever came from any of the grim castle walls at last one evening weary and almost hopeless he began to sing beneath the walls of a castle called Trifells oh Richard oh my king thou art by all for God through the wide world I sadly sing lamenting thy drear lot alone I pass through many lands alone I sigh to break thy bands oh Richard oh my king thou art by all for God through the wide world I sadly sing lamenting thy dread lot Blondel's voice was sad and broken his heart was heavy and he could scarcely sing for tears but hardly had he finished the first verse when from a window high above him another voice took up the tune and sang the minstrel's song is love alone with humility and constancy though recompense be none the voice rang out clear and full and strong Blondel knew and loved it it was the voice of Richard Coeur de Leon Blondel leaned his head back against the rough stone of the castle wall and wept for joy he had found his king back to England the minstrel went with his great news and when the English people heard it they were glad but the emperor would not set Richard free until the people paid a large sum of money called a ransom through the wars and robberies of John but the English people wanted their king so much that they denied themselves almost everything in order to raise enough money when they had gathered the money they sent it to the emperor and Richard was at last set free as soon as he was out of prison Richard hurried to England he must have been glad to see the white cliffs of his own land again he had been away four years and fourteen months of that time he had been shut up in a dark and lonely prison the people were so glad to see their king again that although they were they had such grand decorations and rejoicings that a German knight who came home with Richard was quite astonished had my lord the emperor known said he how rich a country England still was he would have demanded yet more money Richard set himself at once to bring order into the kingdom most of the people were on the side of the king and Prince John soon submitted to him their mother Queen Eleanor begged Richard to forgive his brother I forgive him said Richard and I hope I shall as easily forget the wrong he has done me as I know he will forget my pardon he knew that John was not really sorry and would rebel again as soon as he had a chance Richard remained in England only a few months and then he went to France there he spent the rest of his life chiefly fighting with the king of that country but Richard left a good and wise man to rule in England and the people were happier although they had to pay heavy taxes in order to help Richard in his French wars this was very unfair as these wars did England no good but as long as the kings of England had possessions in France the English had to pay for French wars so it was a good thing for England when at last all the French possessions were lost Richard was killed in France in 1199 AD while besieging a castle called Chalouse he was riding round the walls with one of his captains looking for the best place of attack when a young archer put an arrow to his bow and saying now God speed my arrow let it fly the arrow hit Richard in the shoulder that was a bad one but doctors in those days were not very clever and the doctor who drew out the arrow head did it so badly that the wound was made much worse in a day or two it became so bad that Richard felt he was going to die but he swore that he would first take the castle and kill the archer who had caused his death the castle was taken and Richard in his terrible wrath hanged all the soldiers except the archer he was kept for some more dreadful death Richard was lying in great agony when the young archer was brought before him said the king looking fiercely at him what have I done to you that you should kill me the young man drew himself up and looking proudly at the king and not in the least afraid of his angry frown replied with your own hand you killed my father and my two brothers kill me, torture me if you will I am glad to die having rid the world of one who has wrought so much ill in it and there was silence between these two proud brave men as they looked each other in the eyes the one a poor soldier the other a dying king but Richard although fierce and hasty was generous and above all things he loved courage boy, he said, I forgive you then turning to his captains loose his chains he added, let him go free and give him a hundred shillings to boot so Richard Curdilion died he was so brave that all Europe rang with his fame the Saracens stood in such awe of him that when little children were naughty their mothers would say to them I will come to you and the children would be good at once for fear of him think as thou that Richard of England is in that bush a rider would say to his horse if it were startled so great was the terror of his name Richard was a good knight and a brave soldier but he was not a good king he reigned for ten years yet only six months of that time did he spend in England no doubt he thought it was a great and good thing to fight for Jerusalem but how much better it would have been if he had tried to rule his own land peacefully to his people End of Chapter 34 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on June 23rd, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 35 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story Chapter 35 John Lackland The Story of Prince Arthur When Richard Coeur de Leon died his brother John, who had plotted and rebelled against him when he was alive became king. He was called by the French John Sounds Terre which means without land and John Lackland by the English he was so called because when his father Henry II died John had no kingdom left to him as his brothers had John was the youngest and the worst of all Henry's sons and he was not the heir to the throne of England. The real heir was Prince Arthur of Brittany the son of John's elder brother Jeffrey and now the French king Philip who had fought against Richard and helped John suddenly turned round and began to fight against John because he would not let Arthur be king John was wicked and wily and he easily got Arthur into his power and shut him up in prison but John was not content with that he greatly feared that the English people might want to have Arthur as their king he resolved to make that impossible Prince Arthur was placed in the charge of a man called Hubert and wicked king John ordered this man to put out Arthur's eyes Hubert actually said he would do this cruel deed one morning he brought two men into Arthur's room ready to put out his pretty blue eyes with their dreadful hot irons Arthur was a gentle loving boy and he was fond of his stern jailer and Hubert in his own rough way was fond of the little Prince now he felt sad and sick at heart he said to Arthur are you ill? said Arthur you look so pale I wish you were a little ill so that I could nurse you and show you how much I love you he added when Arthur spoke to him so kindly the tears came into Hubert's eyes but he brushed them away and determined to do what the king had commanded I am not ill but your uncle has commanded me to put out your eyes he said roughly to put out my eyes then Arthur said putting his arms round Hubert's neck when your head ached only a little I sat up all night with you now you want to put out my eyes these eyes that never did nor never shall so much as frown upon you I have sworn to do it said Hubert sadly oh but you will not do it you will not you will not Hubert and so Arthur begged and prayed till Hubert could resist no longer and he sent the wicked men with their dreadful red hot irons away but Hubert was afraid that he was afraid because his orders had not been obeyed so he told him the cruel deed had been done and that Prince Arthur had died of grief and pain then Wicked King John was glad but the people both in France and England were very sad when they heard this news everyone mourned for the young Prince all through the land bells were told as if for a funeral there was so much anger against John and so much sorrow for the Prince that at last Hubert told the people that what he had said was not true and that Arthur was still alive then everyone was glad even King John was glad at first because many of his nobles had told him plainly that he would find no knight to follow him to battle nor to guard his castles at home if he had really killed his little nephew but King John's heart was black and wicked and he could not rest while he knew that Prince Arthur lived so one dark night he came to the castle in which his nephew was kept prisoner after that night no one ever saw Prince Arthur again next morning when the sun shone in at the narrow window where he used to sit it shone into an empty room for Arthur's poor little body was lying at the bottom of the Sane with a great wound in his heart made by his wicked uncle's cruel sharp knife End of Chapter 35 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org On June 23rd, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 36 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 36 John Lackland The Story of the Great Charter The French barons soon grew weary of John and his misrule and they all leaned against him they fought and conquered him and he had to fly from Normandy which with all his other French possessions were lost to him forever He was no longer Duke of Normandy Count of Anjou, Lord of Turain, and Main John was still King of England and to England he returned to rob and oppress the people The wise man called Hubert Walter who had ruled England during the last years of Richard Coeur d'Alion now died He had been Archbishop of Canterbury and John was very glad when he died as he was one of the few men who kept him from doing just as he liked John chose a friend of his own Both these men went to the Pope to ask him which of them ought to be the Archbishop Henry II you remember had quarrelled with Thomas Awebecket over this very point because he said he had the right to choose the English bishops and the Pope had nothing to do with it The Pope said that neither of these men should be Archbishop and he chose another man altogether called Stephen Langdon Stephen Langdon was a very good man in fact no better Archbishop could have been chosen but John was furiously angry when he heard that his friend was not to be allowed to choose Archbishop and he banished Stephen Langdon from the country then the Pope was very angry with John and told him that if he did not allow Stephen to come back at once he would lay England under an interdict interdict comes from a Latin word which means to forbid the Pope meant that he would forbid any religious service of any kind to be held in England John did not care he meant to have his own way so did the Pope no bells were rung no services were held people could not be married little babies could not be christened dead people could not be buried cobwebs and dust filled the churches weeds choked the graveyards it was a sad and gloomy land still John did not care then the Pope excommunicated him excommunicate is another Latin word and means that John was put out of union or companionship not only with the church but with every human being the Pope told the people that John was no longer King and that they need not now obey him they were forbidden to eat or drink with him or to serve him whatever he did was wrong in fact he had lost all rights as a man and as a Christian he might be looked upon as a wild animal anyone who chose might kill him still John did not care he laughed at the Pope then the Pope told the King of France that he would be doing a good and Christian act if he conquered John and took possession of England the French King was only too pleased to have a good excuse for invading England and he began at once to prepare to fight then suddenly John grew frightened and gave way he had found out that not only the Pope and the French were against him but the Scotch, the Irish, the Welsh and even the English were all ready to fight he was alone in the world hated and despised by all so powerful was the Pope in those days from being insolent and scornful John now became meanly humble and did a shameful thing when he came back to England and John, kneeling before this messenger took the crown from his head and gave it to him the Pope's messenger kept the crown for five days and then he gave it back to John but he did not give it to him as the free King of England he gave it to him telling him that henceforth he could wear it only as the servant of the Pope and that he must promise always to do as the Pope commanded the English people felt sad and ashamed that their King should be under the Pope like this but John did not care and John knew that the Pope could be as powerful a friend as he had been an enemy one good thing at least followed the interdict was taken from the land once more church bells rang hymns were sung and the silent gloom passed away another good man who had helped to protect the people from John now died when John heard of it he was very glad at last I am really King of England he cried for he thought that there was no one else in all the land to hinder him from being as bad and cruel as he wished but he was mistaken Stephen Langdon the man whom the Pope had made Archbishop of Canterbury turned out to be the people of England's best friend you remember that King Henry I had granted a charter of liberties to the people that charter had been broken set aside and forgotten Stephen Langdon and the Barons now drew up another charter which they determined to make John grant to them this charter was much the same as that of Henry only it gave still greater liberty to the people it is called the Magna Carta or the great charter magna means great the charter is very long and some of it you would find difficult to understand but I will tell you a few of the things in it for the Magna Carta is the foundation of all our laws and liberty no free man it says or merchant or peasant shall be punished a great deal for a very little fault however bad they may have been we will not take their tools or other things by which they earn their living away from them no free man shall be seized or put in prison or have his goods and lands taken from him or be outlawed or exiled or in any way brought to ruin unless he has been properly judged and condemned by the law of the land to no man will we sell or deny or delay right or justice these things seem to us now quite natural and right so you can imagine what evil times these were when the King was unwilling to grant such liberty to his people but King John was very unwilling to grant it when he first read this charter he was furiously angry why do they not ask for my kingdom at once? he cried, I will never never grant anything that will make me a slave of the people but the church and the barons and the people were all against John agree he must yet he kept delaying from Christmas till Easter from Easter till mid-summer friend after friend deserted him till at last he found that the whole country had risen against him like one huge army and he had only seven knights left who were still true to him the angry barons would no longer be put off they forced the King to meet them at a little place on the Thames called Runnymede the barons and their army camped on one side of the river the King and his friends on the other on a little island between they met and talked and there on the 15th of June, 1215 AD the great charter was sealed with the King's great seal the King was sullen and angry at the last he would have refused to set his hand to the seal but Stephen Langdon stood beside him and the stern barons around then he found that he had to bend his will to that of the people John not only sealed the charter but he agreed that 24 barons should be appointed to see that he kept the promises which it contained he agreed only because he was compelled because the barons stood there in bright armor with sharp swords and fierce looks because he knew he had no friend to stand by him and help him to resist when the meeting was over and John went back to his palace his anger was terrible he threw himself on the floor foaming with passion they have given me four and twenty overlords he screamed I am no King with four and twenty overlords he cursed the barons and the people with terrible curses he tore and bit the rushes with which the floor was covered he gnashed his teeth growling and snarling like a wild animal mad with rage yet this charter against which John fought so fiercely was nothing new the laws and promises it contained were the laws and promises of Edward the Confessor of Alfred the Great but they were also the laws and promises which the foreign kings of England had broken and trampled on ever since William the Conqueror had won the battle of Hastings many copies of the great charter were made and these copies were sent to cathedrals and other safe places to be taken care of this was done so that the people throughout all the land should know of their liberties and if one copy were lost or destroyed there should still be others it is nearly seven hundred years since the Magna Carta was sealed yet one copy still remains it is yellow and stained but we treasure it greatly for the memory of what it was and is to us it is kept safely in London, in the British Museum someday you will go there and look at it John sealed the Magna Carta because he had no choice but he never meant to keep the promises it contained and he did not keep them he sent to France for soldiers and when they came he made war on his own people he asked his friend the Pope for help and the Pope helped him by excommunicating all the barons by laying London under interdict and by telling him that he need not keep his promises but the people of England said that this was a matter with which the Pope had nothing to do and so they paid no attention to him the church bells rang there was preaching, praying and singing in the churches and people were married and buried and christened as usual the Pope was very angry but he could do nothing as John still went on his wicked way the people sent to France and asked Louis the son of the King of France to come to fight against John promising to help him and to make him King of England Louis came but there was little need for him to fight as very shortly John died while crossing the watch to meet Louis he, his army and all his treasure were overtaken by the tide John himself was nearly drowned and his crown, his jewels and the baggage of the army were lost a few days later John died they say that he died of anger and grief others that he was poisoned others that his death was caused by eating a great many raw peaches and by drinking a quantity of new cider to greedily no King of England has ever been so bad as John he was a bad son a bad brother a bad king and a bad man yet out of his wicked reign great good came to the English nation the loss of Normandy which was caused by John's cruelty proved to be a blessing to England when lords no longer came to England expecting to fill the best places in the land French was spoken less and less until only a few French words remained which we still use and which now form part of the English language the hatred between Norman and English died out because the differences disappeared and the Norman Barons became English Barons in the reign of Stephen the Barons you remember were fierce and wicked and oppressed the people in terrible ways in the reign of John the Barons had become the champions of the people and took up arms for them against a wicked king when the Barons forced John to grant the Magna Carta they fought not for themselves as Barons and Normans but for the whole English people for the first time since the conquest the people of England acted as one people the Normans had disappeared England was England again she had conquered the conqueror this England never did nor never shall lie at the proud foot of a conqueror if England to itself do rest but true end of chapter 36 read by Kara Schellenberg on June 23rd 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 37 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schellenberg our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 37 Henry of Winchester the story of Hubert de Burg when King John died the anger of the Barons died too and although he was only nine years old they chose his son Henry to be their king his father was wicked, said the Barons but the prince has done us no wrong why should we be angry with him so they crowned Henry and told Louis to return to his own country but Louis was angry that having been brought from France and promised the crown of England he should be told to go away again so there was fighting once more Louis sent to France for men and a great fleet of ships filled with soldiers came sailing to England long ago, you remember, Alfred the Great had seen how much better it would be to stop the Danes from landing at all and he built ships and fought them at sea now a brave man called Hubert de Burg saw the same thing when he heard that more French men were coming he said, we will never let them land we will fight and conquer them at sea so under his command the fleet sailed out from Dover to meet the great French fleet and the English conquered the French as Hubert had said they would the wind was blowing from the English to the French and the English threw quick lime in the air which was blown into the eyes of the French and blinded them the English archers then poured arrows among them while their quick little ships crashed with their pointed prowes against the great French vessels piercing holes in their sides until the water rushed in and they sank the English were altogether so quick that the French were no match for them and their fleet was utterly destroyed on land too the English beat the French and Louis, seeing that his cause was lost went back to France Henry III was too young to rule so Hubert de Burg was made regent he was a good regent but his work was hard for, after the wickedness and misrule of John, the kingdom was in a bad state but in spite of his good and wise teacher Henry grew up to be neither good nor wise listening to the advice of evil friends he treated Hubert very badly and at last obliged him to fly for his life one night while Hubert was sleeping quietly he was suddenly awakened by a friend fly my lord Hubert, he cried stay not a moment, the king has sent his soldiers to take you I have ridden hard but they are close behind me you have not a moment to lose Hubert got out of bed and not even waiting to dress fled with bare feet and only a cloak round him to the nearest church there with his hand upon the cross he waited in the dark and cold and led to a church for sanctuary or safety when anyone was hunted by his enemies if he ran into a church reached the altar steps and laid hold upon the cross no one dared to hurt him this was called taking sanctuary it was considered a dreadful and wicked thing to kill anyone in sanctuary yet, you remember, the knights killed Thomas Awebeket on the steps of the altar in Canterbury Cathedral Hubert waited in the cold and silent church until with the first gray streaks of dawn and the first early twitter of the birds and the first trump of feet and the clatter of swords and armour nearer and nearer came the sounds till at last a night followed by three hundred armed men dashed into the church Hubert de Bourgh said the night in the king's name I command you to leave this holy place give yourself into my hands that I may take you before the king to answer for your misdeeds as a rebel and traitor nay, replied Hubert to my king have I ever been true here have I sought God's safety here will I remain that shall thou not do cried the night fiercely on men and seize him then the armed men rushed forward forced Hubert from the altar and carried him out of the church he is indeed a mighty man and strong said the night when he saw how Hubert struggled he must be fettered or we shall never carry our prize to London near the church stood a smith's forge and the smith who had already been aroused by the noise was ordered to light his fire and make fetters for the prisoner soon the red fire glowed in the gray morning light and the ring of hammer and anvil was heard for whom do I make these fetters asked the smith as he paused in his work for the traitor and rebel Hubert de Bourgh replied the night what? cried the smith throwing down his hammer for Hubert de Bourgh that will I never do Hubert de Bourgh is no rebel he saved us from the French he gave us safety and peace someone else may do your evil deeds and I shall ever fetter such noble hands fool cried the night drawing his sword do as I command you or die I can die replied the smith calmly yes kill me do with me what you like I will never make fetters for Hubert de Bourgh when the smith spoke like this the night began to feel rather ashamed but he would not let Hubert go both because he hated Hubert and because he feared the king so he and his followers bound Hubert with a rope to the power of London when the bishop of London heard what had happened he was very angry being a brave man he went straight to the king my liege he said to him have you heard how your soldiers have broken the peace of Holy Church and have dragged Hubert de Bourgh from Sanctuary casting him into prison I know that the rebel and traitor Hubert de Bourgh is now in prison replied Henry Hubert de Bourgh is no rebel said the bishop and if you were the soldiers have still no right to drag him to the church let him go back or I shall excommunicate every man who has had to do with it very unwillingly the king allowed Hubert to go back to his place of safety but he sent soldiers to dig a trench round the church and round the bishop's house which was close to it there the soldiers watched day and night so that Hubert might not escape and so that no food might be taken into him but in spite of the strict watch kept by the soldiers Hubert's friends found means to send him food and for many days food in the church then still closer watch was kept and at last thinking at a disgrace to die of hunger Hubert left the church of his own accord and gave himself up to the king's soldiers who at once carried him off to the Tower of London there he was kept for some time but at last Henry who was not really cruel although he was weak and foolish set him free after that Hubert lived quietly in his own home and took no more part in the ruling of the kingdom End of Chapter 37 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on June 25th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story, Chapter 38 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall Chapter 38 Henry III of Winchester King Henry III married a French lady called Eleanor She brought a great many friends and relatives from France with her Soon all the best places at court were given to these French people just as they had been in the time of Edward the Confessor and of William the Conqueror These strangers did very much as they liked They set aside the great charter and when the English barons complained the French nobles sneered at them What are your English laws to us? They said We are far greater and more important than you Such laws are made for English wars We will not keep them unless we choose This treatment was not to be born and at last the English rose in rebellion and forced the King to send away his French favourites It would take too long to tell of all the quarrelling and fighting there was in this reign Henry broke the great charter over and over again No fewer than ten times did he sign it and each time as soon as he had got what he wanted he broke the promises he had made But in spite of this the power of the people was growing stronger Henry spent a great deal of money far more indeed than he ought to have done but he could not ring gold from the people as William the Conqueror had been able to do He had to ask the barons to give it to him and they would not grant it until he promised something in return Henry did indeed ring money from the Jews They were the richest and most despised people in the country and Henry although he was not usually cruel was very cruel to them One Jew who refused to give Henry money was put into prison Every morning his jailer came and pulled out one of his teeth The poor man could bear the pain no longer and he gave the king what money he wanted The bishops and barons grew tired of broken promises and such unkingly acts so when next Henry asked for money a great council was called to which all the barons and bishops in England came There was a great deal of talking and it seemed as if nothing would come of it but the barons told Henry very sternly that he had not acted as a king ought He had constantly broken his promises and only if he now solemnly swore to the charter would they give him money That is true. I am sadly grieved that I have acted as I have done I will try to do better But when he tried to blame some of the bishops and barons they sternly said Our Lord King, we will not talk of what is now past but of what is to come Then all the bishops and archbishops dressed in their splendid robes and carrying lighted candles in their hands walked in solemn procession to the great royal hall at Westminster There in presence of the king and all the barons they solemnly excommunicated everyone to take away in any degree the freedom of England The words they used were very grand and terrible The king as he listened held his hand over his heart His face was calm and cheerful and he looked as if he never had tried and never would try to take away his people's liberty When the solemn sentence was finished and the deep voice of the archbishop died away in silence all the bishops and the archbishops threw down their lighted candles crying May all those who take away our liberties perish even as these lights perish The bells were then rung joyfully the candles were again lighted and King Henry standing among his people spoke So help me God, all these promises will I faithfully keep as I am a man, a Christian, a knight and a crowned and anointed king Thus once more the great Charter was solemnly signed and sealed But in spite of this ceremony Henry did not keep his promises He listened to evil friends who told him that if he did he would not be king nor even Lord in England Now there arose a great man called Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester For many years he had been the faithful friend of King Henry whose sister he had married Henry sometimes heaped favors upon him sometimes quarreled with him just as he was pulled this way or that by his friends When Simon de Montfort first came to England the barons did not like him Here is another Frenchman, they said who comes to eat our bread and take away what belongs to us But Simon soon showed that if he was French in name he was English at heart As Henry continually broke his promises Simon took the side of the barons and the people and Henry feared him as he feared no other man One day Henry went for a picnic on the Thames He had rode from his palace at Westminster some way down the river when a thunderstorm came on and he was obliged to take refuge in Simon's house near which he was passing As he arrived there the thunderstorm began to clear There is nothing to fear now, my lord as he ran to meet the king I fear the thunder and lightning replied the king, but I fear thee more than all the thunder and lightning in the world My lord king replied the Earl sadly It is unjust that you should fear me who am your faithful friend I have ever been true to you and yours and to the kingdom of England Your flatterers are your enemies them you ought to fear Led by Simon the barons forced Henry to hold a council at Oxford The wonderful thing about these laws was that they were written in English Ever since the conquest the laws had been written in French or Latin but at last English laws for English people were again written in their own language But Henry did not keep these new laws any better than he had kept the old ones The patience of the people came to an end and there was war the king's army fighting against Simon de Montfort Earl of Leicester and his followers This was called the barons war and it ended in a great battle at Luz in which the king was defeated After this battle it was really Simon de Montfort who ruled the country Henry was indeed still king in name but both he and his son Prince Edward were Simon de Montfort's prisoners It was Simon de Montfort who laid the foundation of what is now our parliament Up to this time only bishops and barons had been allowed to come to the meetings of the council Simon however now chose two knights from every shire or county and two citizens from every city and sent them also to the council to speak for the people and to tell of their wants Now too the great council began to be called parliament which means talking place for it is there that the people come to talk of all the affairs of the kingdom Unfortunately the barons could not long agree among themselves Prince Edward escaped from Simon and joined the discontented barons and there was another battle between the prince's men and Simon's men in which Simon was killed The people had loved Simon and now they sorrowed for his death and called him a saint and Sir Simon the Righteous He is also called the father of the English parliament Although Prince Edward fought against Simon de Montfort he had been his pupil and had learned much from him and he was growing into a wise prince He now helped to make peace and when peace again came to the land Prince Edward like so many other princes and kings joined a crusade and went to fight in the Holy Land In 1272 AD while his son was still in that far off country King Henry died having reigned 56 years His reign had not been a happy one for England yet good came of it for his very weakness made the people strong and out of the troubles of his reign grew our freedom of speech and our power to make for ourselves the laws under which we have to live End of Chapter 38 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on June 25th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 39 Henry III The Story of the Poisoned Dagger In far off Palestine the army of the crusaders lay and camped before the town of Acre The air was hot and stifling The sun seemed a ball of fire hung in the still blue sky Having put off his heaviness the army of the crusaders lay and camped before the town of Acre The air was hot and stifling the sun seemed a ball of fire hung in the still blue sky Having put off his heavy armor for the sake of coolness Prince Edward lay within his tent wearing only a long loose robe of linen He lay idle, thinking perhaps of the mighty deeds which his great-uncle Richard Cordeleon had done in this same place eighty years before wondering too if he would be able to do as great things Presently the curtains of the doorway parted My Lord Prince set a soldier bowing low The emir of Jaffa hath sent his servant yet again to be admitted to your presence I will receive him," replied the Prince and the soldier once more left the tent Edward had been fighting with the emir of Jaffa but now, pretending that he wished to become a Christian, this emir sent daily messages and presents to the Prince and the Prince, noble and honest himself believed the emir to be honest too In a few minutes the curtains of the doorway parted once more and the emir's dark slave crept in He bowed himself to the ground then kneeling humbly before the Prince Edward took the letter and as the Prince read the slave crouched on the ground watching him with his bright dark eyes then slowly, slowly his brown hand crept to the belt of his white dress so slowly it crept that it seemed hardly to move Suddenly as quick as lightning a keen bright blade flashed in the air and fell but Edward too was quick and strong he threw up his hand and caught upon it the blow which had been aimed at his heart then springing from the couch he overthrew the slave and upon the man's neck wrenched the dagger from his grasp In another moment the slave lay still and dead upon the sand At the noise of the struggle several frightened servants came running into the tent and one of them seeing the slave upon the sand seized a stool and dashed his brains out Foolish man, said Prince Edward see you not that the slave is already dead what you do is neither brave nor honourable but the action of a coward Prince Edward's wound was slight but the dagger had been a poisoned one When his wife, the beautiful Princess Eleanor heard of it she hurried to her husband's tent before those about her knew what she meant to do she knelt down and putting her lips to the wound sucked it it was said that if the blood from a poisoned wound was sucked at once after the wound was made the wounded person would not die it was a brave thing for Princess Eleanor to do for she might herself have died but she loved Edward so much that she was willing to risk her own life yet the wound grew worse and it seemed likely that Edward would die he was very calm and brave and did not fear death but tried to comfort his friends and servants for they were all very sorrowful but the Princess sat beside him weeping and would not be comforted then calling for parchment and ink Prince Edward wrote down all that he wished to be done with his money and lands after he was dead this was called making his will now a clever doctor came to the Prince and said I think I can cure you only you will have to suffer a great deal of pain do what you think best I can then the Princess threw herself upon him crying bitterly and would not let anyone touch him I know you only want to hurt him more she sobbed I cannot bear it but Edward gently put her away hush hush he said and gave her into his brother Edmund's arms do you love your lord and brother asked the doctor turning to Edmund I that I do replied he then take this lady away and do not let her lord see her again until I tell you though Princess Eleanor was led away weeping ah weep lady said Edmund gently it is better that you should weep than that all England should mourn but England did not mourn for the doctor was clever and in less than a fortnight Prince Edward was again quite well the false emir sent messengers to Edward to say that he was sorry that the Prince had been wounded and was glad that he was better but Edward no longer trusted the emir he looked gravely at the messengers before me he said but you do not love me therefore go and they were allowed to go in peace although Edward's soldiers longed to be revenge upon them and kill them the Prince would not allow it after this Edward did not stay long in Palestine he heard that his father was ill so he made a ten years peace with the Sultan as the king of the Turks is called and sailed back to England on his way home he heard of his father's death he knew that meant he was now king of England but he was very sad for his father although he could not help knowing that in many things he was foolish and untrustworthy End of Chapter 39 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kra.org on June 25th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 40 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 40 Edward I The Little War of Shalons In the days when knights wore armor and fought with sword and lance they often used to play at war as if they had not real fighting enough these mock wars were called tournaments they took place in a great open space or plane which was called the Lists the knights dressed in full armor with painted shields and waving plumes met each other and fought as they would in battle each wore the badge of his lady love in his helmet generally the weapons which they used were blunted so that they could not hurt each other much but sometimes the weapons were sharp and the mock fight ended in wounds and death round the lists were seats where fair ladies and great princes sat to watch the tournament each knight was eager to do great deeds so that he might win the praise of the beautiful ladies who looked on when the jousting as it was called was over the fairest lady placed a crown of bay leaves on the head of the victor prized more than if it had been of gold and gems and each knight did his best to win it it was thought that no knight could show his love and reverence for his lady better than by jousting and tilting in her name as Edward travelled home to England he passed through France and near to a little town called Chalons when the count of that place heard that the great English prince was passing through his land he sent a message asking that they might meet in a tournament with a thousand knights on either side Lance for Lance that's why Edward was known as a brave and courteous warrior and although his knights whispered that the count of Chalons had no love for the prince and meant to do him harm Edward accepted the challenge as such a message was called indeed it seemed to him that he was in honour bound to do so for it was counted unnightly to refuse a challenge great preparations were made and on a fair day in May the plane of Chalons was gay with knights on horseback and lovely ladies at people of all ranks in holiday dress crowding to see the tournament it seemed to shake as Edward and his thousands blended and brave English knights thundered over it but the count of Chalons came to meet them not with one thousand men as had been agreed but with two thousand yet the English had no fear and the tournament began it was soon seen however that it was no friendly trial of strength but a fight of bitter hate the count rode again and again at Edward until his Lance was splintered in his hand then throwing away the shaft he seized the prince round the neck and tried to drag him from his horse this according to the rules of the tournament was a mean and unnightly thing to do Edward sat his horse like a rock and great though the strength of the French Count was he could not move him then suddenly Edward spurred his horse it sprang forward and the Count who still clung tightly to Edward was pulled from his saddle and fell to the ground with a fearful crash enraged at such unnightly behaviour Edward leaped down and beat with a shaft of his Lance upon the armour of the fallen Count that was the price for mercy as of a hammer upon an anvil blow after blow fell until at last the rage of the Prince was spent and he allowed the Count to rise the Count then offered his sword to the Prince in token of submission but Edward turned from him in scorn nay sir knight he said this day have you proved yourself no true knight my servants may receive your tarnished sword I shall not touch it so the Count was obliged to give up his sword to a common soldier the French for a true knight was the deepest disgrace meanwhile the English archers outside the lists seeing that the French knights far outnumbered the English and that there was no fair play shot with their arrows at the horses of the French many of them fell dead dragging their riders to the ground where they lay helpless trampled upon alike by friend and foe then the French foot soldiers joined in the fight and the tournament became a battle the English were far outnumbered but even so they had the best of it they took many of the French knights' prisoners making them pay large sums of money for their freedom the common soldiers they slew because they said they were but rascals and of no great account so fierce a tournament was this that ever after it was called the little war of shallows end of chapter 40 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on June 25th 2006 in Oceanside, California our island story chapter 41 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schellenberg our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 41 Edward I the law giver the story of the first prince of Wales soon after the little war of shallows Edward reached England the people welcomed him with delight and he and his beautiful queen Eleanor were crowned at Westminster Abbey with great splendor since the days of Alfred no king had been received with such joy and love for the people felt that Edward was truly and indeed an English king we think now that such names as Henry Richard and John are English names but they were not known in England until after the conquest when they were brought into England by the French for more than 200 years the kings of England had born French names and had indeed been Frenchmen but Edward was a Saxon name the king had been born and had lived nearly the entire life in England he spoke the English language and he loved his people and his country which no king of England since Harold had truly done not only did Edward love his people but he longed for their love in return and tried to be a good king the feasting and rejoicing at the coronation continued for a fortnight many large new buildings had to be made to hold all the guests the streets were hung with silk and embroidery rich men scattered handfuls of gold and silver to the people for the coronation feast alone there were needed 380 cattle 430 sheep 450 pigs 18 wild boars 278 flitches of bacon and 20,000 fowls never had there been such feasting and grandeur in England the king of Scotland came to the coronation and with him a hundred knights when they got off their horses they let them go free and anyone who caught them might keep them seeing this and not wishing to be outdone the king's brother Edmund and three other nobles came each with a hundred knights riding upon splendid horses and leaping down they too let them go free for anyone to have who would Edward was crowned King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine Aquitaine was all that remained of the great French possessions of Henry II but Edward longed to rule over the whole island of Britain he wanted to be Prince of Wales and King of Scotland as well as King of England you remember that hundreds of years before this when the Saxons came to Britain they gradually drove the Britons out before them until they took refuge in the mountains of Wales there they remained speaking the ancient British language and having very little intercourse with the English but often fighting with them and the Kings of England ever since the days of Edward the Confessor had from time to time forced the Welsh to own them as overlords when Edward came to the throne he sent for Llewellyn Prince of Wales to come to do homage that is to own him as overlord Llewellyn would not come six times did Edward send still Llewellyn refused this made Edward very angry and hearing that a beautiful lady was coming from France to be married to Llewellyn he seized her and kept her prisoner in London he then sent messengers to the Prince of Wales telling him that he should have his bride when he had done homage and not till then Llewellyn, instead of submitting was furiously angry he raised an army and marched against Edward but brave little Wales could not do much against great England the Welsh were soon defeated and scattered and their Prince starved into submission in his castle on Snowden but as soon as Llewellyn did homage to Edward as overlord the King acknowledged him as Prince of Wales and not only let him have his bride but made a great wedding feast for her and gave her many presents so there was peace but East did not last long in the days when Arthur was King Merlin, his wise councillor had foretold that when money should be round a Prince of Wales should be crowned in London before the time of Edward I there was very little money of any kind when the people wanted to give change they took a large piece of money and cut it into two or three or four pieces just as they liked this of course made it easy to cheat with money for when a coin was cut up it became difficult to know whether it really was a coin or not Edward made a law forbidding people to cut coins into pieces and he had pennies and small silver coins made in order that people could give change so money was round the Welsh thought that the time of which Merlin had spoken had now come and they began to fight with the English hoping to conquer them and see Llewellyn crowned in London but the Welsh were again defeated and this time Llewellyn was killed in the cruel fashion of those days his head was cut off and sent to London there it was crowned with a silver crown and carried through the streets on a spear and at last it was set upon the tower wreathed with willow then the English laughed unkindly sad and overcome the Welsh once more owned England's king as Lord but when the Barons came to do homage to Edward he promised to give them a Welsh prince as ruler one who had been born in Wales and who could neither speak French nor English on the day appointed when the Barons gathered to do homage to this new ruler Edward appeared before them carrying in his arms his little baby son who had been born at Cairnarvon castle only a few days before he was truly a prince who could neither speak French nor English nor indeed any other language this little prince was named Edward like his father ever since that time the eldest son of the King of England has been called the Prince of Wales and England and Wales have formed one Kingdom End of Chapter 41 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on July 3rd, 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story, Chapter 42 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 42 Edward I The Hammer of the Scots When Edward had joined Wales to England he longed more than ever to gain possession of Scotland it seemed to as if he might succeed in doing this for the King of Scotland died and the heir to the throne was a little princess called the Maid of Norway Edward I arranged with the people of Scotland that this princess should marry his son Edward Prince of Wales and in that way England and Scotland would be peaceably joined together but unfortunately on her way from Norway to claim the Crown of Scotland the princess died so Edward's hopes of joining the two countries together in that way were at an end After the death of the Maid of Norway 12 Scottish nobles claimed the Crown and as they could not agree as to who had really the best right to it they asked Edward who was known to be a wise man Edward said that a man called John Valleol had the best right to the Crown of Scotland and John was accordingly crowned at Scone the town where all the Kings of Scotland were crowned but before Edward said that John was the real heir he made him promise to own the King of England as Overlord Edward had no right to demand this homage and John Valleol had no right to give it but John did give it perhaps he thought if he did not Edward would choose someone else The Scots had always been a war-like people and ever since the days of the Romans they had fought with the people in the south part of the island and had tried to take away part of their land at last it had been agreed between the Kings of England and Scotland that the Scots should be allowed to keep part of the north of England on condition that they did homage for that part just as the Norman Kings of England did homage to the King of France for Normandy and their other French possessions but the King of England had no more right over Scotland than the King of France had over England Very far from agreeing to John Valleol's bargain with Edward and in less than a year quarrels began and war followed Edward marched into Scotland with a great army and although the Scots were in the right and fighting for their freedom Edward was the stronger and the Scots were defeated Edward, thinking he had conquered the Scots went back to England taking with him the crown and scepter of Scotland and also the stone of destiny on which the Scottish Kings sat when they were crowned This stone was supposed to be the very stone which they slept in the wilderness and saw the vision of the ladder up to heaven with the angels going up and down upon it The Scots prized this stone very highly and it had been prophesied that wherever it was there the Kings of Scotland would be crowned Unless the fates are faithless found and Prophet's voice be vain for ere this monument is found the Scottish race shall reign Edward took the stone of destiny to Westminster and there it remains to this day and it is always used when the Kings of Britain are crowned Besides taking these treasures away Edward caused many of the old Scottish records to be destroyed hoping in that way to make the people forget their freedom But all this only made the Scots more determined not to submit to the King of England Their weak King, John Balliol had been driven from the throne but other brave leaders arose and wars between England and Scotland continued until Edward died in 1307 AD Edward died while on his way to fight once more against Scotland He was within sight of its blue mountains and he died knowing that its people were still free and that his dearest wish was not fulfilled The disappointed King begged his son to go on with the war to carry his bones with the army and bury his heart in Scotland But Edward II did not do as his father wished He turned back to London and Edward I lies buried in Westminster where you may still see his grave with these lines upon it in Latin Here lies Edward I the Hammer of the Scots, 1308 Keep Troth Edward I has many names Edward of Westminster, because he was born there Edward Longshanks, because he was very tall and his legs were long and thin Edward the Hammer of Scots because of the many battles he fought with them But the name by which it is best to remember him is Edward the Lawgiver He earned this name by the many wise laws which he made Although his people were not always pleased with these laws at first they generally came to see that they were just and good Edward was a great soldier But it was because he loved England and made good laws because he was a true man and kept his word that his people loved him and mourned for him when he died All that are of heart true a while heartened to my song Of Dolor that death hath dealt us new that maketh me sigh and sorrow among of a knight that was so strong of whom God hath done his will me thinks that death hath done us wrong that he so soon shall I still All England ought to know of whom that song is that I sing of Edward, king that lyeth so low though all the world his name did spring truest man in everything and in war weary and wise for him we ought our hands to ring of Christendom he bear the prize Now is Edward of Carinobon king of England in his right God never let him be worse man than his father not less of might to hold his poor man to right and understand good counsel All England to rule and direct of good knights there need not him fail though my tongue were made of steel and my heart smote out of brass the goodness might I never tell that with king Edward was king as thou art called conqueror in each battle thou haddest the prize God bring thy soul to the honor that ever was and ever is that lasteth I without end pray we God and our lady to that bliss Jesus ascend End of Chapter 42 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 43 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 43 Edward II of Carinobon The Story of King Robert the Bruce and Bohun When Edward the first Prince of Wales was young he had a French friend called Piers Gaviston. Piers was tall and handsome and gay but he was wicked. He led the Prince into all kinds of mischief until at last King Edward the First put his son in prison for a time and banished Piers from the kingdom. When Edward lay dying he begged his son never to bring Piers back again. The Prince of Wales promised but as soon as his father was dead he broke his word and sent for Piers. Edward II made Piers Earl of Cornwall and married him to a great lady and gave him to rule England the King crossed to France to marry the beautiful Princess Isabella. The English barons were very angry at again having a foreigner to rule. They hated Piers and Piers laughed at and insulted them. He called them all sorts of names such as the Jew, the actor, the black dog and the hog. Piers made Edward II do many wicked things. The King filled the court with bad and foolish people like himself sending away the wise men who had helped Edward the First to rule. The barons grew so fierce that they forced Edward to send Piers away and when after a time Edward brought him back they seized him and put him to death. Edward was very angry with the barons for killing Piers and he was sad too for he had really loved his friend. He was too weak a King, however, to punish the barons so he was obliged to pretend that he forgave them but he did not become a better King even after his favourite was dead. Meanwhile the Scots were fighting against the English and driving them out of Scotland. The King called Robert the Bruce was now upon the throne and under him the Scots fought so bravely that soon the English had lost all the Scottish towns which they had except Stirling. The Castle of Stirling was strong and the English soldiers within it brave but the Scots were brave too and determined for they were fighting for their freedom and their country. At last the Governor, feeling that he could hold out no longer promised to yield the castle on the 24th of June 1314 AD if before then no help came to him. When Stirling heard that Stirling was in danger he at last roused himself. He gathered a great army of English, Irish, Welsh and French barons and men of high degree with their servants and followers a hundred thousand men in all. Such a splendid army as now marched over the border had never before been seen in Scotland. As they passed through the country to Stirling fear filled the hearts of the women and children they thought of their husbands and fathers and brothers who were gathered at Stirling to meet this great army and wept for them as lost. Stirling's army numbered less than 40,000 men and they were neither so well drilled nor so well armed as the English but King Robert was a great soldier and a wise general. He knew that he could only hope to defeat the English by using his brain as well as his sword and battle-axe. Therefore he chose the position of his army with great care. In front there lay marshes through which the English would have to ride in order to reach the Scots who were drawn up upon the dry plain beyond. Where the ground was firm Bruce made his men dig pits about three feet deep. There were also branches of gorse and the turf was then laid over them again so that from a distance it seemed like a firm and level plain. On one side of King Robert's position rose the steep Castle Hill and on the other flow the little stream called the Banach. Only from the front could the English attack and the front was guarded by pits and marshes. Not till the 23rd of June the very day before the governor had promised to give up the castle did King Edward appear and camp opposite the Scottish army. When King Robert heard that the English were near his army in battle array ready to fight although he did not expect to do so that day. Randolph Earl of Moray, the nephew of King Robert, was given charge of a small body of horsemen and told that he must stop any of the English who might try to get into sterling. For it might have been very bad for the Scots had the English been able to take a strong position there. The Scottish leaders stood watching the advance of the English when King Robert's eye caught the gleam of armour away to the east. Turning to his young nephew he said, ah Randolph a rose has fallen from your crown. By this he meant that Randolph had missed a chance of making himself famous. For a party of English horsemen were quietly stealing towards sterling and Randolph, who had been told to prevent this, had not noticed. Too ashamed to reply Randolph called to his men and dashed upon the English. They turned and charged Randolph so fiercely that Douglas, another of the Scottish leaders begged to be allowed to go to his help. No, replied King Robert. Let Randolph win back the honour which he has lost or die. I cannot risk the whole battle because I will leave him. So Douglas waited and watched. It seemed to him as if the little company of Scots men were being swallowed up by the English horsemen. Then Douglas could bear it no longer. My Lord King, I pray you let me go, he said. Randolph and his men are so repressed I cannot stand idly by and see him die. And scarcely waiting for permission Douglas rode off. But as he came near to Randolph he saw that the English were giving way. Halt! he called to his men. Randolph has no need of our help. And without striking a blow he and his men turned and rode back to the King. Soon the English horsemen were seen flying from the field and Randolph, joyful and victorious, returned to his place. He had recovered the rose which had fallen from his crown. Meanwhile the rest of the English army was steadily advancing. King Robert the Bruce mounted upon a little brown pony and wearing a gold crown upon his helmet rode up and down in front of his army watching everything, commanding and encouraging. His armour was light and for a weapon he carried only a battle axe. Seeing King Robert so lightly armed an English knight called Sir Henry de Bohan thought he would earn a great name for himself and win the battle at one blow. So setting spurs to his horse he rushed upon the King at full speed. As the full armed knight came thundering along on his great war horse King Robert sitting firmly on his little pony waited calmly. When Bohan reached him when the sharp point of the spear almost touched his armour Bruce suddenly made his pony spring to one side. The knight flashed past him. Quick as lightning Bruce turned, rose in his stirrups and lifting his battle axe high in the air brought it crashing down upon the helmet of Bohan. Head and helmet were split and without a groan Bohan fell dead to the ground while his riderless horse galloped wildly away. Cheer upon cheer rose from the Scottish ranks and the nobles crowded round their King glad yet vexed with him. My Lord, my Lord, is it well thus to risk your life? they said. Had you been killed our cause were lost. But the King paid no heed to them. I have broken my good axe, was all he said. I have broken my good axe. End of Chapter 43 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org On July 5th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 44 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 44 Edward II of Carnavan The Story of the Battle of Bannockburn After the death of Bohan there was no more fighting that day. The sun soon set and during the short summer night the two armies lay opposite each other silently waiting for the dawn. When day broke the whole plane was a stir. Trumpets sounded, drums beat and as the English army advanced they seemed to roll onward like mighty waves. No hand but gods can save us from so great a host, said the Scots. And as a holy abbot with bare feet and head passed along the lines to bless them they knelt in prayer. See! cried King Edward. They kneel. They ask for mercy. True! replied the knight to whom he spoke. They ask for mercy but from heaven not from us. These men will conquer or die on the field. The fight began and long and fiercely it raged. The Scottish horse scattered the English archers and the English horse fell into the pits which Bruce had caused to be dug. The English army was already in confusion when suddenly over the brow of a neighbouring hill there appeared what seemed to them another Scottish army. Then the English fled. Blind with fear they rode hardly knowing where. Many were drowned while trying to cross the river forth. Others fell over the rocky banks of the Bannock till the stream was choked with the dead. The new army which had so frightened the English was no army at all but only the servants and camp followers separated from the soldiers and sent to wait behind the hill. They had grown tired of watching and doing nothing so they tied cloths onto poles for banners, armed themselves with sticks and came to join the fight. They came just at the right time for the English, already beginning to feel that the battle was lost, fled before this new host. Edward, although he was no coward, fled too. He went first to Sterling but the governor would not let him stay there. Have you forgotten, my lord? Tomorrow I must yield up the castle to the king of Scots. If you remain here you will become his prisoner. So Edward rode south, attended only by a few nights. One brave man rode with the king until he thought he was safe, then drawing rain. Farewell, my liege! He said, I am not want to flee. And turning he rode back and fell fighting with his face to the enemy. The king fled on and he had need to flee fast for when it became known that he had left the field he was in Dunbar which was still in the hands of the English. From there he went in a little fishing boat to Burwick and so reached England and safety. So eagerly he was pursued they got to him so near he was on point of being tain but got into Dunbar. To Burwick in a fishing boat they sculled him away while to be kept from wrath of Scots he earnestly did pray. Upon the field many of England's noblest men lay dead, many were wounded, many taken prisoner. So much oil fell into the hands of the Scots and so much money was paid to them as ransom for their prisoners that it was said that Scotland became rich in one day. Scotland became not only rich but free in one day for if the battle of Bannockburn did not quite end the war it showed what Scotsmen loving their country could do and in the dark days which were still to come they never again despaired. The battle of Bannockburn is the greatest battle ever fought on Scottish ground. It is great not because so many noble men fell upon the field but because in blow it made the Scots free. Beaten and angry Edward returned to England and the rest of his life was dark and miserable. He ruled so badly that at last the nobles put him from the throne and crowned his little son who was also called Edward. Edward II king no longer was sent as prisoner from castle to castle. No one loved or cared for him and each new jailer treated the poor fallen king worse than the last till one night terrible shrieks ran through the castle in which he was imprisoned. In the morning Edward II was found dead. He had been murdered. End of Chapter 44 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on July 5th 2006 in Oceanside California Our Island Story Chapter 45 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story Chapter 45 Edward III of Windsor The Story of the Battle of Louise When Edward III was made king in 1327 AD he was only fourteen. He was too young to rule and the power was really in the hands of his mother, Queen Isabella, and of a man called Roger Mortimer, Earl of March. Both the Queen and the Earl were wicked so it was a sad time for England. There was fighting with Scotland, fighting with France, sorrow and misery at home. When Edward was eighteen he resolved that he would no longer be king in name only. He took the Earl of March prisoner, tried him for the wicked thing he had done and condemned him to death. Queen Isabella he shut up in a castle and would not allow her to rule the kingdom anymore but he gave her money to spend and he went once every year. King Edward then really began to reign. He made peace with France and, I am sorry to say, war again with Scotland. But after fighting there for some time he began to rule France. The war which now began is called the Hundred Years War because it lasted, with times of peace between, for a hundred years. It began because Edward said that he had a right to be king of France as well as king of England. He said this was so because his mother, Queen Isabella, was the sister of King Charles IV of France who had died leaving no son to succeed him. But the French had a law by which women were not allowed to wear the crown so Edward had really no right to it. King Philip VI, who now had the crown, would of course not give it up so a fierce and bitter war began. The first great fight was at sea. Edward sailed from England with a fleet of about three hundred ships. As he came near to Suisse, a town in Flanders, he saw such a number of masts that it seemed as if a forest had come sailing out to sea. What ships are these? said King Edward to the captain of his vessel. They are the ships of the king of France, replied the captain. They have often time plundered your coasts. They lately burned the town of Southampton and took your good ship, the Christopher. Ah, I have long wished to meet them, replied the king. Now, please God and Saint George, we will fight them, for in truth they have done me so much mischief I will be revenged upon them if possible. Edward's wife, Queen Philippa, was at Ghent and Edward had many ladies on board who were going to join her there so he arranged his vessels with great care for more men and ships than he had. He put the ladies in the safest place and guarded them carefully with a large body of archers and soldiers. As the sun and wind were both against Edward he lowered his sails and moved round so that the sun should be behind him. The French, seeing this, thought that he was afraid and that he was running away. They had been waiting for the English in strong battle array. All their ships were fastened together with heavy chains so as to make it impossible for the English ships to break through their lines. As they thought, the French unfastened the chains and made ready to pursue. As the royal standard floated from the masthead the French knew that the King of England was with his fleet and they hoped to take him prisoner. They filled the Christopher, the ship which they had taken from the English with trumpeters and drummers and to the sound of music and shouting sent it to attack the English. But the English won their own ship back again and amid great cheering manned it with Englishmen once more. The battle was fierce and terrible. The English were often in great danger for the French were much the stronger but when the battle was over there were very few Frenchmen left and most of their ships were sunk or destroyed. It was such a dreadful defeat that no one dared tell the King of France about it. At last his court fool told him. In those days great people always had someone near to amuse them by making jokes and by laughing at everything. He was called a fool although sometimes he was very wise and witty. But because he was called a fool he was allowed to say what he liked The English are great cowards said the French King's fool to him one day. Why so? asked the King. Because they have not the courage to jump into the sea and be drowned like the French at Suisse replied the fool. In this way King Philip was told of the loss of all his ships and his anger was so terrible that even his fool fled from him in fear. End of Chapter 45 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kra.org Episode 45 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 46 Wir Island Storyare in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit www.librivox.org This reading by kara schallenberg Our Island Story By He brown Chapter 46 Edward the Third years after the Battle of Sluice another great battle was fought between the French and English at a place called Cressy. Edward had been marching through France for some time when he heard that King Philip was close behind him with an army of 120,000 men. He himself had only 20,000 men, but he resolved to camp where he was on a rising ground near the little French village of Cressy and there conquer or be conquered. On Saturday, the 26th of August, 1346 A.D., Edward rose very early. He divided his army into three parts. One part he gave in command of his young son Edward, the Black Prince. Prince Edward took his name from the Black Armor which he always wore and at this time he was only 17 years old. Having divided his army, King Edward carrying a white wand in his hand and mounted upon a pony rode slowly through the ranks talking to the soldiers and encouraging them. He looked so cheerful and spoke so bravely that the soldiers cheered him as he passed among them and if any of them had felt afraid they took heart again. Then Edward gave orders that the men should have breakfast sitting on the ground where they were, each man in his place. So the men took off their helmets and, laying their weapons down, ate and drank as they sat upon the ground. The King himself went to a windmill nearby and there waited and watched for the French to arrive. When at last the French came in sight it was about three o'clock in the afternoon. Then each man of the English rose put on his helmet, took his weapon in his hand and stood King Philip, meanwhile, told four knights to ride quickly forward and bring back news of the English army. The English saw these knights and saw, too, that they had come to spy but they took no notice of them and let them return to King Philip. My lords, what news! said he as they rode back to him. The knights looked at each other in silence, each waiting for the other to speak first. Come, my lords, what news! said the King again. Then the bravest of the knights said, I speak, my Lord King, as you desire and I hope that my companions will tell you if they think that I say wrong. The English are encamped in a strong place, they are well fed and rested and are waiting for you. Our soldiers are hungry and weary with the long march. My advice is that you halt here, let the soldiers rest tonight, and tomorrow they will be fresh and able to conquer the English. I thank you, my Lord, replied Philip. It is good advice and shall be followed. Then turning to his generals, go, he said, command a halt. Two generals rode off, one to the front, the other to the rear, calling out as they went, halt banners in the name of God and St. Dennis. The soldiers in front halted as they were commanded, but those behind would not do so. We shall not halt until we are as far forward as the others, they said, and they marched on. When they overtook the soldiers in front, these, feeling themselves being pushed forward from behind, moved on too, and neither the King nor the generals could stop them. They marched on until they came close to the English. When the soldiers in front saw that they were near the English, they fell back. But those behind still pressed forward so that the confusion was great. The roads behind the French army were filled with peasants and country people armed with sticks and stones. These peasants made a great noise, and shouting, Kill, kill, we're eager to be at the English. They mixed with the army, and made the confusion worse still. In a few minutes all order was lost, and King Philip, seeing that there was no help for it, decided to begin the battle at once. Besides, as soon as he saw the English, his anger against them rose, so that he longed to be fighting them. Forward archers and begin the battle in the name of God and St. Denis, he cried. The archers advanced, shouting fiercely in order to frighten the English. But the English stood still, not a man moved so much as a finger. Again, the French archers shouted. Still, the English never moved. With a third fierce yell, the French archers shot. Then the English archers made one step forward, raised their bows, and shot arrow after arrow till it seemed as if it snowed. When the French archers felt these terrible arrows pierced their arms, breast, head, and legs, even through the armor which they wore, they threw down their bows and fled. These archers were not Frenchmen, but Italians, whom Philip had hired to help him in his war with the English, and when he saw them throw down their bows and run away, he was dreadfully angry. Kill these cowards, he shouted. They do but stop the way and are of no use. So the French horsemen dashed upon the flying archers, who, having thrown down their bows, had no other weapon, and killed as many as they could while the English poured arrows upon archers and horsemen alike. It was a terrible battle, and to make it seem still worse, there was an eclipse of the sun and a thunderstorm while it was going on. The sky became black, thunder roared, lightning flashed, and rain fell in torrents. Great flocks of crows flew over the field, caw, cawing in such a fearful manner that even the bravest felt afraid and thought something dreadful was going to happen. At this battle, too, cannon were used for the first time. Gunpowder had been invented only a short time before, and people did not yet know what a terrible thing it would become in battle. The English had four cannon. They were made of wood, bound round with iron, and although perhaps they did not kill many people, they at least frightened the French, who already had so much else to make them afraid. Meanwhile, the Black Prince was fighting gallantly with his part of the army. But the French about him were so fierce that his knights began to fear for his safety. So a messenger was sent to the king, who was watching the battle from the windmill. Sire said the messenger, we entreat you to send help to the prince, your son. Is my son dead? asked the king. No, Sire, thank God. Is he wounded? No, Sire, but he is in danger. The French are fierce about him, and he is in need of help. Then, sir, replied the king, if my son is neither dead nor wounded, go back to those who sent you. Tell them not to send again to me this day. Tell them that if they do, I shall neither come nor send help so long as my son is living. Tell them that I command them to let the boy win his spurs, for I wish the glory of the day to be his. God will guard him. The knight returned and told the others what the king had said, and they were sorry that they had sent any such message and resolved to fight to the last. Edward said that he wanted the prince to win his spurs. By that he meant that he hoped he would do such brave deeds that he might be made a knight. When anyone was made a knight, he received a pair of golden spurs, so when a man did a great deed worthy of a knight, he was said to have won his spurs. The king of Bohemia was with the French army, and his son Charles was fighting for Philip. The king himself could not fight because he was blind. When he heard that the day was going against the French, he asked where his son was. We know not, replied the knights who were round him. Doubtless he is in the thickest of the fight. Really, he had fled from the field, but these gallant knights would not grieve their brave old king by telling him so. I too would strike a blow, said the blind king. Lead me into battle. The knights fastened their horses together with the king of Bohemia in the middle so that they would not lose him in the crowd of soldiers and dashed into the fight. When the day was over, they were all found dead together, the king still in the middle of them, and their horses still bound to each other. In those days a knight always had a crest and a motto called a device painted upon his shield. The crest of the king of Bohemia was three feathers, and his motto was Ich Dean, which is German, and means I serve. The arms of a fallen foe belonged to the conqueror, so when after the battle the black prince was made a knight, he took the motto and the crest of the king of Bohemia for his own. It has been born ever since by the eldest son of the king of England, and that is why the prince of Wales has a German motto. When night fell and the terrible noise and clamour of fighting ceased, the French were beaten, and their king had fled from the field. The king of England came down from the windmill where he had remained watching the fight. He had not struck a blow nor put on his helmet all day, not because he was a coward, but because he wanted the black prince to have all the praise of the victory. There on the battlefield he took his son in his arms and kissed him. Dear son, he said, God give you strength to go on as you have begun, bravely and nobly have you fought, and you are worthy to be a king. The honour of the day is yours. The prince bowed before his father. I do not deserve any praise, he said. I have only done my duty. But he had shown himself so brave that his father made him a knight. He was one of the first knights of the Order of the Garter, a new order which Edward III founded, and the king can bestow upon anyone. You shall hear why it was called by this name. King Edward III loved the stories of Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. He made a new Round Table and tried to bring back those nightly days and to make his knights and gentlemen courteous and gentle. One day, out of all, Edward picked up a lady's garter. Someone laughed rudely, but Edward turned to him and said, On y so qui m'allie pas, which is French, and means evil be to him who evil thinks. Soon he added, you shall see this garter set so high that you will think it and honour to wear it. And so when he founded a new order of knighthood he made it the order of the garter. And to this day great men are proud to wear it. It was founded on St. George's Day and the ornament which the knights of the garter wear is called the George. End of Chapter 46 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kra.org on July 8th, 2006 in Oceanside, California. Our Island Story, Chapter 47 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit our website at www.librivox.org This reading by Kara Schallenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 47 Edward III of Windsor The Story of the Siege of Calais Five days after the battle of Cressy Edward began to be seized the town of Calais. He did not fight for the fortifications were so strong that he knew it would be useless. He made his men build a ring of wooden houses around Calais in which they could live until the people of the town were starved into giving in. When the governor of Calais saw what Edward was doing, he gathered all the weak, poor, and old people who were not able to fight and sent them out of the town. He did this so that there would be fewer people to feed, and therefore the food they had in the town would last longer. King Edward was surprised to see all these people leave the town and he asked them what it meant. We have no food nor money and cannot fight, they replied, so the governor has sent us away. Then Edward, instead of making them return into the town, gave them a good dinner and some money and allowed them to go safely through his camp to the country beyond. For nearly a year Calais held out bravely. Day after day the people hoped that the king of France would come with his army to help them, but day after day passed and no one came. We have eaten everything, wrote the governor to Philip. Even the cats and dogs and horses, and there is nothing left for us but to die of hunger unless you come soon. You will get no more letters from me, and you will hear that the town is lost and all we who are in it also. At last one morning the watchmen on the walls saw the gleam of spears and heard the drums and trumpet call of the French army. When the good news was told the joy in Calais was great. Hail and thin from want of food, hardly able to walk or stand, the people yet crowded to the walls. Oh, what joy! At last they would be free. The king had not forgotten them. But the day passed. There was no movement in the French camp, no battle cry was heard, no sounds of war. Tomorrow, said the men of Calais sadly, tomorrow the king will fight, tomorrow we will open our gates to our victorious army. But the next day and the next passed by while the king of England strengthened his camp and the king of France talked of peace. Then one morning the sun shone upon the army of Philip of France with its gay banners and glittering spears as it turned and marched away without having struck one blow for the town and its brave defenders. Calais was left to misery and tears. All hope was lost. Our king has forsaken us, said the people sadly. When the governor saw that there was indeed no hope, he mounted upon the walls waving a white flag. King Edward saw the signal and sent two of his knights to talk with the governor. Are you willing to give up the town, they asked? Yes, replied the governor. We have kept the town well and truly for our king, but now we can hold out no longer. We have nothing more to eat and we are all perishing of hunger. I will yield the town with all its riches and treasures if King Edward will grant us our lives. Nay, replied the knights, our noble king will not accept these terms. You and your people have been too stubborn in resisting him and have cost him too much. You must give yourselves up freely and entirely. Whom he pleases he will set free, whom he pleases he will put to death. These terms are too hard, replied the governor. We have only done our duty. We have fought for our king and master as you have for yours. We know the king of England is noble and generous. Do not be that he will deal so hardly with us. Go back, I entreat you and beg him to have pity. So the two knights rode back and told King Edward what the governor had said. But Edward was stern. I will listen to no conditions, he said. What, am I to wait twelve months and then have the saucy rascals make conditions? No, let them yield themselves entirely into my hands. But Edward's knights were so full of admiration for the noble men of Calais and they begged their king so earnestly to be merciful that at last he gave way. My lords, he said, I cannot hold out against you all. Go back to the governor. Tell him to send me six of the chief men of Calais. They must come dressed in their shirts with bare heads and feet, with ropes round their necks, and with the keys of the castle and town in their hands. These six shall be mine to do with what I will. The rest shall go free. One of the knights who had before spoken to the governor now returned and told him what the king had said. I beg of you, said the governor, to wait until I have spoken to the townspeople. It is they who must give the answer. I will wait, said the knight. The governor left the walls and going to the marketplace told the bellmen to ring the great bell. At the sound of it all the people of Calais, both men and women, hurried to the town hall. They were full of wonder and hope. They knew something great must have happened. What is it, they asked? What is it? When the people were all gathered together the governor stood up among them and spoke. He told them of all that he had said and done and what a hard answer the king of England had returned. When he had finished speaking the men groaned and the women wept. They were all worn with suffering and hunger. For weeks and weeks they had not had enough to eat and they could no longer bear the pain of it. But where would six men be found brave enough to give their lives for the others? Even the governor who, all through the terrible year, had encouraged and cheered the people now lost heart. Hiding his face in his hands he too burst into tears. For a few minutes there was dreadful silence broken only by low sobs. Then a brave man called Eustis de Saint-Pierre stood up. He was one of the richest and most important men of the town. Friends, he said, it would be a great wrong to allow so many people to die if in any way it could be prevented. I have such faith and trust in God that I pray he will not forget me if I die to save my fellow townsmen. I offer myself as the first of the six. When Eustis had finished speaking the people crowded round him. They fell at his feet, they kissed his hands, they thanked and blessed him. Then cries of the people, another and another man rose, till six of the richest merchants of Calais stood together, ready to die for their friends. With ropes round their necks, with bare feet and heads, and carrying the keys of the town in their hands, these six brave men walked through the streets, followed by the townspeople who wept and sobbed and blessed them as they went. The governor who was hardly able to walk rode before them, mounted upon a poor little thin pony. When they came to the gates of the town and the gates, which for a whole year had opened neither to friend nor foe, now swung wide. The governor passed out and with bent heads the six men followed feeling that they were saying farewell forever to their beloved town. Then the heavy gates were closed again behind them. The governor led the way to the outer wall where the English knight still waited. Then he stopped. As governor of Calais, he said, I deliver up to you these six citizens. I swear to you that they are no men but the richest and greatest of our town. I beg of you, gentle sir, out of the goodness of your heart, to pray the king that he will not put them to death. I cannot answer for what the king will do, replied the knight, but this I swear to you I will do all that is in my power to save them. Then the barriers were opened, the six brave men passed out, and the governor slowly and sadly returned to the town. The knight at once brought the six men of Calais to the king's tent. There they fell upon their knees, presenting the keys of the city to him. We are yours to do with what you will, they said, but noble king, pity our misery and spare us. The king looked at them darkly. He hated the people of Calais, not only because they had held out against him for so long, but because they often fought with his ships at sea and did them much damage. So instead of listening to the prayers of the brave men, he ordered their heads to be cut off. All the lords and knights around him begged him to have mercy, but he would not hear. All the world will say that you have acted cruelly if you put these men to death, he said. They come of their own free will and give themselves into your hands in order to save their fellows. Such a noble deed should be rewarded, not punished. But the king only waved his hand as if to say that he did not care what all the world said and ordered the headsmen to be sent for. Then Queen Philippa fell upon her knees beside him, weeping. Ah, my dear lord, she said, I have never before asked a favour from you, but now I beg you, by the love you have to me, let these men go. The king looked at her in silence and tried to raise her from her knees, but still she knelt, and still she begged for the lives of these brave men. Ah, lady, said Edward at last, I would you were anywhere but here for I can refuse you nothing, take the men, they are yours, do with them as you please. Then there was rejoicing indeed. The Queen led the men away to her own rooms. She ordered clothes to be given to them and made a great feast for them. They had not had such a dinner for many months. When they were clothed and fed, Queen Philippa sent them away, each with a large sum of money. So ended the siege of Calais. End of Chapter 47 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on July 8th, 2006 in Oceanside, California. Our Island Story, Chapter 48 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 48 Edward III of Windsor The Story of the Battle of Poitiers Nine years passed and the quarrelling between France and England still went on and in 1356 AD the English, under the Black Prince gained another great victory over the French. Philip, the King of France, had died and his son John now reigned. He came against the English with such a great army that the Black Prince, rather than fight, offered to set free all the prisoners he had made to give up all the French towns which he had taken and to promise not to fight against the French for seven years. But that did not satisfy King John. He demanded that the Prince and the whole English army should give themselves up as prisoners. The Black Prince refused even to think of such a thing. Then King John said that he would be satisfied if the Prince and one hundred of his best knights gave themselves up. Again, the Black Prince refused and he and his men prepared to fight and die. My men said the Prince, we are only a very small body compared with the army of the French but numbers do not always bring victory therefore fight manfully and if it please God and Saint George you shall see me this day act like a true English knight. The Prince posted his army very cleverly. Only narrow lanes led to the place he had chosen behind the hedges of which his archers were hidden. As the French knights rode down the lanes the English archers shot so fast that they could not wear to turn and soon the lanes were filled with dead and dying men and horses. The English shouted Saint George the French Saint Dennis and fiercely the battle raged. But in spite of their bravery and their numbers the French lost the day and both King John and his son were taken prisoner. They were led before the Black Prince who received them very kindly and treated them as friends rather than as prisoners. When the evening came and supper was served the Prince made the French King and his son take their places at table and instead of sitting down to eat with them he himself waited upon them. King John begged the Black Prince to sit down to suffer with him but he would not. It is honour enough for me, he said, to serve so great a king and so brave a soldier. After the Battle of Poitiers the Black Prince remained in France for some time. Then he set out for England taking King John with him. When King Edward heard that they were coming he gave orders to the people of London to make the city bright and beautiful so the houses were decked with flags and wreaths of flowers and the people dressed in their holiday clothes marched through the streets in gay crowds cheering the King of France and their own brave Prince. King John was mounted upon a beautiful white horse and beside him rode the Black Prince on a little black pony. It seemed as if the Prince wanted to do everything in his power to make King John forget that he was a prisoner. But in spite of all the kindness shown to him by King Edward and the Black Prince John found the months during which he was kept a prisoner in his own dear land, long and weary. At last, after four years Edward made peace with France for a time and set King John free on condition that he paid a large sum of money. King John returned to his own land but as he could not find enough money with which to pay Edward he came back to prison like an honourable man and died in England. All these wars in France had cost a great deal of money. The English people were proud of their King and Prince and glad that they should win so many battles and make the name of England famous but the people had to pay for these wars. They had to pay tax after tax and their poverty and misery grew greater year by year. It is true the King could no longer tax the people how and when he liked for the power of Parliament grew stronger and stronger. It was only through Parliament that the King could now get the money he required and whenever they gave it to him they made him promise something in return. In this way as the power of Parliament grew the power of the King became less and the country became really more free. The poor who were robbed of nearly all their money found it difficult to understand this. So many men had been killed in the wars that there were too few to do all the work of the land. There were still slaves in England at this time and when these slaves saw that there were not enough people to do the work they rebelled and refused to work without wages. Other people joined them and so there was war between rich and poor. Besides poverty a terrible sickness called the Black Death fell upon the land. Thousands upon thousands died until there were not enough people left in the land to sow and reap and plow. The fields lay barren, no corn was grown and the people starved. These were very unhappy times for England. King Edward's wars still went on and it became more and more difficult to find money for them and instead of always winning battles he now often lost them. To the sorrow of everyone the brave Black Prince died. His health had been broken by the terrible hardships of his long wars in France. At last he became so ill that he could no longer sit upon his horse nor lead his soldiers in battle and he came home to England to die. He was buried with great pomp in Canterbury Cathedral. There his tomb is still to be seen and over it there still hangs the Black Armor which he used to wear and from which he took his name of the Black Prince. King Edward died shortly after his son and his long reign which had been so brilliant and glorious to hate him. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schallenberg The Story of Watt Tyler's Rebellion The war with France still went on although it became harder and harder to find money with which to pay the soldiers and the people were taxed more and more heavily. A new tax called the Pole Tax had been first paid in the reign of Edward III. Pole means head and it was really a tax upon the head of everyone in the kingdom over the age of 14. Rich people had to pay more than poor people. Still it was the poor who felt the burden most. This tax was now made through the war with the Black Prince. The war with France This tax was now made three times as heavy as it had been and the poor were driven almost to despair. Rough, rude men were sent all over the country to gather the money. These men insulted and ill treated the people and at last one of them behaved so brutally to the daughter of a man called Watt that Watt struck him on the head with his hammer and killed him. This man, Watt or Walter was a Tyler of Houses and from that he was called Watt the Tyler or Tyler. In those days Watt often took their names from the work they did. As soon as it became known that Watt Tyler had killed a tax collector the people of the town flocked around him. They had been ready to rise in rebellion before and now this action of Watt decided them. They armed themselves with any kind of weapon upon which they could lay hands, sticks, rusty swords, old bows and featherless arrows and began to march to London. Everywhere as they passed along through towns and villages others joined them and men leaving their carts and plows in the fields forsook their wives and children till when they reached London they were a great army of one hundred thousand men. The chief leaders of this army were Watt Tyler, Jack Straw and a priest called John Ball. The priest had done a great deal towards stirring up the people against their masters. He had already been put into prison three times for preaching that all men should be equal and that it was wicked for one man to have more money than another. When Adam delved and Eve span who was then the gentleman? he asked. Many of those who had joined Watt Tyler hardly knew what they wanted. They knew only that they were miserable and poor and they hoped that if they saw the king he would do something to make them happy. They blamed John of Gaunt for the misery they suffered and on the road to London they stopped all whom they met and made them swear to be true to Richard II and never to accept any one of the name of John as king. When they came near London they camped upon Blackheath and sent messengers to the king begging to be allowed to speak with him. You need not fear, they said. We will do you no harm. We have always respected you and we will respect you as our king but we have many things to say to you which you ought to hear. Tell them, said King Richard, that tomorrow I will meet their leaders by the river. This answer gave the peasants great joy and they camped for the night as best they could. They had no tents nor covering of any kind and many of them had no supper for they had eaten any food which they had brought with them and had no money to buy more. The next day the young king rode down the river to talk to the people as he had promised but when he saw what a great crowd there was he would not land. He sat in his boat and tried to talk to the leaders as they stood upon the bank but they were angry because he would not land and made such a noise that it was impossible to hear anything. Tell me what you want, shouted the king. I have come to hear what you have to say. You must land first, then we will tell you what we want yelled the crowd in return but Richard was afraid to land and indeed the barons and lords would not allow him to do so so after rowing up and down the river for some time trying in vain to make himself heard by the howling yelling crowd on the bank he returned to the tower where he was living. When the people saw the king row away they were madly angry they had been quiet and orderly they were so no longer let us march to London they said and take it the mayor of London shut the city gates but the poor people within opened them to their friends and the yelling crowd poured into the city they broke into all the shops where food was sold eating and drinking as much as they wanted they burned and wrecked John of Gaunt's house called the Savoy which was the most beautiful palace in London other houses and some churches were destroyed and many people were killed the prisons were broken open and all the prisoners set free yet the rioters did not steal they burned and threw into the river the beautiful furniture and jewels belonging to John of Gaunt because they hated him and blamed him for their misery but they would not allow anything to be taken away one man who was seen to steal a piece of silver was thrown into the flames and burned alive as a punishment by his companions we are not thieves and robbers they said we are fighting only for truth and justice as the day went on the noise grew greater and greater and when night came the rioters collected in the square in front of the tower there they made a terrible noise swearing that if the king did not come out to them they would burn the tower the king and his friends held a council together and Richard decided the next day he would again try to speak with the people he sent a message to them telling them to go to an open space called Mile End and that there he would come to speak with them in the morning a great many of the people when they heard this marched to Mile End but others refused to go away from the tower next morning as soon as the gates were open for the king to pass out these rioters rushed in they killed many of the people in the tower and nearly frightened the king's mother the princess of Wales to death meanwhile Richard rode to Mile End and found a great company of people awaiting him there as soon as he was near enough he spoke to them kindly my good people he said I am your king what is it you want and what do you wish to say to me we want you to make us free forever both ourselves and our children we will not be slaves any longer they replied you have your wish answered Richard now go home quietly leave behind you one or two men from each village to them I will give letters signed and sealed with my seal promising what you ask then the people who really did not know quite what they wanted set up a great shout for the king and went back to their homes Richard gave orders to about 30 secretaries as fast as they could they sat up all night to write these letters promised freedom to all the slaves and as soon as they were written they were signed and sealed with the king's seal and given to the men who waited for them but Watt Tyler had not been with the rioters at Mile End and he would not agree to go home he wanted the king to promise much more than that there should no longer be slaves in England next day while he and his followers were gathered at a place called Smithfield the king came riding by attended only by a few friends and soldiers here is the king said Watt I will go speak to him you must not move until I give you a signal he waved his hand and added when you see me make this sign run forward and kill every man of them except the king do not kill him for he is young and we can make him do what we like then he set spurs to his horse and galloped towards Richard who was waiting to see what the rebels meant to do king said Watt do you see all those men there yes replied the king I do why do you ask because they are all under my orders said Watt and have sworn to do whatever I command them I have no objection to that replied the king and he went on to speak quietly and peaceably to Watt Tyler but Watt was too angry to listen finding that he could not quarrel with the king he began to do so with one of the gentlemen beside him hot words passed between them till Richard growing angry turned to the mayor of London who was also there and told him to seize Watt Tyler truly said the mayor it ill becomes such a rascal to use such words in the presence of the king I will pay him for it and raising his sword he struck Watt Tyler a blow on the head Watt fell to the ground the king's friends closed round him and a minute later he was dead when Watt Tyler's men saw him fall they called out they have killed our captain let us slay them all and they ran towards the king with their bows bent ready to shoot then Richard did a brave thing forbidding any of his men to follow him he rode alone toward the rioters friends he said what are you doing follow me I myself shall be your leader at these words many of the rioters were ashamed some of them at once slipped quietly away and Richard putting himself at the head of the others led them out into the country meanwhile some of Richard's company had fled back into London crying they are killing the king they are killing the king when the people heard that many of the king's soldiers came running together and an army marched out to the fields to meet Richard and the rebels as soon as he saw them the king left the rebels at the head of his own soldiers several of the nobles then wished to attack the rebels but Richard forbade them to do so but he ordered all the letters promising freedom which the rioters had among them to be given up at once on pain of instant death as soon as the king received the letters he poured them up in sight of the rebels these poor people now saw all their hopes of freedom gone their leader too was dead so not waiting for more they broke and fled they hardly knew where many of them returned to their homes and Jack Straw were cruelly betrayed by the very men they had tried to help and free they were beheaded by Richard's orders along with many of their followers the king did not keep any of his promises to the people slaves you are and slaves you shall remain he said savagely when the danger to himself was over it seemed as if the rising had been in vain but that was not so many masters freed their slaves and although years passed before all were free what Tyler's rebellion was the beginning of freedom for the lower classes in England many of the laborers and workers who were free men had been treated almost as bad lia slaves but now their condition became better end of chapter 49 read by Kara Schallenberg www.kra.org on July 8th 2006 in Oceanside, California our island story, chapter 50 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schallenberg our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 50 how King Richard II lost his throne Richard was only a boy of 15 when he faced the rioters at Smithfield so bravely and afterward broke his promises so basely it would have been better for England if he had always been brave as he was the day he faced the rioters and never base as he was afterward it was not until Richard was 21 that he really ruled until then his uncle was ruled for him how old do you think I am uncle he said suddenly to one of them at a feast your highness is in his 22nd year replied he then I am surely old enough to rule I thank you for your past help uncle I require it no longer and before his uncle could recover from his surprise Richard had asked for the great seal and keys of office and had proclaimed to the people that in the future he himself should rule and for a time Richard ruled well he made peace with France and the taxes on the poor were made lighter but this was not for long it was soon seen that he intended to do exactly as he liked and would take advice from no one he banished and outlawed those who tried to keep him in check as he was always in need of money he seized the lands and money of these banished people and did many other wicked and dishonest things at last the king who had been placed upon the throne amid so much rejoicing came to be hated and despised one of the people whom Richard had banished was his cousin Henry of Bollingbroke the son of his uncle John of Gaunt soon after Henry had been banished John of Gaunt died and Richard in spite of having promised not to do so seized his land and money when Henry heard of this he came back to England to take possession of his own inheritance he said but really to try to win the crown of England the people had always loved Henry and had been very sorry when he was banished and now they welcomed him back with joy hoping that he would free them from their hated king Henry came with only fifteen nights but as soon as he landed many people flocked to him Richard at this time was in Ireland trying to put down a rebellion there as soon as he heard that Henry was in England he hurried home but he was too late Henry was already master of the country Richard brought a large army with him from Ireland but many of the soldiers deserted almost as soon as they landed and joined the standard of Henry at last forsaken by all in utter despair without food or clothes or even a bed upon which to sleep Richard was forced to submit to his cousin they met at the castle of Flint in Wales Henry knelt to Richard as to his king and kissed his hand fair cousin said Richard looking down upon him you are right welcome my lord replied Henry I am come somewhat before my time by which he meant that he had a right to the throne after the death of Richard but that he had not waited until then but he went on your people complain that you have ruled them badly these twenty years please God I will now help you to rule them better and the poor broken spiritless king replied fair cousin if it pleases you it pleases me right well but when Richard was left alone he burst out in a furious rage wood to heaven that I had killed when I might this false cousin this Henry of falling broke amid the curses of his people forsaken even by his favourite dog which left him for Henry the second was led a prisoner to the tower of London there he solemnly gave up his right to the crown and Henry of falling broke was made king this was in 1399 AD Richard was afterwards sent to Pontifract castle in Yorkshire where it is believed he was cruely murdered end of chapter 50 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on July 8th 2006 in Oceanside, California our island story this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schellenberg our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 51 Henry IV of falling broke the story of the battle of Shrewsbury Henry IV knew quite well that he was not the real heir to the throne although he tried to make people believe that he was the real heir was Edmund Mortimer Earl of March Richard II was the son of Edward the Black Prince who was the eldest son of Edward III Edmund Mortimer was descended from Lionel of Clarence who was the third son of Edward III Henry falling broke was descended from John of Gaunt who was the fourth son of Edward III so of course Edmund Mortimer had a better right to the throne than Henry falling broke had but Edmund Mortimer was only a little boy and like so many other little princes he was passed over and forgotten the people chose rather to have a strong man who could really rule than a little boy who could rule only in name but Henry was afraid of Edmund and kept him a prisoner in Windsor Castle although he was not otherwise unkind to him Henry had seized the throne in an unlawful manner and he found that it was no easy matter to keep it no sooner was he crowned than plots thickened around him and people who had hated Richard were now sorry that they had put Henry on the throne the Welsh who had been conquered by Edward I had never been content to live under the rule of English kings and Owen Glendauer a Welsh nobleman now rebelled against Henry he called himself the Prince of Wales claiming to be descended from Llewellyn that Welsh prince whom Edward I had defeated and killed nearly all Wales joined Owen Glendauer and although Henry went against them with a large army he was not able to subdue them the Welsh took several of Henry's nobles prisoner among them Sir Edmund Mortimer this Sir Edmund was an uncle of the young Earl of March whom Henry kept in prison at Windsor Henry was quite pleased that Sir Edmund should be a captive because he was afraid that he might at some time try to put his nephew on the throne the Scots had meanwhile also been fighting with the English and had been defeated by the Earl of Northumberland and his young son who was called Harry Hotspur he was called Hotspur because he was so quick and brave in battle Harry Hotspur and his father had taken the Scottish leader Douglas prisoner they expected to get a large ransom from the Scots for him but Henry said that Douglas must be given up to him this made the Percy's as Harry Hotspur and his father were called very angry they thought that because they had taken Douglas prisoner they had a right to the money which would be paid for his release the Percy's then asked Henry to send money to Owen Glendauer to ransom Edmund Mortimer for Edmund was Harry Hotspur's dear friend but Henry refused he did not wish Edmund to be free because he was afraid of him this refusal made the Percy's still more angry the Percy's had helped to put Henry on the throne but now they became so angry with him that they were sorry that they had done so and they turned against him instead of giving up Douglas to Henry the Percy's set him free in the condition that he should help them to fight against the King they made friends with Owen Glendauer who set Edmund Mortimer free and persuaded him also to join them against Henry when the King heard of this great rebellion he marched with a large army to Shrewsbury and there he defeated the Percy's before Owen Glendauer could come with his soldiers to their help King Henry had been told that some of the rebel nobles had sworn to kill him so he went into battle in plain armour while four or five knights went dressed like the King these knights were all killed Douglas himself killing three of them I marvel to see so many Kings rise thus one after the other, he said I have this day slain three but the real King was not among them although he was in the battle fighting bravely the Prince of Wales or Prince Hal as he was often called was only a boy but he did great deeds at this battle and even when he had been badly wounded he would not leave the field until victory for his father was sure Harry Hotspur was killed Douglas taken prisoner and so with this one battle the rebellion was almost at an end Henry next marched against Owen Glendauer but still he could not subdue him Owen fought against Henry all his life and at last died among the lonely mountains of Wales still free and still unconquered Henry IV had a very unquiet reign he was in constant fear of rebellion in England and besides the Welsh the Scots and the French were always fighting with him but a great misfortune fell upon the Scottish King which forced him to make peace with Henry the Scots and the French had always been good friends and now King Robert III sent his little son James to France to learn French but while on his way there his ship was captured by the English and Prince James who was only nine years old was taken a prisoner to London Henry was very glad to have Prince James in his power for the Scots were now afraid to fight against him in case he should do some harm to their little Prince if the Scots had been kind said Henry they would have sent their Prince to me I could teach him the French language as well as any Frenchman when the King of Scotland heard that his son had fallen into the hands of his enemy he was so sad and afraid that he died of a broken heart the King's brother the Duke of Albany wanted to rule Scotland himself so he was pleased that James was a prisoner and did not try to make Henry set him free although King Henry kept Prince James in prison he allowed him to have books and teachers who taught him many things which were afterwards useful to him and helped him to become a good King he also wrote some very beautiful poetry while he was in prison so those years were not altogether lost So, we are here to talk about the story of Prince Hal on July 12th 2006 in Oceanside California Our Island Story Chapter 52 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall Chapter 52 Henry IV of Fallingbroke Prince Hal was clever and brave but he was so wild and fond of fun that he was called Madcap Hal He spent a great deal of time with gay companions and often got into mischief One day a servant of Prince Hal, having done something wicked was taken before the Lord Chief Justice Gascoigne to be tried and punished When Prince Hal heard about it he was very angry and went at once to the courthouse He strode up to where his servant was standing and turning to the officer beside him Take off those fetters, he said Let my man go free, how dare you arrest my servant My Lord Prince said, Judge Gascoigne calmly Your servant has broken the law and must be punished by the law If you wish to save him you must go to the king your father and beg mercy from him He can grant it if he thinks fit Now I pray you leave the court and allow me to deal as I think just with the prisoner Prince Hal was very angry at being spoken to like this He was so angry that he hardly knew what he was doing and springing forward he struck the judge in the face The people in the court were dumb with astonishment and fear. What would happen next? The Prince was in such a passion that they were afraid he might kill the judge But Judge Gascoigne sat quite still and unmoved Sir, he said sternly to the Prince Remember that I am here in place of the king your lord and father In his name I charge you to give up your sword for your contempt and disobedience I send you to prison There you shall remain until the will of the king your father shall be known At these calm, grave words the Prince was ashamed All his anger vanished and taking off his sword he bowed humbly to the judge and went quietly to prison As soon as the Prince had gone some of his servants ran to tell the king what had happened They expected him to be very angry with the judge But after hearing the story the king sat silent for a few minutes and he said I thank God that he has given me a judge who does not fear to do justice and a son who can obey the law Towards the end of his troubled reign Henry IV was often ill and although very unwilling to do so he was obliged to allow Prince Hal Once while the king was ill Prince Hal came into his room and finding him lying very still and quiet thought that he was dead The crown was beside the king's bed and the Prince lifted it, put it on his own head and went away But the king was not dead and when he awoke and found that the crown was gone he was greatly alarmed He called to his nobles who were in a room near Why have you left me alone? Someone has stolen the crown The nobles came running to the king The Prince was with you my lord while you slept they said he must have taken the crown The Prince took it said the king go bring him here When he was told that the king was not dead Prince Hal returned at once with tears in his eyes he knelt beside his father's bed I never thought to hear you speak again he said and the king replied sadly Thy wish was father Henry to that thought I stay too long by thee I weary thee Thus thou so hunger for my empty chair that thou wilt needs invest thee with mine honors before thy hour is ripe thou seekst the greatness that will overwhelm thee Oh pardon me my liege said Prince Hal weeping and the king pardoned and blessed him before he died How I came by the crown, oh God forgive and grant it may with thee in true peace live End of Chapter 52 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on July 13th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 53 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall Chapter 53 Henry V of Monmouth The Story of the Battle of Agincourt When Prince Hal came to the throne in 1413 A.D. he gave up all his wild ways and tried to rule as a wise king should Judge Gascon was very much afraid that he would suffer now for having sent the prince to prison but Henry had a noble mind he knew that the judge had only done what was right so after he became king Henry treated Judge Gascon as a friend and when he gave up his judgeship it was because he was a very old man Still be my judge, he said and if I should ever have a son who does wrong I hope you will punish him as you did me Therefore still bear the balance and the sword and I do wish your honors may increase till you do live to see a son of mine offend you and obey you as I did so shall I live to speak my father's words Happy am I that have a man so bold that dares do justice on my proper son and no less happy, having such a son that would deliver up his greatness so into the hands of justice Henry came peacefully to the throne but he had no better right to it than his father had there were many people who could not forget that and it was not long before plots were formed but Henry put down these plots and then he thought of fighting with France You remember how Edward III had claimed to be king of France as well as king of England and how he did indeed conquer a great part of France but at the end of his reign and during the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV all that he had conquered had again been lost of the many French lands which had at one time belonged to England only the town of Calais remained Henry V made up his mind to try to win back these lands he thought that if the plots against him became too strong and he were driven from the throne of England he could then still be king of France the eldest son of the king of France was called the Dauphin just as the eldest son of the king of England is always called the Prince of Wales at this time the king of France was mad so the Dauphin ruled when he heard that Henry V was coming to fight against him he sent a present of some tennis balls tell the English king he said to his messenger that he is too young and foolish to claim dukedoms here it will be better for him to amuse himself at home with these balls Henry laughed when he received the present and sent back this message and tell the pleasant prince this mock of his had turned his balls to gunstones Henry gathered his army and landing in France laid siege to the town of Harfleur the town held out bravely for a long time and when at last it fell the English army was so worn out so many of them had been killed and wounded that they were not strong enough to fight anymore yet Henry did not want to return to England having only taken one French town he resolved to march from Harfleur to Calais and sail home from there he would show the French that the English were not afraid of them so the army left Harfleur and day after day ragged, hungry and worn they marched along the weary way towards Calais day after day passed but no French soldiers ever came in sight till one evening when they had gone about half the long journey the enemy appeared even then, weary and worn though the English were the French did not think themselves strong enough to attack and fell back before them but about 40 miles from Calais Henry found the French army right across his path if Calais was to be reached the French must be beaten and Calais had to be reached as it was the only way home and Henry's men were utterly weary and almost starving on the morning of the battle Henry rode along the lines cheering his poor tired soldiers he had a gold crown upon his helmet and the coat which he wore over his armour was embroidered with the leopards of England and the lilies of France for already he called himself king of France and England as Henry rode along he heard one of his nobles say one of the thousands of warriors who lie idle this day in England were here to aid us nay, replied the king I would not have one man more if we win, the greater is the glory God gives to us if we die, the less is the loss to England when Henry had ridden all along the lines he got off his horse and took his place among his soldiers with the royal standard waving over him the fight began and a terrible fight it was it seemed as if it were the story of Cressy and Poitiers all over again the French had an army ten times greater than that of the English many of the English too were sick and ill weary, ragged and half fed and yet they won the battle when it was over Henry riding across the fields met one of the French heralds to whom does the victory belong he asked to you, Sire, replied the man nay, said the king, but to God we English made not this great slaughter what fortress is that? he added for it is fitting that the battle should have a name that is the castle of Agincourt, Sire replied the herald then Agincourt shall this battle be called, said Henry and by that name we know it this was one of the greatest battles ever fought between the French and English but although the English won the army was too worn out to do more and so they went home to England but Henry soon gathered another army and returned to France there was more fighting till at last five years later peace was made and Henry married Catherine the daughter of the French king it was arranged that King Charles Henry remember was mad should keep the title of king while he lived but that Henry should rule and that when Charles died Henry should be king of France but about two years after this Henry himself died he was only 34 and had reigned but ten years he was a wise king and ruled well yet his great battles are what we hear most of in his reign and they brought suffering and sorrow to many of his people still his people loved him and their grief at his death was great Henry the fifth too famous to live long England Nair lost a king of so much worth England Nair had a king until his time virtue he had deserving to command his brandished sword did blind men with his beams his arms spread wider than a dragon's wings his sparkling eyes replete with wrathful fire more dazzled and drove back his enemies than midday sun fear spent against their faces what should I say his deeds exceed all speech he Nair lift up his hand but conquered end of chapter 53 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on july 13th 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 54 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schellenberg our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 54 Henry the fourth of Windsor of Orleans when Henry the fifth died in 1422 A.D. his son who was also called Henry was only a tiny baby nine months old yet the people had loved Henry the fifth so much that they chose that this tiny baby should be called their king of course a baby nine months old who could not even speak could not rule so his uncle the Duke of Gloucester ruled instead queen Catherine the baby's mother married a Welsh gentleman called Owen Tudor and took no part in ruling the kingdom for a little time things seemed to go well but soon troubles began Charles the mad king of France died about two months after the death of Henry the fifth and the baby Henry the sixth was proclaimed king of France in his place may God grant long life to Henry by the grace of God king of France and England cried the heralds but the Dauphin Charles felt that he was the rightful heir and he too called himself king of France the baby king of course did not know anything about what was happening Duke of Bedford who ruled France for him was very angry with the Dauphin and began to fight with him the English were so strong that at first they defeated the French armies and the Dauphin was in despair the Scots had been helping the French to stop them doing so the English said that they would set their king free if they would promise not to help the French anymore you remember that king James when he was a little boy had been taken prisoner by Henry the fourth and he had now been in prison for 19 years while in prison James had seen a beautiful lady from his window as she walked in the garden of the palace he loved her although he had never spoken to her nor heard her speak James was a poet as well as a king and he wrote some beautiful poetry about her and therewith cast I down my eyes again where as I walking saw beneath the tower full secretly new coming to her play the fairest and the freshest young flower that ever I saw me thought before that hour for which sudden surprise Anon did start the blood of all my body to my heart when she walked it had a little time under the sweet green branches bent her fair fresh face as white as any snow she turned it has and forth her way she went but then began my sickness and torment to see her go and follow not I might me thought the day was turned into night bewailing in my chamber thus alone despairing of all joy and remedy oft weary of my thoughts and woe begun unto the window would I walk in haste to see the world and the folk who went for by time though I have mirth as food might have no more to look it did me good as soon as James was free he married this beautiful lady and went back to Scotland with her but before he went the English made him pay a large sum of money in return for all that had been spent on him while he was in prison he also promised not to help the French in their battles with the English so this is why the Scots could no longer fight for the French but other help came to them they found a great leader who brought them victory this great leader was a woman in a peaceful little village far away from the sounds of war lived a peasant girl called Jean Dark or as we call her in English Joan of Arc she had never been to school she could neither read nor write ever since she had been quite a little girl she had had to work hard all day long in the fields and in the house but although she was ignorant Joan was gentle and good and her heart was full of love for her country from time to time stories of battle and loss and death were brought to the little village by sick and wounded soldiers from the battlefields as Joan listened to these stories tears filled her eyes and a great longing grew in her heart to do something for her dear country she spent long days alone in the fields taking care of her master's sheep while she watched the sheep she kept thinking and longing what can I do she said to herself I am only a poor ignorant girl what can I do for my country at last it seemed to her as if the empty air around her was full of voices which answered her question it seemed to her that saints and angels came to her and whispered that she was chosen to free France what on the courage and the armor of a man said the voices and lead the armies to victory when Joan told people that God had chosen her as captain they thought at first that she was mad but she was so earnest and so sure that at last they took her to the Dauphin dressed like a man in shining white armor riding upon a beautiful white horse and carrying a white banner sewed with the gold lilies of France so beautiful and so good that the Dauphin and the soldiers could not but believe in her so this peasant girl who knew nothing of war who had never before worn armor nor carried a sword nor ridden upon a horse took command of the army the rough soldiers honored obeyed and almost worshipped her new hopes sprang up in their hearts new strength to fight so full of courage were they now that in less than a week fortune changed the English began to lose and the French to win Joan's first fighting was at Arlene's had been besieged by the English for some months Joan beat the English and drove them away and because of that she was afterwards often called the maid of Arlene's battle after battle was fought town after town was taken from the English until about two months from the time Joan began to fight the French were so completely victorious that the Dauphin was crowned at Rhymes it was a very splendid sight the church was crowded with knights and nobles and rejoicing people but no one rejoiced more than the maid of Arlene's dressed still in her beautiful white armor holding her white banner in her hand she stood beside the Dauphin as the crown was placed upon his head and he was proclaimed King of France instead of the little English King Henry VI then when all was over Joan begged to be allowed to go home again to tend to sheep once more and to be with her brothers and her sisters they would be so glad to see me she said, my work here is done but the king would not let her go the English still remained in the country and fighting still went on and fighting too but one sad day during a battle she was wounded and taken prisoner by the English the English were very glad of this because they thought that she was a witch in those days people still believed in witches and were very much afraid of them the English thought that no one who was not a witch could have done the wonderful things Joan had done after being kept in prison for nearly a year Joan, young, beautiful and good though she was, was burned as a witch because she had freed her country the English did not do this wicked deed so sad they allowed their friends the Burgundians who were French but who had been fighting on the English side to do it after this the English proclaimed Henry VI King of France at Paris but it was only an empty show for he was not really King of France fighting still went on but the English lost more and more till at last they had lost all the lands they had ever held in France in 1451 AD only the town of Calais remained to them and the Hundred Years War begun by Edward III in 1340 AD came to an end while these things were happening in France the baby king of England was growing up to be a man and a very weak man he grew to be he was polled this way and that among his many advisors who ruled the country and quarreled among themselves the lords made the king marry a French lady called Margaret of Anjou she was very strong-willed and it was really she more than King Henry who ruled the country was in a very unhappy state the long wars with France had cost a great deal of money and a great many lives they were heavily taxed in order to pay for the wars the men who were taken away for soldiers very often never came home again there were not enough people in the country to do the work and famine and disease and all kinds of misery followed at last the people rebelled just as they had rebelled in the time of Richard II under Watt Tyler this time their leader was called Jack Cade it all happened very much as before the rebels marched to London and camped upon Blackheath a battle was fought in which the king's men were defeated then Jack Cade and his followers were promised what they asked many of them afterwards went home quietly but Jack Cade himself was killed this rising lasted only a few weeks but another struggle which lasted 30 years soon began this struggle was called The Wars of the Roses End of Chapter 54 this is the end of the first half of Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall to listen to the second half please visit the catalogue page at librevox.org read by Kara Schallenberg www.kray.org on July 13th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 55 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schallenberg Our Island Story by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall Chapter 55 Henry VI of Windsor The Red Rose and the White You remember that Henry IV who took the crown from Richard II was descended from John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, the fourth son of Edward III but there was someone who had a better right to the throne that was Edmund Mortimer who was descended from the third son of Edward III now in the time of Henry VI there was still living a descendant of Edmund Mortimer he was called Richard, Duke of York The Wars of the Roses began because Richard claimed to be the rightful heir to the throne at first Richard said he only wanted to be made protector of the kingdom because he saw how weak and easily led the king was it seemed indeed as if the king needed a protector for he was not only weak and foolish but at times he was quite mad and unable even to speak for days the Duke of York hoped that if he was protector during Henry's life the people would make him king after Henry died the people would very likely have agreed to this had not the little son been born to Henry this little son was called Edward and many of the nobles turned from the Duke of York for his sake although Henry was quite unfit to rule they hoped that his little son would grow up wise and good and more like his grandfather Henry V so some of the nobles sided with the Duke of York and others with the king and the quarrelling between them became very bad many at first were afraid to speak out and say openly on which side they were but soon the quarrel grew to be so bitter that not only the nobles but the whole nation took sides one day while walking in the temple gardens in London with some other nobles Richard, Duke of York, tried to persuade them to join his cause ah! he said at last I see you are afraid to speak out well then give me a sign to show on whose side you are let him that is a true born gentleman and stands upon the honour of his birth if he supposes that I have pleaded truth from off this briar pluck a white rose with me saying that he pulled a white rose which grew on a bush near and stuck it in his cap then the Duke of Somerset sprang forward and carrying a red rose from another bush said let him that is no coward nor no flutterer but dare maintain the party of the truth pluck a red rose from off the thorn with me then one after another all the nobles who were there plucked red or white roses those who were for Lancaster, that is the king because he was descended from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster wore red roses in their caps those who were for the Duke of York wore white roses in theirs and ever after, during all the years that the wars lasted red and white roses were the sign or badge of the two parties and the wars were called the Wars of the Roses the first battle was fought at St. Albans in 1455 AD the white rose won this battle and King Henry was taken prisoner the Duke of York treated Henry very kindly and as he became quite mad for a time the Duke ruled the country the next year, however, the king recovered from his madness and once more ruled the kingdom himself or rather it was the queen who ruled for she was very fond of power but did not care in the least to do what was best for the people so she was greatly hated and it was not long before war again broke out this time too the white rose was successful Queen Margaret fled to Scotland with her little son and Henry was again taken prisoner the Duke of York now claimed the throne in earnest he entered London in great state trumpets were sounded, the sword of office was carried before him and he was followed by a train of soldiers and servants he rode straight to Westminster where Parliament was sitting and did not pause until he reached the House of Lords there he marched up to the throne and laid his hand upon the cloth of state with which it was covered as if he meant to show that he had taken possession of it but he did not sit on the throne he stood for some time in silence looking at the empty seat keeping his hand still upon the cloth then turning he looked at the nobles as they crowded before him are they glad or sorry to see me? then in the silence the Archbishop of Canterbury stepped forward my Lord Duke he said will you come to see the King? the Duke of York drew himself up proudly I cannot remember my Lord Archbishop he said that there is anyone in this kingdom who should not rather come to me than I go to him then he turned and boldly sat upon the throne sitting there the Duke made a long speech to the Lords he reminded them that Henry IV had taken the crown by force to show that he, the Duke of York had a better right to the throne than Henry VI therefore he said according to my just and free title I have and do take possession of this royal throne and with God's help I shall keep it for his glory my own honor and the good of all my people when the Duke had finished there was a deep silence the Lords sat as if struck dumb in their astonishment they seemed afraid even to whisper or utter one word it is good, said the Duke at last that you should think well of what I have said and rising he went away not very pleased at their silence yet not quite displeased either he went to the royal palace took possession of Henry's own rooms and lived there more like a King than a Duke left to themselves the Lords and the Commons after a great deal of talking decided that while Henry lived he should still be called King but that the Duke of York should be protector and that when Henry died the Duke should be the next King Henry who was weak and idle was quite satisfied with this so was the Duke for he was a wise man who really loved his country he meant to rule well and hoped in this way to become King without further fighting but Queen Margaret was very angry she loved to rule and she hated the Duke of York and she would not be ruled by him nor have her son set aside for him she came from Scotland where she had been hiding with her little boy and gathering an army fought another battle with the Duke of York and his followers it was a terrible battle and the Duke of York himself was taken prisoner after the battle was over the Red Rose soldiers set the Duke on a little mound they crowned him with bullrushes and then knelt before him crying Hail King without rule, hail King without heritage hail Duke and Prince without people or possessions and after this cruel mocking of a helpless prisoner they cut off his head the wicked Queen Margaret laughed with joy when she saw it and to mock the dead man still further she placed a paper crown upon the head upon the walls of York one of the Duke's sons a pretty boy of only twelve was killed too he was trying to run away with his tutor when he was caught by one of the Red Rose soldiers oh please please do not kill me sobbed the boy the tears running down his cheeks I do not want to die but the soldier had a cruel heart and would not listen dumb with fear the poor little boy fell upon his knees holding up his hands to beg for mercy but the soldier had no mercy your father killed mine he cried I will kill you so the poor little boy died Queen Margaret had no mercy either she seemed mad with revenge she killed as many of the White Rose nobles as she could and the White Rose cause seemed lost but although Richard Duke of York was dead he had a son called Edward who now became Duke and the head of the White Rose party and more terrible battles were fought the people hated the Queen for her cruelty and her wickedness she had no money with which to pay her soldiers so she allowed them to plunder and they too were hated and feared wherever they went the gates of London were closed against them the people refusing to give them even the plainest food but Edward of York was young, brave and handsome and when he came to London with his army the people threw open the gates to him welcoming him as their king then the Bishop of Exeter standing up among the great crowds who had gathered to meet him reminded the people of all the cruel wrongs which they had suffered during Henry's reign will you have him still to rule over you he asked no, no, shouted the people if you will not have Henry, whom will you have asked the Bishop will you serve, love, honour and obey Edward Earl of March and Duke of York as your only King and Sovereign Lord yes, yes, shouted the people King Edward, King Edward long live King Edward so with shouting and cheering and clapping of hands the people chose Edward of York to be their King End of Chapter 55 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kra.org on July 13th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 56 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 56 Edward IV, the story of Queen Margaret and the Robbers It was in 1461 A.D. that the people chose Edward IV as their King and so there were two kings in England Henry VI, the head of the Red Rose and Edward IV, the head of the White Rose Party There could be no peace in the country so long as there were two kings each claiming the throne So, without waiting to be crowned Edward marched to meet the Red Rose Army and to fight for the crown On a bleak day in March the two forces met at Tauton in Yorkshire amid a wild storm of wind and snow For ten hours the battle raged The white snow was stained and the river which flowed near ran red with blood Totally it seemed as if the earth and the sky had taken sides with the red and white roses Never since Hastings had such a terrible battle been fought on English ground The white rose was victorious Henry's cause seemed utterly lost and he and his wife and their little son fled to Scotland If Henry had been left to himself he would have given up fighting for the crown for he loved quiet and peace But Queen Margaret loved power and would not rest until she had again won the kingdom She got help from the French King and in three years was back in England once more But Edward and the great Earl of Warwick who had helped to put Edward upon the throne were too strong for Margaret and she was utterly defeated Without a single friend or servant Margaret and her little son who was now about eleven years old fled into the forest to hide They came on, it grew dark and they lost their way among the winding paths Hungry and tired they did not know which way to turn Afraid to stop, afraid to go on starting and shrinking at every sound they clung to each other trembling Presently they heard men's voices and saw the glimmer of a fire Margaret whispered to her little son to be very still as they crept near to find out who these people were whether friends or enemies Hidden by the trees the Queen and her little boy and stood listening and watching In a few minutes they found out that these men were robbers holding the Prince tight by the hand Queen Margaret made ready to run away But suddenly one of the robbers looked toward them He saw the glitter of jewels in the firelight With a cry he made a spring at the Queen and in spite of her screams and struggles she was dragged into the circle round the fire Aha! What have we here? cried one robber A fine prize truly said another Here is gold enough said a third roughly pulling at the chain round Margaret's neck Come lady we will have all these things he went on pointing to her jewels The Queen began to take off her rings and jewels for she was very much afraid But one robber pushed the other aside Let be he said the prize is mine I took her, nay nay share and share are like It is mine I say, I took her I say it is mine So the robbers began to quarrel fiercely about the treasure and while they quarrelled Margaret took the Prince in her arms and ran away Where she ran she did not know On and on she went stumbling through the dark forest At last breathless and weary unable to go another step She sank down on a grassy bank Scarcely had she done so when another robber appeared Seeing no escape Margaret went towards this robber putting the little Prince into his arms Friend she says take care of him He is the son of your true king The hard rough man accustomed only to murder and rob Felt sorry for the poor tired lady and her little boy He held the Prince in his arms saying Lady I will not hurt you Come with me and I will show you where you can rest safely The robber led the Queen in Prince through the forest till he came to his secret cave There he fed them and kept them safe for some days and at last took them to the shore where they found a ship in which to sail over the sea But King Henry was not so fortunate He escaped and hid in various places for nearly a year but he was discovered at last and taken prisoner to London As he rode a prisoner into the city he was met by the Earl of Warwick and the poor unfortunate King was made to ride through the streets like a common criminal with his feet tied under his horse Then he was shut up in the Tower of London End of Chapter 56 Our Island Story Chapter 57 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 57 Edward IV The Story of the Kingmaker Edward IV now felt quite sure of the throne and he married secretly a beautiful lady called Elizabeth Woodville When this marriage became known the Earl of Warwick was very angry because he thought the King should have married someone more great and powerful The Earl of Warwick himself was so great and powerful that he was called the Kingmaker and he had done much to make Edward King Edward soon acted in many ways which displeased the Earl and they quarreled and plots were formed to drive Edward from the throne Among the people who plotted against him was the Duke of Clarence King Edward's own brother At last the Earl of Warwick became so angry with Edward that he took him prisoner and shut him up in a castle called Midlam So there were two kings in England both of them prisoners The Kingmaker having made and unmade the King now ruled the country himself for a year He really had intended to make the Duke of Clarence King but he found that even he was not powerful enough to do that In about a year's time Warwick set Edward free again and strange to say they made up their quarrels and were friends once more But in a very short time they again quarreled so badly this time that the Earl of Warwick who had fought so hard for the White Rose of York foresook it and joined the Red Rose of Lancaster He went to France where Margaret and her son were and offered to help them to conquer England and place Henry again on the throne So one morning Edward awoke to hear the Red Rose war cry and two friends running into his room begged him to fly Four they said, even in your own army we know not who is true and who is false many like Warwick having turned traitor Hardly waiting to dress without money or armour Edward threw himself upon his horse and rode as fast as possible to the coast There he found some ships and with a few friends he went to Holland They were very poor had no money nor goods nor indeed anything except the clothes they wore Edward, who had one day been King of England Wales and Ireland, found himself the next a homeless, penniless wanderer and Warwick in little more than a week had deposed the King whom he had helped to set on the throne and had placed Henry the Sixth once more there Henry was brought out of prison and dressed in beautiful robes and riding upon a splendid horse riding long live King Harry Did he remember that the last time he rode through the same streets it had been as a wretched prisoner bound and disgraced by the very man who now set him again on the throne and did he remember that the people who now cheered had then cursed and laughed at him Although Henry was once more on the throne he could not rule he was like a wooden doll in the hands of a clever man such as the Earl of Warwick and it was the Earl and the Duke of Clarence who ruled that he'd been left alone to his books and prayers he loved peace yet he was made the cause of war by the proud and powerful men and women around him Edward had been obliged to fly from the country penniless and almost friendless yet he did not despair he persuaded the Duke of Burgundy to help him and soon returned to England with an army No sooner had he landed than people began to flock to him by the time he reached Barnett near London he had a large army Many who had joined Warwick now Edward among them Edward's own brother the Duke of Clarence who brought 12,000 men with him there seemed to be no faith nor loyalty in those days it was hard to know who was friend and who was foe At Barnett on Easter day 14th of April 1471 AD another terrible battle was fought what made it more terrible was that it was begun and ended in a thick mist in the white dimness which wrapped both armies it was difficult to know the red roses from the white and indeed at one time the red roses fought against themselves King Edward's men wore a golden sun embroidered upon their coats the Duke of Oxford's men who were fighting for King Henry wore a golden star in the midst the red rose soldiers mistaking the star for the sun attacked the Duke of Oxford's men thinking that they were King Edward's men and killed many of them from dawn to midday the battle raged then the Earl of Warwick's army broke and fled leaving the white rose victorious the great kingmaker was found dead upon the field and on the fourth was once more King on the very day of this battle Queen Margaret and her son who was now about 18 landed in England they had hoped to find Warwick victorious and Henry on the throne instead they found Warwick dead his army shattered and Edward on the throne but Margaret was as bold as ever she marched through England gathering soldiers as she went and at Tuxbury another great battle was fought here again the red rose was utterly defeated and Margaret and her son were taken prisoner Prince Edward was led before King Edward the king looked fiercely at the young and handsome prince he hated him more than he had ever hated his poor weak gentle father how dare you come into my kingdom to stir up my people to rebellion he asked it is not your kingdom but my father's replied Prince Edward proudly you are a traitor I should sit where you are you should stand before me as a subject then King Edward pale with rage and hate struck the boy in the face with his steel-gloved hand the dukes of Clarence and Gloucester the king's brothers dragged the prince away and stabbed him to death Queen Margaret was put in prison and a few days later King Henry died mysteriously in the Tower of London many people thought that he was murdered by King Edward's brother Richard Duke of Gloucester at last it seemed as if all Edward's enemies were either dead or in prison and that he might really rule in peace the red rose party was for the time utterly crushed some of the great nobles even were seen barefoot in rags begging for bread from door to door Edward never quite forgave his brother the Duke of Clarence for having at one time sided with Warwick Clarence too was jealous of the Queen Elizabeth and her relatives many of whom had the chief posts at court so he quarreled with them and with his brother the king at last an old wizard prophesied that someone whose name began with G would bring about the death of King Edward and the ruin of his house the Duke of Clarence was called George and King Edward made the prophecy an excuse for shutting him up in the Tower he never came out again it is supposed that he was murdered some say by being drowned in a cask of wine by the order of his brother the Duke of Gloucester Edward IV died in 1483 AD he was brave but cruel and revengeful handsome but wicked caring little for the happiness of his people and his reign was dark with many battles and murders he had ruled for 22 years during 12 of which King Henry still lived End of Chapter 57 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kra.org on July 13th 2006 in Oceanside California Our Island Story Chapter 58 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story Chapter 58 Edward V the story of the king who was never crowned when Edward IV died his eldest son was only 13 but the people willingly chose him to be king the young Prince of Wales now Edward V was living at Bloodlow Castle with his uncle Lord Rivers when the news of his father's death was brought to him he at once set out for London accompanied by his uncle and some gentlemen on the way he was met by another uncle Richard of Gloucester who was a wicked hard-hearted man he sent Lord Rivers and his friends to prison and himself took charge of the young king Edward was very fond of Lord Rivers and was afraid of his ugly uncle Richard he cried when Lord Rivers and his friends were taken away from him that did no good but the poor little king was only a boy and he did not know what else to do when the queen heard of what happened she was so frightened that she ran away from the palace in which she had been living taking her daughters and her other little son who was called Richard with her she ran to Westminster Abbey and there took sanctuary as Hubert Diver did, you remember many years before in the days of Henry III the Duke of Gloucester had the young king in his power but he was not satisfied with that he wanted to have Prince Richard too Queen Elizabeth however would not give up her little boy who was only 10 years old and the Duke of Gloucester, bad though he was was afraid to take him by force because he was still trying to pretend to be a good kind uncle to the little boys to try to persuade her to give up her little son the bishop said everything he could think of to make her do so but all in vain my little boy has been ill said the queen he is not well enough yet to leave his mother ah lady said the bishop he is not kind to his brother the king to keep him here they should be together so that they could play with each other oh surely some other little boy could play with the king said the queen little boys even if they are kings do not ask that their playmates should be princes I cannot, I will not let my little boy go let him but come to me and I will guard his life as my own said the bishop at these words the queen stood for a long time thinking silently it seemed to her as if she must give up her boy sooner or later it would be better to give him to the kind bishop who would perhaps keep him safe than to his wicked uncle so taking the prince by the hand she led him to the bishop I know you are faithful and true she said you are strong and powerful too and oh for the trust his father put in you my boy then kneeling beside her little son and putting her arms around him she held him close to her heart farewell my own sweet son she said God give you good keeping let me kiss you yet once before you go for God knows when we shall kiss together again then she kissed him and blessed him and kissed him again and again and at last crying bitterly put him into the arms of the bishop and turned her face from him but weeping as bitterly little Richard clung to her and would not go until the bishop taking him strongly in his arms carried him away the bishop led the prince straight to his uncle was very glad to see him his ugly face shone with joy as he took his nephew in his arms and kissed him now welcome my lord he said with all my heart you are right welcome King Edward too was very pleased to see his brother for they have been parted for a long time the Duke led them through the streets with great pomp and put them into the tower now that the Duke of Gloucester had both the princes in his power he began to show his wickedness he went to the prison in which Lord Rivers and his friends were imprisoned and ordered their heads to be cut off because he knew that they were the Queen's friends then he called the council to arrange he said about the coronation only very few lords were asked to this council when they were all gathered together he came into the room seemingly very much disturbed what should be done to people who try to murder me he asked at first everyone was so astonished that no one spoke then Lord Hastings who was a brave man said if anyone has tried he deserves to be punished whoever he is the Queen has tried with her sorcery cried the Duke and others have helped her and pulling up his sleeve he showed his arm which was all puckered and withered in those days it was believed that people had power to hurt their enemies by saying wicked words and rhymes and wishing evil to them it was thought that people could even kill others who were quite far away and who they could not even see nor touch this was called sorcery of course it was a very foolish belief and everyone knew that the Duke of Gloucester's arm had always been withered up but when he said that the Queen had done it by sorcery no one dared to contradict him there was silence in the hall so Lord Hastings said if the Queen has done this you answer me with Ips and Anne's cried the Duke you are a traitor a traitor I say and with that he struck his hand upon the table immediately soldiers rushed into the room seize him he said pointing to Lord Hastings cut off his head my Lord said Hastings I am no traitor you are a traitor Yelta Duke and by heaven I will not dine till I see your head cut from your body obey your orders he added turning to the soldiers Lord Hastings was hurried away and without being allowed to defend himself without a trial of any kind he was made to lay his neck upon a rough plank of wood which happened to be at hand and his head was at once cut off so another of the King's friends was dead the Duke of Gloucester next made a clergyman called Shaw preach to the people and tell that little princes were not really the sons of King Edward IV and his Green and that therefore they had no right to the throne of England our true king said this wicked clergyman is Richard Duke of Gloucester then he waited expecting everyone to cry out King Richard King Richard but there was not a sound the people stood as if they had been turned into stone pale and trembling they went away to their homes wondering what would happen next the clergyman too went home he was so ashamed to have preached such a wicked sermon that he never again showed himself to the people and died soon after the Duke of Gloucester was very angry and disappointed when he heard of the bad success of his wicked plans but he did not give them up he again gathered a lot of people together and this time his friend the Duke of Buckingham talked to them the Duke of Buckingham said much the same things as the clergyman had said when the people heard these wicked lies for the second time they began to whisper among themselves tell it seemed as if a swarm of buzzing bees filled the hall but not a single person shouted King Richard then some of the Duke's servants and friends came into the hall and they shouted King Richard King Richard long live King Richard but the cry sounded very feeble but they came from only a few the Duke of Buckingham however, pretended that all the people had shouted for King Richard, he thanked them and he and his friends went to the Duke of Gloucester and told him that the people had chosen him as their king and were cheering and shouting for King Richard Richard then pretended to be very unwilling to take the crown and only consented to do so after a great deal of persuasion this was all a part of his wickedness and cunning the Duke of Buckingham with much splendour and grandeur and poor little King Edward who had never been crowned at all and who had only been called King for a few weeks was kept shut up in the Tower of London End of Chapter 58 Our Island Story Chapter 59 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 59 Richard III The Story of the Two Little Princes in the Tower When Edward was told what his uncle had done he was very sad and very much afraid Oh! he said I hope my uncle will not take my life as he has taken my kingdom From that day he became sorrowful and did not seem to care about anything he did not even trouble to dress himself properly Richard took away all the little princes' servants and left them only one man called Black Bill He was rough and rude but even he loved the gentle little boys and tried to comfort them for shut up in one room with nothing to do the days seemed very long and dreary But although Richard was king he could not be happy he could not forget the little princes in the Tower As long as they lived he knew that some day the people might drag him from the throne and make one of them king instead so he determined to kill Edward and his brother King Richard sent a message to the governor of the Tower telling him to kill the princes but the governor refused to do the wicked deed Richard, however, could always find men bad enough to do what he wanted He sent a bad man now to the governor of the Tower commanding him to give up the keys of the Tower for one night The governor was forced to obey the king but he did so with a sad heart That night the little princes went to sleep with their arms round each other's necks each trying to comfort the other They lay together in a great big bed happy in their dreams with tears still wet upon their cheeks As they slept two men crept softly softly up the dark stair into a hole into the room They stood beside the bed, hardly daring to look at the two pretty children in case the sight might soften even their hard hearts and they would be unable to do the cruel deed Then they seized the clothes and the pillows and pressed them over the faces of the little boys They could not scream, they could not breathe Soon they lay still, smothered in their sleep Then these wicked men took the bodies of the two little princes and threw them into a hole which they had made under the staircase covered them over and fled away There the bodies were found many years later Now that Richard had murdered the rightful king and his brother he was no happier Terrible dreams came to him at night so that he could not sleep By day he thought that people were ever ready to kill him and his hand was almost always on his dagger The people hated him and he knew no rest nor peace He tried to make good laws so that the people might forget his wickedness but it was no use They hated him in spite of all he could do Plots against Richard soon began Even the Duke of Buckingham who had helped him in his wickedness turned against him The people longed for another king and their thoughts went out to Henry Tudor Duke of Richmond You remember that Queen Catherine the widow of King Henry V married a Welsh gentleman called Owen Tudor This Henry Tudor was her grandson and he was also descended from John of Gaunt He belonged to the house of Lancaster and had fought for the Red Rose Henry of Richmond was at this time living in France but he now gathered an army and came over to England Richard had already fought the Duke of Buckingham He defeated him, took him prisoner and then cut off his head When Henry heard that he went away again but he soon came back This time as soon as Henry landed people flocked to him noble after noble deserted Richard and joined the Red Rose party In 1485 AD a great battle was fought called the Battle of Bosworth Field This was the last of the Wars of the Roses and in it King Richard was killed He fought well for although he was small His horse was killed under him but he still fought on foot In the middle of the battle Lord Stanley left the king and with all his followers joined Henry Tudor Seeing that the battle was lost some of his nobles begged Richard to fly but he would not I will die a king, he said and so he fell in the thickest of the fight As he fell the crown which he had worn over his helmet rolled away under a Hawthorne tree There it was found by Lord Stanley who set it upon Henry Tudor's head The battle-fields with the dead and dying round the soldiers shouted King Henry, King Henry, long live King Henry The place is still called Crown Hill to this day Richard III had reigned two years two months and one day and it was twenty-six months and twenty-four hours too long said a man who lived about that time and who tells his story End of Chapter 59 Read by Kara Schallenberg on July 17th 2006 in Oceanside, California Story Chapter 60 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story Chapter 60 by H.E. Marshall Henry VII, the story of the make-believe prince With Henry Tudor a new race of kings began to reign in England For more than three hundred years England had been Plantagenets Henry II was the first of the Plantagenets and he took his name from Geoffrey of Anjou who used to wear a piece of Plantagenista in his cap. With Richard III the last of the Plantagenets died For Henry VII, though a Plantagenet on his mother's side was a Tudor on his father's side and it was from his family that Henry took his name The Tudors were Welsh and claimed to be descended from the ancient British princes who you remember were driven into Wales when the Saxons took possession of England The Battle of Bosworthfield was the last of the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, who was the Red Rose Prince Married Elizabeth, the daughter of Edward IV and sister of the Little Princes who were murdered in the Tower She was the White Rose Princess but by marrying Henry she became the Red Rose Queen and the differences between the House of Lancaster and the House of York between the Red Rose and the White ought to have been quite forgotten but Henry himself could not entirely forget these quarrels which had been so bitter for the people in England who still belonged to the White Rose Party although they had hated Richard they were not pleased to see a Red Rose King upon the throne So Henry VII was hardly crowned before rebellions against him began Soon after Henry VII was crowned and some boy and a priest landed in Dublin This boy called himself the Earl of Warwick He was, he said, the son of that Duke of Clarence brother of Edward IV was murdered in the Tower by being drowned in a casket of wine The priest, he said, was his Tudor of his father the Earl of Warwick had been kept to prisoner but now he said he had escaped in some wonderful manner The simple Irish people believed this story they knew nothing of Henry and had no reason for either hating or loving him but they did love the House of York for the Earl of Warwick's grandfather had at one time governed Ireland in the name of the King and having governed well, people remembered and loved him So now they welcome this young prince with great joy Edward Earl of Warwick, as he called himself was gay and young and handsome and he was proud of the Irish so much that they resolved to crown him King This was done with great rejoicing in Dublin but they had no crown So the priest took the golden crown from the statue of the Virgin Mary which was in the church and put it upon the boy's head then wearing this crown and dressed in beautiful robes The new King was carried through the streets on the shoulders of the great strong Irish chieftain while the people shouted, Long live King Edward VI Having been crowned in Ireland Edward VI thought he would next conquer England So he sailed the Irish sea and landed in England with a small army of wild Irishmen and Germans Meanwhile, Henry VII had heard of these doings in Ireland and had not been idle He brought the real Earl of Warwick out of the tower where he had been kept a prisoner ever since he had been quite a tiny boy dressed in fine clothes and riding upon a splendid horse the real Earl was slowly led through the streets of London from the tower to St Paul's and back again by another way he was led so that all the people might see him The young Earl had spent all his life in prison must have been quite a wonderful thing for him to come out into the open streets to see the blue sky and the houses and the trees the great procession of soldiers and knights in a glittering armour, gorgeous clothes and the people, men, women and children crowding in the streets all eager to see him and having been laid out having seen for once all the life and stir of the great city the poor young Prince was taken back again to his dull, quiet prison while the King marched with his army to fight the pretended Earl The two armies met to place gold stoke Very few English had joined the pretender for they were quite sure that the Earl whom they had seen riding through the streets of London was the real Earl, that this one was only a make-believe The pretender soldiers were soon defeated for most of them were wild Irish men badly armed and wearing no armour there were no match for Henry's well-armed and well-trained soldiers The pretender was taken prisoner and so was the priest who was with him They confessed that the Prince was no Prince at all but a boy called Lambert Simnel the son of a baker a white rose man he hated Henry and finding that the boy Lambert was clever as well as handsome he taught him how to behave as a Prince ought he told him stories of the Duke of Clarence and of Richard III so that he might pretend to be what he was not Henry did not kill Lambert Simnel as many Kings who reigned before him would have done instead he gave him a punishment which had Lambert indeed been a Prince would have been a very dreadful one he was sent into the King's kitchen to be a scullery boy and to help the cooks who had been carried through the streets shoulder high while the people cheered him as their King was a few days later turned into a kitchen drudge to be ordered about by the cooks and set to do the meanest kinds of work but Lambert Simnel behaved himself so well that the King soon took him out of the kitchen and made him a kind of page he had then to look after the King's falcons all great people kept falcons in those days they were used for hunting and were trained to fly up in the air to catch and kill other birds a great deal of time and money was spent on falcons they had hoods of velvet and jewels and gold and silver chains Lambert must have found his new work much more pleasant than helping the cooks in the hot kitchens the priest who had taught Lambert Simnel was allowed to go free but some of the nobles who had helped him were beheaded and others were made to pay large sums of money End of Chapter 60 .org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Islander Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 61 Henry VII The Story of Another Make-Believe Prince A few years after the rebellion of Lambert Simnel there was another which lasted longer and was more serious a second-handsome boy even more handsome gay and princely than Lambert Simnel landed in Ireland he was, he said, Richard Duke of York the younger of the two little princes who had been smothered in the tower by order of their uncle Richard it was quite true, he said, that his brother Edward V had been killed but the wicked murderers had not been cruel enough to kill them both and he had been saved for seven years he had been wandering about the world from place to place now he had come to claim his own again and take the throne from Henry the story was not true the boy's real name was Perkin Warbeck but, like Lambert Simnel he had been taught to tell these lies by the enemies of Henry in this way to drive him from the throne although the Irish had already been deceived once they believed Perkin Warbeck and many people promised to help him the French king, who was quarreling with Henry invited him to come to France there he was kindly treated and more help was promised to him but Henry, who always avoided war when he could made peace with France and the French king, although he would not betray Perkin to the English king sent him out of France when he was obliged to leave the French court Perkin went to Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy this lady was a sister of Edward IV she hated Henry VII so much that she was glad to hurt or annoy him when she could she had helped Lambert Simnel and now she welcomed Perkin as her nephew she said that he was very like his supposed father Edward IV and she called him the White Rose of England just as Henry had taken trouble to prove that Lambert Simnel was a false earl now he took trouble to prove that Perkin was a false prince he sent spies to the places where Perkin had been born and had lived till now and made sure that he was really Perkin or Peterkin Warbeck then he found the two men who had killed the princes in the tower they confessed to the murder but they were not punished for it perhaps because Henry thought they had not been so much to blame as Richard III, who had made them do it but in spite of all this many people believed in Perkin the king of Scotland not that king who had been kept prisoner for such a long time in England believed in him so much that he not only helped him with soldiers but married him to his cousin a beautiful lady called Catherine Gordon like Lambert Simnel Perkin was crowned and his followers called him Richard IV the rebellion went on for about five years battles were fought now and again but Perkin was never successful his beautiful wife Catherine went everywhere with him she at least believed in him and loved him at last hearing that the men of Cornwall were angry with the king because he had taxed them too heavily Perkin decided to try his fortune there he landed in Cornwall his wife at St. Michael's Mount where she might be safe and marched to besiege Exeter but the people of Exeter were true to the king and would not yield so Perkin grew tired of besieging a town which would not yield and he marched away to Taunton there hearing that Henry was coming against him with a great army he took fright and ran away in the night next morning when Perkin's poor soldiers woke up and found that they had lost their leader they had no heart to fight some of them ran away like Perkin they were all gathered together in a churchyard at Exeter their heads and their feet bare and ropes around their necks King Henry came to a great window and looked down upon them when the people saw him they all fell upon their knees begging for pardon there were so many of them that the king could not punish all so he spoke to them and warning them not to rebel again said he would forgive them all except the ringleaders who should be put to death then with a great cry of rejoicing and thanks the people threw the ropes from their necks Henry sent to St. Michael's Mount for the Lady Catherine, Perkin's beautiful wife and when she was brought before him blushing and trembling and fearful of the rough soldiers the king felt so sorry for her that he treated her as a royal guest he gave her a guard of honour and sent her to London to the court of his Queen Elizabeth there she lived for many years loved and admired for her beauty and her gentleness she was so lovely that she was called the White Rose of England the name which the Duchess of Burgundy had given to her cowardly husband meanwhile Perkin had taken sanctuary at a place called Bolio Henry would not seize him while he remained in sanctuary but he kept such a close watch that Perkin could find no way of escape and at last gave himself up Henry would not see nor speak with Perkin but made him ride in his train to London when they arrived there all the people came out into the streets to see the wonderful man who had pretended to be a prince and who had made people believe in him for so many years Perkin was even more fortunate than Lambert Simnell had been nor was he made a servant he was allowed to live at court like a gentleman although there were guards always with him who had orders never to lose sight of him Perkin might have spent the rest of his life in peace but he soon grew tired of being watched and one day he managed to run away but he did not run very far Henry's soldiers were too quick for him and once more Perkin gave himself up this time Henry punished Perkin by putting him into the stocks for two whole days first at Westminster and then at Cheapside he also made him read a paper aloud in which he confessed that the story he had told was not true and that he was not the Duke of York in those days people were often punished by being put in the stocks they had to sit in a very uncomfortable position with their feet through holes and aboard it was uncomfortable and painful also and was considered a great disgrace little boys and grown-up people too used to hoot and yell at those in the stocks and pelt them with mud, rotten eggs and other disagreeable things after Perkin Warbeck had been in the stocks for two days Henry shut him up in the tower there he met the Earl of Warwick the real Earl, not Lambert Simnow these two prisoners were allowed to talk together and soon they formed a plot to kill the governor of the tower and escape but the plot was found out and that put an end to Perkin Warbeck for Henry, thinking that he was too dangerous to be allowed to live any longer ordered his head to be cut off the poor Earl of Warwick was also put to death this was a needless and cruel act for the Earl alone was too simple to harm anyone indeed he was so ignorant of the world and the things in it that it was said he did not know the difference between a hen and a goose except for the wars which these pretenders Perkin Warbeck and Lambert Simnow caused the reign of Henry VII was very peaceful one reason for that was that Henry was greedy and he knew that wars cost a great deal of money once indeed he got money from the people in order to make a war against the French but as soon as he got it he made peace and kept the money for himself but Henry as a king was far more powerful than the Plantagenets had ever been and the people had to submit one reason why the tutors were such powerful kings was that during the wars of the roses nearly all the nobles were killed the king took all the money and lands which had belonged to these dead nobles and so he became very rich being rich he did not need to ask parliament for grants of money so the people became less powerful indeed during a great part of Henry's reign he called no parliament which shows how much he had of his own way about this time two very wonderful things happened which made a great difference throughout the world one was the discovery of printing the other was the discovery of America up to the time of Edward IV books had all been written by hand and there were so dear that only a few rich people could buy them but when a clever man called Caxton brought the art of printing to England books became cheaper and people began to think more about learning and less about fighting then Columbus discovered America that too made people think less about fighting for they gave up quarrelling about little bits of the old world and turned their thoughts to exploring the wonders of the new world as Columbus called the land he discovered End of chapter 61 read by Kara Schellenberg on July 24th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 62 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story Chapter 62 by H. E. Marshall Henry VII The Story of the Field of the Cloth of Gold Long before Henry VII died in 1509 AD all the joy and love which the people had felt for him when he came to the throne had faded away he had proved to be a hard and greedy king and no one was sorry when he died his son was also called Henry and he was only 18 years old when his father died he was gay and handsome and the people believed him to be generous and good so there was great rejoicing when he was crowned Henry's chancellor was a man called Woolsey he was a very great man and for many years it was really he who ruled England Woolsey was the son of a butcher being a clever boy he was sent to school and afterwards to college at Oxford there he showed himself to be so clever that people soon began to notice him and he quickly rose from one post to another until he became chaplain to Henry VII Henry VII found Woolsey very useful to him he became one of Prince Henry's greatest friends and when Prince Henry became king he made Woolsey chancellor and Archbishop of York and heaped upon him many other honors and posts until he was almost as rich and as great as the king himself Woolsey had most splendid houses and about 500 servants all of whom wore most beautiful clothes his cook even wore a satin or velvet coat and had a gold chain around his neck Woolsey himself dressed most gorgeously in bright red silk or satin and he wore gilded shoes set with pearls and jewels whenever he went out there was a great procession a man carrying a mace walked first then came two gentlemen carrying silver wands then took the biggest and handsomest priest that could be found each carrying a great silver cross then came Woolsey mounted upon a mule he rode upon a mule because he said being a humble priest it was more fitting for him than a horse but the harness and saddle would have velvet and gold and behind him came a long train of his servants and followers on splendid horses Henry VIII was fond of magnificence and show and he pleased him to have so fine a chancellor Henry was gay and the chancellor was gay if Henry was sad Woolsey would joke and laugh until the king laughed too if Henry were merry Woolsey would be merry with him soon people began to see that if they wanted anything from the king it was best to make friends with the chancellor Woolsey on the whole made good use of his power he was fond of learning he saw that without learning no country could be truly great and he founded a school at Ipswich which was his birthplace and a college at Oxford if he tried to make himself great he also thought of England and how to make England great the first few years of Henry's reign were peaceful and quiet Henry VII had been a very rich man when he died so Henry VIII had plenty of money and at first the people were not troubled with new taxes Henry pleased everyone by marrying a rich and beautiful lady called Catherine of Aragon she was a widow having already been married to Henry's elder brother who was called Arthur Arthur would have been king had he lived but he had died a few months after his marriage with Catherine after Arthur died Henry VII kept Catherine at the English court in the hope that his second son Henry would one day marry her this he now did although it was then and still is against the law for a man to marry his dead brother's wife however as Henry thought it was a wise thing for him to marry Catherine he asked the Pope to give him leave to do so and the Pope whom you know was a very powerful person gave him leave in those days people were never long content to be at peace and Henry soon began to fight with France and with Scotland in a battle called Flodden the Scots were defeated and their king killed and Henry made peace with the Queen who was his own sister soon afterwards he also made peace with France Henry then decided it would be wise not only to be at peace with France but also with the French King so the great Chancellor Wolsey arranged for a meeting between Francis I of France and Henry VIII of England this meeting took place on a plane in France near a little town called Guine and everything about it was so splendid that it was called the Field of the Cloth of Gold a palace for the English King was built so quickly that it seemed like a magic thing it was only made of wood but it was so painted and gilded that it shone and glittered in the sunshine like a fairy palace gold and gems flowed all day with red and white wine instead of water this fountain bore the motto make good cheer who will the palace walls were hung inside with cloth of gold and silver everything was rich with embroidery and sparkling with gems wherever possible gold and jewels shone the Queen's footstools even being sewn with pearls when the French King saw Henry's splendid palace he did not wish to be outdone he set up a great tent the centre pole of which was a gilded mast inside with blue velvet the roof was spangled with golden stars and a golden sun and moon shone night and day the outside was covered with cloth of gold and the ropes which held it up were of blue silk and gold the tent looked very grand and glittered in the sunshine like a ball of fire but when everything was ready a terrible wind arose which snapped the ropes of silk and gold broke the mast and brought the blue velvet sky with glittering stars and golden walls to the ground so Francis had to content himself with living in an old castle he was not far away and very likely he was far more comfortable there than he would have been in his golden and blue tent when all was ready King Henry and Queen Catherine sailed from England and with them a great company of nobles each trying to be more splendid than the other the two kings met on the plane near Henry's palace they were both dressed in golden silver cloth and rode beautiful horses with harness of golden velvet while still on horseback they embraced and kissed each other my dear brother and cousin said Francis I have come a long way to see you I hope you will think that I am worthy of your love and help my great possessions show how powerful I am dear cousin replied Henry I never saw Prince with my eyes that I could love better with my heart and for your love I have crossed the seas to the furthest bounds of my kingdom in order to see you then the kings got off their horses and arm in arm walked to a gorgeous tent nearby when a very fine dinner was prepared for them for three weeks there were gay times grand tournaments were held in which the kings fought with the knights and the kings always won there were balls and feasts too sometimes the kings and queens and lords and ladies dressed up and disguised themselves so that no one could tell who was who this they thought was the greatest fun of all the English people were very fond of wrestling and the soldiers used to amuse themselves in this way Henry was fond of all kinds of games and sport and one day while watching the soldiers he proposed to King Francis that they too should try a wrestling match and laughingly laid hold of his collar Francis was quite pleased but although he did not look so strong as Henry he was very quick and wiry soon the two kings were struggling together and in a few moments Henry was lying upon the ground he sprang up with a laugh and wanted to try again but the nobles who stood round persuaded him not to do so they were afraid that what had begun in fun might end in a quarrel if Francis should again throw Henry down for Henry had a very fiery temper Francis felt too that in spite of all the show of friendship there was no love between the French and the English this was hardly to be wondered at while they had been such bitter enemies for so long a time that it was hard to forget all at once Francis himself however was really generous and wished it really could be forgotten one morning Francis rose early and without telling any of his nobles he rode quite alone to the English camp Henry was still in bed when King Francis came into his room and said laughing my dear cousin I come to you of my own free will I am now your prisoner Henry was very pleased to see that Francis trusted him so much that he was quite alone like this he sprang out of bed and threw a chain of gold around the French king's neck in return Francis gave Henry a beautiful bracelet then laughing and joking like a schoolboy he insisted on helping Henry to dress he warmed his shirt, helped him to tie and button his clothes and then mounting on his horse rode gaily home when he came near his castle he was met by some of his nobles who were anxiously looking for him Francis laughingly told them what he had been doing Sire said one of them I am very glad to see you back again to do what you have done I will not be to him who advised you to do it well that was nobody replied Francis the thought was all my own in spite of the fears and jealousy of the French and English the meeting came to an end as peacefully as it had begun Henry sailed home again with all his gay knights but many of them were quite ruined and penniless they had spent all their money on fine clothes and jewels so anxious were they to make a great display and be grander than the French but all this splendour and show of friendliness meant nothing and came to nothing for Henry, both immediately before and after this meeting with Francis met and plotted with Charles the Emperor of Germany who was the enemy of Francis when war again broke out the English fought against the French as they had always done end of part 62 by H. E. Marshall chapter 63 Henry VIII how the king became the defender of the faith and how the great cardinal died in the reign of Henry VIII the Pope was still the head of all the Christian church although as long ago as the time of Edward III a man called John Wycliffe had begun to preach and teach against his rule over the English church Wycliffe translated the Bible from Latin into English and encouraged the people to read it his followers were called lullards and they helped the people at the time of Watt Tyler's rebellion in the reign of Richard II the heads of the church hated the lullards and Henry IV who wanted to please the priests made a law saying that anyone who would not believe just what the Pope said he must believe should be burned to death this was a very wicked law and it marked the beginning of another struggle for freedom in England that is the struggle for freedom of conscience which means freedom to think and do what one feels to be right in matters of religion instead of being forced to think and do as someone else says is right for some time now very little had been heard of the lullards but the things which Wycliffe had taught had not been forgotten after printing was discovered and books became cheaper people began to read and in consequence to think much more than they had done before the more people read and thought the more difficult some of them found it to believe just what they were ordered to believe by the Pope it was not only in England that this was happening but in many other lands as well in Germany a monk called Martin Luther after thinking a great deal about it decided that some things which were done in the Romish church were wrong he was brave enough to say what he thought and in spite of the anger of the Pope and the priests a great many people followed Martin Luther and left the Roman Catholic Church this is the beginning of what is called the Reformation that is a long word but it is quite easy to understand it is made from two Latin words re again and formare to form or make it means that the people who left the Roman church again formed or made the church these people were called Protestants the word Protestant is also made from two Latin words pro publicly and testari to bear witness so a Protestant really means someone who openly and publicly bears witness or protests we can hardly understand how bold and brave a thing these Protestants did now everyone is free to believe what they think is best and right but in those days people who could not agree with the Pope were cruelly punished or put to death now Protestant churches and Roman Catholic churches stand side by side and we do not kill and hate each other because we worship God in different ways but in those days nothing caused such cruel suffering and such bitter hatred when King Henry heard what Martin Luther had done he was very angry being a clever man and proud of his learning and knowledge about religion he wrote a book against Martin Luther and his teaching this book he had bound most beautifully and then he sent it to the Pope with great splendor and ceremony he dressed in his most magnificent robes and sitting upon his throne with all his priests around him the Pope received Henry's messenger the messenger knelt humbly presenting the book and kissing first the Pope's toe and then his cheek afterwards the messenger made a long speech and the Pope made a long speech and so the ceremony ended when the Pope had read the book he was so pleased with it that he gave the King of England a new title he called him Fidei Defensor which means defender of the faith he wrote a letter to Henry thanking him for his book and calling him Our most dear son Henry the illustrious King of England and Defender of the Faith Henry was very proud of his new title and he held a solemn service in the church at Westminster when the Pope's letter was read and the King's new title proclaimed afterwards Henry quarreled with the Pope but he kept the title of Defender of the Faith and it has been borne by the kings and queens of England ever since although the faith they now defend is no longer the faith of the Roman Catholic Church if you look at some of the coins which we use now you will see F.D. or Fidei Def upon them these letters mean Fidei Defensor or Defender of the Faith King Henry quarreled with the Pope because he would not let him put away his wife Queen Catherine Queen Catherine had done no wrong but she was some years older than Henry and now that he had been married to her for nearly twenty years and she was no longer young and pretty he had grown tired and wanted another wife Henry was very selfish he thought a great deal of his own pleasure and always wanted to have his own way years before when he wished to marry Catherine he had made the Pope give him leave to do so although it was against the laws of the Church because as you remember she had already been married to his brother Arthur now Henry began to think or pretended to think that he had been wrong ever to marry her at all and he tried to make the Pope say so Wolsey whom the Pope had made a cardinal tried very hard to make him say so too but in vain after a long time the Pope sent another cardinal to England who was held to decide whether Henry should be allowed to put away his wife or not many wise men were gathered together with the King and Queen the two cardinals and their priests and clerks when the Queen's name was called she rose from her chair but although she tried to speak she could not she stood a moment then crossing the hall to where the King sat she threw herself at his feet sir, she said I pray you do me justice and right and take some pity upon me alas sir, how have I offended you I take God to judge that I have ever been your true and humble wife I have been glad for the things which have made you glad and I have been sorry for the things which have made you sorry your friends have been my friends your enemies my enemies I have loved for your sake all whom you have loved I have been your wife these twenty years and more if there be any just cause for the anger you have against me I am content to depart in shame and rebuke if there be none then I pray you to let me have justice at your hand with that she rose up and making a low curtsy to the King she walked proudly out of the court a most unhappy woman but a grand and dignified Queen the King sent messengers after her to call her back but she would not return nor did she ever again come into the court the Cardinals and the Wise Men talked for a long time but they could not decide whether Henry might be allowed to send his wife away or not the fact was the Pope was afraid of Henry on the one hand and of the Emperor of Germany was Catherine's nephew on the other and dared say nothing then Henry grew very angry and impatient and blamed Woolsey perhaps Woolsey had something to do with the delay for although he did not love Queen Catherine and would have been quite glad to have had her sent away he hated Anne Boleyn the lady whom Henry now wished to marry Anne Boleyn hated Woolsey too and little by little she so turned the King against his old friend that he took many of his offices from Woolsey and in the end sent him away from court when Woolsey was sent away he went to a house which he had in the country a sad and worn-out man he loved power but he loved England too and in all he had done he had thought of making England great in the eyes of the world with his wise councils he had done much for England and yet the people hated him the nobles hated Woolsey because he was proud and haughty they could not forget that he was a butcher's son and yet they knew that although Henry ruled England Woolsey ruled Henry the common people hated him because when Henry needed money it was Woolsey, his chancellor who had to ring it from the poor so they looked upon him as the cause of all their sorrows and there were few who mourned and many who were glad at his fall Henry next accused Woolsey of treason and sent for him to come to London to be tried worn with sorrow and sickness the cardinal started on his journey but when he reached Leicester he was so ill that he could go no further Father I am come to lay my bones among you he said sadly to the abbot who came to welcome him when he arrived at the Abbey of Leicester it was true for in a few days the great cardinal lay dead had I served my god as faithfully as I have served my king he said before he died he would not have cast me off in my old age end of chapter 63 read by Kara Schallenberg www.kray.org on July 26th 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 64 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 64 Henry VIII the story of the king's six wives after the death of Woolsey Henry chose a wise and gentle man called Thomas Moore to be his chancellor as the Pope still refused to give Henry leave to send Catherine away he sent her away married his new wife Anne Boleyn and because the Pope as head of the church had refused to allow him to send Catherine away he announced that the Pope had nothing more to do with the Church of England Henry told the people that in future they must look upon the king of England as head of the church as well as of the state the Pope was very angry with Henry and threatened him with all kinds of punishments but Henry did not care he had done what he wished to do and was no longer afraid of the Pope soon it began to be seen how wise Woolsey had been for now that Henry ruled without him he became a much worse king than he had been before some good and wise men among them the chancellor Sir Thomas Moore felt that Henry had been wronged quarrel with the Pope they would not acknowledge him as head of the church so Henry first put them into prison and then he cut off their heads the king soon tired of Anne Boleyn and when people told him that she was a wicked woman he was quite willing to believe them he put her into prison and presently cut off her head the very next day he married another lady called Jane Seymour this lady was good and gentle but she did not live very long after she was married to Henry he was very sad at her death and for two years he did not marry anyone else at the end of that time he married a fourth lady she was called Anne of Cleves Henry had never seen her as she lived in Germany but he had seen a picture of her painted by a famous artist called Holbein in it she looked very pretty and Henry said he would marry her because Thomas Cromwell who was his chief advisor at that time told him that it would be a wise thing to do but when the lady came to England Henry found that she was not in the least like her picture she was not at all pretty she was very clumsy and awkward and could not speak a word of English Henry flew into a great passion rudely called her a great Flanders mare and vowed he would not marry her he was however obliged to do so he was afraid if he did not he might have to fight the German princes who were her friends but in revenge he put Thomas Cromwell into the tower and cut off his head because he had advised this marriage Henry soon got rid of his new wife he offered her a large sum of money if she would go away and let him marry another lady Anne was quite pleased to do this no doubt she was glad to get away with her head safe upon her shoulders from such an angry passionate man about a fortnight later Henry married another lady called Catherine Howard this time the king soon discovered that he had married a wicked woman she was not any more wicked than Henry was himself but he did not think of that to punish her he cut off her head and the heads of several of her friends as well about a year later Henry married his sixth and last wife a lady called Catherine Parr she was a good woman and it is wonderful that she should have been willing to marry so bad a man a one who was so fond of cutting off the heads of his wives perhaps she thought that Henry might cut off her head if she refused and after all it was a fine thing to be called Queen of England Catherine Parr was clever and she managed to keep her head upon her shoulders and although Henry once thought of cutting it off because she did not quite agree with him about religious matters although Henry had quarrelled with the Pope he did not wish England to become a Protestant country he wished the people to remain Roman Catholics but to look upon him instead of the Pope as the head of the church so he beheaded the people who tried to follow the teaching of Luther and he also beheaded and burned those who still looked upon the Pope as the head of the church yet Henry helped on the Reformation or he gave an order that a Bible should be placed in every church so the people might go there and read it and as books were still very dear these Bibles were chained to the desks in case people should be tempted to steal them away Henry VII had left a great deal of money when he died but Henry VIII was so extravagant and reckless that he soon spent it all he tried many ways of getting more money and after he quarrelled with the Pope he thought of a new way all over England there were monasteries and convents in which men and women lived who gave up their lives to good works they cared for the sick and the poor taught the people how to read and write and did many other useful things some of these monasteries and convents were very rich possessing land and jewels beside much money Henry said that the people who lived in these places led wicked lives no doubt some of them did many of them led good lives and brought great comfort and happiness to the poor around them but because of the evil which some did Henry shut up these monasteries and convents he said the people who had lived in them out into the fields and streets homeless wanderers and took all their money and lands for himself besides doing this Henry taxed the people very heavily and at last they rebelled which was a curious rabble like army which gathered together an army of peasants and weavers led by priests and monks carrying their sacred banners and crucifixes they called their rebellion the pilgrimage of grace who is your leader as the Duke of Norfolk who had been sent against them our leader is poverty they replied and we are driven on by necessity although the king was not well prepared the rebels did not succeed the Duke of Norfolk persuaded them to go home promising them pardon in the king's name they went home but the following year the rebellion broke out again this time the king's soldiers were better prepared the rebels were defeated many of them being taken prisoner and put to death in cruel ways Henry VIII died in 1547 AD having reigned for nearly 38 years his reign was a great one for England the country becoming more important among the kingdoms of Europe than it had ever been but Henry himself was bad and selfish and at the end of his reign at least proved himself to be a cruel tyrant End of Chapter 64 Our Island Story Chapter 65 This is a LibriVox recording because I'm in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Karrish Allenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 65 Edward VI The Story of a Boy King Henry VIII had three children they were called Mary, Elizabeth, and Edward Edward was the son of Lady Jane Seymour Henry's third wife and was the youngest of the three King Edward was only nine years old and his uncle Lord Somerset was made regent or protector Lord Somerset was not a strong man and did not rule well he wished to be powerful and tried to make himself king in all but name his brother Thomas Seymour also wanted to rule so there were plots and quarrels between them and between the other great nobles Although Henry VIII had quarreled with the Pope he never became a Protestant nor did he wish the religion of the country to be changed Seymour had been a Protestant and so was her brother who was now protector Edward VI had been brought up in the new religion and although he had very little power he wanted the country to become Protestant but this was not the wish of the whole people many of them did not like the new English service which the king ordered to be used in the churches it was like a Christmas game, they said and they asked for the old Latin service called the Mass to which they were accustomed When Henry VIII shut up the monasteries he brought great distress on the poor in many ways he gave some of the monastery land to his friends and these gentlemen growing greedy began now to add to their possessions by enclosing with fences the common lands which before had been free to everyone the poor had been allowed to feed their cows and sheep on these common lands but now that they were enclosed by fences the sheep and cows died from hunger and the poor people were worse off than ever Those who had been turned out of the monasteries were all Roman Catholics they were now homeless and went among the people telling them that all their sorrows were because of the change of religion at last the people rose in rebellion many of them hardly knowing why but only feeling that they were very unhappy but the rebellion was soon crushed and the ring-leaders put to death It is told how the provost Marshall wrote to one man, the mayor of Bodman who was known to have been one of the leaders saying that he was coming to dinner the mayor was very glad thinking that he was not to be punished for his share in the riots he made ready a splendid dinner and received the provost and his friends with great politeness said the provost, I have to hang a man in the town after dinner will you have a gallows set up? the mayor gave the order to the hangman and then they sat down to dinner they were all very gay and merry and when the meal was over the provost took the mayor by the arm saying cheerfully, come now let me see these gallows the mayor led him to where they were set up do you think they are strong enough said the provost oh yes, replied the mayor I can assure your lordship they are quite strong enough very well, said the provost said the provost, you shall go up and try for you are the man that is to be hanged you do not mean that my lord you are a joking, said the mayor nay, but I do mean it, said the provost up you get, you have been a busy rebel and now here is your reward and in spite of all he could say the poor mayor was hanged upon his own gallows but the people rose again and again one of the chief rebellions was under a man called Kett he was a tenor a great many people gathered round him they camped near Norwich on a plain in the center of which stood a great oak tree this tree they called the oak of reformation and under its branches Kett held his parliament and court deciding quarrels making laws and punishing wrongdoers Kett encouraged his followers to pull up the hedges throw down the fences and fill up the ditches with which the common lands had been surrounded otherwise they behaved in a wonderfully orderly manner they did indeed steal sheep and cattle from the rich gentlemen round so that they might have plenty to eat in the camp but Kett ordered his men not to hurt any honest or poor people he called himself the king's friend and said he fought only against the wicked lords who gave him bad advice for some time the protector did nothing and Kett's army grew larger and larger Lord Somerset was sorry for the people he knew that they were very poor and felt that they were badly treated yet he knew too that he ought to do something to put down the rebellion at last a royal herald came dressed in his coat embroidered with the arms of England he stood under the oak of reformation and blew his trumpet and while the people gathered round to listen he cried all ye good subjects of King Edward VI by the grace of God defender of the faith King of England attend then he told them that he had been sent to say that King Edward would pardon them all if they would go quietly back to their homes many of them would have done this but Kett said no pardon is for rebels we are no rebels we are the true subject of the king and only wish to prevent him from being evilly advised so he would not go home the protector had gathered an army intending to make war on Scotland and this army he now sent against Kett and his men there was a good deal of fighting many people on both sides were killed the town of Norwich was taken and retaken but in the end Kett was defeated he and his brother were made prisoners with many of their followers they were put to death and nine of the chief rebels were hanged upon the branches of the oak of reformation as time went on the quarreling among the nobles grew worse the office of protector was first taken from Somerset and he was then beheaded many of the common people were sorry for this because they believed that Somerset had really been their friend and they loved him although the nobles hated him Lord Somerset was succeeded by the Duke of Northumberland the Duke of Northumberland was also a Protestant and he was quite as fond of power as Somerset had been and began to make plans to get the crown of England into his hands Edward had never been strong and Northumberland knew that he was not likely to live long the next heir to the throne was Mary Edward's elder sister she was the daughter of Catherine of Aragon the first wife of Henry VIII Princess Mary was a Roman Catholic she hated the Protestant religion as much as Edward loved it it made Edward sad to think that when he was dead Mary would undo all that he had done and that England would again become Roman Catholic Northumberland knew this and he persuaded Edward to make a will leaving the throne to his cousin Lady Jane Gray of course Edward had no right to do this but he did do it Lady Jane Gray was the great-granddaughter of Henry VII and she was married to the Duke of Northumberland's son she was very young being only about sixteen and the Duke thought that if she were queen he would be able to do just as he liked he tried to keep his plan secret for he knew that many of the people wished Mary to be queen he succeeded so well that even Lady Jane herself did not know what he intended to do in 1553 AD soon after Edward had made his will leaving the crown to his cousin he died he was a good and gentle boy fond of books and learning during his short reign many schools were founded they still exist and are called King Edward schools Edward was very anxious to do what was right but like his father Henry VIII he was also fond of his own way had he lived to be old enough really to reign he might have proved to be a good king but it is hard to tell for while he lived he had little real power End of Chapter 65 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kra.org on July 26th 2006 in Oceanside California Our Island Story Chapter 66 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story Chapter 66 The Story of Lady Jane Gray As soon as King Edward VI was dead Northumberland with several other nobles went to Lady Jane Gray and offered her the crown they knelt to her kissing her hand and greeting her as their queen it was a great thing to be Queen of England but Lady Jane was not glad she was sad and frightened she trembled as the Duke spoke to her then covering her face with her hands she fell fainting to the ground when she came to herself again she cried bitterly for sorrow for her cousin whom she had loved dearly she was only a very little older than he and like him she was fond of learning indeed they had often had the same masters Lady Jane was even more clever than Edward she could speak and write Greek and Latin and she knew some Hebrew this was more wonderful in those days than it would be now for then very few people had any learning at all as Lady Jane wept for her cousin the nobles tried to comfort her by reminding her how great she herself now was but that did not comfort her it frightened her I cannot be Queen she said I cannot bear so great an honour I am not fit for it it is your duty said the Duke you cannot put away from you the duty God gives you with tears running down her face Lady Jane fell upon her knees and clasping her hand said then if it must be so God give me strength to bear this heavy burden God give me grace to rule for his glory and the good of the people the next day Lady Jane was taken to the tower but no crowds gathered to greet and cheer her as their Queen a few people came out of idle curiosity but they were all silent not one voice cried God save the Queen but while these things were happening the Princess Mary did not sit still she raised an army and claimed the crown Malthumblin marched against her with another army leaving Lady Jane in the tower no sooner had he gone than many of the lords who had joined him in helping to put Lady Jane on the throne they won an all declared for Queen Mary and marching to the tower demanded the keys in her name Lady Jane's father who had been left to guard the tower was afraid to resist and he opened the gates to Mary's friends then running to his daughter's room he told her that her reign was at an end dear father she said these are the happiest words I have ever heard since she told me that I must be Queen may I go home now? she added but alas it was easier to enter the tower than to leave it Mary was a fast prisoner meanwhile Mary had been proclaimed Queen in the streets of London instead of the gloomy silence which had greeted Lady Jane Grey the people shouted with joy God save the Queen the news spread fast the church bells rang the people sang and shouted bonfires were lit everywhere there was feasting and rejoicing Mary was Queen the news travelled on Duke knew that when he heard it that his cause was lost only one thing was left to him he too took off his cap and shouted with arrest God save the Queen poor Lady Jane the ten days Queen was forgotten but even that could not save Northumberland and he was taken back to London a prisoner the people hated him and they shouted traitor traitor death to the traitor as he was led through the streets till in fear and shame he hid his face from them as he entered the tower out of which he never again came Mary was so glad and happy to have won the crown that she was at first kind to everyone she would not put Lady Jane and her husband to death an innocent girl was not to blame she said but she kept them both prisoners in the tower he's even thought that Mary would have spared the life of Northumberland but many of the nobles hated him it was decided that he must die and his head was cut off the new Queen's gentleness did not last long when once she felt herself secure upon the throne she proved to be as self-willed as her father Henry the 8th of being Mary was a Roman Catholic and she was very keen to bring England back to that faith at first many of the people were glad of this although they did not wish to come under the rule of the Pope again they did not like the new religion but when Mary let it be known that she meant to marry Philip of Spain the people were very angry Spain was a Roman Catholic country the English hated the Spaniards and were afraid of them the Spaniards they knew were cruel they had in their country a terrible court called the Inquisition Inquisition means to seek out the thinking for himself in matters of religion he was brought before this court and asked searching questions so that the truth might be sought out sometimes the questions were so difficult to answer that innocent people made themselves appear guilty but whether innocent or guilty those who were brought before this court were nearly always tortured and often condemned to be burned to death however much the English wished to return to the Roman Catholic religion they did not wish this terrible Inquisition to be brought into their country they tried to make Mary marry an Englishman but Mary was very proud and haughty there is no Englishman my equal I will not marry a subject, she said no one was pleased with this marriage and the Protestants were very much afraid anything they thought would be better than to allow a Spaniard to rule in England so a plot was formed to put Mary from the throne and to set either a sister Elizabeth or Lady Jane Grey in her place but the plot failed all the leaders were beheaded and hundreds of their followers were hanged General Lady Jane who had never wished to rule was blamed for this rebellion she was brought out of the tower where she had been kept prisoner and her beautiful head was cut off her husband father and brother were also put to death the Queen had begun to earn for herself a terrible name of Bloody Mary End of Chapter 66 Our Island Story Chapter 67 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 67 Mary the First How the Princess Elizabeth became a prisoner Queen Mary thought that her sister the Princess Elizabeth had a part in the plot to put her from the throne so as soon as it began she sent some gentlemen with soldiers to take her prisoner These gentlemen arrived late in the evening at the house where the princess was living Tell the princess, they said to her lady in waiting who met them that we must see her at once we come from court with a message from the Queen The princess was ill and in bed but the lady took the message to her Go back to the gentlemen, said the princess say to them that I welcome them but as it is so late I trust that they will wait to speak with me until morning No, we must see the princess at once replied the gentleman when they received this answer and without waiting for more they followed the lady into Princess Elizabeth's bedroom She was very much surprised and angry too when she saw them Is there so much haste that you cannot wait until morning she asked We are sorry to see you so ill, replied the gentleman somewhat ashamed of themselves and I am not glad to see you here at this time of night returned the princess There is no help for it, said the gentleman We are sent by the Queen and her message is that you must come to her at once Certainly I shall be very pleased to obey, replied Elizabeth but you can see for yourselves that I am not well enough to come at present We are very sorry, replied the gentleman but you must come, our orders are to bring you dead or alive This made the princess very sad for she now felt sure that she had reason to be afraid of her sister, the Queen She tried very hard to make the gentleman go away but they would not At last, after a great deal of talking she agreed to go with them next morning When the time came Princess Elizabeth was so ill that she fainted several times as she was being led out of the house The servants, crying bitterly, gathered to say goodbye to her They loved their mistress very much and they did not know what was going to happen When Elizabeth arrived at court she was not allowed to see the Queen but was shut up in her room and kept a prisoner there for a fortnight Gentleman of the court came and talked to her trying to make her confess that she had helped in the rebellion against the Queen but she said always that she knew nothing of it and had ever been true to her sister Then one day they told her that she was to be taken to the tower The princess became very much afraid She knew what a dreadful place the tower was what fearful things happened there and how few people who once went in ever came out alive She begged and prayed not to be taken there I am true to the Queen, she said in thought, word and deed It is not right that she should shut me up in that sad place But the lords replied There is no help for it The Queen commands and you must obey So a boat was brought and the princess was rode down the Thames to the tower It was a dreary morning Sky and river were grey and the rain fell fast As the boat went slowly on the princess sat silent and sorrowful deep in thought At last the boat stopped The lords stepped out and the princess awakened from her sad thoughts looked up But when she saw that the boat had stopped at the gate of the tower called the traitors gate she sat still Lady will you land? said one of the lords No, answered Elizabeth I am no traitor Lady, it is raining, said another of the lords As he tried to put his cloak round her to shelter her But the princess dashed it back with her hand Then rising she stepped on shore saying as she did so Here landeth, being a prisoner as true a subject as ever stood upon these steps When the princess reached the courtyard she would go no farther but sat there upon a stone Not all the entreaties of the lords could move her Through the cold and wet of the dreary morning she sat in that grim courtyard Lady, you will do well to come in out of the rain said the governor of the tower You are but uncomfortable there Better to sit here than in a worse place replied the princess for I know not where you will lead me Then one of her own servants kneeling beside her burst into tears Why do you weep for me said Elizabeth You should rather comfort me and not weep But she rose and went sadly into the tower Then the doors were locked and barred The princess was a prisoner at last A close prisoner Elizabeth was kept Very few of her own servants were allowed to be with her But one of the servants of the tower had a little son about four years old He used to come to see the princess and bring her flowers and they soon became great friends But when Elizabeth's enemies heard of this they thought that she would try to send messages to her friends by this little boy So one day they caught him and promised to give him apples and figs if he would tell them what the princess said to him and what messages she sent to her friends Although the boy was so young he understood that these men must be the enemies of the princess and he would not tell them anything if indeed he had anything to tell They talked for a long time but could learn nothing from him Please, my lord, said the little boy at last will you now give me the apples and figs you promised No indeed, replied the gentleman but you shall have a whipping if you talk to the princess anymore I shall bring my lady more flowers replied the little boy boldly But his father was told that he must not allow his son to run about the tower any longer and next day the princess missed her little friend but presently she saw him peeping through a hole in the door and when he saw that no one was near he called to her Lady, I can bring you no more flowers Then the princess smiled sadly but said nothing She knew that unkind people had taken even this one little friend from her The princess lived in constant fear for her life After a time she was removed from the tower and was sent from prison to prison It was no wonder that one day hearing a milkmaid singing gaily Elizabeth said she too would rather be a milkmaid and free than a great princess and a prisoner At last she was allowed to go to Hatfield a house near St. Albans which now belongs to the Marquis of Salisbury There carefully watched and guarded she lived until Mary died End of Chapter 67 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org On July 27th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 68 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 68 Mary I When Mary had put down the rebellion which her desire to marry Philip had raised she had her own way and married him He came from Spain with much pomp and splendor and as he rode through the streets of London there was a show of rejoicing but the people did not really like him He brought a great deal of money with him and gave presents to the people but still they did not like him Parliament took good care that he should have no share in the government and that made him angry No one loved him except Mary With Philip's help the Queen began to do what she dearly wished That was to bring England again under the power of the Pope The Pope sent a messenger to England and Philip and Mary holding a solemn service, knelt at his feet They confessed that Henry VIII had done a wicked thing when he quarrelled with the Pope They said that the people of England were sorry for it and humbly begged to be forgiven Then the Pope's messenger granted them forgiveness in his master's name and England was once more said to be Roman Catholic Now began the most terrible time of Mary's reign For it required more than a few words from King, Queen and Pope to make England again truly Roman Catholic The Protestants would not give up their religion Mary was determined that they should Those who refused were imprisoned and put to death in the most cruel way They were burned alive It would make you too sad to tell stories of this terrible time In three years nearly 300 people were put to death by Mary's cruel orders Yet she did no good but rather harm to her cause For many who were at first on her side turned away with horror from her dreadful cruelties These men and women who suffered death so cheerfully for their religion fought for British freedom as much as Caracticus or Harold or any of the brave men of whom you have heard And it was much harder to die as they did than to fall in battle fighting for their country with sword and spear So when you hear such names as Rodgers Hooper, Ridley, Latimer and Crammer honour them as heroes and think gratefully of the many, many others whose names we shall never know but who suffered as bravely Be of good comfort master Ridley and play the man said Latimer as they were being led to be burned together We shall this day light such a candle by God's grace in England as I trust shall never be put out By this he meant that others hearing of the brave manner in which they died would take heart too and fight us bravely for their faith and freedom So instead of crushing out God's light and truth Mary was making shine as a light which everyone might see Mary was not happy she could not help knowing that her cruel behaviour did harm rather than good to the religion which she loved Yet she went on killing and torturing Philip grew tired of England where he was not allowed to rule so he went back to his own country This was a great sorrow to Mary or she loved her husband Philip returned indeed once but it was only to get money for a war with France Very unwillingly the parliament granted the money and help he asked But the war ended sadly for Mary Calais which had belonged to the English for more than 200 years was lost Mary grieved very much over this and said You'll find Calais graven on my heart In the same year, 1558 AD she died wretched and unloved She was succeeded by her sister, the Princess Elizabeth who was the daughter of Anne Boleyn the second wife of Henry VIII End of Chapter 68 This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall Chapter 69 Elizabeth how the imprisoned princess became a queen Oh, the golden days of good queen Bess Then Jerkin and Doublet and Yellow Worsted Hose with a large pair of whiskers was the dress of our bows Strong beer they preferred to Clarrits and to Hawks No poultry they prized like the wing of an ox Oh, the golden days of good queen Bess Good neighborhood too there was plenty of good queen Bess Oh, the golden days of good queen Bess Oh, the golden days of good queen Bess Oh, the golden days of good queen Bess Oh, the golden days of good queen Bess Good neighborhood too there was plenty as beef and the poor from the rich never wanted relief while Mary went to the mill-clack the shuttle and the plow and honest men could live by the sweat of their brow Oh, the golden days of good queen Bess Then all great men were good and all good men were great and the props of the nation were the pillars of the state for the sovereign and the subject one interest supported and our powerful alliance was by all other nations courted Oh, the golden days of good queen Bess In the grounds of Hatfield the oak may still be seen under which Elizabeth was sitting when messengers came to tell her that Mary was dead and that she was queen The princess listened looking up through the bare branches to the dull November sky then falling upon her knees she exclaimed in Latin words It is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes Afterwards Elizabeth put these words upon the gold coins which were used during her reign Upon the silver coins she put another Latin sentence which means I have chosen God for my helper As soon as Elizabeth knew that she was chosen to be queen she left Hatfield and went in state to the tower of London for at that time the tower was used as a royal palace as well as a prison but this time she did not go as a prisoner this time she did not enter by the traitor's gate she went as a queen free and happy, guarded indeed but guarded with love and honour As the queen passed through the gates she paused Some, she said, have fallen from being princes and to be prisoners in this place I am raised from being prisoner in this place to be prince in this land that was the work of God's justice this a work of his mercy so must I be myself to God thankful and to man merciful There were great rejoicings when Elizabeth was crowned bonfires blazed and joy bells rang yet the land and the people were in a sad and miserable state and it needed all Elizabeth's wisdom and the wisdom of the great men who surrounded her to bring back happiness and peace to the country Elizabeth began her reign at a very difficult time the quarrels between the old and new religions and the cruelties of Mary had divided the people into two parties each party hoped that the new queen would favour them but Elizabeth did not mean to make any of her subjects suffer death because of what they felt it right to believe during her reign people were neither tortured nor killed in the name of religion Elizabeth was clever but she liked to think that she was beautiful too she loved fine clothes and she dressed in the most splendid silks jewels her courtiers told her that she was the most beautiful lady on earth this was not true Elizabeth was not really very beautiful but she was vain and liked to hear people say that she was lovely and her people loved her so much that very likely they really thought that she was beautiful whenever it was known that the queen would pass through the streets the people would gather to see her they would stand for hours waiting until she came when she at last appeared they would wave their hats and shout God save your majesty then the queen would stop and looking round on them would say God bless you all my good people the people would again cry God save your majesty and the queen would smile and reply you may well have a greater prince but you will never have a more loving prince then when she had gone again the people would go to their homes talking of what a splendid queen she was and of how they would die for good queen best as they loved to call her End of Chapter 69 Read by Kara Schallenberg www.kray.org on July 27th 2006 in Oceanside, California at this time in Scotland, as in England they ruled a queen these two queens were cousins Paul Margaret, the sister of Henry VIII had married James IV, king of Scotland and this Mary, who was now queen of Scotland was their granddaughter and Elizabeth's cousin in spite of the fact that an English princess had married a Scottish king the two peoples continued to be enemies as they always had been and Elizabeth of England did not love her cousin Mary of Scotland she hated and feared her Mary had been brought up in France which is a Roman Catholic country and she had married the French king so she was queen of France and Scotland when Mary of England died Mary of Scotland thought that she had a better right to the throne of England than Elizabeth so she called herself Queen of Scotland, France, England and Ireland many people agreed with Mary among them the Pope who was angry with Elizabeth because she would not be ruled by him and would no longer punish the Protestants as her sister had done so it was little wonder that Elizabeth hated and feared her cousin the Protestants of England hated Mary of Scotland too they were afraid that if she became Queen of England she would bring back the dreadful days of the English Mary when Mary was only 19 her husband the French king died and she left France where she had been living and returned to Scotland and she sat upon the deck of the ship which took her to Scotland, she wet bitterly adieu France, adieu she solved I shall never see you more Scotland seemed cold and dark to Mary after sunny France and the people harsh and rough yet the Scots loved their Queen and were eager to show her that they did so and Mary wanted to be loved but Mary and her people did not understand each other although she was clever and beautiful she was perhaps the most unhappy the most unwise Queen who ever sat upon a throne in Scotland as in England many dreadful things happened because of the reformation and change of religion Mary was a Roman Catholic while many of her people had turned to the new religion there were other causes for quarrels so there was sorrow and war until at last the Scottish people imprisoned their beautiful Queen in a lonely castle on an island in the middle of a lock but although many people hated Mary many loved her too and these helped her to escape one evening a boy called the little Douglas who lived in the castle where she was imprisoned stole the keys while the governor was at supper in the middle of the night he unlocked the door of Mary's room fearfully and silently she crept with him in the dark passages until they reached the great gate Douglas unlocked it and Mary passed out holding her little frightened maid by the hand Douglas locked the gate behind them and led the way to the place where a boat was waiting for them they were soon out on the dark water getting farther and farther away from the castle half way to the shore little Douglas leaned over the side of the boat and dropped the great castle keys into the water Mary's jailers were prisoners in the castle and she was free on land some of Queen Mary's friends waiting for her with horses and she rode joyfully away soon more friends joined her and a battle was fought near Glasgow but Mary's soldiers were defeated and she was obliged to flee she did not know where to go it would have been safest to go to France but no ship was ready to take her there so she crossed the border into England and went to ask her cousin Elizabeth to take pity on her Elizabeth had never seen her beautiful cousin and she refused to see her now she gave her a castle to live in Mary had had to run away from Scotland so quickly that she had brought no clothes except though she wore she wrote to tell Elizabeth this but although Elizabeth had hundreds of beautiful dresses she only sent some old clothes quite unfit for a queen to wear poor Mary would have been badly off but her enemies were kinder than her cousin and sent her dresses and clothes from Scotland when Queen Mary found that Elizabeth meant to treat her as a prisoner and not as a friend she begged to be allowed to go away to some other country but Elizabeth would not set her free she feared if she did Mary would go to the kings of France or Spain and ask them to make war on England she felt that it was safest to keep her great enemy in prison Mary was so beautiful that she had many friends and they were very angry with Elizabeth plots after plots to free Mary was formed but all plots failed for 19 years this poor queen was kept in prison she was moved from castle to castle for it seemed as if no place was strong and safe enough to keep her from her friends at last she was shut up in a castle called Fotheringay when Mary had been kept in prison about 19 years a plot to kill Elizabeth and put Mary on the throne was discovered then the English parliament persuaded Elizabeth that Mary must be put to death Elizabeth either really felt or pretended to feel very unwilling to give her consent but in the end she signed a paper ordering Mary's head to be cut off a few days later the beautiful queen who had been so unhappy and who had caused so much unhappiness walked into the great hall at Fotheringay in one hand she carried a Bible and the other a crucifix the hall was hung with black at one end was a low scaffold also covered with black 19 years before Mary had come to England young and beautiful and although she was not yet old the long years in prison had made her look like an old woman she could only walk with difficulty and when she laid her head upon the block it was seen that her hair was white Mary's servants cried bitterly when she said goodbye to them although she comforted them by saying that her death was a happy release out of prison a little dog would not leave her even after she was dead but crept close to her dress whining sadly as the dean of Peterborough cried so perish all Elizabeth's enemies when Elizabeth was told that Mary was dead she was very angry she said that although she had signed the death warrant as the paper was called she had not meant that Mary should be killed it is difficult to know what Elizabeth did mean or she was deceitful as well as clever but whether she meant it or not Elizabeth had no right to be head Mary Mary's son James who was now the king of Scotland Elizabeth for the manner in which she had treated his mother but he had neither money nor soldiers enough with which to fight against England so he did nothing End of Chapter 70 Our Island Story Chapter 71 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain More information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 71 Elizabeth, the story of how England was saved from the Spaniards Philip, king of Spain who had been married to Mary the First wanted after her death to marry her sister Elizabeth who was now queen of England but Elizabeth would not marry him and that made him very angry Philip hated the English people and the Protestant religion and he made up his mind to conquer England and punish Elizabeth he gathered together a great number of soldiers and sailors and guns and ships and made ready to invade England Among the many famous Englishmen of this time was a man called Drake He had sailed in far off seas to newly discovered countries and was very bold and daring While Philip was busy making ready to invade England Drake sailed over to Spain and boldly entered the harbour where the Spanish vessels lay He sank and burned 30 or more of them damaged others and then sailed away again This, he said with a laugh was just singeing the king of Spain's beard King Philip was very angry but he at once set to work to repair his ships and to build others and next year was ready to attack England In May 1588 AD 129 great ships sailed out from Spain but hindered by a storm it was many weeks later before they came in sight of the English coast These Spanish ships with their gilded prows and white sails shining in the sun made a splendid show as they sailed along in the shape of a crescent seven miles long King Philip called his fleet the Invincible Armada Invincible means which cannot be conquered Armada is a Spanish word meaning navy Once again as in the days of the Romans and as in the days of the Danes the little green island in the lonely sea was threatened with conquerors coming in great ships The people of England had been slow to believe that there was any danger from Spain and the queen was unwilling to make preparations but when at last they saw that the Spaniards meant to come one man Roman Catholics and Protestants forgot their quarrels and remembering only that they were Englishmen worked together against the common enemy The English Navy at this time was very small but gentlemen and merchants gave money and ships and soon it was almost as large as the Spanish Navy although the ships were smaller Besides these ships and sailors a great army gathered on land in order to resist Philip should he succeed in reaching England in spite of the wooden walls as the English war vessels came to be called men young and old flocked to the standard very few were real soldiers but all of them were eager to fight for their queen and for their country Elizabeth herself reviewed the army and spoke such brave words that the hopes of the men who heard her rose high I am come among you, she said not for pleasure nor to amuse myself I am come to live or die with you in battle to lay down my honor and my life for my God, for my country and for my people I know that I have but the body of a poor weak woman but I have the heart of a king an English king I think foul scorn that any Spanish prince or any prince in Europe should dare to invade my kingdom rather than be so dishonored I myself will take up arms myself will be your general and the judge and rewarder of every one of you for your deeds in the field of battle so eagerly did the people work that England was ready before Spain and Lord Howard, the chief admiral sailed out to meet the enemy but week after week passed and as still the Spaniards did not come to the ships Elizabeth was not fond of spending money she thought that it was a dreadful waste to keep all these soldiers and sailors and ships waiting for an enemy who never came and she told Lord Howard to pay off his men and send them to their homes but Lord Howard refused to obey and he with his captains and his men held their ships in readiness at Plymouth day by day they kept watch looking always anxiously out to sea and spending the long weary hours as best they could at last one sunny day in July some of the other sea captains were playing at bowls they were interrupted by a cry the Spaniards the Spaniards the game was stopped all eyes were turned towards the channel yes there at last far out to sea the proud Spanish vessels were to be seen they were distant yet but a sailor's eye could see that they were mighty and great ships and the number of them was very large but the brave English captains were not afraid come said Drake after a few minutes there is time to finish the game and to beat the Spaniards too so they went back to their play and when the game was finished they went down to the harbour got the ships ready and sailed out to meet and fight the Spaniards for more than a week the battle lasted the English always having the best of it their ships were smaller but for that very reason they could be moved and turned about more easily than the great painted and gilded Spanish vessels the wind too was in favour of the English and against the Spaniards in those days before steam engines and steamers had been invented when ships were still moved by sails the wind was of great importance day by day the wind grew fiercer the waves became white and wild till the Spanish ships were driven northward by a terrible storm without pilots through unknown seas past strange islands they were driven shattered on unfriendly rocks refused the shelter of every port up to the north of Scotland and background the west coast of Ireland they sped at last ruined by shot and shell torn and battered by wind and waves about fifty maimed and broken wrecks all that were left of the invincible Armada reached Spain once again England was saved how the people rejoiced bells rang bonfires blazed and every heart was filled with thankfulness in memory of the victory the Queen ordered a medal to be made and on it in Latin were the words God blew with his breath and they were scattered although Philip had lost nearly all his ships he did not consider that he was beaten and the war went on until the death of Elizabeth but the English people no longer feared the Spaniards End of Chapter 71 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kra.org on July 27th 2006 in Oceanside, California the story of Sir Walter Raleigh the reign of Queen Elizabeth was great not only because she was a wise ruler but because she was surrounded by so many wise and great and good men one of these wise men Sir William Cecil afterwards called Lord Burley was her secretary of state and her chief advisor during nearly all her reign until he died in 1598 AD there were so many great men in England at this time that you could not remember all their names to tell stories about them all that would fill a whole book in the reign of Elizabeth it is not only the men who were soldiers that we remember as great but the men who wrote books the men who sailed over the sea and discovered new countries and the men who by careful thinking and wise acts kept peace at home Sir Walter Raleigh was one of the great men who lived at this time he was a soldier and a sailor a courtier and a writer of books but clever though he was a simple country gentleman one day Elizabeth was passing along the streets and the people as usual came crowding to see her among them was Sir Walter Raleigh the queen stepped from her coach and followed by her ladies was about to cross the road but in those days the streets were very badly kept and Elizabeth stopped before a puddle of mud she was grandly dressed and how to cross the muddy road without soiling her dainty shoes and skirts she did not know as she paused Sir Walter sprang forward he too was finally dressed and he was wearing a beautiful new cloak this he quickly pulled off and bowing low threw upon the ground before the queen Elizabeth was very pleased and as she passed on she smiled at the handsome young man who had ruined his beautiful cloak to save her dainty shoes and ordered him to attend her at court Raleigh's fortune was made he went to court and soon became so great a favourite that at one time he even thought that he might marry the queen but that I fear to fall he one day wrote with a diamond upon a window and the queen seeing it wrote underneath if thy heart fail thee climb then not at all so Raleigh climbed and although he never reached a throne he climbed high Elizabeth gave him money and lands till he became very rich he wanted to sail away over the sea in search of new countries and treasure as Drake had done but the queen would not let him go she would not give him money in buying ships and sending other men over the sea to find new lands these men sailed to America which was then wild and unknown landing there they claimed it for England and Raleigh named it Virginia of Elizabeth she liked to call herself the Virgin Queen which means the queen who has never married one of the United States of America is still called Virginia for a long time Elizabeth was very pleased with Raleigh but at last she became angry with him and sent him to prison in the dreadful tower the reason for this was that Sir Walter had dared to love and marry another lady were the queen's own maids of honour Elizabeth was always very angry if any of the gentlemen in her court married many of them wished to marry her but she refused them all still she wished them to think that she was the cleverest and most beautiful woman in all the world she wished them all to love and admire her so much that they would never think of marrying any other lady and when they did marry another she was always very angry Sir Walter happily was not kept in prison very long and some years later he really did have his wish and sailed away to explore America he did not find the golden land which he had imagined but he brought home many strange stories many curious and useful things two of the things which Raleigh brought home with him were tobacco and potatoes Elizabeth had given him a states in Ireland and there he planted the potatoes and showed the people how to grow them even to this day the poor people in Ireland grow many potatoes and live on them very largely people were pleased with the new vegetable but they were very much astonished when he showed them how to use tobacco such a thing had never been seen before and it took people some time to grow accustomed to it one day soon after Raleigh had returned home he was sitting smoking when a servant came into the room the man stood still in horror smoke filled the room and was pouring out of his master's mouth he must be on fire thought the servant without saying a word he ran away and returned as quickly as he could with a pail of water this he threw over his master hoping to put out the fire and so save his life Raleigh you may imagine was not very pleased at finding himself suddenly drenched with cold water just when he was enjoying a quiet smoke but when he understood the mistake his servant had made he laughed heartily Raleigh had many adventures he swept the ocean in his ships and he fought by land and sea but he wrote books too and one of his friends was the poet Spencer who tells the beautiful stories in his poem The Fairy Queen the greatest writer of this time perhaps the greatest poet of any time someday you will read the stories he wrote another writer and great soldier too was the Philip Sidney he was so handsome and brave and kind that everyone loved him queens, statesmen and people soldiers, courtiers and poets all loved him he lived well, wrote well, fought well and died well he fell fighting for his country wounded and groaning with pain he asked for a cup of water while it was being brought he noticed the soldier lying beside him in great agony pointing to this poor soldier the man refused to have it Nay, but take it, said Sir Philip do you need it more than I do Sir Philip never recovered from his wound a fortnight later he died still young, brave and handsome End of Part 72 Our Island Story Chapter 73 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schallenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 73 Elizabeth, the story of the queen's favorite Another brave and handsome man who was a great favorite with the queen was the Earl of Essex he was so handsome and graceful but the queen liked to have him always near her although she quarreled with him very often Essex loved fighting more than attending upon the queen and twice when there was war he ran away without leave Elizabeth was angry but Essex did great deeds to make the name of England famous so she forgave him later she made him commander of an expedition which however was not very successful again they quarreled One day the queen and her counsellors were talking about who should govern Ireland Elizabeth wanted one man Essex another he grew so angry because she would not take his advice that he turned his back upon her this was a very rude thing to do for one must never turn one's back to a king or queen but must even walk out of the room backwards when leaving their presence Elizabeth was furious and springing up she boxed the Earl's ears Essex had been angry before now he was in a terrible rage forgetting that a man must never fight with a woman he laid his hand upon his sword then a gentleman who was there through himself between the angry queen and Earl trying to calm them both but Essex would not be calmed I will take a blow from no one he cried I would not have endured it from her father, King Henry I will not take it from a king in petticoats and swearing dreadfully he flung himself out of the room refusing to return for some time the advisors of the queen and the friends of the Earl tried to make peace between them but in vain Essex would not apologize the queen would not say that she was sorry but in the end the queen forgave Essex and he came back to court as they had quarreled over who should be sent to govern Ireland Elizabeth decided to send Essex himself this was not at all what Essex wanted and he did not wish to accept it but he was obliged to do so he went to Ireland but he did not succeed in ruling as the queen would have liked she wrote bitter angry letters to him and he replied with letters as bitter and angry as hers at last Essex decided to come back to England to see the queen and try to make friends with her again Elizabeth forbade him but in spite of her orders he came early one morning he arrived in London dusty, dirty and untidy from his long journey he was in such haste to see the queen that he did not stop to make himself fit to appear at court dusty and untidy as he was he rushed straight to the palace it was so early that the queen was not up hearing that Essex ran to her room without even waiting till someone had told her that he had arrived the queen was sitting in her room with her hair hanging down waiting for her ladies to dress her when Essex rushed in and flinging himself on his knees beside her kissed her hand again and again the queen was so surprised to see Essex and so sorry when she saw how miserable he looked that she spoke gently to him and comforted him so presently he rose from his knees and went away feeling that he was forgiven but it was only surprise which had made the queen kind to Essex later in the day she received him very coldly later still she sent him to prison for some time Essex was kept a prisoner then he was set free but he could not again win the queen's favor her unkindness hurt him so much that he grew more and more unhappy and more and more angry he began to say unkind things about the queen calling her a foolish old woman who was growing crooked in mind and body it was quite true that Elizabeth was growing old and being as vain as ever she liked to think that she was still young and pretty she covered her gray hair with a wig and painted her face she sang and danced although she was nearly 70 years old but it was wrong and foolish to have a friend of Essex to speak as he did and people were not slow to carry his words to the queen at last Essex grew so angry that he tried to raise a rebellion against Elizabeth the rebellion failed and Essex and those who had helped him were sent to the tower in spite of all their quarrels Elizabeth really loved Essex now she felt it very hard to condemn him to death still she did long before this Elizabeth had one day given Essex a ring telling him that if ever she should be angry with him she would forgive him if he sent this ring back to her when Essex heard that he was to die he remembered this promise and he made up his mind to send the ring to Elizabeth hoping that she would pardon him but he did not know how to send it he was afraid to give it to any of the queen's courtiers for he knew that many of them were his enemies they were only too glad that he should be in disgrace and would never deliver the ring to the queen at length one day as he looked sadly from his prison window he saw a boy passing the boy had a pleasant honest face and Essex felt sure that he might be trusted he called to him and throwing the ring down told him to take it to his cousin who was a kind lady and loved him tell the lady, he said to show this ring to the queen and all will be well the boy took the ring promising to do as he was asked then Essex threw down a purse full of gold as a reward for his kindness and the boy went away very pleased but by mistake he gave the ring to the wrong lady instead of giving it to the cousin of Essex who loved him he gave it to another lady who hated him this lady showed the ring to her husband and as he too hated Essex they resolved to keep the ring and say nothing about it so Elizabeth never knew that Essex had sent it she too had remembered her promise and hoped that Essex would send the ring she waited and waited but day after day went past and it never came at last thinking that he was too proud to ask forgiveness she ordered his head to be cut off so proud and foolish Essex died believing his queen was still angry with him Elizabeth was growing old many of her friends had died and left her and after the death of Essex she was often very sad the people too who had loved Essex were angry with her for having put him to death and that made her more sad still when the lady who had kept back the ring was about to die she felt very sorry for what she had done she could not find peace until she had confessed to the queen and asked her forgiveness she sent a message to the queen begging her to come to her Elizabeth came but when she heard the story instead of forgiving the poor dying lady she shook her fiercely saying God may forgive you I never can at last Elizabeth herself grew very ill but she would not go to bed she sat day and night upon cushions on the floor doing nothing but staring before her with her finger in her mouth then Sir Robert Cecil the son of the great Lord Burley who had been so wise and faithful a friend to Elizabeth said for the sake of your people madam you must go to bed must, explained the queen must is not a word to use to princes little man, little man your father would not have dared to use that word but you know I must die and that makes you so bold at last she allowed herself to be carried to bed some of her lords knowing that she had not long to live asked whom she wished to reign after her I will have no rascal's son in my seat she said and would say no more later they asked again do you desire your cousin the king of Scotland to have the crown the queen only moved her head but it seemed to those around that she meant to say yes she never spoke again on March 24th 1603 AD this great queen died having reigned 45 years she had loved her country and her people and her people loved her and wept for her at her death no ruler had ever before been so mourned she was the last of the Tudor sovereigns and with her successor James a new race of kings called the Stewards began to reign in England end of chapter 73 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org in Montreal Canada visiting Hugh McGuire on um August 19th 2006 our island story chapter 74 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H.E. Marshall chapter 74 James VI of Scotland of England the story of Guy Fawkes for hundreds of years the kings of England had tried to conquer Scotland and make Scotland and England one kingdom under one king many dreadful battles had been fought many brave people had been killed Scots had lost many battles but they had never been conquered and at last the kings of England had almost given up hope of ever being able to conquer them but now what they had longed for and fought for in vain happened quite quietly and naturally although not at all in the way that they had expected instead of an English king conquering and ruling over Scotland Scottish king came to rule over England Elizabeth Tudor Queen of England being dead James Stuart king of Scotland was the rightful heir to the throne James VI of Scotland was the son of the beautiful and unhappy Mary, Queen of Scots was descended from Margaret Tudor the sister of Henry VIII and was Elizabeth's nearest relative at the Queen's death there was no man nor woman left in England who had any right to the throne so the English sent to Scotland and asked the Scottish kings come to be their king too he came and since 1603 AD England and Scotland have formed one kingdom with Wales and Ireland so now we will no longer talk of England but of Britain how long ago the old hatred has been forgotten and we are all Britons James had been king of Scotland for many years before he became king of England too he was a very little boy when he was first made king and Scotland had been ruled by a regent James had been carefully taught but unfortunately his teachers had thought more of making him clever than have teaching him things which would have made him a great ruler some people called him the British Solomon but because he was such a mixture of wisdom and foolishness he has also been called the wisest fool in Christendom although his mother Queen Mary was a Roman Catholic James had been brought up a Protestant the English Roman Catholics thought however that in memory of his mother James would be kinder to them than Elizabeth had been Elizabeth had not burned and tortured the Roman Catholics as her sister Mary had burned and tortured the Protestants still they were not quite kindly treated they had not equal rights with the Protestants and were sometimes looked down upon the Roman Catholics soon found out that James had no intention of being kind to them and they became very angry so angry did they become that they formed a plot to kill the king and all the chief Protestants in the country having done this they intended to place James's little daughter Elizabeth upon the throne and make Britain a Roman Catholic country once more Princess Elizabeth was of course being brought up as a Protestant but she was such a little girl that the Catholics knew she would only be a make believe queen until she grew up the country would really be ruled by the Catholic gentlemen and meantime they would have time they thought to teach her to be a Roman Catholic the first thing to be done was to kill the king and all the chief Protestant gentlemen to do this the conspirators as the people who form a plot are called thought of a very dreadful plan they decided to wait until Parliament was sitting until the king and all his wise men were gathered together in one place and then they would blow them up with gunpowder underneath the houses of Parliament there were cellars these cellars were led to merchants and other people who wished to store goods it was quite easy for the conspirators to rent one of these cellars and into it they carried 36 barrels of gunpowder besides the gunpowder sticks and firewood were piled into the cellars by the conspirators this was done partly to hide the barrels and partly no doubt to help to burn the houses of Parliament when they were set on fire nobody paid much attention to the barrels as they were being taken in nobody thought of asking with what they were filled for a year and a half the plot went on very few people knew of it and those who did were bound by an oath never to talk of it they met secretly at night speaking only in mysterious whispers at last everything was ready Guy Fawkes one of the most fearless of the band was chosen for the most difficult and dangerous part he was to set fire to the gunpowder having done so he meant to try to escape but if he could not he was quite ready to die in what he thought was a good cause the day was fixed for the 5th of November when Parliament would be opened a man called Francis Tresham had joined the plot he had a friend a Roman Catholic nobleman who was sure to be among the lords who would attend this Parliament Tresham could not bear to think of his friend being killed so he wrote a letter to him in a disguised hand warning him not to go to this Parliament my lord said the letter out of the love I bear to some of your friends I have a care for your life therefore I advise you to love your life to make some excuse so that you need not go to this Parliament God and man are agreed to punish the wickedness of this time do not think likely of this warning but go away into the country where you may be safe for although there is no sign of any stir yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them Tresham's friend was very much disturbed by this letter he took it to Lord Salisbury who took it to the king the king who was afterwards very proud of his cleverness said that the terrible blow which was to be given without the person being seen must mean gunpowder it was clever of the king to think of this but some people say that Salisbury had already found out about the plot and perhaps he put the idea of gunpowder into the king's head about midnight on the 4th of November the day before Parliament was to meet the cellars under the houses were searched with hushed voices drawn swords and dim lanterns the searchers moved from cellar to cellar all seemed empty, silent and dark till in a far corner a faint light was seen and near it the dark figure and pale face of Guy Fawkes in a moment they were upon him he tried to defend himself but it was useless stern men with drawn swords closed in upon him and he was soon a prisoner he could not deny his guilt round him were the barrels in his pockets were those things which he needed to set fire to the gunpowder he knew he must die oh would I had been quicker he said would I had set fire to the powder death would have been sweet my enemies gone with me Guy Fawkes was taken to the tower in the cruel manner of those days he was tortured to make him tell the names of the others who were with him in the plot but Guy Fawkes was very brave although he was wrong and he would not tell the others seeing the part of their plot had failed hoped still to succeed in gaining possession of the Princess Elizabeth so they hastily rode to the country house where she was living but part of the gunpowder which they took with them was set on fire and exploded by accident it hurt some and frightened all of them but they thought it was a punishment sent upon them because of what they had intended to do to others the Roman Catholics in the country did not rise to help the conspirators as they had expected and soon all hope of success was lost the chief of the conspirators was seized and were put to death along with Guy Fawkes after this the Protestants hated the Roman Catholics more than ever and their lives were made very hard there was great rejoicing of the discovery of the plot bells rang and bonfires blazed and even now after 300 years the day is not forgotten on the 5th of November people still have fireworks and bonfires on which they burn a figure made of straw and old clothes which is meant to represent Guy Fawkes end of part 74 Chapter 75 When Henry VIII broke away from the Church of Rome he did not make much change in the services or in the ruling of the Church he merely said that the Pope had nothing to do with the Church in England and he commanded the services to be read in English instead of Latin but by degrees many Protestants began to think that the Church of England was too like the Church of Rome they wanted to have no prayer book at all they wanted to have very simple services and very simple churches these people were called Puritans they were very stern and grave but many of the best and bravest men in England joined them at this time men did not wear plain dark clothes as they do now they wore bright colors and their clothes were often made of silk and velvet and trimmed with lace they wore their hair long and curly and they had feathers in their hats but the Puritans thought this gay dress was wicked they cut their hair short and wore dark clothes and plain linen colors and gay colored silks and settens they even spoke in a slow and sad tone of voice using juries and long words and they very seldom laughed the Puritans felt that in England they could not worship God in what seemed to them the right way so although they loved their country they resolved to leave it and sail away over the sea to the new lands which had been discovered there they would found a new England where they could be free the first of these Puritans who left England were called the Pilgrim Fathers the ship they sailed in was called the Mayflower there were only one hundred of them men women and children before they started there were many sad partings all left dear friends behind some said goodbye forever to fathers and mothers some left their wives and little children hoping one day to be able to send for them when they had made a new home far over the sea but sad as they were their hearts were full of hope and in spite of tears they sang hymns they started in the summer but they had so many delays and misfortunes that it was winter before they reached America they did not come to the part of America to which they had expected to come but reached land much further north where the winter was very cold far colder than the English winter as the little Mayflower drew near the shore of their new home looked very dark and dreary to those Pilgrim Fathers there were no people to greet them on the beach no houses with twinkling lights by night and cheerful smoke by day there was nothing but the rough rocky shore and beyond it a mass of bare brown trees there was no sound but the roar of the waves all of sea birds and the cry of wild animals the little land of Pilgrims felt very lonely when they landed in this strange country hundreds and hundreds of miles from any white people dark woods and wilderness lay in front behind the cold grey sea separating them from all their loved ones and round them day and night the fear of attack from the wild red Indians who inhabited the land but in spite of dangers and hardships they did not lose heart soon the noise of axe and saw was heard in the forest as the Pilgrim Fathers felled trees and cut them into planks with which to build their houses through cold and wind and rain they worked and a little town of wooden houses rose round the little wooden meeting house as they called their church the building went on slowly for all the Pilgrim Fathers could not work at once some of them had to keep watch in case of attack from the red Indians while the remainder built the houses and laid out the gardens the little bands struggled bravely they were often cold and hungry, weary and afraid still they did not give up hope they had very little to eat even though at night if they would have anything for breakfast in the morning once an eagle was shot and they thought it was a great treat they tasted something like mutton once a sailor found a herring on the shore as it was only enough for one the captain had it for supper but many of the Pilgrims, unused to such hardships died during the winter at last the dark days passed and with the sunshine of the spring came brighter times and with the spring the Mayflower which had lain in the bay all winter sailed back to England with sad hearts the Pilgrims saw it go it was the last link which bound them to their old home yet in spite of the longing in their hearts for the green fields and white cliffs of England in spite of all the hardships they had suffered not one Pilgrim returned home with the Mayflower they knelt upon the shore watching with tear-dimmed eyes till the last glimmer of its white sails died away in the distance then they turned back to their work but for many days after the bay seemed sad and empty with no little Mayflower riding at anchor in it the Pilgrim fathers named their town Plymouth after the town in England from which they had sailed from these few settlers the great American nation has grown and although America is no longer a British colony but a separate nation it is a nation which has grown out of the British nation if you look at the map of America you will see Plymouth marked in the state of Massachusetts in that town there is a hall called Pilgrim Hall and in front of it stands a rock which is railed round and carefully preserved it is the rock which the feet of the Pilgrim fathers first touched when they landed to found New England the people of America are proud to remember that they are descended from those stern, brave men and women so they guard the stone as something precious and the 22nd of December the day on which the Pilgrim fathers landed is called Four Fathers Day and is kept as a holiday the breaking waves dashed high on a stern and rock bound coast and the woods against the stormy sky their giant branches tossed and the heavy night hung dark the hills and water oar when a band of exiles moored their bark on the wild New England shore not as the conqueror comes they the true hearted came not with the role of stirring drums and the trumpet that sings of fame not as the flying come in silence and in fear they shook the depths of the desert gloom with their hymns of lofty cheer amidst the storm they sang and the stars heard and at the sea and the sounding aisles of the dim wood rang to the anthem of the free the ocean eagle soared from his nest by the white waves foam and the rocking pines of the forest roared there were men with hoary hair amidst that pilgrim band why had they come to wither there away from their childhoods land there was women's fearless eye lit by her deep love's truth there was manhood's brow serenely high and the fiery heart of youth what sought they thus afar bright jewels of the mine the wealth of seas, the spoils of war no, it was a faith's pure shrine yes, call it holy ground which first their brave feet trod worship God End of Chapter 75 Read by Kara Schellenberg on August 20th, 2006 Visiting Humaguire in Montreal, Canada Our Island Story Chapter 76 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 76 How a Woman Struck a Blow for Freedom Like Queen Elizabeth King James had favourites but unfortunately the favourites he chose were not good and wise men who helped him to govern well but men who although clever were bad and who thought only of themselves some of these men liked money and fine clothes and James spent so much on them that he was always poor and in debt and this led him into quarrels with the people and Parliament The Tudors had been a very autocratic race of kings Autocratic is a word made from Greek words and means that the Tudors wanted to rule quite by themselves without help or advice from anyone During the time of the Tudors especially in the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth the power of Parliament had been much lessened James tried to lessen it still more James knew how autocratic Elizabeth had been and he meant to be the same but Elizabeth although she had her own way in many things she went to yield and let the people have their way James did not know how to yield he wanted to be a despot which is another word take from Greek and really means master but has come to mean cruel master the king can do no wrong said James what he does must be right and the people must obey and ask no questions King James wrote several books and in one of them he set down his ideas about the power of a king but the people did not agree with these ideas which the king did were wrong as they would not do everything he wished them to do James dismissed Parliament and ruled for many years without calling another when James died in 1625 AD no one was very sorry he had reigned for 58 years 36 years as king of Scotland and 22 as king of Great Britain and Ireland and his people English, Scots and Irish were discontented with his rule yet in spite of all he had tried to do the people were really nearer freedom than before they had shown that they would not quietly submit to the rule of a despot James was succeeded by his son Charles he had been taught by his father to believe that the king could do no wrong and like his father Charles wanted to be autocratic Charles too dismissed Parliament because he could not have entirely his own way he tried to make the people pay taxes and give him money without the consent of Parliament and this made them very angry like King James King Charles had bad advisors perhaps was his own wife of whom he was very fond she was a French princess called Henrietta Maria and was a Roman Catholic she hated the Puritans who were growing more and more important in England Charles hated them too and with the advice of Archbishop Lord who was one of his chief advisors he treated the Puritans very hardly many of the people in Scotland had become Protestant they were called Presbyterians and like the Puritans they chose to have a very simple form of worship and very simple churches this did not please Charles he said that the Scottish church must use the same service as the English church he ordered a new prayer book to be made which was almost the same as the English prayer book this he sent to all the Scottish ministers commanding them to begin to use it on Sunday 23rd of July 1637 AD there was great excitement among the Scottish people when this order became known on the Sunday morning many crowded to the Cathedral of St Giles in Edinburgh wondering what would happen it was seen that he was wearing a white robe instead of the black one in which the Scottish clergy usually preached the Dean knew little of the anger which was rising in the hearts of the stern-faced men and women round him as the words of the new prayers rang strangely through the silent church he began the service using the new prayer book but he had not gone far when an old woman called Jenny Geddes sprang up thou false thief she cried wilt thou say mass at my ear and with that she threw the stool she had been sitting at the Dean's head in a moment the whole church was in confusion the mass the mass potpourri potpourri shouted the people down with the pope down with him the women rushed at the Dean and tore his white surplus from his shoulders he was so hardly used that he ran the risk of being killed the Bishop of Edinburgh went into the pulpit and tried to calm the people but they would not listen to him a pope a pope they cried down with him down with him when the soldiers were sent for the church was cleared the doors were locked and the new service was read to the few who were in favour of it outside the crowd yelled and hooted breaking the windows with stones and hammering on the doors which were locked and barred against them the bishop barely escaped with his life he was carried through the crowd surrounded by soldiers with drawn swords in their hands all Scotland was in arms high and low banded together to resist the king he was forced to fight for the freedom of religion the paper was called the National Covenant and the people who signed it the Covenanters Scotland was ready for war and Charles was forced to recall the prayer book and allow the Scottish church to be free Charles promised the Scottish church freedom but he could never keep his word soon he raised an army intending to force them to do as he wished but the scots were ready to fight and they marched into England to meet Charles the English Puritans were on the side of the Scots in all history the Scottish army coming into England was welcomed by the English the fighting ended in a victory for the Scots and once more Charles promised them freedom in religion if you should ever go to St Charles Cathedral in Edinburgh you will see there is a brass plate in memory of Ginny Geddes and her deed is said there not because it is right or wrong to use a prayer book not because it is better to worship God in one way rather than another but because it is right that people should be free to pray to God in their own way neither Pope nor King has a right to say how any man or woman shall pray and it is not because Ginny Geddes fought against the prayer book but because she struck a blow for freedom that we remember her End of Chapter 76 In 1640 A.D. what is known as the Long Parliament began to sit and the King Charles the King Charles the King Charles Charles the First the story of how the King and the Parliament quarreled and at last fought as Parliament would not do exactly as King Charles wished he ruled without one for nearly 12 years during these years he was often in need of money and raised it in many wrong ways but at last he could get no more money by right or by wrong ways and he was obliged to call a Parliament the Long Parliament began to sit it was called the Long Parliament because it lasted so long the people chose the members for this Parliament very carefully and they were not slow to show the King how strong they were they beheaded one of the King's advisors because they said he had been guilty of treason to commit treason means to do anything that is hurtful to the State or Government to commit high treason is to do anything hurtful to the King the Parliament also imprisoned Archbishop Loud and three years later he was beheaded King Charles had quarrelled King Charles had quarrelled with every Parliament he had had during his reign now the quarrels grew worse and worse at last one day Charles marched to the House followed by his soldiers meaning to seize five members who he thought were his worst enemies leaving his soldiers at the door of the House Charles went in and marched up to the Speaker's chair Mr. Speaker, he said I must borrow your seat for a time the Speaker rose and fell upon his knee before the King the five members standing there headed while the King sat down in the Speaker's chair Charles looked keenly round the House but none of the five members were to be seen they had been warned and were not there he called them each by name only silence answered Mr. Speaker said Charles at last where are those five members who might have called are any of them in the House do you see them Your Majesty said the Speaker again falling upon his knees to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House may be pleased to direct me Ah! said Charles I see the birds are flown then after making a very angry and bitter speech he left the House as he passed out the silence was broken by cries of rage for the people felt that the King was trampling on all their rights the quarrels grew worse and worse and at last war broke out war between Britain and Britain English, Scots and Irish all joined in this war and it was called the Great Rebellion the King and the Lords were on one side and the Parliament and the people on the other those who followed the King were called Cavaliers or Royalists those who followed the Parliament were called Parliamentarians or Roundheads Cavalier comes from a word which means horse and the Cavaliers were so called because most of them rode upon horses the Roundheads were so called because they wore their hair short instead of long and curling like the Cavaliers the Roundheads were for the most part Puritans while the Cavaliers belonged to the Church of England at this time there was no regular army in Britain such as we have now and a great many of those who fought were quite untrained the King's army was in some ways better than the army of the Parliament for it contained many gentlemen who were accustomed to danger and who were able to ride the Parliamentarians were chiefly working men who knew very little about fighting but among them there was a brave strongman called Oliver Cromwell he knew how hard it would be for these working men to conquer if they were not taught how to fight so he drilled them and taught them quickness and obedience so thoroughly did they learn that they became most splendid soldiers and were called Oliver Cromwell's iron sides never were such strange soldiers seen in those days a camp was a wild rough place but from the camp of Cromwell soldiers instead of the sound of drunkenness and laughter came the sound of psalm singing and prayer too many of them the war was a holy war a battle for the freedom of religion trust in God and keep your powder dry was Cromwell's advice to his soldiers as one day they were crossing a river to attack the enemy for four years the war went on the royalist leaders were Lord Vincy and the King's nephew Prince Rupert Prince Rupert was so fiery and eager in battle that he was called dashing Prince Rupert but although he was very brave he was not a good general and often did rash things the chief of the round head leaders were Oliver Cromwell, Ierton and Fairfax many battles were fought sometimes one side winning, sometimes the other but at last at a battle called Nasibi the Cavaliers were utterly defeated then Charles lost all hope he had no money left and very few friends he felt that his cause was ruined and thinking that the Scots would be kinder to him than the English he gave himself up to them the Scots and the English were still friends and they agreed that if Charles would grant to England the same kind of religion as Scotland they would set him on the throne again but Charles would not promise this so the Scots gave him up to the parliamentarians when the war was over it was found that neither king nor parliament ruled the land but the army the king being now a prisoner the parliament said there was no longer any need for the army and told the soldiers to go back to their homes but the soldiers refused to go they knew how powerful they had become and they resolved to become yet more powerful and get possession of the king one evening a man called Cornette Joyce with about eight hundred soldiers behind him rode to the house in which King Charles was kept a prisoner going into the king's room he told him politely and kindly that he had come to take him away after some talk Charles said he was willing to go but as it was now late Cornette Joyce must come again in the morning accordingly at six o'clock next morning the king rose and going out to the courtyard found Joyce and all his soldiers waiting there mounted and ready I pray you Mr. Joyce said the king as he looked at the company men in steel armor deal honestly with me and show me your commission by a commission the king meant a letter to say that Joyce really had orders to take him away here is my commission said Joyce where? said the king here said Joyce where? again asked the king behind me said Joyce pointing to the mounted soldiers I hope it will satisfy your majesty then Charles smiled and said it is as fair a commission and as well written as ever I have seen a commission in my life it may be read without spelling but what if I refuse to go with you I hope you would not force me I am your king and you ought not to lay violent hands upon your king I acknowledge none to be above me here but God we will not hurt you your majesty replied Joyce may we will not even force you to come with us against your will so Charles consented to go with them and ask how far do you intend to ride as far as your majesty can conveniently ride replied Joyce I can ride as far as you or as any man here said Charles smiling and so they set out in this way the king became the prisoner of the army instead of the prisoner of the parliament end of chapter 77 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on Monday August 21st 2006 at Hugh McGuire's house in Montreal Canada our island story chapter 78 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H.E. Marshall chapter 78 the story of how the king was brought to his death God gives not kings the style of gods in vain or on the throne his scepter do they sway and as their subjects ought them to obey so king should fear and serve their god again if then you would enjoy a happy reign observe the statutes of our heavenly king and from his law may call your laws to spring if his lieutenant here you would remain reward the just be steadfast true and plain repress the proud maintaining either right walk always so as ever in his sight who guards the godly plaguing the profane and so shall you in princely virtue shine resembling right your mighty king divine this poetry was written by James to his son and perhaps it would have been better both for James and Charles had they tried to rule as the poem says kings ought to rule after Charles became the prisoner of the army letters and messages passed continually between him and parliament and between him and the leaders of the army both parties offered to replace the king upon the throne if he would only promise them certain things but these things Charles would not promise for all the time he was secretly plotting with his friends and hoping to free himself the leaders of the army treated Charles very kindly allowing him to see his friends and to have a great deal of liberty this made it easy for him to escape which he did and fled to carriesbrook castle in the Isle of Wight but although he thought that he was going to friends he found that he was again a prisoner a more carefully guarded than before the struggle for power between parliament and army still went on but Cromwell was master of the army and he meant to be master of parliament too but one day when parliament was about to meet a man called Colonel Pride surrounded the house with soldiers as they arrived each member who would not do exactly as Cromwell and the other army leaders wished was seized and turned away when this was done there were only about 50 members left this was called Pride's Purge because he purged or cleaned away all those who did not think exactly as he did it was still the long parliament that was sitting but people now called it the Rump Parliament because it was not a real parliament but only part of one Cromwell was master of king and parliament but the army was too strong even for him against his will he was driven to do a deed from which he shrank he was driven to condemn the king to death Charles was accused of high treason against the nation and was brought to London to be tried this was a crime which had never been heard of before as high treason means a crime against the ruler more than a hundred men were called as judges of the king but scarcely half of them came many of them were angry with Charles and wished him to be punished but the punishment for treason they knew was death and they did not wish the king to be killed the judges assembled at Westminster Hall and King Charles was brought before them as a prisoner they who had always stood bare-headed in his presence now sat with their hats upon their heads seeing that Charles too kept on his hat but it was seen that his hair which had been very beautiful had grown gray and that he looked old and worn Charles had been foolish he had been wicked but now in the face of death he behaved with the dignity of a king the men who sat before him he said had no right to judge or condemn him he would not plead for mercy three times he was brought before the court three times he refused to plead at last the judges without further trial sentenced him to death as a tyrant a traitor a murderer and a public enemy calm and dignified as ever Charles walked out of the hall after the sentence had been pronounced God bless your Majesty cried a soldier as he passed struck by his officer for daring to say such words we think said the king pausing and smiling at the man the punishment is greater than the fault three days later Charles the king walked for the last time through the streets of London from St. James's Palace to Whitehall the way was lined with soldiers soldiers marched in front of him and behind him the air was filled with the noise of trampling feet and the sound of drums the scaffold was raised outside the Palace of Whitehall and hundreds of people crowded to see the dreadful end of their king from enjoy very many in grief and awe Charles knelt by the block commit deep silence when a man in a black mask held up the king's head crying behold the head of a traitor a grown burst from the shattering crowd he nothing common did domain upon that memorable scene but with his keen eye the axers edge did dry nor call the gods with vulgar spite to vindicate his helpless right but bowed his comely head down as upon a bed end of Chapter 78 Our Island Story Chapter 79 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 79 The Commonwealth The Adventures of a Prince King Charles was beheaded on the 30th of January 1649 A.D. and Parliament immediately proclaimed that kings were bad and useless so England would have no more the government would be a commonwealth common here means belonging to all and wealth although we now use it to mean money at one time meant well-being or happiness Commonwealth really means the well-being or happiness of all no one was to be greater than another all were to be equal the House of Lords was therefore they said useless and dangerous and they did away with it they also made it a crime for anyone to call Prince Charles King although he was the eldest son of Charles the First the people of Scotland and Ireland however were very angry when they heard what had happened the Scots had never wished the king to be killed they had hoped to force him to rule better now that he was dead they proclaimed his son Charles King at the same time the Irish rebelled and Cromwell and his Ironsides went to subdue them very many of the Irish were Roman Catholics and some years before they had risen and cruelly murdered the Irish Protestants Cromwell hated the Roman Catholics and he intended now to punish them for their cruelty to the Protestants as well as for rebelling against the Commonwealth as the Government of Britain was now called Cromwell remained nine months in Ireland and so cruel and pitiless was he that for many years no Irishman could hear his name without a shutter and a curse the country was utterly subdued many of the people were killed others were sent as slaves to the West Indies and all who could fled to far countries to escape the fury of Cromwell when he had finished this dreadful work Cromwell returned to England and then marched into Scotland the Ironsides had never been defeated and now they won battle after battle and at last Charles decided to march into England and fight for his crown there Cromwell was very much astonished when he heard what Charles was doing and he hurried after him as fast as he could the English did not flock to join Charles as he had expected and when the two armies met at Worcester Cromwell's army was nearly twice as large a dreadful battle followed the Scots fought gallantly for their prince but they were utterly defeated hardly unescaped and those who were not killed were sold as slaves Cromwell called this battle his crowning mercy for with it Charles lost all hope of regaining his kingdom it was fought on what Cromwell used to think was his lucky day the 3rd of September Charles fled from Worcester and had many adventures before he reached safety great rewards were offered to anyone Cromwell where he was hiding punishment and death threatened those who helped him yet so many were faithful to him that he escaped he cut off his beautiful hair stained his face and white hands brown and instead of silk and satin he put on coarse clothes which were much patched and darned so that he looked like a laboring man then with an axe over his shoulder he went into the woods with four brothers who really were working men and pretended to cut wood all day long they stayed in the wood and moved to another place there they found so many of Cromwell's men that it was not safe for Charles to stay in a house that night he slept in a hayloft next day finding that even there he was not safe he climbed into an oak tree and lay among the branches as it was September the leaves were very thick and hit him well Charles lay very still and quiet his heart thumped against his ribs and he held his breath when some of Cromwell's soldiers rode under the tree they were so close that he could hear them talk one into our hands said one yay he cannot be a far off we will use well our eyes for chance the Lord may deliver them a lignanth even unto us but the kind green leaves kept close and little did the round heads think that the very man for whom they were looking was close above their heads and could hear every word they said for a whole long day Charles lay in the oak and at last Cromwell's men, having searched and searched in vain for him, went away then Charles climbed down from the tree and walked many weary miles till his feet were blistered and sore and his bones ached at length he reached the house of a royalist lady and gentleman who were kind to him the lady pretended that she had to go on a journey to visit a sick friend Charles was dressed as her servant and mounted upon a horse and the lady got up behind him in those days before there were trains or even coaches ladies very often travelled like this they did not ride upon a horse by themselves but mounted behind a servant or a friend for many miles Charles travelled as this lady's servant having many adventures and escapes by the way as Charles was supposed to be the servant he had of course to look after the horse one evening as he went into the stable yard of the inn in which they were to spend the night he found it full of Cromwell's men one of them looked hard at the prince my friend he said I seem to know your face like enough replied Charles I have travelled a good deal with my masters Shirley said the man you were with Mr. Baxter replied the prince calmly I was with him but now make way my man till I see after my beast I will talk to you later so Charles busied himself with his horse and escaped from the man who took him to be a fellow servant after many dangers often being recognised in spite of his disguises the prince arrived at Lyme Regis and there a little boat was found to take him over to France but when the captain's wife heard who was going to sail in her husband's boat she was afraid that Cromwell might hear of it so she told him he must not go I must go said the captain I have promised you shall not go said his wife and seeing that talking did no good she locked him into a room and took the key away Charles and his friends waited in vain for the captain and at last they left Lyme Regis in despair after more adventures they reached Brighton and there they really did find a boat and a captain willing to take them over to France the evening before starting Charles was having supper at a little inn in Brighton when the landlord came behind him and kissed his hand again he had been recognised but the landlord was faithful and would not betray him God bless your majesty he said perhaps I may live to be a lord and my good wife a lady he thought that if Charles ever came back to the throne he would not forget those who had helped and served him when he was poor and in trouble for more than six weeks Charles had travelled in fear and danger among his bitter enemies in spite of his disguises many people had recognised him yet not one had betrayed him instead they had taken a great deal of trouble and run many risks to help and save him and now his difficulties and dangers were over very early next morning while it was still almost dark the little party crept down to the shore in the grey dawn Charles stepped on board the boat the sails were set and slowly he was carried away from his kingdom which he was not to see again for many long days End of Chapter 79 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on Monday the 21st of August 2006 at Humaguire's house in Montreal, Canada Our Island Story Chapter 80 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 80 The Commonwealth The Law Protector The British had hardly done fighting at home when they had to fight with enemies abroad They went to war with the Dutch who at this time had a very famous admiral called Van Tromp English too had a famous admiral called Blake The Dutch and the British had several reasons for quarrelling each tried to spoil the trade of the other the Dutch would not acknowledge the new British government this made the parliament very angry several fierce battles were fought at sea and when the Dutch won Van Tromp hoisted a broom to his mast head it's a sign that he intended to sweep the British ships from the seas Blake and the English were very angry at this they built and manned more ships as fast as they could and once more sailed out to fight the Dutch when the two fleets met the fiercest and longest battle of the sea war took place for three days they fought but in the end Blake was victorious and bravely though he had fought Van Tromp was obliged to lower his proud broom and sweep the remainder of his own fleet homeward it was now about four years since King Charles had been beheaded Cromwell was the strongest man in the country yet no real ruler had been appointed and the Rump Parliament was acting neither wisely nor well Cromwell made up his mind to put an end to this so one day he marched the parliament at the head of about 300 of his soldiers he himself went into the house leaving some of his soldiers at the door some in the lobby and some on the stairs he sat down in his usual place and listened for some time to the talking and suddenly he rose up and began to speak he told the parliament that the things which they did were unjust they were tyrants and worse but your hour hath come he cried the Lord have done with you and putting on his hat he stamped with his foot and the soldiers rushed in I will put an end to your babbling he shouted and at a signal from their master the soldiers drove the members out of the hall Cromwell calling out insulting names at them as they passed the speaker refused to leave the chair and tried to address the members but in the noise and confusion he could not make himself heard then one of Cromwell's friends took him by the arm and forced him to go in a few minutes the hall was cleared of everyone except Cromwell's soldiers and followers on the table lay the mace the mace is the sign of the dignity and the lawfulness of parliament it is carried before the speaker as he enters and leaves the house and lies on the table while the members talk together it is the sign of law and order just as the scepter is the sign of royalty and rule Cromwell did not like any form of ceremony he thought it was foolish and wicked take away that bauble he said angrily pointing to the mace so it was removed Cromwell's friends then left the house he himself coming last and locking the doors after him this was the end of the long parliament it had lasted for 13 years Cromwell and his friends now set to work to form a new parliament and one more to their liking than the last had been instead of allowing the people to choose the members Cromwell himself chose them but this parliament did not please him much better than the last and in less than 5 months it was again dissolved Cromwell was now asked to become ruler some of his friends wished him to take the title of king but he refused chiefly because he knew that his greatest friends were the soldiers and they hated the name of king if he took that name he was sure that they would turn against him and become his worst enemies so he became ruler under the title Lord Protector Cromwell was not crowned and anointed as kings were but there was a very solemn service held when a beautiful purple robe was placed upon his shoulders the sword of office bottled to his side and the scepter put into his hand he was truly king in everything but name Cromwell was not only a king but a very stern and autocratic one he wanted his own way quite as much as the stewards had done only he really thought of the good of the country and the stewards thought only of themselves the troubles of the civil war now began to pass away and under the stern rule of the Lord Protector Britain began once more to be peaceful and prosperous at home and famous abroad all the Protestants of Europe looked to Cromwell for help and protection and so powerful was his name that he could always give help kings bowed and obeyed when Cromwell commanded and Britain was famous as she had not been since the days of Elizabeth her soldiers were the best in the world her admirals won for her the name of mistress of the seas a name which she has kept ever since yet the man who had won this great place for Britain lived in terror of his life he was a tyrant and like all tyrants he was bitterly hated and he knew it under his clothes he wore armour he always carried weapons and wherever he went he was followed and surrounded by a strong bodyguard no one ever knew where he would sleep or he moved about from room to room in his great palace lest someone should attack him while he rested at last, worn out in body and brain the great Lord Protector died on 3rd of September 1658 AD it was his lucky day he first put arms in religion's hand with his conscience and to courage manned the soldier taught that inward mail to wear and fearing God how they should nothing fear those strokes he said will pierce through all below where those that strike from heaven fetch their blow astonished armies did their flight to prepare and city strong were stormed by his prayer in all his wars needs musty triumph when he conquered God's still air he fought with men end of part 80 our island story chapter 81 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schallenberg our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 81 Charles II how the king came to his own and how the king came to his own and how the king came to his own and how death walked in the streets of London Oliver Cromwell had been so strong and powerful that it seemed quite natural to the people to choose his son Richard as the next protector but Richard was a very different man from his father he had not that in him which makes a great soldier or a great ruler the army, the parliament and the people soon found this out and troubles began in a few months Richard gave up his office of protector and went away to live quietly in his house in the country the people were tired of being ruled by the army they were tired of the gloom and the sternness of the Puritans they remembered with regret the days of Charles I when people dressed in gay colours when they sang and played when it was not thought wicked to have Christmas games or village dances and they longed for these days to come again they forgot how cruel and bad Charles had been they remembered that he had a son the son whom the Scots had already crowned king General Monk who had ruled Scotland under Cromwell the Scots had never forgotten their king so thinking great things but saying little he began to march to London the parliament and the army were already quarreling and as Monk passed through England people flocked to him from all sides begging him to try to bring peace and order into the country again this was what Monk meant to do how he had not settled but letters and messages were secretly passing between him and Charles who was at this time living in Holland at last Monk reached London and one day when parliament was sitting and told the members that there was a messenger at the door with a letter from Charles amid great excitement the messenger was brought in and the letter read it promised pardon to all those who had rebelled against Charles the first it promised freedom to all to worship God as they thought right it seemed to bring once more the promise of happiness and peace to Britain the people rejoiced and shouted God save the king the Commonwealth was at an end Britain had a king again a few days later Charles landed at Dover where he was met by Monk and made the cheers and rejoicing of the people rode to London Charles landed upon his birthday the 29th of May 1660 AD and people thought it was a good sign that he should have arrived upon such a happy day the soldiers alone did not rejoice they had always hated the name of king they hated it still and when Charles II rode gaily into London the army which was drawn up on Blackheath to do him honour stood sullen gloomy and silent for more than ten years the army had been the greatest power in the country but Charles saw that because the soldiers disliked him for him it was a danger rather than a safeguard so he disbanded the army and sent the soldiers back to their homes Charles was very glad to return to his own country from being poor and homeless he had become the ruler over one of the greatest kingdoms in the world but in spite of all he had suffered he had not learned to be kind or good as soon as Charles was safely on the throne he forgot all the promises which he had made many of the people who had helped to put Charles the first to death were punished some of them being beheaded the old quarrels about religion began again as fiercely as ever for the king was a Roman Catholic at heart although he dared not own it and pretended to belong to the church of England the new parliament was called the Cavalier parliament because it was so full of the king's friends and they made laws which were very hard for the Puritans and Presbyterians Scotland suffered much from these laws and Charles sent a cruel man called Lauderdale to govern for him there he helped by another man called Claverhouse tortured and put to death all those who would not worship God as the king commanded during the reign of Charles II there was another war between the Dutch and the British the Dutch had good ships brave sailors and brave leaders the British too were brave but their ships were badly managed the money which should have been used to pay and feed the sailors was wasted by the king and his friends the war however went fiercely on sometimes one side sometimes the other having the best of it but the Dutch grew very bold and at last sailed up the Pems burning and destroying many of the British ships then for the only time in all history the roar of an enemy's guns was heard in London the people went mad with fear and shame and anger they thought the kingdom itself was threatened and recalling the days of Gromwell asked themselves if he would have suffered an enemy so to insult his country but the danger passed and peace was made while this war was going on a terrible sickness called the plague broke out in London it began in winter time at first no one thought much about it for such sickness was common in those days when people were careless about keeping their houses and towns clean but as the days became warmer the plague became worse and soon it was so terrible that all who could fled from the town it was a dreadful time no business was done the shops were shut, the churches were empty the streets which used to be so full of people hurrying to and fro were silent deserted and grass-grown as soon as it became known in a house had the plague all who lived in that house were forbidden to leave it lest they should carry the dreadful sickness to others then the door was marked with a great red cross and the words the Lord have mercy on us at night the awful silence of the streets was broken by the sounds of heavy rumbling carts and the mournful cry of the men in charge of them bring out your dead bring out your dead for those who had died of this sickness could not be buried in a peaceful green churchyard where their friends could come to put flowers upon their graves it was too many of them for that those who died during the day were carried away in a cart at night and buried all together in a great grave which was dug for them outside the town the story is told of a boatman who, when his wife became ill of the plague, could no longer go near his house but slept in his boat he worked hard all day and in the evening used to bring what he had earned and lay it upon a stone not far from his house then he would go a little distance off and call to his wife when she heard his call she sent one of their children out to take the money and the food which he had brought they would speak to each other for a short time at a distance and then the boatman would go away again, sad at heart wondering if his wife and children would still be alive when he came again next evening but at least he knew that his dear ones would not die of hunger as so many of the poor people did whose friends had run away and deserted them this dreadful sickness was greatly caused and made much worse by the dirt of the streets and the houses in those days no one thought of keeping the streets clean people threw all the rubbish from their houses into them and poisoning the air the streets too were very narrow and windows small so that little air or light could come into the houses in fact people never thought about fresh air and light the doctors did not know how to cure this sickness make-believe doctors offered the people all kinds of medicines which could do no good but which were eagerly bought many went mad with terror and horror and at one time a thousand people died every day but at last the dreadful summer passed and with the coming of the winter and the frost the terrible sickness gradually disappeared End of Chapter 81 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on August 21st 2006 at Humaguire's house in Montreal, Canada Our Island Story Chapter 82 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 82 The story of how London was burned After the plague had passed away another dreadful misfortune happened to London at least at the time it seemed like a misfortune but really it was a good thing This was a great fire which caused much of the city to be burned to the ground Many of the dirty houses and narrow streets were destroyed and with them the last remnants of the dreadful plague were also burned away When the houses were built again they were made better and the streets were made wider so that the great fire was not altogether a misfortune The fire first broke out in a baker's shop as most of the houses were built of wood and the summer had been unusually hot and dry flames spread very fast they leapt from house to house and the people seeing that it was useless to try save their dwellings tried rather to save their furniture and belongings by carrying them to other houses but sometimes as soon as they had done this the fire would attack these too and the people had to fly still further away often in the end losing all that they possessed for three days and nights the fire blazed and roared a great cloud of smoke hung over the city by day but at night there was no darkness but the flames made it brighter than by day the air was hot and stifling at last no one could go near the fire so great was the heat the earth seemed a blazing furnace and the sky as if it was beaten out of burning copper to stop the fire seemed impossible it must burn and burn until nothing more was left to destroy so houses were pulled down in order to make a gap between the burning ones and those which were still safe but the work went on too slowly and before the gap was big enough the fire had reached the workers and they had to flee for their lives at last someone thought of the plan of blowing up the houses with gunpowder this was done and when the hungry flames reached the open spaces left by the houses which had been destroyed they died away for they could not overleap the ruins and attack the houses beyond so the roar and crackle of the flames ceased and the great cloud of smoke rolled away until London from the tower to Temple Bar was left a smouldering blackened ruin and 200,000 people were homeless in memory of the great fire a monument was raised on the spot where it first broke out and may still be seen to this day so fearful were people at that time about plots and so bitter was the feeling about religion that many thought that the fire had been caused on purpose by the Roman Catholics but there was never any real reason for believing this and now everyone thinks that it happened by accident about this time the King of France became very greedy and wanted more land and power than he had a right to possess to prevent him succeeding in his plans to get these three other countries in Europe joined together forming what was called the triple alliance the three countries were Britain, Holland and Sweden triple means three and alliance means to join together and the triple alliance was called so because three countries joined together as you know the French and English were old enemies and this alliance pleased the English so the Charles was forced to join it although he really did not care whether the French King was powerful or not Charles thought most about his own pleasure he spent a great deal of money and he could not always make the commons give him more when he wanted it now he thought of a new way of getting money he wrote secret letters to the King of France offering to break with the triple alliance and to help him to fight against the Dutch this he said he would do if the King of France would promise to give him a large sum of money every year the King of France promised and so Charles disgraced himself and his country not only by breaking his word but by becoming the servant of the King of France openly he pretended to be a Protestant and the friend of Protestants secretly he was a Roman Catholic and the friend of Roman Catholics for a time Charles kept up the pretence of the triple alliance and by telling the parliament that he must have more sailors in order to keep a check upon the French King he got a large sum of money from them he got still more money in other wicked ways and then to the anger of the people he made war on the Dutch but if France was greedy and Britain false Holland was strong and stubborn bravely she fought under her great leader William Prince of Orange in two years Charles came to the end of his money and he was forced to sign a peace called the peace of Westminster and leave France to fight alone but he still continued to receive money from the French King Charles was called the Merry Monarch because he was gay and laughter loving the people were glad at first to have so gay a King for they were tired of the stern ways of Cromwell and the Puritans but they soon found out that Charles was selfish and wicked as well as gay and the main proved a very unhappy one for Britain there was constant discontent there were constant plots the King plotted, Parliament plotted Protestants plotted and Catholic plotted but out of all the misery and discontent and injustice of these years one good thing at least grew this good thing was the passing of the habeas corpus act it was indeed no new act it was as old as the great charter of King John but like much in that great charter it had been set aside by King after King by this act no person could be put into prison and left there as long as the King pleased or until he was forgotten by all his friends it commanded that every person should be brought to trial and either punished or set free habeas corpus is Latin for have his body and means that the body of the prisoner must be brought into court at a certain time to be tried instead of being left in prison for a long long time or perhaps sent into slavery and exile without any trial or any chance of proving himself innocent this act is at least one good thing to remember of the reign of Charles II who died in 1685 AD having reigned for 25 years he died as he had lived careless, witty, laughter loving he was clever and he said that he never said a foolish thing and never did a wise one he was lazy, selfish and deceitful, a bad man and a bad king yet Charles found both men and women to love him during his life and to sorrow for him at his death because he was clever, good-tempered and had pleasant manners during the reign of Charles II an act had been passed forbidding Roman Catholics to hold any public office yet in spite of this law James was made king James promised that he would not hurt the Protestant churches he allowed a bishop of the church of England to ground him but part of the coronation service was missed that part at which the king used to receive a Bible and be told to read and believe it the new king's cruel character soon began to show itself by his orders and in his hands he was told to read and to believe it he was told to read and to believe it he was told to read and to believe it he was given to show itself by his orders and in the name of religion Claverhaus continued to murder and torture the Scots in most terrible ways because they refused again to accept the teaching of the English church more wicked still in England a man called Chief Justice Jeffries by his cruelties made for himself a name which has never been forgotten he was a monster an ogre more fierce and terrible than in any fairytale but James was not allowed to take possession of the kingdom without a struggle in Holland numbers of Protestants and in England were gathered together they felt that now was the time to return and fight for they knew that many of their fellow countrymen must hate a Catholic king one of these exiled Protestants a brave Scotchman called the Earl of Argyle agreed to raise an army in Scotland and an English noble called the Duke of Monmouth agreed to raise one in England Monmouth thought that he had a better right to the throne than James and with the help of Argyle he hoped to be able to drive James from the throne and become king himself the English people knew and loved Monmouth in the life of Charles there had been a plot to set him upon the throne when everything was arranged the Earl of Argyle sailed from Holland with his little band of followers and landed in Scotland he was one of the most powerful of the Scottish nobles although when he had fled from the country in the reign of Charles the king had taken his land and the money from him he knew that he could trust to his clan to rise and follow him as soon as he returned in those days there were no telegraphs and no postmen there were even few roads among the wild islands and the need of his men he gathered them by means of a sign which all could understand this sign was the fiery cross a rough cross was made from the wood of a yew tree the ends of this cross were set alight and afterwards the flames were put out by being dipped in the blood of a goat the chief with his own hands then solemnly gave the cross to a swift runner this man took it and ran as swiftly as he could to the next village when the men of this village saw the fiery cross they said, our chief has need of us and they at once prepared for battle was put into the hands of another swift runner who carried it over hill and glen to the next village on and on it went through all the countryside the men in each village and farmhouse understanding what was needed of them and without a word gathering to their chief so it was that the clan Campbell gathered round their chieftain, Mack Cullum Moore as they loved to call Argyle but although the Earl's men were loyal to him those who had come from Holland with him to serve as his captains would not agree and would not obey the courtesy of their leader was so great that his army became disheartened and was scattered almost before there had been any real fighting the Earl was once more forced to flee dressed as a peasant and followed by only one faithful friend he tried to escape but as they were crossing a little river they were seized by some of the king's soldiers the Earl to save himself sprang into the water but the soldiers followed him he was armed only with pistols and in his spring into the water the powder had been wet and they would not fire he was struck to the ground and taken prisoner when Argyle saw that it was useless to struggle anymore he called out I am the Earl of Argyle he knew what a great name his was and he hoped that even the king's soldiers would tremble before it and let him go but his name could not save him and he was led a prisoner to Edinburgh there the judges tried in vain to make him tell who were with him in the rebellion he would not tell and he was condemned to death bravely and calmly he met his fate one of the last things he did was to write to his wife dear heart forgive me all my faults and now comfort thyself in him in whom only true comfort is to be found the Lord be with thee bless and comfort thee my dearest adieu on his grave were carved some lines which he himself wrote the day before he died although Argyle had refused to give the names of the other leaders of the rebellion many were seized and beheaded to one of them James said you had better be frank with me you know it is in my power to pardon you there replied the man but it is not in your nature the man was right James never forgave end of chapter 83 read by Kara Schellenberg kray.org on august 26th 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 84 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 84 James 2nd of England and 7th of Scotland the story of King Monmouth a few days after Argyle reached Scotland the Duke of Monmouth sailed from Holland and landed in England he was received with great joy the common people flocked to his standard many of them armed only with scythes and pruning hooks pass into poles 900 young men marched before him 20 beautiful girls gave him a Bible splendidly bound with cells embroidered roads wherever he went were lined with cheering crowds and Monmouth and Monmouth the Protestant religion they cried as he passed the Duke's followers begged him to take the title of King so on 20th June 1685 AD the same day on which Argyle was led captive through Edinburgh Monmouth was proclaimed King at Taunton a little town in the south of England but like the real King he was named James so instead of calling him King James his followers called him King Monmouth Monmouth did not enjoy his title long in the dark of the early morning of 6th of July a battle was fought between King James' men and the followers of Monmouth on the plain of Sedgemore Monmouth fought bravely but when he saw that his men were being defeated he turned and fled away leaving them leaderless and hopeless this was the last real battle ever fought on English ground Monmouth tried to escape in disguise he changed clothes with a poor shepherd but the country was so full of the King's soldiers that he found it impossible to get away for several days he lived in the fields hiding in ditches and having nothing to eat but raw peas and beans at last miserable and ragged half starving from cold and hunger he was discovered by the soldiers and taken prisoner to London bound with a cord of silk he was led before King James and falling upon his knees he begged for mercy and forgiveness but James never forgave Monmouth like so many other men good and bad was beheaded the anger and vengeance of the King did not end with the death of Monmouth his soldiers under a dreadful man called Kirk tortured and murdered in a terrible manner the poor rebels who escaped from Sedgemore Judge Jeffries followed next and so many people did he kill such terrible things did he do that his journey through the country was forever after called the bloodier size a size means court of justice at certain times in England judges make what is called a circuit or journey through the country and when they judge and punish but on this dreadful journey Judge Jeffries did not do justice he did wrong and murder and King James praised and rewarded him for it End of chapter 84 Our Island Story Chapter 85 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 85 James II of England and the 7th of Scotland The Story of the Seven Bishops Having put down two rebellions James made up his mind to turn Britain into a Roman Catholic country once more It was against the law for a Roman Catholic to hold any public office but in spite of that James began to turn away Protestants from many posts and to put Roman Catholics in their places The people grew more and more angry but still James took his own way more and bolder At last he issued what was called the Declaration of Indulgence In this declaration he said that all the laws against the Roman Catholics and against all others who did not belong to the Church of England and who were called dissenters were done away with James hated the dissenters that is the Puritans and Presbyterians but he thought that if he made them free they would side with him and help him to free the Romish Church also but they did not do so and they would not accept freedom in an unlawful manner The king ordered the declaration to be read in all London churches on Sundays the 20th and 27th of May and in all country churches on Sundays the 3rd and 10th of June but nearly every clergyman in London and in the country refused to obey After a great deal of talking and consulting seven bishops wrote out a paper which they all signed In this paper the bishops told the king that they could not obey him or themselves to be cruelly and unkindly treated but because the laws against these people had been made by Parliament They had been passed by king, lords and commons and could only be recalled by the consent of king, lords and commons The king alone, they reminded him had no power to recall a law and in ordering the clergy to read the declaration of indulgence in the churches the king was ordering them to break the law This they refused to do By the time that this letter was written and signed it was late on Friday evening there was no time to be lost and the bishops took it at once to the king He received them kindly but when he read the letter his face grew dark and angry This is rebellion, he said Sire said the bishops We are not rebels, we are true to your majesty We wish to keep the laws of the land I tell you it is rebellion, repeated James Then one of the bishops who was called Trelawney fell upon his knees Sire, he cried, do not say so hard a thing to us No Trelawney can be a rebel Remember that my family has fought for the crown Remember how we served your majesty against Monmouth We are ready to die at your majesty's feet cried another We helped to put down one rebellion Why should we raise another This is rebellion, this is rebellion I will be obeyed, replied the king growing more and more angry I will keep this paper I will remember you who have signed it You are rebels, go The bishops went to the cities of the letter which they had written to the king were printed and sold to thousands of joyful people who in reading it knew that seven brave men were fighting for their freedom On Sunday morning the excitement was great people crowded to the churches in thousands Would the clergy read the declaration or would they not was the question which everybody asked It was soon answered in only four of the hundred London churches was it read In these four churches as soon as the first words were heard the people rose and streamed out so that when the reading was at an end the churches were silent and empty A week passed the second Sunday came again thousands thronged to the churches again the declaration was unread excitement grew another week passed Would the country churches read the declaration or would they not That question too was answered The country clergy like the London clergy refused and the land from end to end seemed to be filled with an outburst of joy Then the king ordered the seven bishops who had written the letter and who had set the brave example to be sent to the tower As soon as this became known the whole river was crowded with boats and the banks thronged with people eager to see the bishops as they passed on their way to prison When the bishops appeared the people fell on their knees begging for a blessing All the way from Whitehall to the tower the air was full of shouts of God bless your lordships It was like a royal procession rather than like rebels being led to prison As the bishops entered the traitors gate they felt before them begging too for a blessing and in the guardhouse the rough soldiers drank to the health of the brave bishops All the next day to the anger of the king great people crowded to visit the bishops to cheer and comfort them in prison and when ten of the chief dissenters went to see them his anger knew no bounds He called these dissenters before him to scold them and ask what they meant by visiting their enemies We are all protestants they replied it is our duty to forget old quarrels and stand by the men who are fighting for the liberties of protestant religion For a week the bishops were kept in prison while all over the country people wondered anxiously what would happen to them Bishop Trelawney belonged to Cornwall the people there loved him very much and they made a song about him of which the chorus was and shall Trelawney die and shall Trelawney die then 30,000 Cornish boys will know the reason why After being kept in prison for a week the bishops were brought to court to be tried the excitement was tremendous the king and his friends did all they could but it was in vain the judges and the jury said that the bishops had done no wrong and they were set free from street to street the joyful news spread like wildfire bells rang cannon boomed bonfires blazed people cheered and wept and sang another battle had been fought for freedom another victory won and all England seemed mad with the joy of it at night the houses were lit up in nearly every window a row of seven candles appeared each bishop the streets were filled with rejoicing people and not until they dawn and the bells began to ring for morning service did the weary happy crowds go to their homes End of Chapter 85 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kra.org on August 26th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 86 This is a LibriVolks recording All LibriVolks recordings are in the public domain For more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVolks.org Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall Chapter 86 James II of England and 7th of Scotland William the Deliberer Anyone could see that the people were everywhere ready for rebellion The King alone would not see it and went on in his own way He was angry and silent but very obstinate I will not give way he said He lost his head by giving way and he resolved to punish the people But James had gone too far the people were weary of a popish tyrant and they made up their minds to have a Protestant king so they asked William Prince of Orange to come to rule over them the prince against whom Charles II had fought in the Dutch walls William had some claim to the throne I will explain how Charles I had a daughter called Mary She married a Prince of Orange called William and their son also called William was now Prince of Orange He was thus the nephew of Charles II and of James II and besides this he had married his cousin Mary the eldest daughter of James II Although their father James was a Roman Catholic Mary and her sister Anne were both Protestants and except for their little brother who was at this time a tiny baby Mary was the next heir to the throne of Britain so when the British saw that James meant to rule as a tyrant that there was no hope of any freedom or happiness for them as long as he was king they sent messages to Holland begging William to come to take the crown William consented to come and began to gather his ships and men and one day a letter reached James telling him what the Prince of Orange was doing as James read he turned pale and the letter dropped from his hand he had thought that he might ill treat the people as he liked now he discovered his mistake and tried to undo the evil he had done it was too late his people had forsaken him William was ready to sail but for some days he was prevented because of the wind which blew from the west at last it changed and what was known for many years after as the Protestant East wind began to blow it blew the Prince and his great fleet to the shores of Britain more than six hundred ships swept over the water led by William in his vessel called the Brill the mast head floated his standard with the arms of Nassau and of Britain upon it and in great shining letters the words I will maintain the liberties of England and the Protestant religion by night the dark sea glittered for miles with lights by day the white sails glimmered in the wintry sun once before in our story a great conqueror called William had sailed to these shores with mighty ships and men this was no conqueror but a deliverer on the 5th of November 1688 AD William landed at Torbay in Devonshire there the stone upon which he first placed his foot is still to be seen although now it is a town then it was a little lonely village and the Prince had to sleep the first night in a tiny thatched cottage but over it as proudly as over any castle fluttered the great banner with its promise I will maintain the liberties of England and the Protestant religion through rain and wintry weather over roads knee deep in mud the Prince and his army marched northward worn wet and muddy as they were the people crowded everywhere along the way to cheer them the Prince rode upon a beautiful white horse a white feather was in his hat and armor glittered upon his breast his face was grave and stern his eyes keen and watchful he looked a soldier and a king as he rode along an old woman pushed her way through the crowd and afraid neither of the prancing horses nor the drawn swords of the soldiers darted to the side of the Prince she seized his hand looking up into his face with eyes full of tears cried I am happy now I am happy now and the grave and stern William smiled gently as he looked down upon her the deliverer had come James II his Queen and her little boy fled to France no one wanted James no one regretted him to go to France was the best thing he could do and the King there received him kindly and treated him as an honoured guest which was called which arranged that William and Mary should be King and Queen together for although Mary had the better right to the throne she did not wish to reign without her husband nor did he wish to accept a lower rank than that of his wife so ended the glorious revolution it had been brought about with hardly any fighting at all and the war between the King and Parliament was at an end for William and Mary received the throne by the will of Parliament End of Chapter 86 Our Island Story Chapter 87 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 87 William III and Mary II The Story of Brave London Dairy Although most of the people received William and Mary joyfully some, chiefly in Ireland and Scotland still looked upon James as the rightful King In Ireland especially there were many Roman Catholics who would not acknowledge a Protestant King the King of France hated William so he helped James with money and ships which enabled him to set out for Ireland to win his kingdom again James landed at a town called Kinsale and the Irish people welcomed him with great joy but he felt disheartened almost at once for there had already been much fighting and the country through which he had to pass was desolate and deserted and at times he and his men could find hardly enough food to keep them from starving Most of the Protestants had fled from the land or had shut themselves up in the two towns of Eniskillen and Londonderry The soldiers of James besieged both these towns but it was round Londonderry that the greatest fight took place Londonderry is on a river called the Foil and the enemy not only surrounded the town on the land side but they built a bar across the river so that no ships could come to the town with food or help The walls were weak and the cannon few and the Irish thought that the town could not hold out for long The governor too was a cowardly man and did his best to dishearten the people until it was suspected that he was a traitor Indeed he would have given in but a brave old clergyman called Walker marched into his pulpit one morning with a sword in one hand and a Bible in the other and preached such a rousing sermon that the people took heart and never lost it again through all the long weeks of hunger and suffering which they had to endure and dreadful time The people had hardly anything to eat but they held bravely on hoping against hope that help would come to them from England But day after day passed and no help came Rats, mice, dogs, and horses all were eaten only tallow and skins remain Still they held on The soldiers were so weak at last from want of food that they could hardly stand far less fight They resolved to hold out for two days longer Then the end must come But just as the sun was setting the day before they were going to give in the eager watchers on the walls saw the gleam of sails fire down the river Help, help at last How their hearts beat, how they shouted with all the little strength they had as nearer and nearer sailed the ships There were three of them On they came with all sails set but how could they pass the dreadful bar which lay right across the river On they came One ship called the Mountjoy took the lead and sailing with all its force as the bar was called With a tremendous noise the boom shivered and cracked but the Mountjoy was not strong enough to break it through The shock was so fierce that the ship was thrown backward and stuck in the mud for the river was shallow A groan rose from the people on the walls and their hearts grew sick with disappointment and fear while the Irish soldiers on the bank cheered with triumphs But as the Mountjoy was thrown back the second ship followed and dashed at the spot which the Mountjoy had hit The boom which was already cracked gave way With the noise of joyful cheers and of tearing, splintering wood he sailed galey over London Dairy was saved That same night eager hands unloaded the ships and for the first time for three months the people had enough to eat A day or two later the army of James burned the tents and cabins in which they had lived while besieging the town and went away But the struggle was not over It lasted until the following year when William himself came to Ireland Then there was a great battle between the soldiers of James called the Battle of the Boyne because it was fought near a river of that name James was beaten and fled again to France and William with a crown upon his head entered Dublin, the acknowledged King of Ireland End of Chapter 87 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on September 7th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our Island Story Chapter 88 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall Chapter 88 William III and Mary II The Story of a Sad Day in a Highland Glen The Friends of James were called Jacobites from Jacobus, which is Latin for James There were many Jacobites in the north of Scotland They rose under Cleverhouse the man who had treated the Covenants so badly and a battle was fought at Kilcranky Pass The Jacobites won the day but their leader was killed so although many of the clans continued to be discontented they were without a leader and could do little The discontent and rebellion went on for a year or two and at last William determined to put an end to it He proclaimed that he would forgive all those who had rebelled if they would take an oath before 1st of January 1692 AD acknowledging him as King and promising to live quietly and peacefully under his rule Those who did not take the oath would be punished All the Highland Chieftains except the Chief of the McDonald's of Glencoe took the oath This Chief was very unwilling to own William as King and he could not bring himself to do so until the very last day Then he started off from his lonely Glen and went to the nearest town where he expected to find one of the King's officers to whom he could swear the oath but to his dismay he found that he had come to the wrong town and that there was no one there who could receive his oath He started off again as quickly as he could to go to the right town The oath was deep winter and travelling was very slow in those days and he was six days late when he arrived However, his oath was accepted and he went home feeling safe and happy But a man called the Master of Stair who was governing Scotland for William and Mary hated all Highlanders and the Campbells and other clan hated the McDonald's So the Campbells and the Master of Stair decided that as the Chief had been a few days late in swearing to obey William they had a good excuse for killing all the McDonald's William was not told that McDonald's had sworn He was made to believe that he had not done so and that the whole clan was a set of robbers and he signed an order for them to be destroyed Although it is said that William did not know what he was doing when he signed this order the oath to have known and the massacre of Glencoe as it is called is the darkest spot on his reign The Master of Stair had the King's order but he did not do his work openly He sent Campbell and his men to live in Glencoe for nearly a fortnight so that McDonald's should suspect nothing The old Chief received the men kindly and treated as his guests those who were ready to betray and murder him At five o'clock one dark winter's morning the Campbells crept silently out of the houses and along the snow covered paths to the scattered cottages A few minutes later the Glen was awake with the sounds of shots and screams Campbell and his soldiers were at their work Without mercy men were killed almost in their sleep Those who were able fled through the darkness and the snow with their wives and children Many of them only to die of cold and hunger among the lonely mountains and glens The soldiers murdered all they could then they set fire to the empty houses and marched away driving before them the cattle and horses belonging to the McDonald's and when the sun rose high over the valley of Glencoe it shone only on blood stained snow and blackened smoking ruins where peaceful homes had been but a few hours before For some time Britain and France had been at war but the French King hated William and acknowledged him as King of Britain William spent a part of every year abroad directing this war and ruling Holland While he was gone Mary ruled in England She governed so well and was so sweet and gentle that the people loved her dearly They loved her far more than they loved William who was so quiet and stern as to seem almost sullen But in 1694 AD Mary became ill of a very dreadful disease called smallpox and died in a few days William had loved her very much and he was very sad when she died I was the happiest man on earth he said to one of his friends now I am the most miserable she had no fault, none, you knew her well but you could not know nobody but myself could know her goodness and if the King sorrowed the whole country sorrowed with him After the death of Mary William ruled alone at last the King of France made peace with William perhaps because he was tired of fighting he was really very dull and stupid By this peace the French King consented to acknowledge William as the rightful King of Britain and to give back the lands he had wrongfully taken from Germany and the other countries he had been fighting against A few years later James died and Louis XIV the French King forgot the promise he had made to William he proclaimed the son of James to be King of Britain under the title of James III This made the British very angry although it really did not matter much that King might call James King of Britain but that could not make him so truly however William wanted to go to war with France again for another reason and this act of the French King decided the people to do so this other reason was that the King of Spain had died and Louis wanted to make his own grandson King of Spain so that France and Spain should in turn come to be one Kingdom but some of the kings in Europe thought that it would be most dangerous to allow this as then the King of France might become more powerful and want more than ever to take lands which did not belong to him so William and the other kings of Europe formed what was called the Grand Alliance and the war which now began was called the War of the Spanish Succession because the quarrel was about who should succeed to the throne of Spain but before war was declared William died he had always been rather ill although in spite of that he had both thought and worked hard and for some time now he had been very unwell the day when he was out riding he was thrown from his horse and broke his collarbone this might not have hurt a strong man but William was not strong and a few days later 8th of March 1702 AD he died William was a great and brave man he did much for Britain yet he was never loved by the people they felt that he was a Dutchman and that he cared more for Holland than for his Kingdom of Britain and that made it difficult for them to love him End of Chapter 88 Our Island Story Chapter 89 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 89 Anne, how the Union Jack was made William and Mary had no children so Mary's sister Anne the younger daughter of James II succeeded to the throne from the very beginning of her reign Britain was at war with France and indeed not only Britain but all Europe was fighting on one side or the other the British troops were led by a famous soldier called Marlborough he won many battles the chief of which were called Blenheim and Ramey this war of the Spanish succession went on for more than 10 years till all Europe was weary of fighting and many places where there had been houses and gardens and green fields were nothing but deserted wildernesses at last a piece was made called the Peace of Utrecht by this treaty Louis acknowledged Anne as the rightful queen of Britain and also promised to send James the pretender as the son of James the seventh was called out of his kingdom and not to help him anymore once before Louis had promised something very like this to William and he did not keep his promise there were other agreements in this treaty one of them being that Britain should keep the strong fortress of Gibraltar in Spain which has belonged to the British ever since Marlborough was a famous soldier but he was also a great statesman and indeed he and his wife the Duchess of Marlborough ruled the Queen for many years he was brave and clever but he was greedy and not quite honest he made many enemies who succeeded at last in having him disgraced and both he and his wife were sent away from court the Duchess had a very bad temper and she was so angry when she had to leave court that she smashed all the furniture in her rooms and threw the Queen's keys at the Duke's head when he was sent to ask for them it was no wonder that the Queen who was gentle and kind had been afraid of the Duchess and had been ruled by her other clever men succeeded Marlborough and another clever woman succeeded the Duchess for Queen Anne was not a strong-minded woman and she allowed herself to be ruled and led by favourites and statesmen like Queen Elizabeth she had many great men around her and although they thought more perhaps of making themselves famous and powerful than of what was best for the country still the country prospered the greatest thing that happened in the reign of Anne was the Parliament of England and Scotland since 1603 AD when James VI of Scotland became king of England there had been very little real union between the two countries for union means oneness and although there had been only one king there had been two parliaments one in England and one in Scotland each making laws sometimes the Scottish Parliament would make laws which the English Parliament thought were dangerous sometimes the English Parliament would make laws which the Scottish Parliament did not like as if the union of the crowns had done no good at all and the two countries were ready to quarrel and separate wise men saw that there could be no real union until there was only one Parliament until English and Scots met and discussed the laws together Cromwell indeed had called English, Scottish and Irish members to his Parliament but it had been for so short a time and in such troubled days that people had almost forgotten about it even now it was not an easy thing to do but at last all difficulties were smoothed away it was agreed among other things that each country should keep its own law courts and its own religion but that they should have the same king the same Parliament, the same money and the same flag and that the country should be called Great Britain the English flag was a red St. George's cross upon a white ground the Scottish flag was a white St. Andrew's cross on a blue ground so to make one flag the two crosses were placed one on the top of the others and they made something very like the Union Jack but not quite the Irish cross of St. Patrick which is the same as a St. Andrew's cross but was red on a white ground was added to the other two then the flag we love was complete the reason we call our flag the Union Jack is because James VI used to sign his name in French Jacques which sounds very like Jack his two flags the English and the Scottish came to be called the Jacks and when the two were made one the flag was called the Union Jack when the Queen gave her consent to the Act of Union which was named she called both Lords and Commons together and made a speech to them I desire and expect from all my subjects of both nations that from henceforth they act with all possible respect and kindness to one another that so it may appear to all the world they have hearts disposed to become one people this will give me great pleasure then the last English Parliament rose and on the 23rd of October 1707 AD the first British Parliament met it was a great state ceremony each Scottish Lord was led to his place by two English Lords the Queen and her royal robes made a speech from the throne in which she heartily welcomed the new members and ever since that day in spite of difficulties and troubles England and Scotland have really been one country Queen Anne died on the 1st of August 1714 AD she was not a great Queen yet her reign will always be remembered as great like Elizabeth she had clever men as her soldiers and advisors and as in the time of Elizabeth too there were many writers whose books are still remembered and read end of chapter 89 read by Kara Schellenberg and two noisy parakeets on September 7th 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 90 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story our H.E. Marshall chapter 90 George I the story of the Earl of Mars hunting party Queen Anne was the last of the stewards and her husband and all her children died before she did she had no near relatives except her brother who was called the pretender he was a Roman Catholic and therefore could not succeed to the throne for in the time of William and Mary a law had been made that no Roman Catholic should ever again wear the crown the people had foreseen that after Queen Anne died there might be quarrels as to who should reign next so that too had been settled by law in the time of William and Mary James I of England had a daughter called Elizabeth who married the king of Bohemia and her grandson George Elector or King of Hanover was the nearest Protestant heir to the throne he was the great grandson of James VI so as soon as Queen Anne died George was proclaimed king in England Scotland and Ireland without any fighting or quarrelling but although his grandmother had been British his wealth was as German as could be and he could not even speak a word of English he was 55 years old when he came to the throne and was too old ever to learn the English language or English ways and manners the Jacobites had never lost hope of having once more a steward king now they felt was the time to try the new king was a German and the people they thought would surely rather have a man of their own country than an old German to reign over them the Earl of Marr making believe asked a number of the Highland glords to his house they came but soon it was seen that it was not deer they made to hunt and a large army gathered round Lord Marr on the standard of James VIII which was the title the pretender took in their caps they wore his badge of Wackaid or Rosette the pretender's standard was of blue silk having on one side the arms of Scotland worked in gold and on the other side the Scottish thistle with the motto Nemo me empoon lassesit which means those who touch me will suffer for it it also had two streamers of white ribbon on one of which were the words for our wronged king and oppressed country and on the other for our lives and liberties there was great rejoicing when the standard was unfurled but scarcely had it been done when the golden ball fell from the top of the staff this made the Highlanders very sad for they were superstitious and thought it meant bad luck but when our standard was set up the golden knob down from the top until the ground did far willy and the second sighted sandy said we'll dine a good at our willy while pipers play free right to left if you fuck wigs away willy in the north of England Lord Doventwater and another gentleman gathered an army of Jacobites and proclaimed James King but neither Lord Ma nor Lord Doventwater were good generals having got their soldiers together they did not seem to know what to do with them so when King George's army met Lord Doventwater's army the Jacobites yielded almost without a struggle and Scotland the Jacobites under Lord Ma and the King's soldiers under the Duke of Argyll met as a place called Sheriff Muir near Dunblane Lord Ma called a council of war and asked his captains shall we fight or shall we go back and all the captains called out fight, fight Lord Ma agreed and they all went to their places no sooner did the Highlanders know they were to fight than a great cheer went through the army every man tossing his cap in the air every Scotchman there was glad at the opportunity of fighting his old enemies the English with broadsaults drawn, collars flying and backpikes playing they rushed to battle but brave and fierce though the Highlanders were they lacked a clever leader so it happened that one half of Ma's soldiers beat one half of Argyll's but the other half of Argyll's beat the other half of Ma's so each side claimed the victory there's some say that we won some say that we won some say that none won at our man but one thing I'm sure that at Sheriff Muir that's all there was which I saw and we ran and they ran and they ran and we ran and we ran and they ran away if we have not gained a victory said one Jack about general we ought to fight Argyll once a week until we make it to one but Ma did nothing and James who had promised to come from France did not arrive so disappointed and discontented many of the chieftains and their followers went home again but at last James landed he was greeted with great joy and rode into Dundee with 300 gentlemen behind him now thought the Jack about we have a king now we will be led to battle and victory but they were again disappointed James was no soldier he was pale, grave and quiet he never smiled and he hardly ever spoke the men soon began to despise him and to ask if he could fight or even speak day after day passed and nothing happened what did you call us to arms for to run away, what did the king come for was it to see his people butchered by hangman and not strike one blow for their lives let us die like men and not like dogs if our king is willing to die like a king there are 10,000 gentlemen who are not afraid to die with him but it was of no use nothing was done the pretenders taking the Earl of Ma with him slunk back to France a beaten man for want of courage to strike a blow and sad and angry the Jack about army melted away some of the leaders escaped to foreign lands, others were taken prisoner to the tower and afterwards beheaded amongst those were Lord Derwent Water this rebellion is known as the 15 because it took place in 1715 AD oh shall success till I again you see may the lost highland lads fight on and near flee when the king sets foot aground and returns from the sea then you'll welcome him home to his own country God bless our royal king from danger keep him free and he conquers all the foals that oppose his majesty God bless the jukemar and all his cavalry who first began the war for a king in our country let the traitor king make haste in out of England flee with all his spurious fists come far beyond the sea then we will crown our royal king with equality and end our days peace in our own country end of chapter 90 and was succeeded by his son George II like his father he was very German but he could speak a little English he had a very clever wife called Queen Caroline and she helped him to rule he had also a very clever prime minister called Walpole Walpole had begun to be powerful under George I and although George II did not like him he still remained in power he was the first peace minister Britain ever had instead of urging the king and people to fight he tried in every way he could to keep the peace he saw that the best thing for the country was to be at peace he saw that it was best for the people to have time to sow and reap to build ships, to make goods and to trade with other countries and that they could neither have time nor money to do this if they were always fighting so he would not fight and Britain grew prosperous but the people did not all think as Walpole did a quarrel with Spain arose and try how he might Walpole could not keep the peace and war was declared strange to say the people rejoiced at the news that Bonfires and rang bells as if some great good fortune had befallen the country they may ring their bells now said Walpole sadly but they will soon be ringing their hands the peace which had lasted twenty years was broken and Walpole was quite right when he said that the people would soon be ringing their hands for the war with Spain was a miserable failure and brought much trouble and sorrow upon them this war was followed by another called the War of the Austrian Succession the emperor of Austria died leaving his kingdom to his daughter Maria Teresa but some of the kings of Europe thought that they would take her lands from her and make their own kingdoms greater to prevent this the British fought for Maria Teresa against France and Spain and George II and his soldiers defeated the French in a battle called Dittingen this is the last battle in which a British king led his soldiers himself people began to see that kings could serve their countries in better ways than by fighting while this war was going on the Jacobites tried again to set James Stuart upon the throne this time it was not James but his son Charles who died in Scotland he came with only seven followers and at first the people were afraid and unwilling to follow him but Charles was very different from his father he was gallant and brave and handsome he talked and smiled and won his way to the brave Highland hearts till he was at the head of fifteen hundred men all willing and ready to die for their king and prince go home said one old chieftain to him when he first landed there is no safety for you here I have come home replied Prince Charlie Charles Stuart he said to another chief he called Cameron of Lachiel has come to claim his own and win the crown of his ancestors or die in the attempt Lachiel if he chooses may stay at home and learn the fate of his prince from the newspapers no replied Lachiel no I will share the fate of my prince and so shall every man over whom I have power so in a dark Highland Glen the standard of the prince was raised it was red silk and on it were the proud words tandem triumphans which means triumphant at last and as the red silk folds fluttered out on the mountain breeze it was greeted by the sounds of bagpipes and the shouts of the people then raise the banner raise it high for Charles will conquer or will die the clans allele and true men be and show me who will daunt them thee our good king James will soon come home and traitors I'll be put to shame all Scotland shall again be free there's none on earth can daunt them thee after the raising of his standard Charles marched south till he reached Edinburgh his army growing as he went Charles marched into Edinburgh and there at the market cross amid the cheering of some of the people and the sullen silence of others James VIII was once more proclaimed king of Scotland a beautiful lady on horseback with a drawn sword in her hand gave the white cockade to those who crushed round her impatient to enter the surface of the prince later in the day Charles himself rode into the town and the people crowded to meet him cheering and weeping eager to kiss his hand or touch his clothes covering even his boots with tears and kisses the castle of Edinburgh was held by the soldiers of King George and as the prince reached Holyrood the old palace of the stewards a cannon from the castle thundered out and a shot struck the wall of the palace not far from where Charles stood but he was neither startled nor afraid and, turning, walked quietly into the palace that night the prince gave a ball the old palace which had stood so long empty and silent was gay with lights and flowers the sounds of laughter and music were heard there perhaps for the first time since the days of Harry, Queen of Scots lovely ladies and brave men crowded to see and do honour to their Bonnie Prince Charlie and they went away happy if they had touched his hand or heard his voice but there were other things to do besides dancing the army of King George under Sir John Cope had landed at Dunbar and was marching to Edinburgh Charles decided to march out to meet him early on the morning of the 20th of September the Highlanders rose and made ready for battle Prince Charlie placed himself at their head and, drawing his sword, cried gentlemen, I have thrown away the scabbard by that he meant that there was no turning back and that his sword would never again be sheathed until he conquered or died and the men, hearing the words, shouted and cheered as they followed him next day a battle was fought at Preston Pans near Edinburgh Prince Charlie and his men were up so early that they were ready to attack before Sir John Cope and his soldiers were prepared the Highlanders gave them no time to prepare but charged so fiercely and quickly that in about five minutes the battle was over Sir John ran away and Charles won a complete victory Sir John ran away too and was the first to bring the news of his own defeat to Berwick Cope sent a challenge for Dunbar Charlie meet me on Yadar and I'll learn you the art of war if you'll meet me in the morning Hey Johnny Cope are you waking yet and are your drums a beating yet oh hasty up for the drums do beat oh fine Cope rise up in the morning when Charlie looked the letter upon he drew his sword the scabbard from come follow me my merry merry men we'll meet Johnny Cope in the morning when Johnny Cope to Berwick came they speared at him where's I your men if faith he say I didn't can I left them all this morning now Johnny Troth you were an oblique to come with the news of your own defeat and leave your men in sick of straight so early in the morning a few hours after the battle the Highlanders were back in Edinburgh marching up and down the streets playing the King shall enjoy his own again on the bagpipes all the Jacobites rejoiced truly triumphed at last end of chapter 91 read by Kara Schallenberg www.kray.org on September 9th 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 92 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H. E. Marshall chapter 92 George II the story of Flora MacDonald to your arms to your arms Charlie yet shall be your king to your arms all ye lads that are loyal and true to your arms to your arms his valentine can ding and he's on the south way a jovial crew for master Johnny Cope being destitute of hope took horse for his life and left his men in their arms he put no trust for he knew it was just that the king should enjoy his own again to your arms to your arms my bunny Highland lads we winner broke the rule of a German thing to your arms to your arms with your bonnets and your plaids and hey for Charlie and are in true king after the battle of Preston Pounds Charles returned to Edinburgh and remained there for some days gathering men and money it was a gay time there were constant balls and parties and Bonnie Prince Charlie was loved more and more each day the Bonnie Prince who could eat a dry crust sleep on peas straw take his dinner in four minutes and win a battle in five was toasted everywhere at last Charles and his army were ready and marched into England although no one resisted him although he took several towns without a blow being struck hardly any of the English joined him the Highlanders grew weary of marching through strange country and homesick for their mountains and many of them deserted and went home by the time Charles reached Derby the leaders were so disheartened that they persuaded him to turn back to Scotland yet the people in London were awaiting his coming in terror and King George was ready to run away it is difficult to guess what might have happened had the Prince gone on but he did not turned again towards Scotland and began the long sad march homeward the wearied army reached Glasgow at last having marched 600 miles through snow and rain and wintry weather in less than two months Charles now decided to take Stirling Castle he met the King's army at Falkirk and defeated them but after that instead of trying to take Stirling as he had intended he listened to the advice of some of the Highland chiefs and marched northward and George now sent his own son the Duke of Cumberland to command his army at Culloden near Inverness the last Jacobite battle was fought the royal army was much larger than the Jacobite one and although the Highlanders fought with all their usual fierce courage they were utterly defeated Charles would have been glad to die with his brave followers but two of his officers seized the bridle of his horse and forced him against his will to leave the field the battle was turned into a terrible slaughter but the Duke of Cumberland behaved so cruelly that he would not be able to take his horse but ever after he was called the Butcher the Stuart Coles was lost and Bonnie Prince Charlie was a hunted man the King offered 30,000 pounds to anyone who would take him prisoner but although the money would have made many a poor Highlander richer than he had ever imagined it possible for anyone to be not one of them tried to earn it instead they hid their prince fed him, clothed him and worked for him at last after months of hardships and adventures he escaped to France Charles but it was a beautiful lady called Flora MacDonald who perhaps helped him most she served him when he was most miserable and in greatest danger the whole country round was filled with soldiers searching for him he scarcely dared to leave his hiding place and was almost dying of hunger no house was safe for him and he had to hide among the rocks of the seashore shivering with cold and drenched with rain with great difficulty and danger to herself Flora MacDonald reached the place where the Prince was hiding bringing with her a dress for him to wear the Prince put it on and together they went to the house of a friend where Flora asked if she and her maid Betty might stay that night this friend was very fond of Flora and very glad to see her she was a Jacobite and when she was told who Betty was she made ready her best room for the Prince a little girl belonging to the house came into the hall while Betty was standing there and ran away frightened at the great tall woman but no one suspected who she was disguised as Flora MacDonald's maid Prince Charlie travelled for many days escaping dangers in a wonderful way for the Prince made a very funny lucky woman he took great strides and managed his skirt so badly and in spite of the danger his friends could not help laughing they do call your highness a pretender said one all I can say is that you are the worst of your trade the world has ever seen when there was no need for Flora to go further with the Prince they took a sad farewell of each other I hope Madam said he bending over her hand and kissing it at St. James's by that he meant that he still hoped to be king someday and welcome her in his palace of St. James's in London then he stepped into the boat which was waiting for him and Flora sat sadly by the shore watching it as it sailed farther and farther away Far over young hills of the heathers are green and down by the quarry that sings to the sea that Bonnie young Flora sat sighing her lane the dew on her plaid and the tear in her eye she looked at a boat which the breezes had swung away on the wave like a bird on the men and I as it listened she sighed and she sang farewell to the lad I shall near see again farewell to my hero the gallant and young farewell to the lad I shall near see again the target is torn from the arm of the just the helmet is cleft on the brow of the brave the claim of forever and darkness must rust but red is the sword of the stranger and slave the hoof of the horse on the foot of the proud I've trod all the plumes in the bonnet of blue whistled the red bolt in the heart of the cloud when tyranny reveled in blood of the true and I as it listened she sighed and she sang farewell to the lad I shall near see again when tyranny reveled in blood of the true farewell my young hero the gallant and good crown of thy fathers is torn from thy brow crown of thy fathers is torn from thy brow this rebellion is called the 45 because it took place in 1745 AD Prince Charlie reached France safely but the rest of his life was sad he was a broken, ruined man and he lived a wanderer in many lands at last he died in Rome on 30th of January 1788 AD the anniversary of the day on which Charles I had been beheaded the monuments placed there deserred by King George IV on which are the names in Latin James III, Charles III and Henry IX kings of England they were kings who never ruled and are known in history as the old pretender, the younger pretender and Henry Cardinal of York, brother of the young pretender End of chapter 92 Our Island Story Chapter 93 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 93 George II The Story of the Black Hole of Calcutta Besides the Civil War Britain had other wars to fight France, England's old enemy was still the enemy of Britain Once again there was war between them and this time the fighting was not in France nor in England, nor on the seas but in far off lands Long ago in the days of Elizabeth the Englishmen sailed over the seas to the newly discovered country of America and made their home there You remember how Raleigh claimed Virginia for England and how later the stern Puritans sailed away in the Mayflower and founded a new Plymouth and a new England over the sea Little by little these colonies as such new countries which are people by an old country are called grew towns sprang up, harbours were built and the colonies became a rich and powerful part of Great Britain In another country called India there were also possessions and trade with India had become of great importance and was carried on chiefly by a company called the East India Company But France too had colonies in India and in America and the French and the British became so jealous of each other that war broke out in both countries The French were much stronger in India at this time than the British and they made up their minds to drive the British away altogether They might have succeeded too but for the cleverness of a young man called Robert Clive He was a clerk in the East India Company's office and not a particularly good clerk either because the work he had to do was not at all the kind of work for which he was fitted When war broke out Robert Clive gave up being a clerk and became a soldier and he soon showed that he was a clever one Some of the native Indians fought for the French and some for the British but Clive and his sepoys, as the native soldiers were called won and the French governor was obliged to leave the country A few years later one of the native princes who had fought for the French attacked the British who were living in Calcutta and many of them destroyed their houses and factories and those who were left alive he shut up in a horrible prison called the Black Hole There were 146 prisoners and the Black Hole was so small that there was hardly room in it for them to stand The windows were so tiny that hardly any air could come through them When the prisoners were told that they were all to go into this dreadful place they could not believe it they thought at first that the prince meant it as a jest but they soon found out that it was no jest but horrible, sinful earnest In spite of their cries and entreaties they were all driven in and the door fastened It was a hot summer night what little air came through the tiny windows was soon poisoned by being breathed over and over again People fainted, went mad, died The cruel Indians held torches to the windows and, looking in, laughed at the terrible sufferings of the poor prisoners who cried for mercy as they beat upon the door trying vainly in their agony to break it down In the morning only 23 came out from the dreadful hole alive When Clive heard of this horrible deed he marched against the native prince and utterly defeated him in a battle called Placé He drove him from his throne and placed another prince who was friendly to the British upon it He drove the French from their fortress there and ever since then the power of Britain has grown and grown in India Until today our king, the king of Great Britain and Ireland is also the emperor of India Our island story Chapter 94 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our island story Chapter 94, George II The story of how Canada was won While these things were happening in India the French and British were fighting in America also The French colonies there were called Canada and Louisiana Canada lay north of the British colonies beyond the St. Lawrence River Louisiana lay west of the British colonies beyond the Mississippi River If you look on the map you will see that in this way the British colonies were quite shut in by the sea and by the French on all sides This did not please the British They wanted to be able to enlarge their colonies and to stretch out to the west to the great forests and unknown land beyond Louisiana The French on the other hand hoped to drive the British away from America altogether and they built forts along the rivers as far as possible from the west There were many quarrels which grew more and more bitter till at last war broke out At first the British were not successful but just as Walpole had been a great peace minister so William Pitt who was now in power was a great war minister He was quick to see what needed to be done and just as quick in choosing the best men to do it He did not ask whether a man was rich or powerful or whether he had great relations He asked, is this the best man I can find to do this piece of work So it came about that at this time the British all over the world were successful Among the men whom Pitt sent to fight in America was a young man called James Wolfe Wolfe was sent from England with 8,000 soldiers and was told that he must take Quebec the capital of Canada He reached Canada and sailed at the St Lawrence greatly to the surprise of the French for it was a very difficult passage to the French to cross the country and to cover the rocks and banks of sand Yet Wolfe took his great warships where the French would have fear to venture with their little trading vessels He anchored opposite Quebec and landed his soldiers on the island of Orleans Quebec was a very strong town it was built upon rocks high above the river and was defended by the great French general Montcarm For a long time Wolfe tried in vain to take the town Montcarm was too clever and watchful day by day passed He was in a very dangerous Many of his soldiers were killed and the fresh troops which he expected did not arrive At last he decided on a bold and daring plan There was one place which the French did not guard very strongly because they thought it was quite impossible for the British to attack them there This was a steep cliff But Wolfe noticed there was a narrow pathway up at this cliff and he decided to take his soldiers by that path He felt so doubtful of success however before he made the attempt I have done little for my country I have little hope of doing anything but I have done my best One dark night the British soldiers were rowed over the river No one spoke, everyone moved as quietly as possible The oars even were muffled so that the sound of rowing might not be heard by the French Only Wolfe, as his boat went silently down the river repeated a poem to his officers in a low voice The poem was called The Country Churchyard and it had been written a few years before by an English poet called Grey The curfew told the knell of parting day The lowing herd wins slowly over the lee The ploughman homeward plods his weary way and leaves the world to darkness and to me Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight and all the air a solemn stillness holds save where the beetle wheels he's droning flight and drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds That is how the poem begins It is a long poem and very beautiful and when Wolfe had finished repeating it he turned to his officers and said Now, gentlemen, I would rather be the author of that poem than take Quebec The boat reached the Quebec side of the river and Wolfe was among the first to spring ashore silently, quickly, with beating hearts and held breath, the men followed then as silently and quickly the boat put off again While there had been room in them only for half the soldiers and they returned to bring the rest The climb of the narrow pathway began it was so narrow in places that only one could go at a time but every man was full of courage and hope They struggled up as best they could clinging onto bushes, rocks, roots of trees anything that would give them the least grip for hand or rest four foot A regiment of Highlanders were among the first to lead the way for they were used to scrambling and climbing among the rocks of their homeland nearer and nearer to the top they came unseen and unheard by the French sentinels above but at last the rustling among the bushes and leaves down the slope caught their ear what was that? they asked and fired at random down into the darkness but it was too late the first soldiers had reached the height others followed after them and terrified at the sudden appearance of men where they had thought no men could be the French sentinels ran away as soon as the British reached the top they fell into fighting order and when they broke the sun shone on their red coats as they stood drawn up in line to the heights of Abraham as the place was called at first the French leader, Montcalm could hardly believe that he saw a right then he said quietly I see them where they ought not to be we must fight them and I am going to crush them a fierce battle followed Wolf was struck in the wrist but he tied his handkerchief round it and went on fighting and giving orders as if nothing had happened a second time he was hit still he went on Wolf was quickly carried out of the fight but nothing could be done for him he was dying his officers stood sadly round him when suddenly one of them cried see they run, they run who run asked Wolf opening his eyes and trying to raise himself the enemy sir replied the officer they are running everywhere thank god said Wolf I die happy then he fell back and never spoke again the brave French leader Montcalm he said when he was told that he was dying I shall not live to see Quebec surrender Quebec did surrender and Canada was one and ever since then it has belonged to Britain and today it is one of the greatest of her colonies a few days after Wolf's side letter reached home another both sad and joyful follow he told of the taking of Quebec he told too of the death of the brave young leader not once or twice in our fair island story the path of duty was the way to glory he that ever following her commands on with toil of heart and knees and hands through the long gorge to the far light has won his path upward and prevailed shall find the toppling crags of duty scaled are close upon the shining table lands to which our god himself is moon and sun such was he his work is done but while the races of Mankind endure let his great example stand colossal scene of every land and keep the soldier firm the statement pure still in all lands and through all human story the path of duty be the way to glory George II died in October 1759 AD and was succeeded by his grandson George III whose father, the Prince of Wales had died some years before George III had been born in England and seemed more of an Englishman than either George I or George II for that reason and because he was young and handsome the people were glad when he came to the throne but he proved himself to be an unwise king and it was during his reign that Britain suffered a great loss the loss of all the American colonies in Canada the wars which Britain had been fighting all over the world had cost a great deal of money when Pitt saw a thing needed to be done he did not stop to ask how much it would cost he did it and afterwards the country had to find ways and means of paying war always costs a great deal and the country had been fighting so much that it was now deeply in debt the king's ministers therefore had to find some new way of raising money it seemed to them that as the war in America had been for the benefit of the colonies the colonists ought to pay some of the cost this being so King George decided to tax the Americans you know what a tax means if a certain thing costs one shilling a pound and the government said we will put a tax of tuppence a pound on this thing then it would cost one shilling and tuppence and the extra tuppence would go to the government to help to pay the expenses of the country for it requires money to keep up a country just as much as to keep up a house you also know that the king could not make the people pay taxes without the consent of parliament for which the people and parliament had fought over and over again and which they had won at last and if parliament consented to a tax it was really the people who consented as the members of parliament were chosen by the people now the people of America sent no members to the British parliament when King George tried to make them pay taxes they had once said no that is not just it is against the laws of Britain if we are to pay taxes we must be allowed to send members to parliament as England and Scotland do if we are to pay taxes we must have a share in making the laws and saying how the money is to be spent this was quite reasonable but King George was not reasonable he said no the Americans were very angry at this and they made up their minds to do without the things which the king wanted to tax this was very hard for them especially as one of the things taxed was tea you can imagine how difficult it would be to do without tea while these things were happening the great pit had been ill when he was well again and heard what George the third and his foolish ministers had been doing he said the Americans were quite right and he talked so fiercely that all the taxes were taken off again except the one on tea George insisted on keeping that one he was very angry with both pit and the Americans he called them rebels and pit the trumpet of rebellion but the Americans would not yield even to one tax there were meetings all over the states and the young men banded together under the name of the sons of liberty they swore to do anything rather than use taxed tea at last ships arrived in Boston harbor laden with tea the Americans knew that if once the tea got ashore it would be very difficult to keep the people from buying it they determined that it should not be landed while some of the wise people were talking and advising each other as to what should be done about 20 young men dressed themselves as red Indians they painted their faces brown stuck feathers in their hair and put on clothes such as red Indians wore red Indians are the natives of America and although they have nearly died out now they are fortunate to see them even in the towns with wild war whoops these make-believe red Indians ran to the harbor they sprang on board the tea ships they seized the chests, opened them with their hatchets and poured the tea into the water chest after chest, chest after chest was burst open and the tea poured over the ship's side till 342 chests had been emptied and the harbor was black with tea leaves many an honest merchant looked sadly on many a thrifty housewife sighed to see the waste but no one stopped the work it was the greatest tea making that had ever been seen and for long after it was called the Boston Tea Party when King George heard about this tea party he was very angry to punish the people of Boston he forbade any ships to go there at all so that the trade of the town was ruined and the people became quite poor he sent soldiers to frighten them into obedience and did many other things in order to punish the rebels but the Americans would not bear such treatment and they talked of war King George seemed to be quite pleased at the idea of fighting the Americans we will soon bring them to their senses he said they will only behave like lions as long as we behave like lambs I will show them that I mean to be firm and they will soon be meek enough but the Americans were not meek at all they made ready to fight soon 20,000 colonists were in arms and George Washington, a young soldier who had already shown his bravery and skill in fighting against the French was their leader the war began in the year 1775 A.D. and it was quite as dreadful as a civil war the colonists looked upon Britain as their mother country they talked of it as home and now for want of a little kindly feeling and understanding between them mother and children were fighting bitterly as time went on the Americans became more and more determined not to give in on the 4th of July 1776 A.D. they very solemnly made their declaration of independence we, the representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled appealing to the supreme judge of the world the factitude of our intentions solemnly publish and declare that these United States are and of right ought to be free and independent States this means that the Americans felt that they were doing right and not wrong in fighting against the mother country they felt that they ought to be free and they declared that they were free and independent independent means standing alone while the war was being carried on in the States at home Pitt, the great war minister who was now called Lord Chatham was struggling for peace he had worked very hard to make Britain great and to make the colonies great now he saw that all his work was to be ruined by a civil war and he tried to stop it you cannot conquer America, he said they are of our own blood if I were an American as I am an Englishman I would never lay down my arms never, never, never but the king and his friends would not listen to Pitt and the war went on then a worse thing happened France joined America against Britain Britain, by driving the French out of America had given the Americans peace now Britain's old enemy had joined with her own people against her that was the worst blow of all it frightened the Parliament and some members wanted to acknowledge the freedom of America old and ill although he was when Pitt heard of it he rose from his bed and once more went to speak in the house his voice was weak and feeble as he spoke I am glad, he said that I am still alive and able to lift up my voice against breaking up the empire Pitt had wanted to give the Americans what they asked for but now he wanted to fight with France France, he felt, had no right in the quarrel he would not yield to French threats what had been refused to America alone but Pitt was old and feeble the excitement of speaking was too much for the great statesman he fell senseless to the ground and was carried home to die then not only France but Spain joined with America and at last the bitter end came Britain was obliged to give way and in 1782 A.D. after a war which had lasted nearly eight years the United States were acknowledged to be a free and independent country and Britain lost all her possessions in North America except Canada end of chapter 95 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on September 9th 2006 in Oceanside, California our island story chapter 96 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H.E. Marshall chapter 96 George III a story of the spinning wheel while Britain was fighting and losing a great colony another battle was being fought and won this was a peaceful battle the battle of industries and inventions to invent really means to find out and people were now finding out all kinds of things which made living much more easy and comfortable the two chief things which were found out about this time were first how to spin cotton, wool and linen by machinery instead of by hand and second how to use steam to make this machinery work and how to make it draw trains along lines and carry ships over the sea before spinning frames were invented women used to spin with wheels in their own homes but that was such slow work that the weavers could not get enough yarn to keep their looms going and because of that they could not make as much cloth as they might otherwise have done they grumbled so much about this that clever people began to wonder if it would be possible to spin in some quicker way among these clever people was a man called Richard Arkwright Richard Arkwright's father and mother were very poor and they had a great many children 13 in all and of those 13 Richard was the youngest as Richard's father and mother were so poor and had so many children they had no money to spend in sending them to school and in those days there were no free schools so Richard hardly knew how to read or write what he did know he taught himself with the help of an uncle who was very kind to him when Richard grew up he became a barber he rented a little cellar and there he stuck up his red and white pole which is the sign of a barber shop then he waited for people to come to have their hair cut and to be shaved but for some reason or other very few people came perhaps it was because Richard's shop was little and dark and downstairs perhaps it was because he was always thinking of other things and so did not make a very good barber whatever the reason was few people came and Richard became poorer and poorer at last he had a great idea if people would not come to be shaved for two pence which was the usual price why then he would shave them for one penny and in this way cut out all the other barbers so he wrote a big sign and pasted it over his doorway come to the subterranean barber he shaved for a penny subterranean means underground it was not long before some people saw this sign hello they said what is this shaved for a penny well there is no harm in trying so they tried and Richard shop became the fashion it was crowded while those of other barbers were empty the other barbers were very angry but what was to be done people were not likely to pay two pence when they could be shaved for one penny but at last the barbers all agreed that they too should put up signs for a half penny Richard however did not want to lose all the trade which he had gained he wrote out a new sign come to the subterranean barber he shaved for a half penny so he was still the cheapest barber in the town but shaving for a half penny did not pay very well at this time nearly everyone wore wigs even people who had hair enough of their own cut it short and wore wigs of long hair tied behind with ribbon and travelled about the country buying hair from people who were willing to sell it then he dyed it to the fashionable colour and made it into wigs for fine gentlemen this paid very much better than shaving people for a half penny and soon our Christ's hair was known to be the best in the country he got on so well that he gave up his little shop in the cellar and took a better one but Richard was not really interested in making wigs what he really liked was machinery and he spent all his spare time he got a man called Kay who was a watchmaker to help him and Richard soon became so interested in his machinery that he neglected his business and became quite poor again Richard's wife finding that they were growing poorer and poorer thought that this was all the fault of the models so one day she smashed them hoping her husband would go back to his wig making Richard was very grieved when he found his beautiful models broken but far from giving up he was more determined to go on making models he was so poor by this time and his clothes were in such rags that he could not go out in the streets Richard got leave to set up his machine in a school house the house was in a quiet place surrounded by a garden so that Arkwright and Kay could work in peace this was very necessary for Richard Arkwright's wife was not the only person who wished to smash models or even machinery itself the work people were very ignorant and they hated these new inventions which they thought were going to take away their work they hated them so much that when the new inventions came into use the work people often broke into the factories and wrecked the machines but even in his quiet garden Richard was not quite safe for two old women who lived not far off could hear the whirring and humming of the machinery they were very frightened of these new strange noises which they thought must be made by evil spirits they told people that the sound was as if the wicked one was tuning his backpipes Arkwright and Kay danced a jig the people would have broken into the house to see what was really there but they were too much afraid of the evil spirits at last Arkwright conquered all his difficulties his spinning frame was a success and although his troubles did not end for a long time he at length made a great fortune and died so Richard Arkwright he not only made a great fortune for himself but he helped to make Britain wealthy after Arkwright's invention came into use the looms could make so much cloth that the merchants had enough not only to supply Britain but to sell to other countries Britain began to be called the workshop of the world and a few years later a great Frenchman called us a nation of shopkeepers a name of which we have no reason to be ashamed other men besides Arkwright invented spinning frames but I have told you about Arkwright because his was the first really successful frame and the machines which I use today are almost the same as those he invented Arkwright built mills and taught his work people how to use the machines and from his time the great factories began to grow up which now give work to so many people and which have made so many towns rich and famous Arkwright's frames were first worked by water so that a factory could only be built near a stream but later when Watt and Stevenson discovered the power of steam they were worked by steam when Watt and Stevenson made their engines and built railways when British steamship carrying British goods sailed proudly over the seas Britain was more than ever mistress of the waves and she was also the workshop and market of the world End of Chapter 96 George III England expects that every man will do his duty This island loves the well, thou famous man the greatest sailor since our world began In 1789 AD a revolution broke out in France the French people rose against their king and queen and killed them and many of the nobles as well then they declared the country to be a Commonwealth or Republic as the English had done in the time of Cromwell at this time William Pitt, the younger son of the great William Pitt, Lord Chatham was Prime Minister he, unlike his father, was a peace minister Britain with her new factories and new trade was growing wealthy and Pitt tried hard to keep the country at peace but he tried in vain for France declared war Once more, for nearly twenty years Britain was fighting by land and by sea The French were led by Napoleon Bonaparte he was one of the most wonderful men who have ever lived Beginning life as a poor, unknown soldier he soon rose to be leader of the French army he rose and rose until the people made him Emperor of France His one desire was to be great and powerful and he did not care how others suffered or how many people were killed so long as he had what he wanted he made war all over Europe he conquered kings and gave away their thrones and crowns to his own friends and relatives and only the British were strong enough to stand against him Napoleon made up his mind to conquer Britain he raised an army which he called the Army of England and he made a medal in honour of the conquest of Britain which never took place and engraved upon the medal struck at London although he never reached there it was like Caligula and his army gathering shells on the shore for Napoleon and his men came no nearer conquering Britain than those old Romans did Many of the Irish hated the English and would have been glad to help the French Napoleon knew this and he decided that Ireland was the best place at which to begin the attack he fitted out a great fleet with the intention of landing in Ireland but his ships were shattered by the winds as the ships of the Armada had been and nothing came of this invasion a little later the French really did land in Ireland but the king's army was ready for them and they were forced to go away again up till this time Ireland had still a separate parliament just as Scotland had before 1707 AD Ireland made laws for itself and in fact except that it had the same king as Britain there was no union between the countries Pitt and other wise men felt that this was not right they saw how much more difficult it would be for Napoleon to conquer Ireland if it was really united to England and Scotland so they worked hard till at last it was arranged that the Irish parliament should join the British In January 1801 AD the first imperial parliament was called and since then English, Irish and Scottish members have sat together in the same house and have made the laws for the whole land First of January King George made a proclamation saying that his title should now be George III are the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King Defender of the Faith For the first time since the days of Henry V the King of Britain no longer called himself King of France too for in spite of the fact that the Kings of Britain had never really been Kings of France they had always claimed the Crown of France as a right The Great Seal was also changed and the Royal Standard of the Arms of England and the Floralie of France now bore the arms of England Scotland and Ireland Meanwhile British ships under the Great Sailor Nelson were victorious by sea and on land British soldiers hindered and spoiled Napoleon's plans at last as everyone was tired of the war peace was signed but peace did not last long the following year war broke out again and Napoleon threatened once more to invade Britain but the British built watchtowers and beacons along the coast so that warning could be sent from town to town if the dreaded tyrant should come the young men drilled as volunteers to guard their homes everyone was ready for the ogre Napoleon who never came While these preparations were being made at home Nelson swept the seas searching for the French and Spanish navies and at last they met in Trafalgar Bay off the coast of Spain A few days before they met Nelson wrote to a friend Here I am watching for the French and the Spaniards If they come out I know I shall catch them but I am also almost sure that I shall be killed in doing it On the 21st of October, 1805-80 the battle began Every captain in the fleet had received his orders and knew exactly what to do but Nelson felt there was still something wanting and from the top gallant mast of his own ship, the victory a message was signalled through all the fleet England expects that every man will do his duty The message was greeted with cheer upon cheer from every ship along the line and every sailor felt his courage rise The battle soon became fierce Shot and shell flew thick and fast Once as Nelson and Hardy, the captain of the victory stood on deck together a shot fell between them tearing off one of Captain Hardy's shoe-buckles Each looked at the other fearing he was wounded then seeing neither of them were hurt Nelson smiled and said calmly This is too warm work, Hardy to last long Everything went well with the British Already it seemed as if the victory was sure when a chance shot struck Nelson and he fell forward on the deck They have done for me at last Hardy, he said, as some sailors seeing their dear Admiral fall ran forward to carry him to a safe place As Nelson was being carried past those who were fighting, he covered his face and the stars and medals on his coat in case they should see that he was wounded and feel discouraged, for his sailors loved him dearly The great Admiral was dying fast but before he died Hardy was able to bring him the news that victory was theirs and that fourteen or fifteen of the enemy's ships had surrendered I hope, said Nelson that none of our ships have struck their colours No, my lord, there is no fear of that That's well, that's well, he answered Kiss me, Hardy, he said, a little later Hardy knelt and kissed him I am satisfied now, he said Thank God I have done my duty These were his last words With the Battle of Trafalgar which was fought on the 21st of October 1805 AD Napoleon's power by sea was utterly shattered and Britain was saved from all fear of invasion The little ribbon of water between France and England was enough to keep her safe from the threats of the master of half Europe To as in Trafalgar's Bay we saw the Frenchman lay each heart was bounding then We scorned the foreign yoke our ships were British oak and hearts of oak our men Our Nelson marked them on the wave Three cheers our gallant seamen gave me along the line the signal ran England expects that every man this day will do his duty and now the cannons roar along the affrighted shore our Nelson led the way his ship the victory named long be that victory famed for victory crowned the day but dearly was that conquest bought too well the gallant hero fought for England home and beauty he cried as midst the fire he ran England expects that every man this day will do his duty at last the fatal wound which spread this may around the hero's breast received heaven fights on our side the day is our own he cried now long enough I've lived in honors cause my life was passed in honors cause I fall at last for England home and beauty thus ending life as he began England confessed that every man that day had done his duty end of chapter 97 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on September 10th 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 98 this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H.E. Marshall chapter 98 George III the Battle of Waterloo Napoleon hated Britain so much that besides fighting against her with soldiers he tried to fight in another way he tried to ruin British trade Napoleon forbade other countries to trade with Britain but it was of little use and so ill did he succeed that his very own soldiers were dressed in British made cloth and wore British made boots as Portugal still traded with Britain Napoleon made that an excuse for invading Portugal at the same time he seized the king of Spain and his son and forced them to sign a paper saying that they gave up the throne of Spain Napoleon then made his own brother Joseph Bonaparte king but although the king and prince had been forced to sign away the throne the people of Spain had something to say about it they refused to have Joseph Bonaparte as their king they rose to a man and rebelled against him and they asked the British to help them so two years after Trafalgar the peninsula war began it is called the peninsula war because it was fought in and fought the peninsula formed by Spain and Portugal the war was not very successful but when Arthur Wellesley afterwards Lord Wellington took command things went better gradually the French were driven back to France and the war ended with the battle of Toulouse on 14th of April 1814 AD while this war was going on Napoleon had also been fighting with Russia there he was utterly crushed everywhere the peoples he had conquered revolted against him and a few days before the battle of Toulouse he had been made to give up the throne of France Elba of the many kingdoms which Napoleon had conquered this little island in the Mediterranean sea was all that he was allowed to keep but he soon grew tired of playing a bean emperor there the following year while the kings and princes of Europe were gathered at Vienna trying to bring order and peace to the lands which Napoleon had upset with his wars and conquests he left Elba and made straight for Paris cruel and selfish though he was his soldiers loved him to victory when he suddenly appeared among them they flocked to him and the people cheered and welcomed him once more Napoleon was emperor of the French but this time his rule lasted only 100 days the kings and princes at Vienna had not been able to agree about settling the affairs of Europe but when they heard that Napoleon was once more in Paris fear of him made them all unite they gathered their armies for a great struggle against a terrible emperor Wellington had command of 80,000 men but only about half of these were British the rest were Dutch, Belgian and German Blutcher, the great German general had another army of 150,000 men and there was yet a third army of Russians and Austrians and all these armies marched towards France but Napoleon did not wait for them to come he marched out to meet them and a great battle took place on 18th of June 1815 AD at Waterloo not far from Brussels ah said Napoleon I shall measure soles with this Valentin for although the French and British troops had often met Napoleon had always been fighting elsewhere and had never met Wellington in battle the fight was fierce and long and as Wellington watched and directed he anxiously looked for Blutcher and his Prussians who had promised to join and help him Night or Blutcher said Wellington Night or Blutcher for he knew that the coming of Iber would put an end to this dreadful fight at last about 7 in the evening Blutcher and his Prussians came then Napoleon made one more desperate struggle for victory the soldiers of his old guard who had been kept in reserve were ordered forward but they broke conflate before the British charge Napoleon as he watched became deadly pale all is lost he said turning to his officers who surrounded him we must save ourselves and he rode from the field not till after the battle did Blutcher and Wellington meet in German fashion the old Prussian general threw his arms around Wellington it was a great victory and by it Europe was saved from tyranny yet Wellington was sad as he looked round on the dead and the dying the British troops were worn out with the long days fighting but the Prussians were still fresh and Blutcher started off to chase the flying Frenchman who ran as fast as they were able they hid in the woods in ditches threw away the arms, knapsacks and everything they could so they might run the faster and escape from the pursuing Prussians they fled till they passed the borders of France they fled to their homes a broken beaten army never till we gathered together again Napoleon gave himself up to the British he was taken to England on board a British man of war called the Belerophon but he was not allowed to land he was kept on board the Belerophon until the kings of Europe decided to send him to St Helena a lonely island in the Atlantic Ocean there he could do no harm and there he stayed until he died six years later End of Chapter 98 Our Island Story Chapter 99 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 99 George IV The First Gentleman in Europe George III died in January 1820 A.D. and was succeeded by his son George IV George IV had already been reigning and was regent for ten years for during that time his father had been mad and so unable to rule and towards the end of his life he had become blind and deaf as well George III was called Farmer George because he liked a peaceful country life and would have been a very good farmer although he was not a very wise king he had reigned sixty years including the last ten during which he really did not rule George IV was called The First Gentleman in Europe because he was handsome and had fine manners like those of his homely father he tried to make friends with all his people through his fine manners soon after he became king he went to Ireland where the people received him with great joy he made speeches to them and laughed and cried with them he wore the order of Saint Patrick on his breast and great bunches of shamrock in his cap he told them that he loved his Irish people and that he was Irish at heart and all together acted his part very well but it was merely acting for George IV only cared for himself and was not in the least a very good king the warm-hearted Irish people however believed in him and when he sailed away again some of them were so eager to catch a last glimpse of their king that they fell into the sea and were nearly drowned George next went to Hanover for he was king of Hanover as well as king of Britain there he talked German and wore a Hanoverian order saying German national songs and told the people with tears in his eyes that he was truly German at heart and perhaps the German people believed him too next he went to Scotland since the time of Charles I no king had visited Scotland and the people crowded to welcome him the road from life to Edinburgh was lined with gentlemen to do him honour and as King George drove along through the lines of cheering people it was seen that he was dressed in Stuart tartan and that he wore the order of the thistle George had wept and laughed with his Irish subjects yet when a chance came for him to prove that he loved them as he had said he did he did not willingly take it in the fierce old days the Roman Catholics had killed and tortured the Protestants whenever they had the power and in dread of them an act had been passed forbidding Roman Catholics to hold any public office those days were long past no one was now killed or tortured because of his religion yet the laws against the Roman Catholics still remained no Catholic might be an officer in the army or navy no Catholic might sit in Parliament or serve his country in any way yet nearly all the Irish people were Roman Catholics and generous men for many years had felt these laws to be unjust the younger pit had tried in vain to make George III do away with them now wise men tried to make George IV repeal them but the king who said he was Irish at heart, refused my father, he said would have laid his head on the block rather than yield and I am equally ready to lay my head there for the same cause the great Duke of Wellington was Prime Minister at this time and as he had conquered Napoleon in war so now he conquered George IV in peace he stood firm and at last the king was forced to give way a bill called the Catholic Emancipation Act which means freeing act was passed by Parliament since then Roman Catholics have been allowed to sit in Parliament to be officers or to hold any other post which is open to Protestants although no king may rule in Britain unless he is a Protestant George IV died in June 1830 AD having reigned ten years he was an utterly selfish man and a bad king yet the British nation had grown so strong that even a bad king could not do much harm while there were great men around him to work for their country End of Chapter 99 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on September 10th 2006 in Oceanside California Our Island Story Chapter 100 This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story Chapter 100 William IV The Story of Two Peaceful Victories George IV had only one child a daughter and she died sometime before her father so he was succeeded by his brother William who was 65 years old when he came to the throne William was called the Sailor King because he had served in the Navy he was bluff and rough and good-natured not at all like a king he used to be fond of strolling about London with a walking stick or an umbrella just like an ordinary man but British people have always loved a sailor so they were glad when William became king and hoped that he would prove a better one than George IV that some of his people had not much reverence for him is shown by one man who wrote of him he seems a kind-hearted well-meaning not-stupid bustling old fellow and if he doesn't go mad may make a very decent king later the same man called him one of the silliest old gentlemen in his dominions if he had been left to himself the well-meaning old fellow would have been quite pleased to jog along without troubling about his kingdom or his duties but that was not to be the days of the clatter and jangle of steel armor were over the roar and crackle of musket and cannon were silent for the time but in the peace and silence men were thinking and planning and working for the good of the nation for hundreds of years the people of Britain had had the right of choosing men for the rebels and their wrongs and to help to make just laws for the ruling of the country the whole nation of course cannot go to Westminster for no building would be large enough to contain them all and the talking would never be finished and no laws would ever be made so each county and each big town chooses a man who goes to parliament to speak and vote in the name of those who send him that is what is intended but at this time the reality was something quite different during the hundreds of years since it had been first arranged which town should send members to parliament there had been many changes places which had once been large towns had for some reason or another become deserted where there had been houses, churches, shops and crowded busy streets there was now perhaps only one lonely house or perhaps only a deserted hillside yet that lonely house or deserted hillside continued to send a member to parliament on the other hand cities had been built great towns had sprung up where a hundred years before there had been perhaps only a single cottage but these great towns with all their hardworking people had no right to send a member to parliament and could have no voice in making the laws this seems very absurd nowadays we think it would be quite easy for any sensible man to see that this state of affairs was wrong but a hundred years ago many sensible people did not see it they were pleased with things as they were angry with those who tried to alter them but some people were quite determined they should be altered and two men called Lord Grey and Lord John Russell brought into parliament what is called the reform bill this bill took the right of sending anyone to parliament away from the bare and lonely hillsides and gave the right to the new and busy towns so that the people should really be represented that is should have someone in parliament to act and speak for them there was a long and fierce struggle before the reform bill became law you know that there are two houses of parliament the House of Commons and the House of Lords a bill to become law must be read in both houses and must be voted for by the greater number of the members in each that is more than half the members must vote for it for instance if there were only 100 members at least 51 must vote for a bill before it is said to have passed having passed both houses the King before it can become law after a great deal of difficulty the Commons were made to consent to the reform bill but the Lords did not want it neither did the King and again and again they refused consent the country however had become so determined about it that there were riots everywhere when it became known that the Lords would not pass the bill the people who had been quite ready to love their King began to hate him and instead of cheering when he appeared they hissed and groaned so bitter did the feeling become that the friends of the bill fear that there would be another revolution and at last they forced the King to give his consent the Lords followed and the bill became law one more step toward liberty had been taken another great thing which happened during the reign of Willing IV was the freeing of slaves for many years people had been in the habit of stealing black people from their homes in Africa and selling them as slaves in the colonies people had grown so used to it that they did not see how wicked and cruel this was these poor black people were taken to a market and sold like cattle they were branded like cattle and beaten like cattle they had to work very hard, were paid no wages and were often very cruelly treated all masters of course were not cruel some of them were even kind to their poor slaves but they still had very unhappy lives they had no rights whatever their children might be taken from them and sold sometimes even husbands and wives were sold to different masters and never saw each other again the master might treat his slaves as badly as he chose and no one could punish him in the old rough wild days no one cared about the sufferings of these poor black people they were only niggers and made for work and suffering and nothing was thought about it but as time went on people became less rough and more kind-hearted and good men began to try to make people see the wickedness of slavery for some years a man called Wilberforce had been doing his best and now he was joined by others by the father of the great writer Mr. McCorley had himself been a manager of a sugar plantation in the West Indies where slaves worked but he gave up his post because he could not bear to see the misery and unhappiness of the slaves and came home to try to do something for them it was not a very easy thing to do because all the work on the sugar and coffee plantations in the West Indies was done by slaves the planters said they would be ruined if the slaves were made free as the black people would not work unless they were forced to do so besides they had paid a great deal of money for their slaves and it seemed unfair that they should be made to lose it all but at last all difficulties were smoothed away the British Parliament said that they would give 20 millions of money to the planters to make up for what they would lose in freeing their slaves and in the year 1834 AD most of them were set free many other things were done during the reign of William IV which you will find more interesting when you grow older he died on 20th of June 1837 AD having reigned seven years end of chapter 100 many years ago in a big airy school room a little girl of 11 sat with her governess the little girl had many lessons to learn far more it seemed to her than other little girls of the same age and sometimes they were terribly dull and uninteresting but today they were not so for she had found in her history book a page which showed how kings were descended from each other this was very interesting the little girl read the page carefully then looking up into the face of her governess she said gravely I shall be queen of Britain one day then slipping her hand into that of her governess I will be good, she added I will be good I see now why I have to learn so many lessons this little girl was Princess Victoria the daughter of the Duke of Kent younger brother of William IV William IV had two children but they died while they were babies the Princess Victoria's father had died when she was a baby so she was the heir to the throne when William lay still and quiet in the great palace at Windsor the Bishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain stepped into a carriage and drove fast to the palace of Kensington where the princess lived with her mother it was five o'clock in the morning when they arrived there they knocked and hammered for a long time before they could rouse the sleepy porter but at last they did so and got into the palace but it seemed as if they were not to see the princess and that was what they had come for at last after they had waited for a long time a lady came to them the princess is sleeping so peacefully we have come to see the Queen on affairs of state said the Archbishop even her sleep must give way to that the Queen that was a very different matter in a few minutes the new maid Queen came into the room her brown hair was hanging over her shoulders a shawl covered her nightdress and only slippers were on her little bear feet she was hardly awake and she wondered perhaps if she might not still be dreaming and there in the early morning sunshine these two grave gentlemen and the Lord Chamberlain knelt to kiss the hand of this girl of 18 who was their Queen since the time of George I the Kings of Britain had also been Kings of Hanover but in Hanover there was a law that no woman could ascend to the throne Victoria could not be Queen of Hanover so the crown passed to the Duke of Cumberland another of the brothers of William IV the British people were not very sorry to be rid of Hanover and they were quite glad to be rid of the Duke of Cumberland for no one loved him when Victoria came to the throne she married her cousin Prince Albert of Coburgotha very often Kings and Queens cannot choose whom they will marry as other people can they have to do as they are advised and marry for the good of their country and people but it is pleasant to know that this Queen and Prince really loved each other and that they were happy together with their children just like ordinary people Britain had been long at peace and I wish I had no more wars to tell about but unfortunately during the reign of Victoria there were many wars that could to avoid them for we see now more and more clearly how cruel and terrible a thing war is I cannot tell you about all these wars and their reasons indeed I cannot tell you about nearly all the important events which have happened since Victoria began to reign things happen and changes come now much more quickly than they used to do and to tell of all the wonderful events of the 19th century would fill a whole book and much of it would not interest you End of chapter 101 read by www.kra.org on September 10th 2006 in Oceanside, California our island story chapter 102 this is LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H.E. Marshall chapter 102 Victoria when bread was dear sometime after Victoria began to reign the poor people were in great distress work was scarce and bread was dear and many died of hunger long ago most of the people in Britain used to live by cultivating the land that is by plowing sowing and reaping in those days enough corn was grown in Britain to feed all the people but as years went on the great lords who owned the land found that they made more money by rearing sheep for their wool than by growing corn and wheat for food so year by year less and less corn was grown in the island year by year too more babies were born and grew up into men and women so that there were more people to feed then discoveries began to be made and factories were built and the people who used to plow and sow went into the towns to work in the factories and so because it became more difficult to find people to do farm work still less corn was grown gradually the supply of corn became very small and in consequence very dear but it always happens that if there is only a little of something which a great many people want that article becomes very dear and only those who are well off can afford to buy it this is what happened to corn in Britain there was not enough for all and it became so dear that only the rich people could buy it and the poor people starved bread was so dear that however hard men worked they could not earn enough to feed themselves and their children there was plenty of corn in other parts of the world in fact people in other parts of the world had more than they wanted they would gladly have sold it to Britain and have bought instead the beautiful clots which were being made in the British factories in that way the people in Britain would have had plenty to eat and the people in other parts of the world would have had better clothes to wear and everyone would have been happier and better off but unfortunately some years before this a law had been passed that no foreign corn might be brought into the country until British corn cost 80 shillings a quarter which is very very dear indeed the people who made this law meant to be kind to the farmers and help them to get a good price for their corn but they did not see how unkind they were to the poor at last a few people saw what a dreadful mistake these corn laws as they were called were and they began with all their might and domain to try to have them altered the chief of these people were John Brights, Richard Copton and Charles Pilius but they found it was very difficult to make others think as they did for a long time they fought in vain while the people grew poorer and poorer starving, struggling, dying even little children and old men had to work hard all day long always hungry Charles what has thou with sleep to do awake and dry thine eyes thy tiny hands must labour too our bread is taxed, arise arise and toil long hours for three thy woes make angels weep in heaven but England still is free a weary man of eighty-five and toiling hopeless woe our bread is taxed, our rivals thrive our gods will have it so yet God is undethroned on high and undethroned will be Father of all hear thou our cry and England shall be free but there was worse still to come in Ireland nearly all the poor people lived on potatoes only and it's bad in a few weeks the food which ought to have lasted for a whole year became rotten this was such a terrible misfortune that some of the men who had been against the repeal of the Corn Laws went over to the other side and tried to do away with them as fast as they could among these men was Sir Robert Peale who was now Prime Minister they knew that unless corn could be brought cheaply into Ireland there would be a famine a famine did come people died in hundreds little children cried in vain to their mothers for something to eat the mothers had nothing to give it was a dreadful time, worse than any war rich people set money and food to the poor starving Irish but in spite of everything that was done the misery was terrible some of the food and money came from the United States of America from the colonies which Britain had so lately lost the owners of ships and railways did what they could too for Ireland were carried free on their trains and ships when at last the famine was over it was found that nearly a quarter of the people in Ireland had died but the Corn Laws had been done away with end of chapter 102 Our Island Story Chapter 103 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall Chapter 103 Victoria Peace Queen Victoria's husband was called the Prince Consort. He was a clever man and after he married Queen Victoria he tried to do all he could for Britain although he was German he learned to speak English almost perfectly a thing which some of our German kings had never troubled to do the prince wanted to help trade and to keep peace so he asked people to come from all parts of the world and ring with them the beautiful and useful things of different countries and also the things which grew there such as plants and fruits these were all to be gathered together in one great building so that the people of each country might see what the people in other countries were doing and having seen might go home with new ideas in this way the trade of the whole world could be helped the prince thought too that if people of different countries met together and came to know each other in this friendly manner they would be less likely to want to fight with each other although we have since had many great exhibitions or world fairs then it was quite a new idea it was so new that many people did not like it they thought it would be bad for Britain to bring a number of foreigners there but in spite of difficulties the prince had his way one great difficulty was how to make a building quickly enough and big enough to hold the beautiful things which were to be brought from all over the world the prince wanted to have a pretty building and no one could think of anything except ugly brick sheds at last a gentleman called Sir Joseph Paxton said why not use glass and iron and he sat down and drew a sketch of what he thought the building ought to be this idea of a glass house was quite as new as the idea of having an exhibition at all and the prince was delighted with it very soon a palace of glass began to rise in Hyde Park and it seemed so beautiful that the people called it the Crystal Palace and very beautiful indeed it looked on the opening day it gleamed and glittered like a fairy thing it was decorated with the flags of all nations with palms and flowers with statues and fountains of the country in the world Queen Victoria opened the exhibition and she was glad and happy both because it all looked so beautiful and because she knew it was the thought of her husband whom she loved so well fans played a great choir sang the world seemed full of sunshine and joy and lo the long laborious miles of palace lo the giant aisles rich in model and design harvest tool and husbandry loom and wheel and engineering steel and gold and corn and wine fabric rough or fairy fine sunny tokens of the line polar marvels and a feast of wonder out of west and east and shapes and hues of art divine all of beauty all of use that one fair planet can produce brought from under every star blown from over every main and mixed as life is mixed with pain the works of peace with works of war oh ye the wise who think the wise who reign from growing commerce chain and let the fair white winged peacemaker fly to happy havens under all the sky and mix the seasons and the golden hours till each man find his own in all men's good and all men work in noble brotherhood breaking their mailed fleets and almond towers and ruling by obeying nature's powers and gathering all the fruits of earth and crowned with all her flowers the exhibition was a great success never before had there been so many people from strange countries gathered together in London and before had so many beautiful and curious things been seen all at once when it was over the crystal palace was not destroyed but was taken down and built up again at another place there it has remained ever since and is still one of the sites of London but although people hoped great things from this friendly gathering their hopes were not fulfilled three years later after a piece of forty years Britain was again at war end of chapter one hundred three read by Kara Schallenberg www.kra.org on September 10th 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 104 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H.E. Marshall chapter 104 Victoria War Russia is a great country in the east of Europe but if you look at the map you will see that although it is very large it has not much seashore that is bad for a country or unless it has seaports its ships cannot easily sail to other countries with goods and bring back their goods in exchange to the south of Russia lies the Black Sea but then as now half of the shore of that sea belonged to Turkey and Turkey had the right to keep the ships of other nations out of the Black Sea Russia was very angry at this and formed plans to conquer Turkey and take possession of the country the emperor of Russia had another reason for wishing to fight with the Turks the Turks you know are Mohammedans but many of the people who lived in Turkey had become Christian the emperor thought that these Christians were badly treated by the Turks and he wished to protect them this made the sultan very angry or he said that the emperor was not really anxious about the happiness of the Christians but merely wished to interfere with his rule the Russian emperor hoped that the British would help him to fight the Turks and be offered to divide Turkey when conquered with Britain but the British were on good terms with the Turks and they had several reasons for not wishing Russia to conquer Turkey so when war at last broke out they sided with the Turks against the Russians as did the French who also thought that it would be a bad thing if Russia conquered Turkey for the first time France and Britain instead of fighting against each other fought side by side Lord Raglan led the British army Marshal Arnaud the French the war was fought in the Crimea a little peninsula in the Black Sea and from that it was called the Crimean War both the French and the British said pleats into the Black Sea but they did not do much as the war was chiefly fought on land around the fortress of Sebastopol which the Allies as the armies of Britain France and Turkey were called besieged Ally comes from the same word as the friends or those who had joined together Britain had been at peace for 40 years and although the soldiers had not forgotten how to fight it seemed as if those in command had forgotten how to plan a war the winter in Russia is terribly cold and the people who had charge of sending out clothes to the soldiers said the things to the wrong places so when the soldiers were shivering with cold at one place great stores of warm clothing would be lying at another perhaps not many miles off but quite out of reach once a whole shipload of boots arrived and when they were unpacked they were found to be all for the left foot terrible storms arose too which wrecked the ships which were bringing stores of food these storms not only wrecked the ships but they tore down and blew away the soldiers tents so that they had to sleep in the open air in the snow and bitter frost they had nothing upon which to sleep except wet straw and often they had no big clothes at all and this in cold so dreadful that if a man took hold of a piece of iron it would freeze to his hand so that he could not leave go without tearing away the skin so great was the suffering that many of the soldiers became sick and ill the hospitals were soon filled and many more died of disease than were killed by the Russians in those days there were very few proper nurses and the poor six soldiers were very badly cared for until a lady called Florence Nightingale went out to the Crimea taking with her other ladies as nurses when Florence Nightingale and her nurses arrived in the Crimea the dirt and horror of the hospitals were dreadful the great wards were crowded from end to end with sick and wounded dead and dying no one did anything for the poor soldiers their wounds even were often not dressed they were brought there to die but Florence Nightingale worked so hard that soon the hospitals were sweet and the men grew well instead of dying the soldiers loved and adored her and she never seemed to tire of working for them long after everyone else had gone she would walk through the wards carrying a lamp in her hand moving softly from bed to bed doing what she could for the poor wounded men she would speak to one another said one poor fellow afterwards and nod and smile to many more but she could not do it all there were so many of us but we would kiss her shadow as it fell and her shadows again content low in that house of misery a lady with a lamp I see pass through the glimmering gloom and flit from room to room and slow as in a dream of bliss the speechless sufferer turns to kiss her shadow as it falls upon the darkening walls as if a door in heaven should be opened and then closed suddenly the vision came and went the light shone and was spent on England's annals through the long beautiful speech and song that light its ray shall cast from portals of the past a lady with a lamp shall stand in the great history of the land a noble type of good heroic womanhood once Florence Nightingale went out into the trenches among the soldiers to get a good view of Sebastopol when it became known that she was there they sent up such a shout that the Russians behind their strong battlements heard it and trembled there was not a man there but honored her as he would a queen Florence Nightingale worked so hard that at last she too became ill of the terrible Crimean fever then there was sorrow indeed little could the men do for her who had done so much for them but even in that wild place they found flowers to bring to her to cheer her loneliness and she did not die but still lived to bring joy to many since Florence Nightingale worked and many nurses have worn red crosses upon their sleeves as the crusaders did long ago but those who wear the cross today do not go to battle to fight but to help the wounded and the dying over the hospitals on the battlefield too flies the red cross flag and no enemy ever fires at it or injures anyone who wears the red cross badge the British soldiers were brave and in spite of sickness and suffering they fought gallantly but they were often badly led and many mistakes were made at a battle called Balaclava there was a brigade of cavalry called the Light Brigade Lord Raglan sent a message to the officer in command telling him to prevent the Russians carrying away some guns the officer thought he was meant to charge right forward and he did so but it was a mistake he and his men rode straight to death for a mile and a half they rode with Russian guns in front of them Russian guns on either side of them thundering death when their comrades saw what the Light Brigade was doing they stood watching in horror and wonder as 600 men of the brigade rode down the lane of fire and smoke and disappeared in the bank of smoke beyond it was horrible what was happening to these gallant soldiers they rode straight up to the Russian guns and drove the gunners away but they could not stay there the whole Russian army was arrayed against them so they rode back again back through that awful lane of shot and shell and some men went only 198 returned it was a splendid show of bravery but utterly useless what was the order given what were the men meant to do no one can answer the question it is magnificent said a French officer who saw it but it is not war yet all the world saw what Britons could do in obedience to a command half a league half a league onward all in the valley of death rode the 600 forward the light brigade charged for the guns he said into the valley of death rode the 600 forward the light brigade was there a man dismayed not though the soldier knew someone had blundered there's not to make reply there's not to reason why there's but to do and die into the valley of death rode the 600 cannons to right of them cannons to left of them cannon in front of them stormed out with shot and shell boldly they rode and well into the jaws of death into the mouth of hell rode the 600 flashed all their savers bare flashed as they turned in air savoring the gunners there charging an army while all the world wandered plunged in the battery smoke right through the line they broke Cossack and Russian reeled from the saber stroke shattered and sundered rode back but not not the 600 cannon to right of them cannon to left of them cannon behind them bullied and thundered stormed out with shot and shell while horse and hero fell that they had fought so well came through the jaws of death back from the mouth of hell all that was left of them left of 600 when can their glory fade oh the wild charge they made they wandered honor the charge they made honor the light brigade noble 600 the siege of Sebastopol lasted about a year during which time the Sardinians joined the allies Sardinia was a very small kingdom but the people were brave they wanted to take a place among the great powers of Europe and the allies were very glad to have their help during the winter too the Russian emperor died he was so sad and disappointed because his soldiers were being beaten that he did not care to live he died of a broken heart when the emperor died people hoped that the war would come to an end but it did not his son the new emperor still carried it on at last the French and British made a fierce attack on Sebastopol and although they did not succeed in doing all they meant to do the Russians felt that they could hold out no longer next morning Sebastopol was empty and in flames the Russians had set it on fire and fled after this the war soon came to an end and a few months later peace was signed Russia had failed and Turkey was neither conquered nor divided end of chapter 104 the land of snow in days long long ago men knew very little of the world and all the countries it contained but in the time of Henry VII great sailors began to sail into far seas and discover new lands from that time onward there have been many great and daring sailors who have sailed the seas and discovered more and more lands until the blue of our maps has become marked with islands and continents the way to India and China is long and in the days when there were no steamers in the time of King Henry VII a man called Sebastian Cabot tried to find a short way to India by going round the north of America through the Arctic Ocean this began the quest of what was called the Northwest Passage for hundreds of years men struggled to find this Northwest Passage but all in vain and many brave lives were lost in the bitter frost and snow of the far north as new lands were discovered the map of the Arctic region began to be filled in bit by bit but the Northwest Passage remained undiscovered at last the British government decided in 1845 AD to send out an Arctic expedition and Sir John Franklin who had already been on two voyages of discovery to Arctic regions was put in command Sir John was no longer a young man but he loved the sea and to the north and he went out like an old sea lion eager to find the long sought passage he sailed away with two ships called the Terror and the Arabus manned by a hundred men and more the last goodbye was said the last handshake given and away sped the ships further and further north into the white and silent land never again to return a year passed then another at home anxious hearts waited and waited for news but no news came then as nothing was heard of the ships and their gallant crews both Sir John Franklin's wife and the British government sent out expeditions to try to find the Terror and the Arabus these new ships sailed to the north keeping as much as possible in the course Sir John had gone but they could find no trace of him here and there sailors landed on the bare white shores which they passed and left supplies of food under great heaps of stones or cairns as they are called they also left letters telling which way their ships had gone this they did hoping that some of Franklin's men might pass that way and find the food and letters the sailors also caught white foxes which run about wild in these cold countries round the decks of these foxes they put copper collars which were engraved directions how to find the ships and the stores of food the foxes were then let loose again in the hope that some of them might find their way to the Terror and the Arabus and bring comfort and encouragement to Sir John and his men but nothing was of any use no sign of Franklin and his brave men could be found although expedition after expedition was sent out at one time as many as 15 ships were looking for Franklin but each one failed at last after about 12 years the searchers were rewarded they found a cairn in which was a tin can containing a paper which had been put there by one of Sir John's men this paper told how at last the northwest passage had been discovered how Sir John had died a few days later and how as the ships were stuck fast in the ice and could not get through to the sea beyond the men had at last left them and started southward on sledges that was all none of the men ever reached home again they all died of cold and hunger and here and there along the way they had gone the men's were found bleached and white the people who live in the cold far north are called Eskimos when they were questioned saw them remember having seen white men traveling southward with a sledge but they were very thin said one old woman they fell down and died as they walked the Eskimos had among them silver spoons and forks which the searchers knew had belonged to Sir John these were all collected and brought home but of the ships themselves nothing was ever seen all through the long search it was Lady Franklin who urged the explorers on and when at last she knew that her dear husband was indeed dead she raised a tomb to his memory in Westminster Abbey she herself wished to write the words which were to be carved on the stone but she died before they were written the great poet Laureate Tennyson wrote them instead although it is now known that there is a northwest passage it is also known that it can be of no use for trade even if the passage was not blocked with ice the danger and suffering from the cold are too great to be endured there are still wonderful things to be learned in the cold white north and there have been many Arctic expeditions since the death of Sir John Franklin but I have told you about him because he was one of the most famous Arctic explorers he really discovered the northwest passage and his death in the far north caused many other expeditions to be sent out and although they did not find Sir John they learned much that was new about the Arctic regions end of chapter 105 read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org on September 10th 2006 in Oceanside California our island story chapter 106 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our island story by H.E. Marshall chapter 106 Victoria the Siege of Delhi a hundred years had passed since the terrible night when the British had been murdered in the black hole of Calcutta a hundred years had passed since Clive had gained the victory of Placie since then the British power in India had steadily grown and grown until instead of a few seapoys there was a great Indian army instead of a few factories the whole of India was under the rule of Britain a British rule in India seemed firm and certain but suddenly from out of the calm rebellion blazed new guns had been sent to India for the use of the seapoys the powder and shot for a gun is made up with paper into what is called a cartridge in those days the end of the cartridge had to be bitten off before it could be used the paper of these cartridges was greased and somehow the seapoys came to think that the grease was a mixture of cow's fat and pig's lard and they refused to use the cartridges these Indian soldiers were not Christians but Brahmins and Mohammedans the Brahmins worshipped the cow and they thought that it was dreadfully wicked to put into their mouths or even touch what they held as sacred the Mohammedans on the other hand thought that pigs were unclean animals and their religion forbade them to touch anything which was considered unclean so they too thought that it would be wicked to use the cartridges the Governor Lord Canning sent out a proclamation telling all the people that the cartridges were not greased either with cow's fat or with lard but the seapoys did not believe him and a terrible rebellion known as the Indian Mutiny broke out it was a most dreadful time there were very few British soldiers in India and Lord Canning knew that it would be many weeks before others could arrive from Britain but the British had been fighting in Persia and Lord Canning sent for the soldiers there and also for some who were on their way to fight in China first broke out at a place called Miroot there the native soldiers one day suddenly fired upon their officers and killed some of them then they murdered many of the white people in the town broke open the jails and freed the prisoners who joined in rioting and plundering but at last the few British soldiers who were there succeeded in driving the seapoys from their barracks and they fled to Delhi another town near at Delhi there lived an Indian Emperor in name or his whole empire was under British rule but now the seapoys driven from Miroot rushed to his palace and loudly clamoured for him to come and be their Emperor once more they would no longer have British rulers they said they would sweep them from the land dreadful deeds were done in Delhi where British troops besieged the town and took it again when the mutiny was over the old Emperor was put in prison where he died at a place called Kaunpur some of the most cruel acts were done there were only about 300 British troops there and more than 3000 seapoys Sekhu Wheeler who was in command was a very old man he knew that with his few soldiers he could not hold out against so many seapoys and he sent to Lucknow to Sir Henry Lawrence for help but alas Sir Henry could not help him but Lucknow too was in great danger and he needed every one of his men so Sekhu sent to a native called the Nana Sahib and asked him for help the Nana Sahib had always pretended to be a friend and Sekhu believed that he was really he hated the British now he came with 300 men professing to be glad to help them he got into Kaunpur with his soldiers and his guns and then he turned against the British Sekhu and all the white people had gathered into an old hospital for safety the magazine the place where the gunpowder and firearms were kept would have been a far better refuge for them it is difficult to understand why Sekhu did not go there but he did not and it fell into the hands of the seapoys the hospital was surrounded by a low wall of mud which was all the defence there was between the white people and the shrieking yelling mob of seapoys within these walls there were nearly 1000 white people and more than half of them were women and children the sepoys thought that it would be easy to kill them all but they found out their mistake the white people fought fiercely and the sepoys were driven back again and again the suffering within the old hospital was dreadful the women and children died by hundreds the fierce Indian sun blazed down upon the almost roofless house there was little to eat and less to drink water could only be had from a well which was within the range of the enemy's guns to go for water seemed to the bravest to be going to a certain death during the whole siege not a cupful could be spared to wash with thousands of yelling sepoys were without the low mud walls yet so great was their dread of the white men that they dared not leap over at last the Nana Sahib out of the deep wickedness of his heart proposed terms he promised that all who would lay down their arms should be allowed to leave the town that he would give them boats to take them to another town where they would be safe and that they should have food for the journey all he asked was that they should go away what joy there was within the hospital when it was known that the terrible siege was at an end the women and children were utterly worn and weary the men were wounded sick and hopeless the joy and relief were almost too great the day came everything was ready and the long slow procession passed down to where the boats were waiting on the river gently the sick and wounded were placed under the straw awnings with which the boats were covered to protect the passengers from the blazing sun then the women and children stepped in lastly the men the Indian rowers took their places and pushed off when suddenly a trumpet was heard in a moment the straw-thatched roofs of the boats were in flames and the rowers throwing down their oars made for the shore a moment later both banks blazed and roared with gunshots and a horrible rain of bullets fell upon the boats to make the horror worse the boats drifted upon the mud banks and stuck fast at last the firing ceased the women and children who were still alive were taken ashore again and shut up this time in a place called the Savada House the men were all killed so the Nernas Ahib kept faith but the British were coming General Habalok and his brave soldiers were not far off and the Nanna made haste to finish his cruel work he ordered his sepoys to fire at the women and children through the windows of the Savada House even the sepoys, however, turned from this awful work and aimed high so that the shots fell upon the roof and did no harm but in the evening five men went into the house horrible shrieks were heard then all were silenced the work was finished all the women and children were dead the bodies of those poor women and children were thrown into a well and when the British took Kanpur the horror of that well was one of the first sites they saw now it is covered over a marble angel holding a palm branch guards the spot and a garden blooms where that ghastly house stood the Nanna Ahib was never punished when his sepoys were defeated before Kanpur he galloped away and was seen no more people said that he was not a man but an evil spirit and that when his work was done he was finished as a spirit would End of chapter 106 Our Island Story Chapter 107 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 107 Victoria, the Pipes at Lucknow Lucknow too was besieged and terrible things were happening there The chief officer at Lucknow was Sir Henry Lawrence who had so sadly to refuse to send help to Kanpur He was a brave and wise man but he was killed almost at the very beginning of the siege One day while he was talking with some of his officers a shell burst into the room when the smoke cleared away a little someone said Are you hurt, Sir Henry? There was a moment's silence then Sir Henry said quietly I am killed He died two days later Never yield, he said Let every man die at his post rather than yield For nearly three months the siege went on The white people were shut into a strong place called the Residency and although they were better off than the poor people at Kanpur many died of wounds and sickness It was three months of horror beneath a blazing sky amid the shriek and roar of cannon Men grew hard-eyed and gaunt Women drooped and faded Would help never come? At last General Havelock having defeated the Nana Sahib marched towards Lucknow but he had lost so many of his men that he dared not attack He was obliged to wait for more soldiers and the waiting was hard for men with the memories of Kanpur in their hearts But at last Sir James Outram joined Havelock and together they marched to Lucknow As week after week passed and no help came the brave defenders of Lucknow grew sick with longing and despair One evening a sergeant's wife called Jesse who had been ill and had been having a sleep while her mistress who had been nursing her sat by her side Jesse stirred and muttered in her sleep then suddenly springing up and turning her starful eyes on her mistress she cried Dina you hear them? Dina you hear them? The lady thought that Jesse had gone mad Jesse dear lie down she said you are not well No no cried Jesse I'm well I'm well it's the Campbells I'm hearing Dina you hear them? Dina you hear them? It was indeed the sound of the pipes Soon not only Jesse but all that weary band heard the glad sound The terrible agony of waiting was over General Havelock and his Highlanders were at the gates Lucknow was relieved Pipes of the misty moorlands Voice of the glens and hills The droning of the torrents The treble of the rills Not the braves of broom and heather Nor the mountains dark with rain Nor Maidenbauer nor Border Tower Have heard your sweetest strain Dear to the lowland reaper And the castle the Scottish pipers are dear Sweet sounds the ancient piebrock Or mountain lock and glade But the sweetest of all music The pipes that Lucknow played Day by day the Indian tiger Louder yelled and nearer crept Round and round the jungle serpent near And nearer circles swept Pray for rescue wives and mothers Pray to day the soldier said Tomorrow's deaths between us and the wrong and shame we dread Oh they listened looked and waited Till their hopes became despair And filled the pauses of their prayer Then up spake a Scottish maiden With her ear unto the ground Dine ye hear it, dine ye hear it The pipes of havlock sound Hushed the wounded man his groaning Hushed the wife her little ones Alone they heard the drumroll And the roar of sepoy guns But to sounds of home and childhood The Highland Ear was true As the mother's cradle Crooning the mountain pipes she knew Like the march of soundless music In the ear she knew the droning pie rock She knew the Campbell's call Hark here ye know McGregor's the grandest of them all Oh they listened dumb and breathless And they caught the sound at last Faint and far beyond the goomty Rose and fell the pipers blast Then a burst of wild thanksgiving Mingled woman's voice and man's God be praised the march of havlock The piping of the clans Louder, nearer, fierce as vengeance Sharp and shrill as swords at strife Came the wild McGregor's clan call The air to life But when the far-off dust cloud To plaid legions grew Full tenderly and blithesomely The pipes of rescue blew Round the silver domes of Lucknow Moslem Mosk and Paganshrine Breathed the air to Britain's dearest The air of oddlang's eye Or the cruel roll of war drums Rose that sweet and home-like strain And the tartan clove the turban As the goomty cleaves the plain But although the coming of havlock And Lucknow for a time they were not strong enough Quite to defeat the sepoys and take all The women and children to a safe place So the siege began again and lasted For about two months more But at last Sir Colin Campbell landed in India And a few days later marched to Lucknow This time it really was relieved Little more than a week later General havlock who had fought so bravely For his countrymen who had endured So much to bring them help died India is very far from Britain And in those days news travelled very slowly So the queen, not knowing that havlock had died Made him a baronet, that is She gave him the title of Sir In reward for his brave deeds But three days before the queen did this The brave general was lying still and quiet Resting after his great labours General havlock was a good as well as a great man Like Cromwell he taught his soldiers To fight and to pray and Havlock Saints as they were called Were well known in India But havlock saints like Cromwell's Ironsides showed that they could fight As well as pray After the relief of Lucknow The mutiny was nearly at an end Lord Canning made a proclamation offering pardon To all except those who had actually murdered The British and gradually the country became Peaceful again The East India Company Which until now had practically ruled India Was done away with and the queen took The government into her own hands As Victoria could not herself live in India She appointed a viceroy Viceroy means one in place of a king Lord Canning who through all the terrible days Of the mutiny had proved himself to be a good governor Was made the first viceroy End of chapter 107 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kray.org On September 10th 2006 In Oceanside, California Our island story chapter 108 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information and to find out how you can volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Our island story by H.E. Marshall Chapter 108 Victoria Under the Southern Cross Let no one think much of a trifling expense Who knows what may happen a hundred years hence The loss of America, what can we pay New colonies seek for in botany bay In the days of King George III There was a great sailor called Captain Cook He made many voyages into unknown seas And discovered new lands Among these lands were the unknown New lands Among these lands were the islands of Australia and New Zealand It was in April 1770 A.D. that Captain Cook first landed In Australia In a bay which he called Botany Bay Because there were so many plants of all kinds there At that time the island was inhabited Only by wild black savages And Captain Cook took possession Of the whole eastern coast In the name of King George Calling it New South Wales While America was a British colony Wicked people instead of being sent to prison For punishment, as they are now Were sent to work on the cotton plantations Or farms there After America was lost, convicts As these wicked people are called Could no longer be sent there And British statesmen began to look round For some other country to which they could be sent Then it was that Australia was thought of It was decided to form a convict colony there It was hoped that free people would go to And that soon Australia Would become as great a colony As America had been So they sailed out from England A little fleet of ships carrying Captain Phillip As the governor of the new colony As nearly a thousand people Of whom more than 700 were prisoners The rest were officers and marines To guard the prisoners They took with them food and clothes Enough to last two years Also tools for building houses And plows and everything needed for farm work As the ships passed the Cape of Good Hope They stopped there to take in more food And also animals with which to stock the farms Which the British hoped to make in Australia They took so many animals on board That the ships looked more like Noah's Arcs Than anything else When the ships reached Australia Captain Phillip landed, a flagstaff was planted And soon the Union Jack floated out To the sound of British cheers The health of the king was drunk And then Captain Phillip made a speech to the convicts He told them that now In this new country they had another chance To forget their wicked ways And to become again good British subjects It was the first speech Which had ever been made in the English language In that far land And when he had finished the silence of the lonely shore Was again broken by the sound of British cheers So the town of Sydney was founded Governor Phillip and his strange company Of rough bad men soon set to work Everything had to be done Trees had to be felled And stones quarried and broken For the building of houses And the making of roads and harbours That little time was left for farm work And the settlers in this new colony nearly starved It seemed as if the people at home had forgotten them For the food which they had promised to send Never came Day by day eager eyes Looked out vainly over the blue sea Straining for the sight of a white sail But no ship came Prisoners and warders alike grew gulped And pale Nearly all their food was gone The governor even gave up some sacks of flour Which were his own Anything which others cannot have If any convict complains he may come And see that at government house We are no better off than he is Still no help came Little work could be done by men who were starving And their weary days dragged slowly past For the handful of white people Who utterly cut up from all others Were ignorant of what was happening In a great world which lay beyond the blue waves But even in the darkest hour They never forgot that they were Britons Our distress did not make us forget The day of our beloved king wrote one In the morning flags were displayed And at noon three volleys of musketry Were fired as an acknowledgement That we were Britons who, however distant And distressed, revered their king And loved their country At last after three years A sail was seen Oh what joy help at last A news at last from home But alas the new ship brought little food And many more convicts It brought however The assurance that the little colony was not forgotten Other ships had been sent with food But they had been wrecked on the way Fortnight later another ship arrived Then another and another The colony was saved for the time at least Although farming threatened them again More than once At one time things were so bad That when anyone was asked to dine at government house He was requested to bring his own bread With him In a few years presettlers began to come to Australia They were farmers And the corn was grown in such quantities That the colony was freed from all fear of farming Later still A gentleman brought wool bearing sheep To Australia That is sheep which have fine fleeces And now the rearing of sheep for their wool Is one of the chief industries of Australia As the free settlers increased in number They objected to having convicts sent among them For because of these wild bad men The colony began to have an evil name When gold was discovered in Australia Many more people flocked there Then Queen Victoria and her government Decided at last that it was not a good thing To send convicts to the colonies And so in 1867 AD The last convict ship set out for Australia After that the British shut up those who did wrong In strong prisons at home Australia has grown quickly into a great And wealthy country I cannot tell you the history of it here But although it is now called The Commonwealth of Australia And has a parliament of its own It is still part of the Empire of Greater Britain Australia lies quite to the other side of the world From Britain and when it is day in the one It is night in the other And when Australians look up to the sky at night They see the stars of the Southern Cross Instead of the Polestar and the Plough Which the British see Yet the people in the two islands are friends and brothers And ties of love draw them together Across the ocean waves End of Chapter 108 Our Island Story Chapter 109 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Kara Schellenberg Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Chapter 109 Victoria From Cannibal to Christian In 1769 AD Captain Cook landed in North Island, New Zealand He cut the name of his ship upon a tree Planted the British flag And claimed the land in the name of King George III Then he sailed all around the island Proving to himself and his officers that it was indeed an island In January of the following year He landed in South Island Again hoisted the Union Jack And again claimed the land and all the lands near In the name of King George For many years no white people settled in New Zealand For it was peopled by a wild and warlike race Of savages called Maori's These Maori's were cannibals That is people who eat human beings After a battle those who were killed Would be roasted and eaten by the victors The Maori's fought among themselves And they fought with the white traders Who came from time to time to their shores Yet although they were cannibals The Maori's were not nearly such a low kind of savage As the Australian and a missionary called Marsden Hearing about these islands and their people Made up his mind to teach them to be Christian Mr Marsden was working among the convicts In Australia and one day he set sail from there And landed in New Zealand For the price of twelve axes He bought two hundred acres of land From one of the Maori chiefs And there he founded a missionary settlement Mr Marsden himself could not stay For his work was in Australia But he left two men behind him who taught the natives And he often came back to the islands And was greatly loved by the Maori's For many years Britain did not acknowledge New Zealand as a colony Dreadful deeds were done there But when the British government was asked To put a stop to them The answer was that the islands were not Within his majesty's dominions Yet at other times the government acted As if the islands were part of the empire The colonists who came did not stay long For the dreadful customs of the savage Maori's Frightened them away again That was not to be wondered at For in spite of all the missionaries could do Many of the Maori's remained cannibals When Queen Victoria came to the throne There were only about two thousand white people In all the islands But as many of these were British It was felt at last that it was the duty Of the British to do something To protect their colonists against the Maori's And also to protect the Maori's From the native chiefs So a governor was sent out from Britain Who was told to make a treaty with these native chiefs This treaty was signed at a place called Waitangi in North Island The governor, with all the principal white people Sat upon a platform which had been set up In an open space near the town Round them sat the Maori chiefs And behind them stood all the rest Of the white people Beyond gleamed the white of the British tents With flags which showed brightly Against the background of waving green trees When all were gathered the governor spoke to the people And as he could not speak the Maori language One of the missionaries translated his words to them He told them how the great white queen In an island far away was anxious That they should be happy and at peace And because so many of the great white queen's Own subjects had come to live in these islands Of New Zealand She felt that she must send a governor to rule them And to see justice done between them And the Maori's The great white queen asked the Maori chiefs To acknowledge her as overlord For she would protect them, their families, their people And their goods, as she protected all her other subjects And their possessions Then the Maori chiefs spoke Some of them did not want to sign the treaty Send the man away, said one, springing up And pointing to the governor Do not sign the paper, if you do you will become slaves You will be made to break stones upon the roads Your lands will be taken away from you And you will no longer be chiefs Another chief then rose He spoke so calmly and so well That all the white people were quite astonished He said, turning to the governor You must not allow us to become slaves You will keep all our old customs You will not let our land be taken from us This chief was a very great man Very mighty in battle So the others listened to him, and after more talking It was agreed that they should think about it for a day Before signing the treaty Then with cheers from both the natives And the white people, the meeting was ended Next day with firing of guns And great ceremony the treaty was signed The great chief who had spoken in favour of the treaty As the missionaries had taught him to do But the others made marks, like the marks called Tattooing, with which their bodies were covered A few months later the chiefs of South Island Also signed the treaty, and the Union Jack Was hoisted amid the thunder of guns And the cheers of the people So New Zealand became an acknowledged British colony Nearly 100 years after it was discovered And claimed by Cook Many years have passed since the signing Of this treaty, and many things have happened Of which I cannot tell you here New Zealand has become an important part Of the British Empire Instead of 2,000 white people There are now about 700,000 in the islands It is a self-governing colony, and Like Australia has a parliament of its own And in New Zealand the women help to choose The members for parliament, just as the men do End of Chapter 109 Read by Kara Schellenberg www.kra.org On September 10th 2006 in Oceanside, California Our island story Chapter 110 In the days when Cromwell was ruling Britain With his iron hand A few stern-faced, silent men Sailed out from Holland And landed in South Africa There they made their home And there they grew rich and prospered In the reign of George III While in the middle of the 19th century The island was once the capital Of the British Empire The island was once the capital Of the British Empire The island was once the capital In the reign of George III While Napoleon was conquering all Europe British soldiers landed in Africa And took possession of Cape Town Later still, when Napoleon had fallen The Cape of Good Hope became a British Possession by treaty with Holland Soon thousands of British settled there And slowly but surely the colony grew So, side by side These two races, Dutch and British Spread and prospered But they could not live together in peace It seemed as if in all the wide belt There was not room for both I cannot tell you here of all the quarrels And this peace Of how the different colonies called Orange Free State, Transvaal, Natal And Cape Colony arose Of how the Transvaal at one time Owned British rule and at another did not Of how Britain fought and suffered Until at last the long years of unrest And trouble ended in the Great Boer War I cannot tell you all of this But it would take too long And much of it would not seem interesting to you I will not talk much either about the Boer War For the tears it caused are hardly dry The graves it made are hardly green All through this book I have tried to give you reasons for the wars Of which I have told And although now that we have come to our own time It becomes more difficult I will give you one reason for the Boer War Which you may understand From the very beginning of our story You have seen how Britons have fought for freedom And how step by step they have won it Until at last Britons live under just laws And have themselves the power to make these laws For it is now acknowledged That the Britain who pays taxes Has the right to help to frame the laws Under which he lives You remember how America was lost Because King George III tried to force The Americans to pay taxes Although they had not the right to choose And send members to Parliament Now the Transvaal was a republic And the government was in the hands of the Boers As the South African Dutch had come to be called Yet in some vague way They were called the Queen of Britain as Overlord Those who lived in the Transvaal Were chiefly Boer farmers But gold was discovered in the country And then many other people went there Hoping to make a great deal of money Many of these people were British And although the Boers were not glad to see them And wished they would keep away from the land Which they considered their very own These British helped to make the Boer country rich They paid heavy taxes But they were called itlanders Which means outlanders or strangers They were not allowed to vote for members of Parliament And so had no voice In making the laws under which they had to live You have heard our Britons for centuries Had fought for this very freedom Which was now denied them in South Africa And you can imagine how hard it was for Britons to bear What seemed to them so great and injustice This is only one reason Why the Boers and Britons could not live in peace together But it is one which you can understand The Boers too had their troubles And their grievances And when war came They fought as patriots fight for their country The British in South Africa Appealed at last to their mother country for help The mother country gave help In October 1899 AD war broke out It was a dreadful war And lasted for two years and a half We have not yet forgotten the days of Six suspense during the long months When Lady Smith and brave little Mafeking were besieged Nor the gloom which fell upon us As we read of disaster and defeat The Boers and Sobs which greeted the news of the relief of Lady Smith And then of Mafeking But in the darkest hour One thing became certain The little island was not fighting alone The Empire of Greater Britain was no mere name From all sides From New Zealand, Australia, Canada From every province of Greater Britain From every land over which the Union Jack floats came offers of help Britain was fighting Not for herself, but for her colony And right or wrong Her colonies stood by her Side by side and shoulder to shoulder At length the dark days passed And the whisper of peace was heard It was a whisper which grew louder Until it was plainly heard The Boer leaders gathered at a place called The Henick Inn To talk over the terms of peace The Henick Inn means Union So it seemed a good place at which to have the meeting The Boers were treated as a guest of the British Prepared a camp for them And did everything for their comfort But as they were led to their camp Through the British lines The Boers were blindfolded And guarded by soldiers at the Black Watch This was done because the Boers Might not have agreed to make peace And then the knowledge they had gained Of the British camp would have helped them greatly The meeting lasted about ten days But at last on Sunday June 1st 1902 AD The good news reached London Peace was proclaimed Here where my fresh turned furrows run And the deep soil glistens red I will repair the wrong that was done To the living and the dead Here where the senseless bullets fell And the barren shrapnel burst I will plant a tree here I will dig a well against the heat And the thirst Here in a large and sunlit land Where no wrong bites to the bone I will lay my hand in my neighbour's hand And together we will atone For the set folly and the red breach And the black waste of it all Giving and taking counsel each Over the cattle crawl Here in the waves and the troughs of the plains Where the healing stillness lies And the vast, benignant sky restrains And the long days make wise Blessed to I use the rain and the sun And the blind seed in its bed That we may repair the wrong That was done To the living and the dead The South of Africa is now entirely A British colony and we hope that soon It will be as loyal, as happy, and as prosperous As any other British colony Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years Which is longer than any other British sovereign has ever reigned When she had been on the throne 50 years greater rejoicings were held On the 21st of June The anniversary of the day upon which she ascended the throne The streets and houses were Everywhere decorated and bonfires And fireworks blazed This year was called the Jubilee year 10 years later Victoria was still Upon the throne and again the people rejoiced The whole air was filled with Shaps and cheers as the white-haired lady Who was queen of half the world Drove through the streets of London On her way to St Paul's Cathedral There to thank God for her great And glorious reign. This was called The Diamond Jubilee Year 3 years later While the dark war cloud still hung over the land The news was flashed through all the Great Empire. The queen is dead At the close of a dull winter's day The sad toll of muffled bells Wrang out the message to every town And village And from east to west wherever the flag Of red, white and blue floats Huts were sad May children of our children Say she wrought her people lasting good Her court was pure, her life serene God gave her peace, her land reposed A thousand claims to reverence closed In her as mother, wife and queen And statesmen at her council met Who knew the seasons went to take Occasion by the hand and make The bounce of freedom wider yet By shaping some august decree Which kept her throne and shaken still Brought based upon her people's will And compassed by the inviolate sea God of our fathers known of old Lord of our far-flung battle-line Beneath whose awful hand we hold Dominion over palm and pine Lord, God of hosts, be with us yet Lest we forget, lest we forget The tumult and the shouting dies The captain and the king's depart The captain and the king's depart The captain and the king's depart The captain and the king's depart Still stands thine ancient sacrifice And humble and a contrite heart Lord, God of hosts, be with us yet Lest we forget, lest we forget End of chapter 110 End of Our Island Story Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information and to find out how you can volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall List of Kings from Edward the Confessor Saxon Kings Edward the Confessor reigned 24 years From 1042 to 1066 Harold II reigned a little more than 9 months from January 5th To October 14th 1066 Norman Kings William I reigned 21 years From 1066 to 1087 William II reigned 13 years From 1087 to 1100 Henry I reigned 35 years From 1100 to 1135 Stephen reigned 19 years From 1135 to 1154 Lantaginot Kings Henry II reigned 35 years From 1154 to 1189 Richard I Reigned 10 years From 1189 to 1199 John reigned 17 years From 1199 to 1216 Henry III Reigned 56 years From 1216 to 1272 Edward I Reigned 35 years From 1272 to 1307 Edward II Reigned 20 years From 1307 to 1327 Edward III Reigned 50 years From 1327 to 1377 Richard II Reigned 22 years From 1377 to 1399 Henry IV Reigned 14 years From 1399 to 1413 Henry V Reigned 9 years From 1413 to 1422 Henry VI Reigned 39 years Edward IV Reigned 22 years From 1461 to 1483 Edward V Reigned a little more than 2 months From April 6 to June 26 1483 Richard III reigned 2 years From 1483 to 1485 Tudor Kings Henry VII reigned 24 years From 1485 to 1509 Henry VIII Reigned 38 years From 1509 to 1547 Edward VI Reigned 6 years From 1547 to 1553 Mary I Reigned 5 years From 1553 to 1558 Elizabeth Reigned 45 years From 1558 to 1603 Stuart Kings James I of England and VI of Scotland Reigned 58 years 36 as King of Scotland only From 1567 to 1603 And 22 as King of Great Britain and Ireland From 1603 to 1625 Charles I Reigned 24 years From 1625 to 1649 The Commonwealth lasted 11 years From 1649 to 1660 Stuart Kings continued Charles II Reigned 25 years from 1660 to 1685 James II of England 7th of Scotland Reigned 3 years From 1685 to 1688 Mary II And William III reigned together for 5 years From 1689 to 1694 Then William III Reigned alone for 8 years From 1694 to 1702 And Reigned 12 years From 1702 to 1714 Hanoverian Kings George I reigned 13 years From 1714 to 1727 George II reigned 1767 George II reigned 33 years From 1727 to 1760 George III reigned 60 years From 1760 to 1820 George IV reigned 10 years From 1820 to 1830 William IV Reigned 7 years From 1830 to 1837 Victoria reigned 68 years From 1837 to 1901 End of Chapter 111 of Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall The List of Kings from Edward the Confessor Read by Kara Schellenberg and Jim Mote End of Our Island Story