Britain in the Middle Ages: A History for BeginnersBowman, Florence L.
History
Britain in the Middle Ages: A History for Beginners
Bowman, Florence L.
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Middle Ages
As he marched, he gave orders to build strong castles. Builders and
architects were as busy as soldiers and there was great rivalry amongst
them. Some boasted of the number of towers, some of their size, some of
the speed at which they were able to build. The fine castle of Conway
was made from the stones of a stronghold close by. Carnarvon and
Beaumaris were built to guard the island of Anglesey, and Caerphilly
looked towards the lands of the South Welsh.
Llewelyn, hidden in the wilds of Snowdon, hoped ever that the King
would risk a march into these unknown paths, but he waited in vain.
Then Llewelyn fought on the coast road, but with dismay he saw himself
cut off on all sides but one, and, looking towards the south, he knew
it to be his only way of escape, and that was the land of his enemies.
There, it is said, he died, by the treachery of the South Welsh, as he
stood upon the bank of a river, but the South Welsh say that he was
slain in battle by his enemies, the English.
Then Edward summoned the Welsh to meet him at Carnarvon Castle, where
he promised they should do homage to a new Welsh Prince, whom he would
choose. When the day came, he showed to them his eldest son, who had
just been born at Carnarvon, and they paid homage.
Among the laws which he made, he bade the Welsh speak English, but to
this day they can speak in their own tongue. "My people," said the
Welsh chieftain, "may be weakened by your might and even in great part
destroyed, but unless the wrath of God be on the side of its foe it
will not perish utterly, nor deem I that other race or other tongue
will answer for this corner of the world before the Judge of all at the
last day save this people and the tongue of Wales."
CHAPTER XX
THE WAR WITH SCOTLAND
The old King of Scotland, dying, left his kingdom to his little
granddaughter, the Maid of Norway, who was only seven years old. Edward
planned to marry her to his son the Prince of Wales and so make England
and Scotland one kingdom. He sent a ship to bring her from Norway in
the winter and he stored it with good things, with toys and sweetmeats
for the voyage.
The weather was stormy and Margaret died on the voyage. There was much
woe in Scotland and trouble in the English King's mind. Many Scottish
nobles claimed the crown and they asked Edward to choose amongst them.
It was a difficult matter but Edward was trusted, for all men praised
him as the Lion of Justice.
He chose Balliol to rule over them, but this man proved himself of no
wisdom and little counsel and his rivals Bruce and the Red Comyn were
more powerful than he.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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