42. Louis soon came over with a French army, and, after having in vain tried to take Dover Castle, he entered London in triumph, whilst John was obliged to retreat; but the Barons began to think they had done wrong, and, as John died suddenly, in the midst of this confusion, they turned their arms against Louis, and forced him to leave the country. QUESTIONS. 1. What were the first acts of Henry the Second? 7. Who was Thomas à Becket? 8. How was the death of Becket caused? 10. What conquest was made in this reign? 12. When did Henry die, and who succeeded him? 13. How did Richard employ the chief part of his reign? 17. What occurred in England during his absence? 22. What happened to the king on his way home? 23. State the date and manner of his death. 24. Who was the next king? 27. How did the king act towards the nobles? 30. What was Magna Charta? 40. What did the king do after he had signed that Charter? CHAPTER X. FROM THE DEATH OF KING JOHN TO THE ACCESSION OF RICHARD THE SECOND.--1216 TO 1377. [Illustration: DEATH OF LLEWELLYN.] 1. The reign of Henry the Third, who was only nine years of age when he succeeded his father, was a very long and a very unhappy one. 2. At first, things went on very well, because the king had a good guardian, the Earl of Pembroke, who managed the government wisely; but he, in a few years, died, and others came into power who did not act so well, and the king was too young to know what was right himself. 3. It was a pity the good earl died, for, if Henry had been fortunate enough to have had a wise instructer, he might have been a better sovereign, but, as it was, he was a very bad one. 4. The great mischief was this. He married a French princess, who had no more wisdom than himself; and they were both so extravagant that they spent a great deal more money than they could afford; and, then, to get fresh supplies, the king ordered the people to pay more taxes, and began to do all the unjust things that had caused so much misery in the time of his father. 5. Sometimes the Barons assembled and obliged him to promise he would abide by the terms of Magna Charta; but he soon forgot his promises, and went on the same as before, so that the people were worse and worse off every year, and many men became robbers on the highways, because they could not support their families by honest industry. 6. This was the state of affairs for many years, till at last, there was a civil war again, and, after a great deal of fighting and bloodshed, the king and his eldest son, Edward, were made prisoners in a battle, fought at Lewes, in Sussex, in 1264, and the Earl of Leicester, the king’s brother-in-law, took the government upon himself.