CONTENTS. * The titles of the Outline Lessons are in Bold type; the star (*) indicates THE ROYAL HISTORY READERS. No. III.-ENGLAND, 1603 to 1881 A.D. THE HOUSE OF STEWART. 1.-JAMES I. 1603 to 1625 A.D.-22 years. 1. When King James the Sixth of Scotland came to the throne of England he was called James the First. He was the first of the Stewart1 kings. He was the only son of Mary Queen of Scots, and Mary was granddaughter of Henry the Seventh's daughter Margaret. He married the Princess Anne of Denmark. 2. James at once began to set up the Episcopal Church throughout Great Britain. At this the Roman Catholics were very angry, as they had hoped that James, being a Stewart, would favour their cause. Certain wild spirits among them therefore made up their minds to get rid of King, 'Lords, and Commons at one blow. Nov. 5, 1605 A.D. 3. For this purpose the Gunpowder Plot was formed by Catesby and others. A cellar beneath the Parliament House was hired. Thirty-six barrels of gunpowder were secretly placed there, and were covered with coals and 'fagots. A Spaniard, named Guy Fawkes, was hired to set fire to the whole, at the opening of Parliament, when the Royal Family, together with the Lords and Commons, should be present. 4. But the plot was found out from a letter written by one of the plotters to a friend, whose life he wished to save. This letter was shown to the King, who, guessing what was meant, ordered the vaults beneath the House of Lords to be searched. There Guy Fawkes was found. He had laid the 'train, and was ready with matches and lantern to do the dreadful work. 5. The rest of the plotters fled into Staffordshire, where a rising in aid of the plot had been arranged to take place. Most of them were 'cut down while fighting. Others were taken, tried, and doomed to die; but some were pardoned. Very severe laws against Roman Catholics were then passed. They were not allowed to be doctors, or lawyers, or even to live in London; and any one was allowed to break into their houses and spoil their goods. 1611 6. The first great work of this reign was the translation of the Bible. Forty-seven scholars were engaged on the work for three years; and the result was the authorized version. 7. After the death of Lord Cecil, a wise states A.D. |