no other resource than to offer the crown to Louis, the eldest son of the French king, who was distantly related to the royal family of England. This second opportunity was not lost by delay; all the disposable forces of the French monarch were instantly embarked; and larger reinforcements promised, to be commanded by Louis in person. Obedient as Philip had formerly been to the instructions of the Roman pontiff, he now determined to set them at defiance. In vain did the legate of Rome prohibit the enterprise; Louis set sail with a fleet of not less, it is said, than 700 sail. He landed at Sandwich without molestation, took Rochester castle on his march, and proceeded rapidly to London, where he was received with universal acclamations, and multitudes of all classes pressed forward to swear fealty to him. Though the ceremony of coronation was not performed, he entered immediately on the exercise of royal authority; selected his ministers of state, the greater part of whom were foreigners; and issued several edicts to his new subjects. The temper and conduct of this prince was, however, so repulsive, and his partiality to foreigners so manifest, that the barons quickly repented of their choice, and began to think of making new terms with John, who still continued to ravage the kingdom with fire and sword. But while the barons were deliberating on this subject, a calamity befell that king, which brought on a mortal disease, and quickly swept him into the grave. As he was marching his army across the marshes of Lincolnshire, they were overtaken by the tide, which washed away many of the troops, together with the royal baggage, and the crown jewels, which, for greater security, he carried with him. This disaster, in addition to the rapid progress which prince Louis had made, so irritated and depressed the king's mind, that a fever ensued, of which he died on the 28th of October, 1216, in the fifty-first year of his age, and eighteenth of his eign. M. Paris. Hoveden. Chron. Norm. Knyghton. VOL. 1. K C REFLECTIONS. The reign which has now been sketched was at once the most disgraceful and most beneficial in the whole series of English history-disgraceful, because never before or since has this kingdom been reduced to a state of vassalage to a foreign potentate-yet beneficial, because it gave to Britain a charter, which has proved even to the present time, the guardian of her social rights, and the palladium of her civil liberties. Thus are good and evil inseparably blended together in the present state; and that which at first sight appears to be productive of unmingled calamity, frequently becomes the occasion of incalculable benefit to mankind. The over-ruling hand of God is displayed in so controlling the passions, and even the vices, of the human race, as to cause "the wrath of man to praise him," by accomplishing that which "his counsel determined before to be done." It is the prerogative of the "Only wise God, to bring good out of evil; but let none imagine that this furnishes a palliative of their guilt, or tends to extenuate their crimes. The murder of the incarnate Son of God was not less heinous, because it was a fulfilment of the divine decrees, and has proved the life and salvation of a perishing world. The enmity of the human heart against God, which has frequently prompted persons in authority to unjust and persecuting measures, is not the less criminal, because persecution has usually tended to the furtherance of the Gospel. And upon the same principle, the conduct of the sovereign, to whom the preceding essay refers, was not less disgraceful, unjust and iniquitous, because it proved the occasion of permanent good to his country. From the conduct of Philip and John towards each other, may be gathered the instability and treachery of those friendships, which are not founded on virtuous principles and habits. These two princes had been early companions in iniquity; but as Philip was considerably the elder, and endowed with far superior talents, it is but just to ascribe the early excesses and crimes of the English prince to the baneful influence of his evil counsels and example. The rebellion of John against his father, and subsequently against his brother, was manifestly owing to the intrigues and ascendency of the French king. But as this friendship had been founded on selfishness, no sooner did the balance of interest turn, than these intimate friends became sworn enemies. Philip no sooner saw the reins of government placed in the hands of this weak and infatuated prince, than he threw off the mask of friendship, wrested from him his foreign possessions, and aspired to rob him of his crown. Thus must companionship in vice ever prove a source of pain, disgrace and danger; if it do not terminate in final destruction. How careful should they be who are forming intimacies and attachments, to ascertain on what principles they are founded-whether the bond of union be legitimate and honourable, and whether likely to prove beneficial or injurious! For "while he that walks with wise men shall be wise, the companions of fools shall be destroyed." What an odious picture of priestly ambition on the part of Innocent and his legate, contrasted with abject servility on that of the degraded monarch, does this reign exhibit to posterity. Unless the circumstances of these nefarious transactions had been most minutely and faithfully recorded by contemporary historians, scarcely could they have obtained the credit of succeeding generations. It is impossible,' they would have been ready to say, 'that such a despot could have ever been mistaken for Christ's vicar upon earth-that men should have been so enslaved by their superstitious prejudices, as to submit to such extreme spiritual tyranny-or so ignorant of the essential character of Christianity, as to imagine that this accorded with the unostentatious and spiritual nature of that dispensation.' But the mystery is at once solved, when it is remembered that the key of knowledge had been taken away the light of revelation was carefully excluded and the commandments of men had long ere this period taken precedence of the divine word. As "he that walks in darkness knows not whither he goes," and even imagines himself to be pursuing the right track, when in reality he is proceeding in an opposite direction; so these benighted devotees of Rome, deprived of the light of revealed truth, wandered farther from the truth, and plunged deeper into corruption, while they flattered themselves that they only had retained it in its purest and primitive state. To have seen an English monarch crouching before a servant of the bishop of Rome, and laying his crown at the feet of the imperious priest, would have roused the indignation of every truly British heart. Nor can we wonder that the public exhibition of this disgraceful scene should have alienated from the servile prince, who submitted to it, the affections of his subjects. But should we not turn this indignation against ourselves? Have not we lost our innocence and immortality, yielded ourselves servants of iniquity unto iniquity, become the willing slaves, the degraded tools, of the enemy of God and man! Yet how many are there who, so far from being ashamed of this abject state of vassalage, glory in it, and seem to mistake these chains of bondage for palms of victory, and triumphal robes! ESSAY V. The Reign of HENRY III. (of Winchester.) HENRY, the eldest son of king John, had not attained his tenth year, when, by his father's death, he came to the possession of a disputed crown, a tottering throne, and a desolated kingdom. The French prince had indeed received some partial checks, and not a few of those English barons, who had joined his standard, began to waver in their attachment; yet Louis was still at the head of a considerable army, surrounded by numerous partisans, and in possession of some of the strongest fortresses in the kingdom. Under these advantageous circumstances, if his political wisdom had been equal to his resources, it could not have been difficult to expel the Plantagenets, and secure to himself the succession. But so far from adopting those measures which common policy would have dictated, his conduct was so imperious, and his exclusive attachment to foreigners so manifest, that his new subjects were gradually alienated from him, and he found himself under the necessity of relinquishing a kingdom, which seemed at one time to have been within his grasp. This rapid change of public opinion, and the consequent abdication of Louis, were not however to be ascribed alone to the impolitic measures of that prince. They were effected chiefly by the wisdom and talents of the earl of Pembroke, to whom had been confided the guardianship of the young prince, and who proved himself well worthy of that important trust. No means were neglected by this pre-eminent statesman, that seemed calculated to conciliate all parties, and especially to reclaim those who had swerved from their allegiance. The barons and common people were won by a pledge, which this nobleman gave in the name of the young prince, that the charters which had lately been obtained at Runnimede, should be inviolably observed; while the clergy were secured by a papal bull, which recognised the title of Henry, and denounced Louis as an usurper. At a meeting of the nobles and clergy, convened at Glocester soon after the death of the king, the earl of Pembroke represented so forcibly the danger of submitting to a foreign yoke, and pleaded so effectually the cause of his royal ward, that Henry was unanimously called to the throne of his ancestors, and crowned with great pomp. At the same convention, the earl was chosen sole regent of the empire during Henry's minority. This arduous task he executed with reputation to himself, and incalculable benefit to his country; and displayed throughout his administration consummate political wisdom and integrity, combined with military talents of the highest order. By his prudence and intrepidity, the destructive civil war, which had so long raged, was quickly terminated, and prince Louis was compelled to purchase his safety, by consenting to a |