of the
first and second. But the first and second sons and their descendants
were soon set aside, as it were, from the competition, in the
following manner.

[Sidenote: Ambition of Richard's uncles.]

[Sidenote: Richard's character.]

The line of the first brother soon became extinct. Edward himself, the
Prince of Wales, died during his father's lifetime, leaving his son
Richard as his heir. Then, when the old king died, Richard succeeded
him. As he was the oldest living son of the oldest son, his claim
could not be disputed, and so his uncles acquiesced in it. They wished
very much, it is true, to govern the realm, but they contented
themselves with ruling in Richard's name until he became of age, and
then Richard took the government into his own hands. The country was
tolerably well satisfied under his dominion for some years, but at
length Richard became dissipated and vicious, and he domineered over
the people of England in so haughty a manner, and oppressed them so
severely by the taxes and other exactions which he laid upon them,
that a very general discontent prevailed at last against him and
against his government. This discontent would have given either of his
uncles a great advantage in any design which they might have formed to
take away the crown from him. As it was, it greatly increased their
power and influence in the land, and diminished, in a corresponding
degree, that of the king. The uncles appear to have been contented
with this share of power and influence, which seemed naturally to fall
into their hands, and did not attempt any open rebellion.

[Sidenote: His cousin Henry.]

Richard had a cousin, however, a young man of just about his own age,
who was driven at last, by a peculiar train of circumstances, to rise
against him. This cousin was the son of his uncle John. His name was
Henry Bolingbroke. He appears in the genealogical table as Henry IV.,
that having been his title subsequently as King of England.

[Sidenote: Quarrel between Henry and Norfolk.]

[Sidenote: The trial.]

This cousin Henry became involved in a quarrel with a certain nobleman
named Norfolk. Indeed, the nobles of those days were continually
getting engaged in feuds and quarrels, which they fought out with the
greatest recklessness, sometimes by regular battles between armies of
retainers, and sometimes by single combat, in which the parties to the
dispute were supposed to appeal to Almighty God, who they believed, or