ttractiveness, and every month, as it seemed to her
mother, the Earl grew a year older. Clarice doubted if Rosie were not
his sole tie to life. She became his chief companion, and on the little
child who was no kin of his he poured out all the rich treasure of that
warm great heart which his own held at so small a value. Rosie,
however, was by no means irresponsive. Any one seeing her would have
taken the Earl to be her father, and Sir Vivian a stranger of whom she
was rather frightened.

The year 1294 was signalised by a remarkable action on the part of King
Edward. In order to defray the vast expenses of his Welsh and Breton
wars, he took into his own hands all the priories in England, committing
their lands and goods to the care of state officials, and allowing
eighteenpence per week for the sustenance of each monk. The allowance
was handsome, but the proceeding was very like burglary.

The exact religious position of Edward the First is not so easy to
define as that of some other monarchs. With respect to any personal and
spiritual religion, it is, alas! only too easy. But it is difficult to
say how far his opposition to the Pope originated from a deliberate
policy, well thought out beforehand, and how far from the momentary
irritation of a crossed will. He certainly was not the intelligent
supporter of the Boni-Homines from personal conviction, that was to be
found in his son, Edward the Second, or in his cousin, Edmund, Earl of
Cornwall. Yet he did support them to a certain extent, though more in
the earlier part of his life than in the later. Like many another man
in his position, he was ready enough to assist a body of sensible
literary reformers, but, when the doctrine which they held began to
press personally on himself, he shrank from the touch of Ithuriel's
spear. That his subjects should be made better and more obedient by
means of the Decalogue, or any other code, was a most excellent thing;
but when the Decalogue came closer and said, "Thou shalt not," to
himself, then it was an intrusive nuisance.

In the following year, 1295, the King laid the foundation of borough
representation, by directing the sheriffs of the various counties to
send to Parliament, along with the knights of the shire, two deputies
from each borough, who were to be elected by the townsmen, and empowered
to consent, in the name of their constituents, to the decrees of the
King and his Council. "It is a most equitable ru