nt over to France to marry the French Princess, ISABELLA, daughter of
PHILIP LE BEL: who was said to be the most beautiful woman in the world:
he made Gaveston, Regent of the Kingdom. His splendid marriage-ceremony
in the Church of Our Lady at Boulogne, where there were four Kings and
three Queens present (quite a pack of Court Cards, for I dare say the
Knaves were not wanting), being over, he seemed to care little or nothing
for his beautiful wife; but was wild with impatience to meet Gaveston
again.

When he landed at home, he paid no attention to anybody else, but ran
into the favourite's arms before a great concourse of people, and hugged
him, and kissed him, and called him his brother. At the coronation which
soon followed, Gaveston was the richest and brightest of all the
glittering company there, and had the honour of carrying the crown. This
made the proud Lords fiercer than ever; the people, too, despised the
favourite, and would never call him Earl of Cornwall, however much he
complained to the King and asked him to punish them for not doing so, but
persisted in styling him plain Piers Gaveston.

The Barons were so unceremonious with the King in giving him to
understand that they would not bear this favourite, that the King was
obliged to send him out of the country. The favourite himself was made
to take an oath (more oaths!) that he would never come back, and the
Barons supposed him to be banished in disgrace, until they heard that he
was appointed Governor of Ireland. Even this was not enough for the
besotted King, who brought him home again in a year's time, and not only
disgusted the Court and the people by his doting folly, but offended his
beautiful wife too, who never liked him afterwards.

He had now the old Royal want--of money--and the Barons had the new power
of positively refusing to let him raise any. He summoned a Parliament at
York; the Barons refused to make one, while the favourite was near him.
He summoned another Parliament at Westminster, and sent Gaveston away.
Then, the Barons came, completely armed, and appointed a committee of
themselves to correct abuses in the state and in the King's household. He
got some money on these conditions, and directly set off with Gaveston to
the Border-country, where they spent it in idling away the time, and
feasting, while Bruce made ready to drive the English out of Scotland.
For, though the old King had even made this poor weak son of his swea