ands. The ministry was new-modelled by
the direction of Lancaster:[*] that prince was placed at the head of the
council: it was declared, that all the offices should be filled, from
time to time, by the votes of parliament, or rather by the will of the
great barons:[**] and the nation, under this new model of government,
endeavored to put itself in a better posture of defence against the
Scots. But the factious nobles were far from being terrified with the
progress of these public enemies: on the contrary, they founded the
hopes of their own future grandeur on the weakness and distresses of the
crown: Lancaster himself was suspected, with great appearance of reason,
of holding a secret correspondence with the king of Scots: and though he
was intrusted with the command of the English armies, he took care that
every enterprise should be disappointed, and every plan of operations
prove unsuccessful.

* Ryley, p, 560. Rymer, vol. iii. p. 722.

** Brady vol. ii. p. 122, from the records, App. No. 61.
Ryley p. 560.

All the European kingdoms, especially that of England, were at this time
unacquainted with the office of a prime minister, so well understood
at present in all regular monarchies; and the people could form
no conception of a man who, though still in the rank of a subject,
possessed all the power of a sovereign, eased the prince of the burden
of affairs, supplied his want of experience or capacity, and maintained
all the rights of the crown, without degrading the greatest nobles
by their submission to his temporary authority. Edward was plainly by
nature unfit to hold himself the reins of government: he had no vices,
but was unhappy in a total incapacity for serious business: he was
sensible of his own defects, and necessarily sought to be governed:
yet every favorite whom he successively chose, was regarded as a
fellow-subject exalted above his rank and station: he was the object of
envy to the great nobility: his character and conduct were decried with
the people: his authority over the king and kingdom was considered as a
usurpation: and unless the prince had embraced the dangerous expedient
of devolving his power on the earl of Lancaster, or some mighty baron,
whose family interest was so extensive as to be able alone to maintain
his influence, he could expect no peace or tranquillity upon the throne.

The king's chief favorite, after the death of Gavaston, was Hugh le
Despenser, or Spenser,