Page:The child's pictorial history of England; (IA childspictorialh00corn).pdf/100

 *broke, who managed the government wisely; but he, in a few years, died, and others came into power who did not act so well, and the king was too young to know what was right himself.

3. It was a pity the good earl died, for, if Henry had been fortunate enough to have had a wise instructer, he might have been a better sovereign, but, as it was, he was a very bad one.

4. The great mischief was this. He married a French princess, who had no more wisdom than himself; and they were both so extravagant that they spent a great deal more money than they could afford; and, then, to get fresh supplies, the king ordered the people to pay more taxes, and began to do all the unjust things that had caused so much misery in the time of his father.

5. Sometimes the Barons assembled and obliged him to promise he would abide by the terms of Magna Charta; but he soon forgot his promises, and went on the same as before, so that the people were worse and worse off every year, and many men became robbers on the highways, because they could not support their families by honest industry.

6. This was the state of affairs for many years, till at last, there was a civil war again, and, after a great deal of fighting and bloodshed, the king and his eldest son, Edward, were made