Page:The child's pictorial history of England; (IA childspictorialh00corn).pdf/110

 45. She knew that the people of her own country, which was Flanders, had grown rich by their trade and manufactures, so she did all in her power to increase the trade of England, and paid a number of Flemish weavers to come over here and settle at Norwich, that they might improve the people there, in the art of making woollen cloth and stuffs, for which a manufactory had been established by Edward the First.

46. She also founded several schools, and was a friend to those who distinguished themselves by their learning.

47. I must not forget to tell you that Chaucer, the first great poet that wrote in English, lived at this time, and received much kindness from the King and Queen.

48. The English language was now beginning to be spoken by the higher classes, instead of French, and was not very unlike the English spoken now, as you might see, if you were to look at the poems written by Chaucer.

49. Edward the Third was, unfortunately, as fond of war as his grandfather. He renewed the war with Scotland, but his great wars were in France, for his ambition was to be king of that country, and he pretended he had a right to