one of our best kings. He was a tall and powerful man, a great warrior and statesman—one who loved his people, although sometimes harsh and unjust. He had been a good son, and was an affectionate husband and father. In his reign many wise and good laws were made. From Earl Simon he had learned much, and now when he was made king he put Simon’s teachings in force. He began at once to stop the abuses carried on by the barons, who drove the farmers’ cattle away without paying for them, and took money from the people unjustly. He had silver halfpennies and farthings made into coins. Before his time the silver penny was made with a deep cut in the shape of a cross, and when a halfpenny or farthing was needed the coin was broken into two or four pieces.
2. Conquest of Wales.—Edward was fond of war, for he was a good general, and loved to do daring deeds and win fame. So we find that he had been king but a short time before he determined to conquer the northern part of Wales. The Britons had by this time lost nearly all the land they held after the English conquest, and now only North Wales remained to them The kings of England claimed that the Welsh kings should do homage to them, and sometimes they did. But Llewellyn, the Welsh prince of Edward’s reign, refused to do homage, and Edward marched into Wales with an army to force him to submit. Llewellyn after a sharp struggle agreed to recognize Edward as his feudal lord. But after four years of submission, the brave and high-spirited prince once more sought to gain his independence. Edward again marched against him, and took a number of Swiss soldiers accustomed to fighting in a hilly country to contend against and pursue Llewellyn in his -mountain strongholds. How it would have ended we know not, but Llewellyn was killed in a skirmish and then Wales was conquered. To please the Welsh, Edward gave them his son Edward as their prince., From that time, the eldest son of the sovereign has been called the Prince of Wales.
3. Reform in the Laws.—For nothing is Edward’s reign more noted than for its wise laws. The land laws were improved, and a measure was passed to prevent too much land being held by the church or by religious bodies, who gave no feudal service for it. The law courts were now changed. The office of Justiciar was abolished, and instead of one court we have now three: the King’s Bench, the
