The writer of the ballad then states that it was told King James of Scotland that his baron, Earl Douglas, was dead. 66 Oh, heavy news!" King James did say, 66 Scotland may witness be; I have not any CAPTAIN more Of such ACCOUNT as he." King Henry of England, though he is very sorry to hear that Earl Percy is dead, thinks he has many other men quite as good. 66 Now, God be with him!" said our king, "Since 'twill no better be; I trust I have within my realm Five hundred as good as he." The closing prayer of the ballad seems to have been answered to a great extent in the days in which we now live. God save our king, and bless this land And grant HENCEFORTH that foul DEBATE EXERCISE. What affecting scene took place the day after the battle? How many English were slain? How many Scotch? Compare the feelings of King James and King Henry. ALEXANDER THE GREAT was a famous WARRIOR and king, who lived in Greece many hundreds of years ago. He CONQUERED a great many countries in Asia, and his sole delight was in making war. It is said of him, that he once came to an African kingdom, where the people lived quietly in huts, and knew nothing about war or warriors. The people took him to the hut of their chief, who received him kindly. He ordered his servants to place before the king golden dates, golden figs, and bread of gold. "Do you eat gold in this country?" said Alexander. "I suppose," said the chief, "that you are able to find common food at home. What is the reason why you are come amongst us?" "Your gold has not TEMPTED me here," said Alexander; "but I would willingly be told of your manners and CUSTOMS." "You are welcome," said the chief, "to stay amongst us as long as you like." When they had done talking, two men came in to seek the judgment of their ruler. One of them, speaking to the chief, said, "I bought of this man a piece of land, and as I was making a deep drain through it, I found a treasure of gold hidden in the earth. This is not mine, for I agreed only for the land, not for any gold that might be found beneath it. But when I brought it to him, he would not receive it, for he says that, having sold the land, it does not belong to him." The chief then asked the other man what he had to say to this. In reply, he said, "I hope I have a conscience as well as my fellow-citizen. I sold him the land, not only with what appeared in it at the time, but with all that he might afterwards find in it. He has found this gold, and it therefore PROPERLY belongs to him." 66 The judge then repeated the statement of each, in order that the men might see whether he UNDERSTOOD the case rightly. Then, after thinking about the matter, he said to one of them, "You have a son, friend, have you not?" And you," he said to the other," have a daughter?" Each replied that the chief was right in what he had said. "Well then," said he, "let thy son marry thy daughter, and let the treasure be the MARRIAGE PORTION of the young couple." When these two men had gone, well pleased with the judgment, Alexander said he was surprised at what he had seen and heard. "Do you think my DECISION unjust?" asked the chief. Oh, no!" said the king, but it surprises me." 66 66 66 "To "And how, then, would the case have been'decided in the country where you live?" said the chief. tell you the truth," said Alexander, we should have put both of the persons in prison, and have SEIZED the treasure for the king's use." "For the king's use," said the chief, "when it did. not belong to him? why that would be downright robbery!" "That would have been the judgment in in our country," said the king. "And does the sun shine in that country?" asked the chief. "Oh, yes!" said Alexander. "Does it rain there?" 66 Certainly," said the king. "That is wonderful," said the other. "But are there tame animals in that country, which live on grass and green herbs?" "Very many, and of various kinds," was the answer. Then," said the chief, "it must be because of those INNOCENT animals THE QUEEN'S MINISTERS. 107 that the ALMIGHTY continues to let the sun shine and the rain drop on so wicked a country." EXERCISE. Who was Alexander? How did he feel when he heard the chief's decision? How would the matter have been judged in his own country? What did the chief think of it? LESSON XLV. THE QUEEN'S MINISTERS. MIN'-IS-TER, a servant. POS-SES'-SIONS, things that PAR-LIA-MENT, the great council of the nation. RES-OL-U'-TION, something that is determined. RES-I'GN, give up. STATES'-MAN, a man who attends to state affairs. RE-PEAL-ING, doing away with, abolishing. THE Queen's MINISTERS are her chief servants, who govern the kingdom in her name. The highest of them all is called the " Prime Minister," or Premier." The word prime" means first; so Prime Minister means first minister. The Prime Minister has greater power than any one in the kingdom, except the Queen. 66 Several of the other ministers are called "Secretaries of State." A SECRETARY is a person who writes letters. The Foreign Secretary writes the Queen's letters to the emperors and kings who reign in other countries. The Home Secretary looks after matters at home. The Indian Secretary has to take care of the Queen's empire of India. The Secretary for War arranges matters relating to the soldiers and their weapons. The COLONIAL Secretary is placed in charge of the colonies, or English POSSESSIONS abroad. Then there is the higher lawyer in the kingdom, who is called the Lord High Chancellor. He sits on a seat called the Woolsack, in the House of Lords. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the keeper of the money which belongs to the Queen. He receives the taxes which we all pay, and out of this fund he pays the soldiers and the sailors. The Prime Minister is over all the others, and sees that they do their work properly. He is like the Head Master of a school, and the other ministers are like his ASSISTANTS. These ministers, taken together, are called the Cabinet. When they meet to talk about the Queen's business, it is called a Cabinet Council. Whatever they decide, the Queen generally agrees to accept. If she did not approve of their plans, they would give up their places, and she would have to appoint other ministers. But these ministers are also under the control of the two Houses of PARLIAMENT, especially of the House of Commons. If the House of Commons passes a RESOLUTION, to say that it has no CONFIDENCE in the Ministers, they at once RESIGN their offices into the Queen's hands. Her Majesty then sends for another STATESMAN, who finds the Queen other men fit for her service. Some It is thought a great honour to be one of the Queen's Ministers, so many persons are anxious to obtain some place or other in her service. They are taken from the members of both Houses of Parliament. sit in the House of Lords, and others in the House of Commons. The Houses of Parliament meet in February, and separate about July or August. While they are assembled, they are engaged in making new laws, REPEALING old laws, and altering laws that do not act well. The Queen's Ministers have to carry out the laws which the Parliament makes. No law can be made in this country unless the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the Queen agree to it. If the Queen's Ministers propose a law which the House of Commons disagrees with, |