LECTURE IV.

THE REIGN OF KING JOHN.

Interva. between the last Saxon kings and King John-De-

generacy of the Saxon race-Contagion of Danish vice-The

Bristol slave-trade-The Northmen-The Normans-Their

conquess-Death of Harold-Effect of the conquest on the

conqueros-Their despotism-The Royal Forest lands-The

Curfew-Death of William the Norman-Tyranny of his suc-

cessors Mirriage of Henry the First to a Saxon princess-

The Plantagenets-Richard Coeur-de-Lion-Romance of Ivan-

hoe-Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury-King John, the first

of the "Chronicle-Plays"-Imaginative power developed-

John, a usurper-Shakspeare's view of his character-"Eng-

land" the great idea of the play-Falconbridge its exponent

-His character-Shakspeare's power "in minimis"-James

Gurney's four words-France and Austria-Constance and

Arthur-His death-Pandulph-Struggle with the Papacy—

Innocent the Third-Stephen Langton-The interdict-Strug-

gle with the barons-The Great Charter-Shakspeare's Eng-

lish loyalty..........
..... Page 115

LECTURE V.

THE REIGN OF RICHARD THE SECOND.

Henry the Third and the Edwards passed over by Shakspeare

-De Montfort's Rebellion-Growth of the Constitution-The

Commons-Extent of parliamentary government Our repub-

lican institutions-The highway of nations-The Plantagenet

kings-Edward the Third and the Black Prince-Chaucer-

War with France-Arnold's view-Southey-From Richard

the Second the "Chronicle-Plays" continuous-The fifteenth

century-King John and Henry the Eighth, prologue and

epilogue-Richard the Second strictly historical-Character

of the king-His previous career-Popular element in France

and Flanders and England-Wat Tyler's Rebellion-Its effects

-Revolt of the nobles-Opening of the tragedy-Norfolk and

Bolingbroke - Exile - Character of Bolingbroke - Death of

John of Gaunt-Moral degradation of the king-His misfor-

tunes elevate him-Bolingbroke's return-Divine right of

kings-Richard's deposition, imprisonment, and death..... Page 147

LECTURE VI.

THE REIGN OF HENRY THE FOURTH.

Henry the Fourth's accession to the throne an usurpation-Cha-

racter of the king-Error of historical reasoning-Carlyle on

Cromwell-Henry's education and exile-Analogy to Macbeth

-His popularity-Counsel to his son-His visit to foreign

lands-Palestine-Castile-His return-Severe policy after his

coronation-The Bishop of Carlisle-Shakspeare's "Chronicle-

Plays" tragic-Comic element here-Falstaff and Prince Hal

-Henry the Fourth's reign without national interest-Unquiet

times-Plan of his crusade-Its origin and his visit to the

Holy Land-Intercession of the Greek emperor for English aid

-Visit of Palæologus to London-St. Bernard-Plan of cru-

sade frustrated-Insurrection in Scotland-Percy and Douglas

-Battle of Otterbourne-Mortimer-Glendower-Chevy Chase

-Hotspur and Falstaff-The Battle of Shrewsbury-Death

of Henry the Fourth...........

LECTURE VII.

............ 181

THE CHARACTER AND REIGN OF HENRY THE FIFTH.

Sorrowful but vigorous reign of the fourth Henry-His successor

Shakspeare's favourite-His reign of conquest-His career as

Prince of Wales-Not profligate but popular-A prince and a

gentleman-His honour to Richard's memory-Veneration for

his father-Relations of heirs-apparent-Statute against heresy

-The Proto-martyr-Contrast of the prince and his brother,

Prince John-Macbeth's want of children-Henry the Fifth a

genial character-His associates of early life-The character

of Falstaff considered-Morgann's essay-Friendship--Hamlet

and Horatio-Henry and Falstaff-Falstaff's cowardice-Mr.

Senior's criticism-Henry's accession to the throne-The war

with France-Battle of Agincourt-Henry's relations to his

soldiers-Sir Thomas Erpingham-Death of York and Suffolk

--The tragedy a triumphal song.

213

LECTURE VIII.

THE REIGN OF HENRY THE SIXTH.

The treaty of Troyes-Its details-The last hours of Henry the

Fifth-His intended crusade-Hume's comments-Henry the

Sixth an infant-His reign and these "Chronicle-Plays" un-

promising subjects-Genuineness of the plays-The Minority

-The French wars-State of France-The Regent Bedford-

The Siege of Orleans-Joan of Arc-Various criticisms on her

character-Her sincerity—Imputed witchcraft-Defective edu-

cation-Her influence-Relief of Orleans-Coronation of the

king at Rheims-Exemption of Domremy-Capture of the

Maid-Her trial and examination-Her martyrdom-Cardinal

Beaufort and the Bishop of Beauvais-The cardinal's death-

Statue of the Maid at Versailles-Death of the Duke of Bedford

-His monument-Magnanimity of Louis the Eleventh.... Page 245

LECTURE IX.

THE WARS OF THE ROSES.

Closing scenes of the Plantagenet dynasty-Want of interest in

the War of the Roses-The question of genealogy-No actua-

ting principle in the contest-Its obscurity-A series of bloody

battles-Saintly character of the king-His solitary sadness-

Loss of the French conquests-The Duke of Suffolk-Popular

tumult-Jack Cade-The Temple Garden-Richard of York

and Somerset-The battle of St. Albans-The Earl of War-

wick, the king-maker-Henry's captivity-The Parliament-

Margaret of Anjou-Her character-King René-Injustice of

English writers to her memory-The battle of Wakefield-

Two crowned Kings of England-The slaughter at Towton-

Tewksbury The queen-Sir Walter Scott's tribute to her-

Political effects of the civil war-Death struggle of the military

power of the nobles-The last of the barons-Clifford-No feud

among the people or vassals-The separation of the church

from the conflict-Education-The foundation of Eton............ 278

LECTURE X.

RICHARD THE THIRD-HENRY THE EIGHTH.

-

The character of Edward the Fourth-His death-Richard's

usurpation Its character of intrigue and violence-The

princes in the Tower-Attempted vindications--Their inefficacy

-Sir Thomas More-Richard's deformity, mental and physical

-Effect of personal deformity-Commanding intellect of the

king-Power of will-No sympathy-No repentance-Contrast

of Macbeth-Richard's dream-The last of the Plantagenets-

The Tudor kings-Henry the Eighth-The progress of society

and government-Henry's reign nearly contemporary with

Shakspeare-The play of Henry the Eighth history-Wolsey's

character-Catharine of Arragon-Wolsey's fall and death-

The approaching Reformation-Henry's character the worst in

history-His death-Conclusion....

..Page 309

...................................

LECTURES

ON

ENGLISH HISTORY.

LECTURE I.-INTRODUCTORY.*

On the Study of History.

Shakspeare's Chronicle-Plays-Legendary history: King Lear-Roman and Saxon: Cymbeline and Macbeth-Nature of the subject generally-Imaginative history defined-Not historical romancePower of Imagination in historical painting-Archbishop Whateley's analysis-Lord Bacon's idea of dramatic poetry-Milton's Vision of Greece, in Paradise Regained-Sense of reality-Famines as described in history and poetry-Genoa in 1799-Ghent in the fourteenth century-Philip Van Artavelde-Archdeacon HareRemote and obscure legends-Reality too distinct-Images and memories of the dead-Effect of travel in the Holy Land-Volney -Written historical painting-Charles Lamb-Belshazzar's Feast -Washington Allston-Poetical history of the Bible-The reputed philosophy of history-Lingard and Hume-Arnold-Tragic poetry -Sir Walter Scott-Funerals actual and picturesque-HogarthHume's accidental theory-Outline of Shakspeare's historiesNovelty of the subject of this lecture.

Ir is my purpose to explain to you the nature of the course which I have announced, and to present some considerations respecting the study of history.

* Delivered in the College Hall of the University of Pennsylvania, December 8th, 1846.