Edward II. came to the throne with the preposses sions of all ranks in his favour; and, had he possessed but a moderate share of prudence and abilities, he might have preserved inviolate the prerogatives of his crown, and have maintained a respectable rank among the so vereigns of his time. But the weakness of his under standing, and the indolence and mildness of his disposi tion, rendered him totally incapable of wielding the scep tre over a turbulent and high-spirited people. Regard less of the dying commands of his father, he discontinued the war in Scotland, disbanded his army, and gave him self up to. pleasure and amusement. He recalled from exile his favourite Gaveston, who had formerly minis tered to his youthful cxtravagancies. This Gavcston was the son of a Gascon knight, and had early insinuated himself into the affections of young Echvatd. He pos sessed an elegant person and agreeable manners ; but he was vicious and effeminate; and the late king, appre hensive of the ascendency which he had gained over his son, banished him the kingdom, and made the young prince promise never to meal him. But young Edward no sooner found himself in possession of the throne, than lie sent for his favourite, and immediately distinguished bins with the highest marks of confidence and friend ship. He ehdowed him with the whole earldom of Cornwall ; gave him his own niece in marriage ; and seemed happy only as he was enabled to load him with new honours and possessions. But the mind of Gaves ton was ill fitted to bear with equanimity the full sun shine of royal favour. Naturally vain-glorious, his pride rose with his fortunes; and he took pleasure, in display ing his power and influence, to the mortification of his rivals.
While Edward was in France, espousing the princess Gaveston was left guardian of the realm, with more ample powers than had usually been conferred ; but, instead of gaining a party in his favour to support his sudden-exaltation, he disgusted all ranks by his digality and pomp. The haughty nobles could ill brook the neglect of a weak monarch, and the dominion of an insolent stranger ; and a combination was accordingly formed to expel Gaveston from the kingdom. At the head of this combination was the Earl of Lancaster, a prince of the blood, and one of the most potent barons in England; and it was also encouraged by the queen, who hated the favourite on account of his ascendency over her husband. The barons, when united, were resistible. They came to the parliament with an armed retinue, and demanded the banishment of the favourite. Edward was obliged to submit, and imme diately dispatched Gaveston to be lord-lieutenant of Ire land.
Unhappy in the absence of his favourite, whose com pany alone seemed to give him pleasure, the king tried every method of procuring his recal. Ile softened the opposition of Lancaster, and some of the principal nobi lity, by raising them to high offices in the government, or by loading them with civilities and promises, and then invited Gaveston to return. The favourite, however, instead of profiting by his past misfortunes, and hence forth enjoying his honours with modesty and modera tion, heightened the general discontent, by new insults and injuries. The barons again took up arms, and com
pelled the timid Edward to devolve the whole authority of the kingdom on twelve commissioners. Their power was to continue only for one year; but whatever ordi nances they should think proper to enact, were for ever to have the force of laws. Among other useful regu lations, they banished Gaveston for ever from the king dom, under the penalty of being declared a public ene my, in case of disobedience. The favourite retired to Flanders, but Edward was inconsolable for his loss; and removing to York, where he thought himself secure from his enemies, he again recalled him. The barons now saw that the death of Gaveston was the only safe guard against their own ruin. Lancaster hastened to York ; but the king had fled with his favourite to Scar borough, and haying left him there, with a strong gar rison, returned to oppose Lancaster. Scarborough, how ever, soon after surrendered to the rebels, and the un happy favourite was put to death without even the form of a trial. The news of Gaveston's murder filled Ed ward with grief and indignation; and he threatened his utmost vengeance against all who had been concerned in that bloody transaction. But forgetting his feelings in his fears for his own safety, he agreed to an accom modation; and, as the barons were sufficiently satisfied with their revenge, they offered to ask his pardon pub licly on their knees, when a general amnesty was imme diately subscribed.
Tranquillity and union being again restored, the at tention of Edward was called to the progress of the Scottish patriots. Ashamed of his former inactivity, and of having allowed the favorable moment to escape, he now determined to execute his father's dying command. He collected, from all quarters, his most warlike vas sals, and marched, with an immense army, to the fron tiers of Scotland, with the certain hope of finishing, at one blow, the important enterprise which the first Ed ward had so successfully begun. But the decisive bat tle of Bannockburn drove him with disgrace from his expected conquest, secured the independence of Scot land, and fixed Robert Bruce upon the throne of that kingdom.
The Scots now retaliated upon their oppressors, and made many successful inroads into England. These dis asters, with Edward's infatuated attachment to favourites, again excited discontents among the barons, and kindled a civil war in the kingdom. Hugh Spencer, the new favourite, was of a noble family, and possessed all those exterior accomplishments which were fitted to make a favourable impression on the weak mind of the king. But he was equally destitute, with Gaveston, of pru dence and moderation. He exceeded him in avarice, injustice, and prodigality, and soon became an object of greater hatred than even that unfortunate stranger. The turbulent Lancaster, at the head of the malcontents, en tered London with an armed force, and compelled the parliament to pass a sentence of attainder against Spen cer and his father. In this, Edward was obliged to ac quiesce; but it was only with the intention of reversing it as soon as he had an opportunity ; and this opportuni ty soon arrived.