Page:The Queens of England.djvu/123

ELEANOR OF CASTILLE. 103 warrior ; and he now stood before her — worthy even of the love of Eleanor of Castile — in the proud light of the restorer of his father's rights — the champion of his haughty race — the gallant victor of Evesham ! The events which had taken place in the interval between their separation and reunion may be related in a few words. On his arrival in England, the young prince had the misfortune of finding his father a mere cipher in the hands of the "twenty- four barons," who had usurped the sovereign power, and who, having formed an association among themselves, had sworn to stand steadfastly by each other at the hazard of their lives and fortunes. So absolute was their power that Edward found himself compelled to take the famous oath, — which was likewise imposed on all the king's subjects under penalty of being de- clared public enemies, — that he would obey and execute all the regulations, both known and unknown, of the twenty-four barons; and all this, as it was jesuitically stated, for the greater glory of God — the honor of the church — the service of the king — and the advantage of the kingdom. In proportion, however, to their continuance in power, the barons began gradually to lose that popularity to which they owed their rise. It became but too evident that, in investing themselves with the sovereign power, their object was far less the reformation of the state than the aggrandizement of them- selves and their families ; and, moreover, their power being daily weakened by their own intestine jealousies and animosi- ties, the young prince, determined to seize the first opportunity of striking a bold stroke, which he hoped would restore his father to the authority which they had usurped from him. Fortunately, the pope was as little satisfied with the conduct of the twenty-four barons in ecclesiastical affairs as were the people of England themselves ; and accordingly, with little difficulty, he was prevailed upon to absolve the prince, as well as the whole of the king's subjects, from the oath of obedience which they had taken to the barons. Thus once more left a free agent, Edward took off the mask, and boldly challenged the authority of the barons. The result is well known. The horrors of civil war were again renewed, and, after a variety of successes, disasters, and negotiations — in which fortune, as usual, shifted her smiles from one side to the other — the two opposing armies met on the memorable field of Evesham ; the royal forces being commanded by Prince