Page:The Queens of England.djvu/158

134 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. of the Capets ; and from this failure Edward originated his claim to the throne of France, as the grandson of Philip the Fair. But the nephew of this sovereign pretended a prior right to it, in virtue of his male descent ; and he appealed to the Salique law to justify his demand. The nation admitted the validity of his plea, and Philip de Valois was crowned with universal assent. The ambitious and crafty Edward was then in a dilemma ; for if he recognized the Salique law, Philip must continue to reign ; and, if he disputed it, the daughters of his uncles took precedence of him. Now, as all together nearly half-a-dozen of them happened to exist, his chance of succession became wonderfully and almost invisibly attenuated, if he ever allowed any of his fair but unhappily multitudinous cousins to clutch the scepter. Had only one existed, he might perhaps have fancied that he could maintain her celibacy, and himself have lived in hope ; but the direful plurality made hope impossible. Nearly ten years elapsed before he could solve this difficulty. At length, in the year 1337, his ruminations gave birth to the paradox, that though the Salique .law operated to prevent a female from succeeding to the throne, it did not prevent her from transmitting the succession to a male heir; and, therefore, as son and representative of Isabella, daughter of Philip the Fair, he was now rightful king of France. This clumsy and audacious invention was the happiest expedient which even the ingenious Edward could find to fulfill the double purpose of ex- cluding both classes of his competitors, and of substantiating his own claims to the throne. Nothing can give a more forcible idea of the badness of his cause than the version which he em- ployed to enforce it. Yet so licentious and insensible was his ambition, that upon these preposterous pleas he plunged the two people into those furious wars which begot national antipathies, not yet extinct. In 1338 Edward crossed over into Flanders with his forces, preparatory to his invasion of France — an invasion which oc- cupied nearly all the life of this monarch, and did not cease till 1374. These wars added much to the military fame and domestic exertions of England. During them the great victory of Crecy was achieved, and the Black Prince won his fame. But the portion which Queen Philippa had in them lies in a small compass, yet is fuller of true glory than all the exploits of her husband and son.