The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-16
The Edwards of England.
From the Ledger Monthly.

Edward VII. comes to the throne at the
age of fifty-nine. His predecessor of the
name, the boy king of 1547. was only
nine years old when he became king,
and his reign is an unimportant inter
val between the reigns of Henry VIII.
and Bloody Queen Mary.
The fifth Edward was also a child,
and one of piteous memory, since his
name is irretrievably linked with that
OF Richard III. The reign lasted only
from the sth of April to the 18th of June,
and was disturbed in its earlier days by
party intrigues to gain possession of the
little king, and later by the barefaced
scheming of Richard III. to secure the
throne. And in the end the child, I'M
able TO protect himself and with no
friends powerful enough to defend him.
met an obscure death in the Tower with
his little brother Clarence.
Still further back came Edward "
and Warwick the King Maker, whose
power made Edwards lot uncertain and
even awaited to restore to the throne
for time, the banished Henry vi.
And so the romantic story goes back
tale by tale and century by century. In
1927 came the soldierly Edward III. al
ways to be remembered as the father Of
England's history, Edward the Blacl;
Prince. And with him and his brilliant
son we con over the names of Crecy and
Poictiers, Sluys and Calais-names that
to this day make part of the glory of
England.
Edwards father was a weakling and
a trif1er between q warlike sire and
a warlke son. 1t was he who lost Ban
nockburn, and all his fathers conouests
To- CO. av1. l.
his friend and comrade the perfumed and
curled Piers Galveston. whom he kept
near him until another Warwick, called
by the favorite in his merry wit, the
BLACK Dog of Arden ended his useless
life in that terrible dungeon by the Avon.
This King Edward was the first Prince
of Wales.
The first Edward has been thus far
the most illustrious of the name He was
a strong man. an able general, power
full king. 1t was he who made the first
material encroachments upon the terri
tory of Wales. and 1t was he who har-
raised Scotland so fearfully and almost
reduced that hardy nation to subsection.
He was an inveterate castle builder and
the most splendid fortress in the king
dom, Carnarvon and Conway in Wales.
stand unruined after 800 years, lasting
monuments to the mighty will of the
master that Dullt them II Is pleasant
to connect this stern and rugged soul
with a little that is gentle aud human.
which we may easily do If we credit the
stories of his love for Eleanor, his Queen.
and Of their happy life at beautiful Car
narvon Castle.
Last and earliest of all is the Confeesor.
Edward. the old Danish devotee. to whom
We owe the continuance of a church
which is now the most glorious I'm Eng
land-the church to which every English
foot turns sooner or later in pride and
reverence-W estminster Abbey.
ConQueror. warrior and defrauIed child
and little, prococious King-it IL a strange
pathetic and fascinating nne-thesa men
Of the name which EnRland's present
King Is 70 carry on. His assumption OF
Il brings them from the shadows whore
they have kept 80 long IN be Thought az
and pitied and wondered al little longer
by the hurrying people OF the world