Wales having been annexed to the crown, Edward's son was vested with its
government, and the heir-apparent has ever since been called the Prince
of Wales. It is a good position, but becomes irksome after fifty or
sixty years, it is said.

[Illustration: CONQUEST OF WALES.]



CHAPTER XIII.


FURTHER DISAGREEMENTS RECORDED: ILLUSTRATING THE AMIABILITY OF THE JEW
AND THE PERVERSITY OF THE SCOT.


In 1278 the Jews, to the number of two hundred and eighty, were hanged
for having in their possession clipped coins. Shortly afterwards all the
Jews in England were imprisoned. Whenever times were hard the Jews were
imprisoned, and on one job lot alone twelve thousand pounds were
realized in ransom. And still the Jews are not yet considered as among
the redeemed. In 1290 they were all banished from the kingdom and their
property seized by the crown. This seizure of real estate turned the
attention of the Jews to the use of diamonds as an investment. For four
hundred years the Jews were not permitted to return to England.

Scotch wars were kept up during the rest of Edward's reign; but in 1291,
with great reluctance, Scotland submitted, and Baliol, whose trouble
with Bruce had been settled in favor of the former, was placed upon the