puppet in her hands, being regarded with affection and pity. Soon after his
succession the young king was married to our queen, Philippa of Hainault,
who is as good as she is beautiful, and who is loved from one end of the
kingdom to the other. I can tell you, the city was a sight to see when she
entered with the king. Such pageants and rejoicing were never known. They
were so young, he not yet sixteen, and she but fourteen, and yet to bear on
their shoulders the weight of the state. A braver looking lad and a fairer
girl mine eyes never looked on. It was soon after this that the events
arose which led to the war with France, but this is too long a tale for me
to tell you now. The Prince of Wales was born on the 15th of June, 1330,
two years after the royal marriage.

"So far the king had acquiesced quietly in the authority of his mother, but
he now paid a visit to France, and doubtless the barons around him there
took advantage of his absence from her tutelage to shake her influence over
his mind; and at the same time a rising took place at home against her
authority. This was suppressed, and the Earl of Kent, the king's uncle, was
arrested and executed by Isabella. This act of severity against his uncle,
no doubt, hastened the prince's determination to shake off the authority of
his haughty mother and to assume the reins of government himself. The
matter, however, was not easy to accomplish. Mortimer having the whole of
the royal revenue at his disposal, had attached to himself by ties of
interest a large number of barons, and had in his pay nearly two hundred
knights and a large body of men-at-arms. Thus it was no easy matter to
arrest him. It was determined that the deed should be done at the meeting
of the parliament at Nottingham. Here Mortimer appeared with Isabella in
royal pomp. They took their abode at the castle, while the king and other
members of the royal family were obliged to content themselves with an
inferior place of residence.