A Child's History of England.74

The Barons were so unceremonious [不客气] with the King in giving [cause] him to understand that they would not bear this favourite, that the King was obliged to send him out of the country. The favourite himself was made to take an oath (more oaths!) that he would never come back, and the Barons supposed him to be banished in disgrace, until they heard that he was appointed Governor of Ireland. Even this was not enough for the besotted [发痴的] King, who brought him home again in a year's time, and not only disgusted the Court and the people by his doting [溺爱的] folly [愚蠢], but offended his beautiful wife too, who never liked him afterwards.

He had now the old Royal want [thing desired] - of money - and the Barons had the new power of positively [absolutely] refusing to let him raise any. He summoned a Parliament at York; the Barons refused to make one, while the favourite was near him. He summoned another Parliament at Westminster, and sent Gaveston away. Then, the Barons came, completely armed, and appointed a committee of themselves to correct abuses in the state and in the King's household. He got some money on these conditions, and directly set off [启程] with Gaveston to the Border-country, where they spent it in idling away the time, and feasting, while Bruce made ready to drive the English out of Scotland. For, though the old King had even made this poor weak son of his swear (as some say) that he would not bury his bones, but would have them boiled clean in a caldron [大锅], and carried before the English army until Scotland was entirely subdued, the second Edward was so unlike the first that Bruce gained strength and power every day.

make of: have a opinion/understanding

The committee of Nobles, after some months of deliberation [仔细的商议], ordained [规定] that the King should henceforth [from this time on] call a Parliament together, once every year, and even twice if necessary, instead of summoning it only when he chose. Further, that Gaveston should once more be banished, and, this time, on pain of death if he ever came back. The King's tears were of no avail; he was obliged to send his favourite to Flanders. As soon as he had done so, however, he dissolved the Parliament, with the low cunning [狡猾] of a mere fool, and set off to the North of England, thinking to get an army about him to oppose the Nobles. And once again he brought Gaveston home, and heaped upon him all the riches and titles of which the Barons had deprived him.

The Lords saw, now, that there was nothing for it but to put the favourite to death. They could have done so, legally, according to the terms of his banishment; but they did so, I am sorry to say, in a shabby [卑鄙的] manner. Led by the Earl of Lancaster, the King's cousin, they first of all attacked the King and Gaveston at Newcastle. They had time to escape by sea, and the mean King, having his precious Gaveston with him, was quite content to leave his lovely wife behind. When they were comparatively safe, they separated; the King went to York to collect a force of soldiers; and the favourite shut himself up, in the meantime, in Scarborough Castle overlooking the sea. This was what the Barons wanted. They knew that the Castle could not hold out; they attacked it, and made Gaveston surrender. He delivered himself up to the Earl of Pembroke - that Lord whom he had called the Jew - on the Earl's pledging [保证] his faith and knightly word, that no harm should happen to him and no violence be done him.

六级/考研单词: oblige, disgust, offend, gorgeous, summon, parliament, abuse, idle, feast, noble, henceforth, necessity, farther, avail, dissolve, cunning, mere, heap, deprive, illicit, accord, shabby, precious, meanwhile, overlook, surrender, pledge, knight

标签：King,his,they,Child,England.74,he,was,him,History
来源： https://www.cnblogs.com/funwithwords/p/15754924.html