was immediately joined by vast numbers of the common people, and many of the principal nobility.

Edward was pursued to Bristol, and thence fled into Wales. The elder Spenser was taken prisoner by the Queen's army, and hanged, and his head sent to Winchester.

The King took shipping for Ireland, but was driven back by contrary winds. He then endeavoured to conceal himself in the mountains, but was soon discovered, and put under the charge of the Earl of Leicester. Young Spenser was afterwards taken and hanged, without any trial, at Hereford. The King was sent to Kenilworth Castle.

1327.-Isabella called a Parliament, in which the King was formally deposed, and in a few days, was obliged by menaces to sign a resignation; but everybody now beginning to abhor the Queen for her barbarity to her husband, and infamous conduct with Mortimer, she found that things could not remain quiet whilst the King was alive; and discovering that the Earl of Leicester (at this time Lancaster) pitied and was kind to him, Edward was removed to Berkeley Castle under the charge of Maltravers and Gournay, who put him to death, in a barbarous manner, on the 21st of September.

ΤΗ

HERE is a part of the river Wye, between the city of Hereford and the town of Ross, which was known for more than two centuries by the appellation of "The Spectre's Voyage;" and across which, as long as it retained that appellation, neither

entreaty nor remuneration could induce any boatman to convey passengers after a certain hour of the night. The superstitious notions current among the lower orders were, that, at about the hour of eight on every evening, a female was seen in a small vessel sailing from Hereford to North-brigg, a little village, then distant about three miles from the city, of which not even the site is now discernible; that the vessel sailed with the utmost rapidity in a dead calm, and even against the wind; that to encounter it was fatal; that the voyager landed from it on the eastern bank of the river, a little beyond the village; that she remained some time on shore, making the most fearful lamentations; that she then reentered the vessel, and sailed back in the same manner, and that both boat and passenger vanished suddenly as they arrived at a certain part of the river, where the current is remarkably strong, within about half a mile of the city of Hereford.

This singular tradition, like most stories of a similar character, was not without a foundation in truth, as the reader will perceive who takes the trouble to peruse the following narrative.

In the turbulent reign of Edward the Second, when the whole of England was one theatre of lawless violence; when might was constantly triumphant over right, and princes and soldiers only respected the very intelligible, if not very equitable principle,

"That they should take who have the power,
And they should keep who can ;"

the city of Hereford was distinguished by the zeal and patriotism of its citizens, and by the unshrinking firmness with which they adhered to the cause of Queen Isabella and the young prince her son, afterwards the renowned King Edward the Third, in opposition to the weak and ill-fated monarch who then wore the crown, and his detested favourites the Despensers, father and son. Sir Hugh Despenser, the younger, was a man of unquestionable talents, and possessed virtues which, during a period of less violence and personal animosity, might have proved honourable to himself, and useful to his country. The nobles, however, hated him for his obscure birth and his devotion to the service of his prince, who,

however imbecile and unworthy of his high station, was nevertheless unstained by any flagitious crime, and was possessed of a kind and generous heart, and was especially endeared to Despenser, on account of the wealth and honours which he had prodigally lavished upon his family and himself. The discontents of the Queen and the Barons were not vented in fruitless complaints or idle menaces. They flew to arms. The King of France, the Queen's brother, assisted them with men and money; the Count of Hainault, to whose daughter, Philippa, the young prince had been contracted, did the same. The King was driven from London, and forced, with the elder Despenser, whom he had created Earl of Winchester, to take refuge in Bristol. Being hotly pursued to this city by the Earl of Kent and the Count of Hainault, at the head of a formidable army, he was obliged to flee into Wales, leaving the elder Despenser governor of the castle of Bristol. This fortress was immediately besieged, and speedily taken, as the garrison mutinied against their governor, and delivered him into the hands of his enemies. This venerable nobleman, who had nearly reached his ninetieth year, was instantly, without trial, or witness, or accusation, or answer, condemned to death by the rebellious Barons: he was hanged on a gibbet; his body was cut in pieces and thrown to the dogs; and his head was sent to Winchester, the place whence he derived his title, and was there set on a pole, and exposed to the insults of the populace.

When the news of this catastrophe reached the younger Despenser, he was at the head of a fine army, which had sat down before the city of Hereford, for the purpose of reducing it to obedience to King Edward. The formidable force which he commanded had struck terror into the hearts of the citizens, so that notwithstanding their attachment to Queen Isabella, and their detestation of Despenser, they had shown symptoms of their willingness to yield to the latter upon reasonable terms; and he, desirous of obtaining possession of the city without any unnecessary effusion of blood, had granted a truce of a week's duration, to give them time to decide upon the conditions upon which they would open their gates to him. The disastrous intelligence which he received from

Bristol, however, made him doubtful whether he should hold inviolate the truce which he had granted to the besieged. He did not doubt but that the Earl of Kent and his troops, flushed with conquest, would hasten to his destruction, and to the relief of Hereford; and that unless he could possess himself of the city and castle, and by shutting himself up in the latter be enabled to bid defiance to his enemies, the fate of his father must inevitably be his own.

The favourite recreation of the inhabitants of Hereford was then, as it is now, to make excursions, either alone or in parties, upon their beautiful river. This amusement had become so much a custom with them, that the most timid females were not afraid to venture alone and at night in a small skiff, with which almost every family of respectability was provided; and on a bright moonlight night, the bosom of the river was beautifully diversified by white sails glittering in the moonbeams, while sweet female voices would be heard warbling some popular melodies, the subjects of which were, usually, praises of Prince Edward, or execrations of Despenser and those who had corrupted the King. It was on such a night that the incident with which our narrative commences occurred. The moon was riding in an unclouded sky-unclouded except by those light fleecy vapours which hover round the form of the queen of night, increasing rather than diminishing her beauty. The river seemed one sheet of silver, and numerous little vessels, passing and repassing, gave it a delightfully animated appearance. In one, which seemed to be venturing nearer to the camp of the enemy than the others, might be seen a light and delicate female form; and on the shore which she was approaching, a little above the village of North-brigg, stood a soldier, whose accoutrements. bespoke him to belong to the army of Sir Hugh Despenser.

The lady landed, and the soldier hastened to meet her. "Dearest Isabel," he said, "blessings upon thy generous trusting heart, for this sweet meeting! I have much to tell thee, but that my tongue dares not utter all with which my mind is stored; and if it dared, it is not on such a night as this, so bright, so beautiful, that tidings dark as mine should be communicated." Isabel, who had laid her