Italy and to bring him his little Louisa whom both her Mother,
Step-mother, and himself are equally desirous of beholding. As
to our accepting his invitation, it is at Present very uncertain;
Lady Lesley advises us to go without loss of time; Fitzgerald
offers to escort us there, but Matilda has some doubts of the
Propriety of such a scheme–she owns it would be very agreable.
I am certain she likes the Fellow. My Father desires us not to
be in a hurry, as perhaps if we wait a few months both he and
Lady Lesley will do themselves the pleasure of attending us.
Lady Lesley says no, that nothing will ever tempt her to forego
the Amusements of Brighthelmstone for a Journey to Italy merely
to see our Brother. “No (says the disagreable Woman) I have once
in my life been fool enough to travel I dont know how many
hundred Miles to see two of the Family, and I found it did not
answer, so Deuce take me, if ever I am so foolish again.”So says
her Ladyship, but Sir George still Perseveres in saying that
perhaps in a month or two, they may accompany us.
Adeiu my Dear Charlotte
Yrs faithful Margaret Lesley.
*
THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND
FROM THE REIGN OF HENRY THE 4TH TO THE DEATH OF CHARLES THE 1ST
BY A PARTIAL, PREJUDICED, AND IGNORANT HISTORIAN.
*
To Miss Austen, eldest daughter of the Rev. George Austen, this
work is inscribed with all due respect by
THE AUTHOR.
N.B. There will be very few Dates in this History.
THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND
HENRY the 4th
Henry the 4th ascended the throne of England much to his own
satisfaction in the year 1399, after having prevailed on his
cousin and predecessor Richard the 2nd, to resign it to him, and
to retire for the rest of his life to Pomfret Castle, where he
happened to be murdered. It is to be supposed that Henry was
married, since he had certainly four sons, but it is not in my
power to inform the Reader who was his wife. Be this as it may,
he did not live for ever, but falling ill, his son the Prince of
Wales came and took away the crown; whereupon the King made a
long speech, for which I must refer the Reader to Shakespear’s
Plays, and the Prince made a still longer. Things being thus
settled between them the King died, and was succeeded by his son
Henry who had previously beat Sir William Gascoigne.
HENRY the 5th
This Prince after he succeeded to the throne grew quite reformed
and amiable, forsaking all his dissipated companions, and never
thrashing Sir William again. During his reign, Lord Cobham was
burnt alive, but I forget what for. His Majesty then turned his
thoughts to France, where he went and fought the famous Battle of
Agincourt. He afterwards married the King’s daughter Catherine,
a very agreable woman by Shakespear’s account. In spite of all
this however he died, and was succeeded by his son Henry.
HENRY the 6th
I cannot say much for this Monarch’s sense. Nor would I if I
could, for he was a Lancastrian. I suppose you know all about
the Wars between him and the Duke of York who was of the right
side; if you do not, you had better read some other History, for
I shall not be very diffuse in this, meaning by it only to vent
my spleen AGAINST, and shew my Hatred TO all those people whose
parties or principles do not suit with mine, and not to give
information. This King married Margaret of Anjou, a Woman whose
distresses and misfortunes were so great as almost to make me who
hate her, pity her. It was in this reign that Joan of Arc lived
and made such a ROW among the English. They should not have
burnt her –but they did. There were several Battles between the
Yorkists and Lancastrians, in which the former (as they ought)
usually conquered. At length they were entirely overcome; The
King was murdered–The Queen was sent home–and Edward the 4th
ascended the Throne.
EDWARD the 4th
This Monarch was famous only for his Beauty and his Courage, of