dward IV. was a masterful, hard and not over-scrupulous monarch,
and Edward V. was one of the unfortunate boys who were murdered in the
Tower of London. Edward VI. was a mild-natured and honest youth who did
not live long enough to impress himself upon a strenuous period, or upon
interests with which his character little fitted him to deal. The last
of the name had reigned, therefore, before the Kingdom of England got
out of its national and religious swaddling clothes; before the reign of
Henry VIII. had freed it from connection with Rome, or that of Elizabeth
had founded the maritime and commercial empire which, in time, was to
create the mighty realm over which the new Edward now assumed sway.

INCIDENTS SURROUNDING THE ACCESSION

The Proclamation of the King in the cities of the United Kingdom and at
the capitals of countries and provinces and islands all around the globe
was a more or less stately and ceremonious function, and the
Proclamation itself was couched in phraseology almost as old as the
Monarchy. "We, therefore, do now with consent of tongue and heart,
publish and proclaim that the high and mighty Prince, Albert Edward, is
now, by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory, become our only
lawful and rightful Liege Lord, Edward the Seventh." At the ceremony in
London, Dublin, Liverpool, Derby and other cities, immense crowds
assembled and "God save the King" was sung with unusual heartiness.
Meanwhile, following his address to the Privy Council, the King had
returned to Osborne with the Duke of Cornwall and York, and there he
found the German Emperor awaiting him. The latter had come post-haste
from Berlin and been in time to see the Queen before she passed away. He
had now decided to stay until after the funeral and thus to tender every
respect in his power to the memory of his august grandmother. Parliament
had been called immediately upon the King's Proclamation, and it met
hurriedly and briefly on January 24th to enable the members to take the
oath of allegiance while, all around the Empire, similar proceedings
were taking place in Courts and Legislatures and Government buildings.

On the following day Parliament met in brief Session and the Marquess of
Salisbury in the House of Lords and Mr. A. J. Balfour in the Commons
read a Royal message: "The King is fully assured that the House of Lords
will share the deep sorrow which has befallen His Majesty and the nation
by the lamented death of His