ukes, erles, barons, knightis, and all the
nobles of the realme, with prelates, and burgesses of good townes, and
at this assemble it was advised that the realme coud nat long endure
without a head and a chief lord. Than they put in wrytynge all the
dedis of the kyng who was in prison, and all that he had done by evyll
counsell, and all his usages, and evyll behavyngis, and how evyll he
had governed his realme, the which was redde openly in playn audience,
to thentent that the noble sagis of the realme might take therof good
advyce, and to fall at acorde how the realme shuld be governed from
thensforth; and whan all the cases and dedis that the kyng had done
and c[=o]sented to, and all his behavyng and usages were red, and wel
understand, the barons and knightis and al ye co[=u]sels of the
realme, drew them aparte to co[=u]sell, and the most part of them
accorded, and namely the great lordes and nobles, with the burgesses
of ye good townes, accordyng as they had hard say, and knew themselfe
the most parte of his dedis. Wherfore they c[=o]cluded that such a man
was nat worthy to be a kyng. But they all accorded that Edward his
eldeste son who was ther present, and was ryghtful heyre, shuld be
crowned kyng in stede of his father, so that he would take good
counsell, sage and true about hym, so that the realme from thensforth
myght be better governed than it was before, and that the olde kyng
his father shuld be well and honestly kept as long as he lyved
accordyng to his astate; and thus as it was agreed by all the nobles,
so it was accomplysshed, and than was crowned with a crowne royall at
the palaice of Westminster, beside L[=o]don, the yong kyng Edward the
III. who in his dayes after was right fortunate and happy in armes.
This coronacion was in the yere of our Lorde MCCCXXVI, on Christymas
day, and as than the yong kyng was about the age of XVI., and they
held the fest tyl the c[=o]vercion of saynt Paule followyng: and in
the mean tyme greatly was fested sir John of Heynaulte and all the
princis and nobles of his co[=u]tre, and was gyven to hym, and to his
company, many ryche jewels. And so he and his company in great feast
and solas both with lordis and ladyes taried tyll the XII. day."

EDWARD BALLIOL, OF SCOTLAND, DEFEATED AT CHRISTMAS.

The Christmas of 1332 is memorable in Scottish annals as the time of
the defeat of Edward Balliol, the "phantom king" of Scotland. His
success was as unreal as a dream. He was s