dament a red-hot iron, which they inserted through a horn; and though
the outward marks of violence upon his person were prevented by
this expedient, the horrid deed was discovered to all the guards and
attendants by the screams with which the agonizing king filled the
castle while his bowels were consuming.

Gournay and Mautravers were held in general detestation, and when the
ensuing revolution in England threw their protectors from power, they
found it necessary to provide for their safety by flying the kingdom.
Gournay was afterwards seized at Marseilles, delivered over to the
seneschal of Guienne, put on board a ship with a view of carrying him to
England; but he was beheaded at sea, by secret orders, as was supposed,
from some nobles and prelates in England, anxious to prevent any
discovery which he might make of his accomplices. Mautravers concealed
himself for several years in Germany; but having found means of
rendering some service to Edward III., he ventured to approach his
person, threw himself on his knees before him, submitted to mercy, and
received a pardon.[**]

* Cotton's Abridg. p. 8.

** Cotton's Abridg. p. 66, 81. Rymer, vol. v. p. 600

It is not easy to imagine a man more innocent and inoffensive than the
unhappy king whose tragical death we have related; nor a prince less
fitted for governing that fierce and turbulent people subjected to his
authority. He was obliged to devolve on others the weight of government,
which he had neither ability nor inclination to bear: the same indolence
and want of penetration led him to make choice of ministers and
favorites who were not always the best qualified for the trust committed
to them: the seditious grandees, pleased with his weakness, yet
complaining of it, under pretence of attacking his ministers, insulted
his person and invaded his authority: and the impatient populace,
mistaking the source of their grievances, threw all the blame upon the
king, and increased the public disorders by their faction and violence.
It was in vain to look for protection from the laws, whose voice, always
feeble in those times, was not heard amidst the din of arms--what could
not defend the king, was less able to give shelter to any of the
people: the whole machine of government was torn in pieces with fury and
violence; and men, instead of regretting the manners of their age, and
the form of their constitution, which required the most steady and most
skilful ha