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1) Edward I had conquered Wales. The two great Welsh leaders, Llewellyn and his brother David, had been killed. But the Welsh people, though they were beaten, were rebellious. They had no great leader, but there was a great number of chieftains most of whom were jealous of one another.

2) At last three or four of these chieftains came to see Edward I, who with his wife Eleanor, was staying at Caernarvon Castle, to tell him their complaints.

3) They said that they wanted to be ruled not by an English king, but by a Prince of Wales, born in Wales, of royal blood, and not speaking English or French.

4) They wanted a prince whose life was good and who had not wronged any man, though they themselves couldn’t agree who this prince should be.

5) Certainly, they were asking a lot, but Edward, after a little thought, told them to ask all the chieftains and their followers to come to this castle in a week’s time and he would give them what they had asked, a Prince of Wales who fulfilled all their conditions.

6) So the next week the great square outside the castle was crowded with excited people, all wondering which of the chieftains had been chosen by Edward. English soldiers tried to keep the crowd back.

7) The chieftains were ready to quarrel who the new ruler would be, but at that moment Edward stepped on to the balcony in front of the castle. Behind him a knight carefully carried Edward’s shield on which there lay a bundle covered with a blanket.

8 ) The whole crowd was excited but silent waiting for Edward to speak. And he began: «Chieftains and people of Wales, you have asked for a prince and 1 have promised you one to rule over you, of royal blood, born in Wales, not able to speak English, of blameless life. If I give such a prince, will you promise to be ruled by him?» — «We promise,» they answered readily.

9) «Here is your prince,»- the King said and lifting the blanket showed a small boy, — «my son, a prince of royal blood, born a week ago in this castle. He speaks no English and he has wronged no man alive. Edward, the Prince of Wales!»

10) The chiefs were angry and disappointed, but the Welsh people were pleased. Each chieftain thought that, at any rate, no rival chief had been chosen. Since that day the eldest son of the King of England has always been the Prince of Wales.

#1. (…) Why couldn’t Welsh chieftains choose their leader themselves?

#2. (…)They wanted to be ruled by an English king who knew their native language, didn’t they?

#3. (…) What kind of lifestyle did the chieftains demand from their ruler?

#4. (…) In which episode can Edward’s talent at diplomacy be seen best of all?

#5. (…) What is the name of the first Prince of Wales?

28.05.2009 Розділ 08 Комментарии отключены admin

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