Chapter II: Preface: To the Ninth Edition

The fact that this book has passed through nine editions in seven years seems to show that it was not altogether written in vain, and has answered the purpose for which it was written.

The first edition carried the history of Great Britain to the year 1885. I have now prolonged it to the year 1902. The termination of the long reign of Queen Victoria, the end of the century, and the long-delayed pacification of South Africa, appeared to provide landmarks to which the narrative ought to be extended.

I have to thank many kind correspondents for corrections and suggestions made during the last seven years. They will note that their hints have not been neglected. A special word of thanks is due to the Rev. A. Beaven of Leamington, for a very copious and useful list of _corrigenda_, of which I have made full use.

OXFORD,
_September 15, 1902_.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. CELTIC AND ROMAN BRITAIN 1

II. THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 14

III. THE CONVERSION OF ENGLAND, AND THE RISE OF
WESSEX. 597-836 23

IV. THE DANISH INVASIONS, AND THE GREAT KINGS
OF WESSEX, 836-975 33

V. THE DAYS OF CNUT AND EDWARD THE CONFESSOR 51

VI. THE NORMAN CONQUEST, 1066-1087 67

VII. WILLIAM THE RED--HENRY I.--STEPHEN. 1087-1154 81

VIII. HENRY II. 1154-1189 97

IX. RICHARD I. AND JOHN. 1189-1216 114

X. HENRY III. 1216-1272 134

XI. EDWARD I. 1272-1307 148

XII. EDWARD II. 1307-1327 171

XIII. EDWARD III. 1327-1377 180

XIV. RICHARD II. 1377-1399 202

XV. HENRY IV. 1399-1413 213

XVI. HENRY V. 1413-1422 220

XVII. THE LOSS OF FRANCE. 1422-1453 231

XVIII. THE WARS OF THE ROSES. 1454-1471 245

XIX. THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF YORK. 1471-1485 260

XX. HENRY VII. 1485-1509 272

XXI. HENRY VIII., AND THE BREACH WITH ROME. 1509-1536 282

XXII. THE ENGLISH REFORMATION. 1536-1553 296

XXIII. THE CATHOLIC REACTION. 1553-1558 314

XXIV. ELIZABETH. 1558-1603 322

XXV. JAMES I. 1603-1625 350

XXVI. THE REIGN OF CHARLES I. TO THE OUTBREAK
OF THE CIVIL WAR. 1625-1642 362

XXVII. THE GREAT CIVIL WAR. 1642-1651 380

XXVIII. CROMWELL. 1651-1660 406

XXIX. CHARLES II. 1660-1685 420

XXX. JAMES II. 1685-1688 436

XXXI. ENGLAND AFTER THE REVOLUTION. 1688-1702 445

XXXII. ANNE. 1702-1714 461

XXXIII. THE RULE OF THE WHIGS. 1714-1739 482

XXXIV. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLONIAL EMPIRE
OF BRITAIN. 1739-1760 498

XXXV. GEORGE III. AND THE WHIGS--THE AMERICAN
WAR. 1760-1783 532

XXXVI. THE YOUNGER PITT, AND THE RECOVERY OF
ENGLISH PROSPERITY. 1782-1793 554

XXXVII. ENGLAND AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. 1789-1802 574

XXXVIII. ENGLAND AND BONAPARTE. 1802-1815 598

XXXIX. REACTION AND REFORM. 1815-1832 633

XL. CHARTISM AND THE CORN LAWS. 1832-1852 652

XLI. THE DAYS OF PALMERSTON. 1852-1865 673

XLII. DEMOCRACY AND IMPERIALISM. 1865-1885 700

XLIII. THE LAST YEARS OF QUEEN VICTORIA, 1886-1901--THE
SOUTH AFRICAN WAR. 1899-1902 718

XLIV. INDIA AND THE COLONIES. 1815-1902 734

INDEX 757

MAPS AND PLANS.

PAGE

THE GAELIC AND BRITISH TRIBES IN BRITAIN 3

ROMAN BRITAIN 10

ENGLAND IN THE YEAR 570 18

ENGLAND IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY 30

ENGLAND IN THE YEAR 900 41

FRANCE IN THE REIGN OF HENRY II. 98

THE BATTLE OF LEWES 142

THE BATTLE OF EVESHAM 145

WALES IN 1282 154

THE BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN 174

THE BATTLE OF CRÉCY 188

THE BATTLE OF POICTIERS 191

FRANCE AFTER THE TREATY OF BRETIGNY 194

THE BATTLE OF AGINCOURT 223

THE BATTLE OF EDGEHILL 384

ENGLAND AT THE END OF 1643 388

THE BATTLE OF MARSTON MOOR 390

THE BATTLE OF NASEBY 394

THE SPANISH NETHERLANDS, 1702 466

THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM 467

SCOTLAND IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 506

ENGLAND AND FRANCE IN AMERICA, 1756 521

THE BATTLE OF QUEBEC 527

INDIA IN THE TIME OF WARREN HASTINGS 570

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, 1803-1814 616

EUROPE IN 1811-1812 620

THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO 629

SEBASTOPOL, 1854 686

THEATRE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR OF 1899-1902 730

INDIA, 1815-1890 736

GENEALOGICAL TABLES.

PAGE

THE HOUSE OF ECGBERT 66

THE HOUSE OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 80

THE SCOTTISH SUCCESSION, 1292 160

THE FRENCH SUCCESSION, 1337 184

THE DESCENDANTS OF EDWARD III. 201

THE KIN OF CHARLES V. 286

THE SPANISH SUCCESSION, 1699 457

The HOUSE OF STUART 481

The HOUSE OF HANOVER 497

A HISTORY OF ENGLAND.