5.Edward the Second was very unlike his brave and wise father.He was weak and selfish，a lover of pleasure，and a coward.
中文阅读
1.年轻的爱德华对父王的遗愿没有过多在意，直接将他的遗体埋在了威斯敏斯特b，并且放弃了与苏格兰的战争。跟亨利三世差不多，他也由于对外国近臣偏听偏信，慢慢失去了民众的爱戴与支持。贵族阶层对他忍无可忍，于是抓捕并处死了他的三位宠臣。
2.在他当政的第七年，即公元1314年，他与苏格兰重启战端，率领十万大军进入了苏格兰境内，这可是英格兰有史以来人数最多的军队。英军在班诺克本c与布鲁斯所率领的三万大军相遇，但却被彻底打败，爱德华勉强逃脱，捡回一命。
3.爱德华的王后伊萨贝拉是个非常恶毒的女人，自从跟一个叫做莫蒂默的男人混在一起之后，便给爱德华找了不少麻烦。后来她与爱德华公开反目，并逃到了法国，在那里筹集了一支军队后又率军返回了英格兰，这一下爱德华只有逃之夭夭。他跑到了威尔士，但却被抓起来成了囚犯，他的儿子由此加冕继位。
4.爱德华在不同监牢之间被转来转去，并且遭受了极其残忍的对待。有一天，那些残忍的狱卒在野外把他全身的毛剃了个精光，还把臭水沟里的脏水泼在他身上嬉戏。他最后被关在伯克利城堡。公元1327年的一天深夜，一声恐怖的尖叫从他的地牢里传出，打破了夜晚的宁静；第二天一早，这位被杀的国王的尸体就在布里斯托尔被公开示众。
5.爱德华二世一点也不像他英勇贤明的父王。他懦弱而自私，耽于享乐，是个十足的昏庸懦夫。
a Berkeley.-Near the Severn；15miles south-west of Gloucester.
b 威斯敏斯特：指的是威斯敏斯特大教堂，英格兰的许多位君主都长眠于此。
c 班诺克本：斯特灵南边2.5英里处的一座村庄，在一条名叫班诺克的小河边上。
59
DEATH OF DE BOUNE
德波恩之死
1314A.D.（1314年）
accoutred，dressed.adventurous，daring.audacious，daring；deflants.baffled，disappointed.basinet，helmet.
bills，axes.
brave，defy.
couched，fixed in rest.doom，fate；end.falcon，hawk.gauntlet，glove.
marshal，arrange.palfrey，little horse.pennons，flags.recklessness，rashness.renowned，famous.selle，saddle.surveyed，looked at.swerving，going aside.tourney，tournament.truncheon，baton.wight，strong.
[The incident occurred the evening before the Battle of Bannockburn-June 13，1314.]
In advance As far as one might pitch a lance，aThe Monarchrode along the van，
The foe’s approaching force to scan，His line to marshal and to range，And ranks to square，and fronts to change.Alone he rode-from head to heel Sheathed in his ready arms of steel；Nor mounted yet on war-horse wight，But，till more near the shock of fight，Reining a palfrey low and light.
A diadem of gold was set Above his bright steel basinet；a The Monarch.-Robert the Bruce.
And clasped within its glittering twine Was seen the glove of Argentine：Truncheon or leading staff he lacks，Bearing，instead，a battle-axe.
He ranged his soldiers for the fight，
Accoutred thus，in open sight
Of either host.-Three bowshots far，Paused the deep front of England‘s war，And rested on their arms a while，To close and rank their warlike file，And hold high council，if that nightShould view the strife，or dawning light.O gay，yet fearful to behold，Flashing with steel and rough with goldAnd bristled o’er with bills and spears，With plumes and pennons waving fair，Was that bright battle-front！for thereRode England‘s King and Peers：And who，that saw that Monarch ride，His kingdom battled by his side，Could then his direful doom foretell！-Fair was his seat in knightly selle，And in his sprightly eye was set Some spark of the Plantagenet.
Though light and wandering was his glance，It flashed at sight of shield and lance.“Know’st thou，”he said，“De Argentine，Yon knight who marshals thus their line？”-“The tokens on his helmet tellThe Bruce，my liege：I know him well.”-“And shall the audacious traitor braveThe presence where our banners wave？”-“So please my liege，”said Argentine，“Were he but horsed on steed like mine，a Glove of Argentine.-Argentine had challenged Bruce to single combat，and Bruce wore the English knight‘s glove in his helmet as a token that the challenge was accepted.
b England’s King and Peers.-Edward II.of England and his nobles.
c The Plantagenet.-The family or dynasty to which Edward II.belonged.
To give him fair and knightly chance，I would adventure forth my lance.”-“In battle-day，”the King replied，“Nice tourney rules are set aside.-Still must the rebel dare our wrath？
Set on him！-sweep him from our path！”
And，at King Edward‘s signal，soon
a
Dashed from the ranks Sir Henry Boune.
Of Hereford’s high blood he came，A race renowned for knightly fame.He burned before his Monarch‘s eye To do some deed of chivalry.
He spurred his steed，he couched his lance，And darted on the Bruce at once.-As motionless as rocks that bideThe wrath of the advancing tide，The Bruce stood fast.-Each breast beat high，And dazzled was each gazing eye-The heart had hardly time to think，The eyelid scarce had time to wink，While on the King，like flash of flame，Spurred to full speed the war-horse came！The partridge may the falcon mock，If that slight palfrey stand the shock；-But，swerving from the knight’s career，Just as they met，Bruce shunned the spear.Onward the baffled warrior boreHis course-but soon his course was o‘er！High in his stirrups stood the King，And gave his battle-axe the swing.
Right on De Boune，the whiles he passed，Fell that stern dint-the first-the last！Such strength upon the blow was put，The helmet crashed like hazel-nut；The axe-shaft，with its brazen clasp，a Sir Henry Boune.-Properly，Sir Henry de Bohun.
Was shivered to the gauntlet grasp！Springs from the blow the startled horse，Drops to the plain the lifeless corse；-First of that fatal field，how soon，How sudden，fell the fierce De Boune！One pitying glance the Monarch sped，Where on the field his foe lay dead；Then gently turned his palfrey’s head，And，pacing back his sober way，Slowly he gained his own array.
There round their King the leaders crowd，And blame his recklessness aloud，That risked ‘gainst each adventurous spear A life so valued and so dear.
His broken weapon’s shaft surveyed The King，and careless answer made：“My loss may pay my folly‘s tax-I’ve broke my trusty battle-axe.：
-SIR WALTER SCOTT
中文阅读
【讲述的是公元1314年6月13日班诺克本之战前夜的一场事变。】
在大军前方，投枪所及的距离，君王a跟着战车缓缓骑行，一眼望去，敌人正在慢慢靠近，他在军前指挥方阵，队伍排成战斗的队形。他一路骑来，披坚执锐，浑身上下全是精良的钢铁武器；还没有跨上强壮的战马，但在战斗就要打响之时，勒住了一匹轻灵小马。金色的王冠已加冕在他a 君王：即罗伯特·布鲁斯。