For the deposition and murder of his father, he was in no respect answerable ; the plans of others had produced those events, when he was too young to be consulted or to assist.

For the same reason, he is not responsible for the deceitful proclamation issued in his name, assuring the nation, that his CHAP father had voluntarily abdicated, and wished him to assume the government of the kingdom.

1 Scarcely REIGN OF fourteen, he was not even allowed the limited inter- ference to which that age might have entitled him.

A council of regency, composed of twelve distin- guished persons, was assembled, to conduct the affairs of state 2 ; and the queen, and Mortimer, under her influence, struggled to monopolize to themselves the chief power of the administration.

It was soon thought politic, after reversing the attainder of the duke of Lancaster 3 , and issuing parliamentary indem- nities to the queen's adherents 4 , and promising to the commons the amendment of the grievances, and the preservation of the liberties, about which they peti- tioned 5 , to employ the young king, and the active part of the country, in some warfare that was neither dan- gerous nor distant : and Scotland soon furnished a convenient necessity for a summer expedition, in his account of which Froissart has presented us with a living picture of the times.