Not even the Armenian question is new. Apparently Edward III.
had to deal with it, though in the greatly modified form of three monks. In the year 1360 these refugees came to the King at Reading, and made complaint that the Mussulmans were trying to exterminate their people. Hence they had fled, and now asked leave to live in England and collect subscriptions for their fellow-sufferers. The King granted this petition and took the Armenians under his pro- tection, but only as long as the protected should do nothing injurious to the King and realm and should "bear themselves in true faith and honesty." The incident is very curious. From that time to this—six hundred and thirty-five years— the persecution of the Armenians has seldom ceased. Yet the Armenians have survived and have kept their faith. Surely there must be a good deal in a people with such a history as this ?
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