Page images
PDF
EPUB

abandons new-made forests and fisheries, amends weights and measures, and dismisses mercenary troops; also makes special mention of, and promises redress for, many unjust acts, not only of the king, but of his predecessors, committed against Alexander of Scotland and Llewelyn of Wales.

Magna Charta also requires the great tenants to concede to their dependants all customs and liberties as freely as they are granted to themselves "; thus the humbler classes were interested in its due execution, and failed not to support those who in later times laboured for that end *. Several copies of it were

made, in order that one might be preserved in each cathedral, and a body of twenty-five barons was appointed, whose duty it was to enforce its observance on all parties.

Beside binding himself by oath not to attempt the revocation of the charter by means of an appeal to the pope (a promise he at once set about breaking), the king was obliged to agree that the Tower should be put into the hands of the archbishop of Canterbury, and the

"All foreign knights and bowmen" are to be removed; among their leaders are mentioned Gerard de Atyes, Andrew, Gyon, and Peter de Cancel, Cyon and Engelard de Cygony, Philip Marc, and Geoffrey de Martin. Gerard had been in the king's service in Poitou in 1204; the others had apparently joined him more recently, as their names do not appear on the Patent or Close Rolls before 1211. In spite of the stipulation, they were still employed, and Engelard was warden of the honour of Windsor in the next reign.

" Some writers have maintained that this clause was inserted by the king, against the wish of the barons; but its equivalent appears among their demands. See p. 289.

Though endeavours were constantly made by several succeeding kings to set it aside, they all eventually failed, and each monarch was obliged to learn that his most popular and politic act was a solemn confirmation of Magna Charta.

city of London confided to the care of Robert FitzWalter, "marshal of the army of God and Holy Church," as pledges of safety to the barons; a necessary precaution, as the document itself furnishes the clearest evidence of the tyranny he had before exercised, and of the grievous abuses that had been engrafted on the originally severe requirements of the feudal system.

John, knowing that the mercenaries are near, positively refuses to abide by the charter, exclaiming, "Why do not these men ask my kingdom?" and withdraws to the Kentish coast at the end of August.

The mercenaries arrive in September. John formally appeals to the pope, Sept. 13, and immediately begins to ravage the barons' estates; he takes the castle of Rochester, after an eight weeks' siege, Nov. 30.

"Now King John, accompanied by that detestable troop of foreigners, whose leader and general was Fulk de Breaute, a man of ignoble birth, and a bastard, and carried away by his fury, began to lay waste the northern parts of England, to destroy the castles of the barons, or compel them to submit to his order, burning without mercy all their towns, and oppressing the inhabitants with tortures to extort money."

The pope annuls Magna Charta, excommunicates the

He had long been in the king's service, and was bailiff of Glamorgan in 1208; he was also one of his executors. After the war was over, he held Bedford castle, plundering parties from which did much mischief to the abbey of St. Alban's; and hence perhaps he is represented as worse than all his fellows by Matthew Paris. After a long career of violence he was driven from the kingdom by Hubert de Burgh. See p. 305.

barons, at first generally, afterwards by name, and suspends the archbishop, December.

A.D. 1216. The barons surrender Northumberland to Alexander of Scotland, and do homage to him.

John advances into Scotland, ravaging the country, in January.

The barons, who occupy London, ravage the surrounding districts. "They plundered the farmers and the citizens, scarcely sparing the churches, and made themselves masters of everything. From Yarmouth, Ipswich, Colchester, and other towns, they exacted a heavy ransom."

The king marches southward; De Breaute plunders the isle of Ely, and profanes the minster.

The king reaches Enfield, March 30; the barons despatch envoys and hostages to offer the crown to Louis, the son of the king of France.

John repairs to the Kentish coast, but, distrusting his mercenaries, on the approach of Louis he withdraws westward; he passes some time at Corfe castle, and then marches to Shropshire.

Louis accepts the barons' offer, in spite of the prohibition of the papal legate, April 26; sends aid to the barons, and lands himself at Sandwich, May 21.

He takes Rochester, and receives the barons' homage at London, June 2.

Louis besieges Dover ineffectually; the Cinque Ports fleet captures his ships.

Louis takes Winchester in June, and other castles shortly after, but is repulsed at Windsor.

John, being joined by some of the barons, who dis

trust their French allies, crosses the country, and captures Lincoln, Sept. 22.

He marches southward, ravaging the country, and reaches Lynn Oct. 9, where the inhabitants welcome him2, and remains there three days.

He loses much of his baggage and treasure in his march on the shore of the Wash towards Wisbeach, Oct. 11.

Is seized with illness at Swineshead, Oct. 12, proceeds through Sleaford to Newark, Oct. 16, and dies there Oct. 19; he is buried at Worcester, according to his own wisha.

The town received from him its present name of King's Lynn, and also a sword and cup, which it still preserves. Indeed, however hated by other classes, John seems to have been attached to, and a personal favourite with, the seafaring people, much of his time in each year being ordinarily spent on the coast, as appears from the Close and Patent Rolls; this probably gave occasion to the statement (now known to be incorrect) of Matthew Paris, that the king, immediately after the granting of Magna Charta, retired to the Isle of Wight, and there passed his time in familiar association with mariners and fishermen.

He bequeathed his body to St. Wulstan, the patron of that cathedral, although he had before founded a Cistercian monastery at Beaulieu (near Lymington, in Hampshire), intending it for his place of burial; in 1228 his son made application to the pope for permission to transfer the body to Beaulieu, but the removal was not effected.

[graphic][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

HENRY, the eldest son of King John and Isabellao f Angouleme, was born at Winchester, Oct. 1, 1207. The kingdom to which he succeeded in his 10th year was little more than nominal, but the vigour and ability of his guardians, Gualo, the papal legate, and William Marshal, earl of Pembroke, soon effected a change; they regranted Magna Charta, on which the English barons, distrustful of their French allies, very generally returned to their allegiance, and Louis, the dauphin, retired from the field.

He was the son of John the Marshal, a zealous partisan of the Empress Maud, and obtained the earldom of Pembroke by marrying Isabel, daughter of Richard de Clare. He

served the young Henry, Richard, and John, with great fidelity, and received from the latter king a grant of the whole province of Leinster. On John's death, he took such measures as caused the youthful Henry III. to be received as king, and acted as Protector of the kingdom until his own death, which occurred in the year 1219. He left, beside daughters, five sons, who all in succession became earls of Pembroke. See p. 314.

Arms of the Earl Marshal.

« PreviousContinue »