Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 1902. The Magna Charta.

Manawatu Herald, 28 June 1902, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 1902. The Magna Charta.

The delay in the Coronation of the King is lamentable from the fact that a good monarch has been laid upon a bed of sickness, and though the fact of his being crowned adds not one whit more power or grandeur for him, it becomes a distinct loss to the democracy. English history is both interesting and well worth studying and from it wo learn that by the sovereign’s coronation the democracy are distinct gainers, as the fact becomes an admission from the head of the State of the power of the people. At one time this was not so, as England, in conjunction with other European countries suffered from the evils of Feudalism which only the bold stand made by our forefathers rescued us from. Feudalism was but the growth of circumstances, arising from the necessity of taking combined measures for self-defence, and then, becoming tyrannous from the abuse of power secured. The victors in a fight generally parcelled out a large portion of the subjugated territory in the following manner; the king first appropriated to himself all the state dominions or lands : of the remaining land a part was conferred by him as a free possession on his fellow-warriors, who were bound, however, to obey the army summons; the rest, especially the district round towns was left to the old inhabitants, who in return paid a tax. The king further granted them suitable portions of land from his own share, which they were to hold for life. This was called the feudal tenure. In a similar manner wealthy freemen invested others who were less wealthy with portions of their property and thus obtained vassals. The vassal devoted himself personally to the service of his lord, and vowed by the oath in which he acknowledged himself as the “ man ” or servant of his chief; but the great duty of his life was the honourable service of arms and of war, and no one could compel him to servile bondsman's labour. These relationships became gradually so general that the number of free owners of estates vary much diminished, and during the period of weak kings the great landowners contrived, by force or cunning, to reduce to subjection the free peasantry and humble possessors of small estates. In course of time the condition of the poorer classes became worse everywhere ; the justice once awarded to the humble serf disappeared more and more, until nearly the whole population of the country fell into the miserable condition of slavery. As serfs chained to the soil, they were subject to the caprice of the owner of. the land, and were obliged to submit to the performance of heavy and degrading duties and obligations. These conditions in process of time led to many changes by which the powerful vassals stood on an equal footing with the kings and were able, when united together, to bid defiance to the monarch himself. King John fell into trouble with his vassals who insisted upon a list of grievances they had drawn up being redressed, threatening unless he did so, they would do it themselves. In June, 1214, King John signed the Magna Charta, the great Oharter of Eag-1 land, by which he fledged bifgieU to

maintain the church in ita rights; to roliovo the Barons of oppressive obligations as vassals of the Grown — of which the Barons, in their turn, pledged themselves to relieve their vassals, the people; to respect the liberties of London and ail other cities and boroughs; to protect foreign merchants who came to England ; to imprison no man without a fair trial» and to sell, delay, or deny justice to none. The promises of kings are not always to be relied upon, and the intent of the Charter W 43 broken by John whenever he could, and also by his son, Henry 111, when he ascended the throne, and it was only when he was in want of money for a French war that the barons, by refusing it were enabled to bring him to terms. They promised to vote him a large sum if he Would solemnly confirm their liberties afresh, and at a great meeting held in Westminster Hall, when all the clergy, dressed in their robes, and holding every one of them a burning candle in ms hand* the Bttrotls also being present, while the Archbishop of Canterbury read the sentence of excommunication against any man, and all men, who should henceforth, in any way, infringe the Great Charter of the Kingdom. When he had done* they all put out their burning Candles With a cilrse Upon the soul of any one, and every one, who should merit that sentence. The King concluded with an oath to keep the Charter, “ as I am a man, as I am a Christian, as I am a Knight, as X am a King.” At the Coronation the King Would have sWorn more faithfully and clearly to uphold the laws and customs of the people, and would thus have publicly recognised the great principle Englishmen everywhere strive for, the Government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Thus in all the gorgeousness, the solemnity of the occasion) the power of the democracy Would haveheen thus publicly acknowledged, and thus the crowning of the sovereign becomes the crowning of the people.