The Fate of Some Kings of England

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 311, 17 December 1936, Page 6 (Supplement)

The Fate of Some Kings of England

Vicissitudes of Royalty in the History of England.

Abdications Have Been Rare in British Monarchy.

The Throne of Britain cannot lawfully be abdicated unless with the consent of both Houses of Parliament. Abdications have been rare in British history and the last time that the matter has been presented in any concrete shape was when, after throwing the Great Seal into the Thames, James 11. fled the country and Parliament discussed 'whether he had forfeited the Throne or abdicated. It was resolved, in spite of James’s protest, “that King James 11, having endeavoured to subvert the Constitution of the Kingdom by breaking the original contract between King and people, and by the advice of Jesuits and other wicked persons, having violated the fundamental laws, and having withdrawn himself out of the Kingdom, had abdicated the government, and that the Throne is hereby vacant.” The Scottish Parliament pronounced a decree of forfeiture and deposition. King Stephen’s Act. In 1153, King Stephen agreed, after years of weary strife, that he would sacrifice the succession of the Throne ■to the extent of reigning during his lifetime, but leaving the Crown to Henry 11, son of Matilda, at his death. In 1264, after the Battle of Lewes, Henry 111, ‘was forced to accept. the political tutelage of Simon fie Montfort, and to abide by all the terms of the Provisions of Oxford, which established a limited monarchy, with a permanent council of fifteen barons and bishops approving

the actions of the King and another committee of twenty-four persons governing his finances. The defeat and death of Simon at the Buttle of Evesham freed the captive King, who was restored to some authority for

seven years. And in 132 G, at the end of the reign of Edward 11, his Queen, Isabella, and her son, whom he had allowed to go to Paris after a quarrel, landed in Essex where they 'were joined by Henry of Lancaster, heir to

the earl Edward had executed, and by most of the baronage of the Eastern Counties. Even .the King’s half-bro-ther, the Earl of Norfolk, rallied to the banner. Edward, after trying in vain to raise an army, fled to the west. He was caught, and forced to abdicate on January 29, 1327, his 14-year-old son being proclaiihed King in his stead. He was allowed to survive in close imprisonment for some eight months longer, but after his robust constitution defied all efforts to kill him by privations. He was murdered by order of the Queen and Lord Mortimer, her lover, at Berkeley Castle on September 21. lire y'oung King later hanged Mortimer for this and other crimes and excluded his mother from power.

Richard H’s Fate. Richard 11, who succeeded Edward, had not better fate. Under his rule riots broke out in various parts of England, and Wat Tyler rose to fame. At one time during these disturbances the mob strung their bows and were about to shoot down the King and his suite. The King, he was still only- 14—showed great courage and presence of mind. Countering up to the people, he shouted that he would be their chief and captain and

give them rights. But the King’s friends were later impeached, and he was forced .to rule constitutionally for a period of years. He finally set out on a campaign of vengeance against those who had slain his friends ten years before, and after-

completing this, began to rule in an arbitrary and unconstitutional fashion. He used wild language, made forced loans, and kept persons under arrest for indefinite periods without trial. At length, while he was ab-j sent in Ireland, Henry of Bolingbroke landed at Ravenhpur with a small body of exiles and mercenaries. The army called out' against him refused to fight, Richard hurried back from Ireland, and might have fought or fled to France. He took neither course, but, instead, deserted his distrusted army at night with the intention of collecting adherents in North Wales and Cheshire. But .the countryside refused to stir, and, alter hiding in the hills for three weeks, Rich- i ard surrendered to his cousin a.Flint, having previously stipulated ■ that if he abdicated he should be al-1 lowed to live an honourable life, and | that his adherents should be pardon-[ ed. Richard carried out his part of. the bargain, abdicating and owning himself in the deed as ‘ inefficient and useless.” But Henry did not feel safe, would not trust Richard’s word, and deliberately murdered him by ■ privation in his dungeon at Ponte-, tract Castle in 1400, denying him: suffient clothing, food, or warmth. Deposition of course has occurred frequently, The assumption of the | Throne by Edward IV., the rise to, power of the hypocritically reluctant Richard 111. who caused the Princess to bei murdered in the Tower, dthe drastic treatment of King Charles I. all followed. The Revolution of 1688, when James 11, after fruitless conflict with Parliament over his Declaration of Indulgence and other matters, allied with the faith he had embraced, ended in the action of Parliament

mentioned at the. opening of this article. William and Mary succeeded Janies 11, landing in England with the support of all classes, and the Act of Settlement, shortly thereafter, awarded the Crown of England to the House of Hanover.