large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb_81
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb
English
6138
It was, in fact, the council of the conquering tribe with their chief at its head; the matters of the due feudal tribute, aids, reliefs, fines, scutage, and the like—in short, the king's revenue due from his men—were settled in this council at once and in the lump. IT WAS IN FACT THE COUNCIL OF THE CONQUERING TRIBE WITH THEIR CHIEF AT ITS HEAD THE MATTERS OF THE DUE FEUDAL TRIBUTE AIDS RELIEFS FINE SCUTAGE AND THE LIKE IN SHORT THE KING'S REVENUE DUE FROM HIS MEN WERE SETTLED IN THIS COUNCIL AT ONCE AND IN THE LUMP
 and not yet strong enough to defend itself with open success, although the slower and less showy success of growth did not fail it. The instrument of attack in the hands of the barons was the ordinary feudal privilege, the logical carrying out of serfdom; but this attack took place two reigns later. We shall come to that further on. The attack on the lower tribe which was now growing into importance was in this reign made by the king; and his instrument was—Parliament. I have told you that Simon de Montfort made some attempt to get the burgesses to sit in his Parliament, but it was left to Edward I. to lay the foundations firmly of parliamentary representation, which he used for the purpose of augmenting the power of the Crown and crushing the rising liberty of the towns, though of course his direct aim was simply at—money. The Great Council of the Realm was purely feudal; it was composed of the feudatories of the king, theoretically of all of them, practically of the great ones only. ING ROBBED AND NOT YET STRONG ENOUGH TO DEFEND ITSELF WITH OPEN SUCCESS ALTHOUGH THE SLOWER AND LESS SHOWY SUCCESS OF GROWTH DID NOT FAIL IT THE INSTRUMENT OF ATTACK IN THE HANDS OF THE BARONS WAS THE ORDINARY FEUDAL PRIVILEGE THE LOGICAL CARRYING OUT OF SERFDOM BUT THIS ATTACK TOOK PLACE TWO REINS LATER WE SHALL COME TO THAT FURTHER ON THE ATTACK ON THE LOWER TRIBE WHICH WAS NOW GROWING INTO IMPORTANCE WAS IN THIS REIGN MADE BY THE KING AND HIS INSTRUMENT WAS PARLIAMENT I HAVE TOLD YOU THAT SIMON DE MONTFORT MADE SOME ATTEMPT TO GET THE BURGESSES TO SIT IN HIS PARLIAMENT BUT IT WAS LEFT TO EDWARD THE FIRST TO LAY THE FOUNDATIONS FIRMLY OF PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION WHICH HE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUGMENTING THE POWER OF THE CROWN AND CRUSHING THE RISING LIBERTY OF THE TOWNS THOUGH OF COURSE HIS DIRECT AIM WAS SIMPLY IT MONEY THE GREAT COUNCIL OF THE REALM WAS PURELY FEUDAL IT WAS COMPOSED OF THE FEUDATORIES OF THE KING THEORETICALLY OF ALL OF THEM PRACTICALLY OF THE GREAT ONES ONLY
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