large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb_52
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb
English
6138
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. 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
the struggle ended in his reign in a balance of power in England which, on the one hand, prevented any great feudatory becoming a rival of the king, as happened in several instances in France, and on the other hand prevented the king lapsing into a mere despotic monarch. I have said that bureaucracy took a great stride in Edward’s reign, but it reached its limits under feudalism as far as the nobles were concerned. Peace and order was established between the different powers of the governing classes; henceforward, the struggle is between them and the governed; that struggle was now to become obvious; the lower tribe was rising in importance; it was becoming richer for fleecing, but also it was beginning to have some power; this led the king first, and afterwards the barons, to attack it definitely; it was rich enough to pay for the trouble of being 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. CH OTHER'S POSITION THE STRUGGLE ENDED IN HIS REIGN IN A BALANCE OF POWER IN ENGLAND WHICH ON THE ONE HAND PREVENTED ANY GREAT FEUDATORY BECOMING A RIVAL OF THE KING AS HAPPENED IN SEVERAL INSTANCES IN FRANCE AND ON THE OTHER HAND PREVENTED THE KING LAPSING INTO A MERE DESPOTIC MONARCH I HAVE SAID THAT BUREAUCRACY TOOK A GREAT STRIDE IN EDWARD'S REIGN BUT IT REACHED ITS LIMITS UNDER FEUDALISM AS FAR AS THE NOBLES WERE CONCERNED PEACE AND ORDER WAS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT POWERS OF THE GOVERNING CLASSES HENCEFORWARD THE STRUGGLE IS BETWEEN THEM AND THE GOVERNED THAT STRUGGLE WAS NOW TO BECOME OBVIOUS THE LOWER TRIBE WAS RISING IN IMPORTANCE IT WAS BECOMING RICHER FOR FLEECING BUT IT WAS ALSO BEGINNING TO HAVE SOME POWER THIS LED THE KING FIRST AND AFTERWARDS THE BARONS TO ATTACK IT DEFINITELY IT WAS RICH ENOUGH TO PAY FOR THE TROUBLE OF BEING 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
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