large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb_56
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb
English
6138
The towns would be pressed by their lords, king, or baron, or bishop, as it might be, and they would see their advantage and strike a bargain. For you are not to imagine that because there was a deal of violence going on in those times there was no respect for law; on the contrary, there was a quite exaggerated respect for it if it came within the four corners of the feudal feeling, and the result of this feeling of respect was the constant struggle for _status_ on the part of the townships and other associations throughout the Middle Ages. THE TOWNS WOULD BE PRESSED BY THEIR LORDS KING OR BARON OR BISHOP AS IT MIGHT BE AND THEY WOULD SEE THEIR ADVANTAGE AND STRIKE A BARGAIN FOR YOU ARE NOT TO IMAGINE THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS A DEAL OF VIOLENCE GOING ON IN THOSE TIMES THERE WAS NO RESPECT FOR LAW ON THE CONTRARY THERE WAS A QUITE EXAGGERATED RESPECT FOR IT IF IT CAME WITHIN THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE FEUDAL FEELING AND THE RESULT OF THIS FEELING OF RESPECT WAS THE CONSTANT STRUGGLE FOR STATUS ON THE PART OF THE TOWNSHIPS AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE AGES
of the king, theoretically of all of them, practically of the great ones only. 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. But the inferior tribe, though not represented there, existed, and, as aforesaid, was growing rich, and the king had to get their money out of their purses directly; which, as they were not represented at the council, he had to do by means of his officers (the sheriffs) dealing with them one after another, which was a troublesome job; for the men were stiff-necked and quite disinclined to part with their money; and the robbery having to be done on the spot, so to say, encountered all sorts of opposition: and, in fact, it was the money needs both of baron, bishop, and king which had been the chief instrument in furthering the progress of the towns.  IT WAS COMPOSED OF THE FEUDATORIES OF THE KING THEORETICALLY OF ALL OF THEM PRACTICALLY OF THE GREAT ONES ONLY 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 BUT THE INFERIOR TRIBE THOUGH NOT REPRESENTED THERE EXISTED AND AS AFORESAID WAS GROWING RICH AND THE KING HAD TO GET THEIR MONEY OUT OF THEIR PURSES DIRECTLY WHICH AS THEY WERE NOT REPRESENTED AT THE COUNCIL HE HAD TO DO BY MEANS OF HIS OFFICERS THE SHERIFFS DEALING WITH THEM ONE AFTER ANOTHER WHICH WAS A TROUBLESOME JOB FOR THE MEN WERE STIFF NECKED AND QUITE DISINCLINED TO PART WITH THEIR MONEY AND THE ROBBERY HAVING TO BE DONE ON THE SPOT SO TO SAY ENCOUNTERED ALL SORTS OF OPPOSITION AND IN FACT IT WAS THE MONEY NEEDS BOTH OF BARON BISHOP AND KING WHICH HAD BEEN THE CHIEF INSTRUMENT IN FURTHERING THE PROGRESS OF THE TOWNS
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