large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb_15
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb
English
6138
Nor need there be much more said about this institution; as time went on its functions got gradually extended by the petition for the redress of grievances accompanying the granting of money, but it was generally to be reckoned on as subservient to the will of the king, who down to the later Tudor period played some very queer tunes on this constitutional instrument. NOR NEED THERE BE MUCH MORE SAID ABOUT THIS INSTITUTION AS TIME WENT ON ITS FUNCTIONS GOT GRADUALLY EXTENDED BY THE PETITION FOR THE ADDRESS OF GRIEVANCES ACCOMPANYING THE GRANTING OF MONEY BUT IT WAS GENERALLY TO BE RECKONED ON AS SUBSERVIENT TO THE WILL OF THE KING WHO DOWN TO THE LATER TUDE A PERIOD PLAYED SOME VERY QUEER TUNES ON THIS CONSTITUTIONAL INSTRUMENT
the place of the earl of the Anglo-Saxon period) summoning the burgesses to the council, which burgesses you must understand were not elected at the folkmotes of the town, or hundred, but in a sort of hole-and-corner way by a few of the bigger men of the place. What the king practically said was this: “I want your money, and I cannot be for ever wrangling with you stubborn churles at home there, and listening to all your stories of how poor you are, and what you want; no, I want you to be _represented_. Send me up from each one of your communes a man or two whom I can bully or cajole or bribe to sign away your substance for you.” Under these circumstances it is no wonder that the towns were not very eager in the cause of _representation_. It was no easy job to get them to come up to London merely to consult as to the kind of sauce with which they were to be eaten. However, they did come in some numbers, and by the year 1295 something like a shadow of our present Parliament was on foot. HAD TAKEN THE PLACE OF THE EARL OF THE ANGLO SAXON PERIOD SUMMONING THE BURGESSES TO THE COUNCIL WHICH BURGESSES YOU MUST UNDERSTAND WERE NOT ELECTED AT THE FOLK MOOTS OF THE TOWN OR HUNDRED BUT IN A SORT OF HOLE AND CORNER WAY BY A FEW OF THE BIGGER MEN OF THE PLACE WHAT THE KING PRACTICALLY SAID WAS THIS I WANT YOUR MONEY AND I CANNOT BE FOREVER WRANGLING WITH YOU STUBBORN CHILDS AT HOME THERE AND LISTENING TO ALL YOUR STORIES OF HOW POOR YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WANT NO I WANT YOU TO BE REPRESENTED SEND ME UP FROM EACH ONE OF YOUR COMMUNES A MAN OR TWO WHOM I CAN BULLY OR CAJOLE OR BRIBE TO SIGN AWAY YOUR SUBSTANCE FOR YOU UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS NO WONDER THAT THE COUNTS WERE NOT VERY EAGER IN THE CAUSE OF REPRESENTATION IT WAS NO EASY JOB TO GET THEM TO COME UP TO LONDON MERELY TO CONSULT US TO THE KIND OF SAUCE WITH WHICH THEY WERE TO BE EATEN HOWEVER THEY DID COME IN SOME NUMBERS AND BY THE YEAR TWELVE NINETY FIVE SOMETHING LIKE A SHADOW OF OUR PRESENT PARLIAMENT WAS ON FOOT
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