large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb_66
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb
English
6138
All this sort of detailed bargaining was, in fact, a safeguard for the local liberties, so far as they went, of the towns and shires, and did not suit the king's views of law and order at all; and so began the custom of the sheriff (the king's officer, who 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 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. ALL THIS SORT OF DETAILED BARGAINING WAS IN FACT A SAFEGUARD FOR THE LOCAL LIBERTIES SO FAR AS THEY WENT OF THE TOWNS AND SHIRES AND DID NOT SUIT THE KING'S VIEWS OF LAW AND ORDER AT ALL AND SO BEGAN THE CUSTOM OF THE SHERIFF THE KING'S OFFICER WHO 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
 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. 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. Well, the burghers would say, “’Tis hard to pay this money, but we will put ourselves out to pay it if you will do something for us in return; let, for example, our men be tried in our own court, and the verdict be of one of compurgation instead of wager of battle,” and so forth, and so forth. 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 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 WELL THE BURGHERS WOULD SAY TIS HARD TO PAY THIS MONEY BUT WE WILL PUT OURSELVES OUT TO PAY IT IF YOU WILL DO SOMETHING FOR US IN RETURN LET FOR EXAMPLE OUR MEN BE TRIED IN OUR OWN COURT AND THE VERDICT BE OF ONE OF COMPREGATION INSTEAD OF WAGER OF BATTLE AND SO FORTH AND SO FORTH
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