large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb_20
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_04_morris_64kb
English
6138
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. 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
t 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. 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.  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 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
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