MAGNA CHARTA.

THE most important triumph of the English people, achieved without sacrifice of human life, was the obtaining of Magna Charta. If Alfred was the best of all our kings, John was the worst. Under the kings before him, England had been able to boast of some little portion of freedom; but under John that little was lost to the nation, and he reigned as an absolute and irresponsible tyrant. It would have been easy for the barons of England to have deposed him; but they resolved on proceedings infinitely more valuable both to themselves and their posterity. In the Cathedral of Edmundsbury they assembled, and made oath on the high

altar, "to renounce their sworn fealty to the King, and pursue him by arms, till John had consented to a charter of liberties." They first went in a body to the King to demand this from him. He always deceitful and abject under any serious opposition-gave them gentle language, and promised satisfaction; but directly they were gone, he undertook a crusade to get away out of the power of the barons. They, however, drew together in a mighty army toward Oxford, where the King was. they had come as far as Brackley, near Oxford, John, hearing of their approach, sent to know what it was they desired. They returned to him a schedule, or list of articles of freedom for the people of England, and a message to the effect, that if he did not presently seal a charter of these, they would compel him by forcible entrance into all his possessions.

When

John read the schedule, and, with the highest disdain, asked, "Why they also demanded not his kingdom?" and he peremptorily replied, "he would never enslave himself to them by such a concession."

Thus repulsed by the tyrant, the barons prepared for open rebellion, and selected for their chief Robert Fitzwalter, under the title of "Marshall of the Army of God and Holy Church;" for they were confident of the righteousness of their cause.

They entered Aldgate, in the city of London, one Sunday morning, and took peaceable possession of the whole metropolis, no one opposing them. Thence they issued letters to all the nobles and gentlemen in England who had not yet declared themselves, and nearly all hastened to join in this holy war.

And now the tyrant quailed, and submitted entirely to their will. He sent to appoint a meeting with them at Runnemede, situate between Staines and Windsor.

Thither, on the 15th of June, 1215, came the barons, "with armed multitudes out of all the kingdom, beyond all number." There, in their terrible strength, and warlike pomp, stood the men of famous names in old English historythe Fitzwalter, de Roos, de Clare, de Percy, de Mandeville, de Vescy, de Mowbray, de Mon

tacute, de Beauchamp,—and before them appeared their unworthy sovereign, and with unwilling hand sealed that great charter— happily obtained without any bloodshed, any cruelty-which, itself founded on the most ancient liberties of Saxon England, is the anchor of our own freedom. Magna Charta is the stock whence has sprung the tree of THE ENGLISH CONSTITUTION, under which it is our high privilege to live in peace and security.

"Fair Runnemede! oft hath my lingering eye
Paus'd on thy tufted green and cultur'd hill,
And there my busy soul would drink her fill
Of lofty dreams, which on thy bosom lie.
Dear plain! never my feet have passed thee by
At sprightly morn, high noon, or evening still,
But thou hast fashioned all my pliant will,
To soul-ennobling thoughts of liberty.
Thou dost not need a perishable stone

Of sculptured story;-records ever young
Proclaim the gladdening triumph thou hast known:
The sail, the passing stream, hath still a tongue;
And every wind breathes out an eloquent tone,

That Freedom's self might wake, thy fields among."