The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-03-08
The Magma Charter.
THE GREAT PARCHMENT FOUND IN TAI
LOR SHOP AFTER BEING LOST 400 YEARS.


This great charter-the "Charter OF Liber-
ties of the English People" as II was called
was in fact careful revision and reproduction
of the old Anglo Saxon principles and tenets
of governments which had been suppressed by
the Norman conquerors ana tnelr immediate
successors. But never mind that Suffice it to
say it was grant forever, from the KING to the
people Of rights of liberty and life. After it
had become known that the king john would
at length sign it, the charter was drawn up on
parchment with great care, the most expert
scrjveners having been engaged to perform the
enprossipg, and when it had been completed
il was taken to the royal presence, where the
signing was done. One of the largest sheets
or skins of vellum to be procured had been
put TO the use, and there was room on the
margin for the signatures OF the king and all
the great barons, besides the affixing OF their
seals A grand celebration followed the con-
summation of the work, after which knowl-
edge of the great charter and its provisions
was given to the people at large, to which END
a copy was made duly attested, for each ana
every county in the kingdom. And mind you,
this document was volumlnous. Morning
which those old liberty demanding parons
could think Of had been forgotten There
were more than fifty separate sectlohs, ana
many of those sections contained each vol
ume in itself.
Well, copies were made from The original,
and then. comics we're made from copies; and
not only were copies OF the charter sent to
proper officers throughout the realms but
many of the barons had copies for themselves.
The original draft-the grand document OF all,
the one parent OF all copies-was laid away so
carefully that no one could find it.. However,
that generation did not care 80 much about 1t.
The attested copies were good enough. But
succeeding generations were anxious 10 see
the original Magma Chdrta, the document
whereunte was affixed the signature and seal
of John Lakeland, and on which, too, the
stout old barons had put their hands, either to
write their names or to make their marks. But
it was not 10 be found. The eager ones searched
high and low, far and near, but without avail.
1t was believed at length that the great orlgl-
nal had been unfortunately destroyed. And so
the matter rested for a long long time, as we
shall see.
The great charter WAS made in the beginning
of the thirteenth century. Early in the seven
tenth century-400 years later-Slr Robert
Cotton. the celebrated antiquary, Glanced one
day 10 have his attention attracted TO a curious
looking piece of parch ment, its margin thlckly
armed with broad seals, which a tailor had
laid out upon his board, just ready to cut it
up into measures. He sprang forward and Held
the workman's hand; when 10 and behold !!
there lay the true magma charter the great
original, with its signatures and its seals all
intact The tailor said he had obtained 1t
with lot of old papers that he had pur-
chased of man who had recently rented a
suit departments which had, in oden times,
beer occupied by firm of scriveners. Sir
Robert bought the precious document for a
trfing sum.