Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-12-25

| The Emperor entered the church in nu+
mility, and bowed before the altar. SUD-
denly, Pope Leo uplifted the crown of
the Roman world, and set it upon his
head. There arose then great shout of
Joy. Clergy and noble exclaimed in uni
son: Long live Charles Augustus.
Crowned Of God. Emperor of the Ro-
mAns~
Christianity possessed Europe now,
The Bethlehem Star, shining its eight
centuries, lighted all the lands.
Christmas has been an eventful day in
English history.
English life and literature are alike
full of reference to William of Norman
dy; to-day proud English mobiles boast
that their ancestors came over with the
Couqueror. The conquest of England
by William reads like romance. He left
the fair-skyed Normandy in September,
1866. His fleet, gay with pennants and
gonfalons. numbered Thousand sails.
His own ship had silksn sails of many
colors made by his duchess and her Nor
man maidens. On its PROV gold boy
pointed towards England Its banner
was three Norman lions.
Young Harold, the English king. pre-
pared tn meet the invasion. William
landed bis Amy and marched to Hast>
ings. Here the two armies met. The
Easiish forces, all-confident, passed the
might before the battlein feasting, young
Harold little dreaming that this revel
under ths October moon would be his
last banquet. In the morning Duke Will
liam rode forth from the Norman camp
on beautiful Barbary horse. The stan
dafd of the Three Norman Lions was
borne after him. His army advanced,
singing the great war song of Roland.
The fght began early On that golden
October day. Williams beautiful horse
was killed. His soldiers, supposing their
king wounded, wavered. 81 am living"
cried Duke William, "and 1 will con-
querp And that night the standard of
the Three Norman Lions waved over the
field. Young Harold was found dead.
His body was identified by one who loved
him. the swan-necked Edith. "Infelix
4oAOios S4CJ tnoCllOCu Oii uio lOLnO.
William FASTENED to Westminster to
be crowned while the conquered people
were helpless through fear. 1t was a
Christmas Day. The English in London
had expected to celebrate the festival in
the Abbey, but the ConQueror demanded
the church for his coronation. He SUR
rounded it with battalions of Nermans.
He entered it with his barons, and the
coronation rites began. The ceremony
was interrupted by tumult without
that ended in slaughter of his new En-
glish subjects.
But the Christmas crown of England
did not bring joy to the Conqueror He
is said to have been most unhappy and
remerseful NAB.
= Dark we're those days; but the Star of
Peace and Good Will was still shining.
Through the darkness the Christmas
Star still breaks its way onward. For
England there was a long. gloomy PEI
riod. King John-that Herod who DOOM
ed Prince Arthur. that English Innocent,
to be murdered because the boy had the
right to the throne-was ever an oppres
slve and bloody man; and at last the
English barons agreed to compel him to
givsa promise that their rights should !
be recognized and protected. This revolt |
of the barons against their king was the |
beginning OF English liberty. They met |
on November 20. 1918. They placed their
hands upon the altar and solemnly ewOre |
QUE after another, that should King John |
refuse to grant Charter of Rights, they
would not only withdraw their allegi-
snce, but they would wage war against
him. This act was the English Declara-
tion of Independence.
Tie king was soon shown a sign of
their feeling. Christmas Day came. King
John waited in vain at his royal hall in
Worcester for the barons to come to pay
him the customary Christmas homage.
IL was day of dark moment to him. At
night glad Christmas lights blazed in
many ar old baronial castle, but the glory
had departed from the halls OF the tyrant
king Heread his impending fate in the
SILENCE and gloom. He fed to London.
He shut himself up in the fortress of the
Tem plars. But the barons followed him
there. On the day of Epiphany. they
presented themselves-not
with allegiance, but with demands for
the Charter. Give me until Easter to
consider this" the king said at last with
paling face.
At Easter the barons again appeared
before him. "Why do they not ask for
my crown" he said. 81 will not grant
them liberties that would make me =
slave," he added angrily.
The barons summoned their knights.
The king found himself deserted alike
by bis nObles and his people. After a
gloomy delay, II will grant the Charter"
be said sullenly;. and he grudgingly
named time and place, Runnymede,
June Is.
That day became famous in English
history, for King John, however grudg
lngly, kept his word.
Four centuries later. on another Christ
mas day. 1888, the English Parliament
called the wise and good William, Prince
IF Orange. to accept the English crown.
So. through the years, light and gladness
we're growing for the people.
The first "still Christmas" in England
occurred in 5:a3 iIsn,y the Eighth was S
Iing, and he had not yet forfeited the
respect of his subjects; but great polit-
cal events were at hand. I
In December the King was sick. The t
ration was filled with anxiety. 1T was {
lecided that the Christmas should be
ilent one; there were no carols, bells or I
merry makings. {
Silent Christmases were proclaimed in $
he Protectorate OF Cromwell. The fes>
ival was altogether abolished. and the !
isplay OF the emhlems of the Nativity
vas held to be seditious.
The chanoa WAS most notahle In nm