Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25
Christmas in England
Like Fourth of July.

occupies In
american hearts. and in many respects
that Christmas should he as dear to the
memory of Americans as to our cousins
across the sea. 1t was at this Christ
mas festival that the barOns demanded
from King John the document which.
as the foundation of English self-gov-
eminent. is known to US as the Magma
Charta Johns tyranny and lawless-
ness had become intolerable, and the
peoples hopes hung on the fortunes
of the French campaign in which he
was then engaged. His defeat at the
battle of Bouvines. July %, 1914. gave
strength to his opponents. AID after
his return to England the barons met
secretly at St. Edmundsbury and swore
TO demand from him the restoration Of
their liberties by charter, under the
king seal
Having agreed to assemble at the
court for this purpose during the COM
ing Christmas festival, they dis
persed. When Christmas day arrived
John was at Worcester. attended only
by few OF his immediate retainers
and some foreign mercenaries. None
or his great yaSsals came to offer their
congratulations. John, alarmed at the
absence of the baron rode to London
and shut himself up in the house of
the Knights Templars. At first the
king bore a defiant attitude and met
the baronS with an absolute refusal of
all their demands. but he was forced to
great charter was signed at Runny-
mede
King John was succeeded in 1916 by
Henry III, whose Christmas celebrations
were marked by the solemniZing of two
great royal weddings. 1t was in the
twentieth year of his reign, 1875, that
ne welcomed at Christmastide the arrival
OF his bride. the Princess Eleanor, daugh-
ter Of the Count of Provence. Henrys
lavish celebrations eliminated in the
brilliant festival during the Christmas
tide OF 70 when lie gave in marriage
his beautiful daughter Margaret to Alex
ander. King of the Scots. Henry never
allowed his financial embarrassment to
bedim the luster of his entertainments,
and on this particular Christmas day.
after having to pledge his plate and jew
els with the citizens of London in order
10 replenish his exchequer, he solemnized
the wedding and the day with a great
banquet for his thousand knights, as we'll
as the attendants of the bridegroom. Six
hundred oxen were roasted for meat. and
wine was served in proportion.
Second only in Importance 10 the sign
ing OF the Magma Charta was the sum-
moning of the
First Parliament first national
Called at Christmas. ins ,hs r e
OF Henry III. The parliament was sum-
moned during the Christmastide of 1854
by the patriotic Simon de Montfort. while
the king was being held & prisoner. The
form of national representation then in
augurated had an incalculable influence on
The rising liberties of the people and will
endure for all time.
Following Henry HIS capitalization to the
demands of the barons. headed by Earl
Simon. Edward III was imprisoned in
Kcnilworth Castle during the festival Of
1875. marking the next Christmas victory
for peoples rights. The following Christ
mas the incompetent king was deposed.
Christmas. 1892, Is q red-letter day Tn
scottish annals. for 1t marked the defeat
Of Edward BallioI, the phantom King OF
scotland. whose success was as unreal as
dream. He was crowned at Scone in
the month of September. and he fondly
imagined that he had permanently con-
Tuered the patriotic Scotch mobiles who
lad opposed him. His reign lasted only
few months. however, for while he was
feasting at AMMAN, in Dumfriesshire, the
national party attacked him and he was
routed. escaping only by springing upon
the back of a saddleIess horse and leay-
ing behind his brother Henry, slain.
One Of the most triumphant OF Christ
mas celebrations for the Anglo-Saxons