The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-13
THE BARONS AND KING JOHN AT THE
FIELD OF RUNNYMEDE.
Wow Of Magma Cass Provisions Only Slightly Different From
Held by 1.-THE Sun"

ia to be reckoned. The institutions n,
positive law, the far more important
changes which time has wrought in
the order of society during six hun.
dred years subsequent to the Grea,
Charter. have undoubtedly lessened
its direct application to our present
circumstances. But IL is still the kew.
stone of English liberty. All that has
since been obtained is little more than
as confirmation or commentary. and
IL every subsequent law were TO no
swept away there would still remain
the bold features that distinguish a
free from a despotic monarchy. II
has been lately the fashion TO denrs.
ciate the value of Magma Charts a,
IL II had sprunR from the nrivp,.
ambition of a few selfish barons and
redressed only some feudal abuses 7,
In indeed OF little Importance nv Uhs,
mo,ives tbose who obtained n u,o,.
puidod The rea1 characters ne wa,
most distinguished In the transection,
Of that time are not easily deterrn,n.S
M nresent vat n we hiring thesa nv
grateful susn,cions tn the test thar
nroya d..t,tuta NJ ali roo.on.n.
foundation. An eoual distribut,on =,
cixyii Fights IN all classa. NJ froo,,..
forms the pecuIiar beauty q, t.a
Chortor =, tb,s Inst sn,,c,t,,ao o..
the neon,a ana In The hnodor,.soa
r,h,oh ,ntr,ro.d unon MI ossa,,,,.i
nrsrog.t,va ~ tho ,nonarch,, MO 40.
naros;va a, I,hara,,,,, ond natrioii" 10
,,ar,, ,,,,,r. tha .aIe.hn.ss ,,,,,,oL u.
.oro.,,r,.. ,,,,n,,,aa 60 ,ho.o o,a,.
ho,on.,, '"'
IA ....., .,,,.. c,
..r az esora.a ,,,t,a rro,aot,a,, a..
,,i,,.,n.,, ,s .ooroo,,, ta,,o,tons >a,,, ,ne
l., ,ha Ern,Ish sooiai nrIor 80 w. ,,.,
has 49, sn rar,aus,u r,,sr,dn s .lns
~ ,,,i.ao.,r,,,a a., ~ oo,,a,,ia,, 80 Az
.',,,n,. tn .,,,,,,. ~ 49, ~, " INC
~ -. go go. a. NO, s,,ms
a.. a. ,,onaro, a. .,,o,, had
rai. t,on ~ ,,a o,as, ~ v,I,e,ns os suos
+hair statns and their rigbt. n,.r.
relative IN the lords Of the seward
manors 10 which thew spnertain.d
and as respected all other persons
than his direct lord. and. under some
circumstances. even in his relations +,
that lord. the yillein had the lersl
n III. w
adequate information on this most IN.
teresting subject has only to consult
the thorough work of Professor Pau
Vinogradoff. "Villainage in England"
and the sources upon which he draws
Nor is it true that the provisions of
Magma Charta did not reach the VII
lein; for, says Taswell-Langmead
eng. Const. Hist, I'd Ed, 1O9), the
grant by the Charter or the specified
liberties was TO all the freemen Of
the Kingdom, words, remarks Sir
Edward Coke. which extend also TO
villeins, Tor they are accounted fre'
against all men, SAVING against 'ne
ioros'
AS 10 TINS near etuoos also
Inc charter CONTAINS 'iause siT
iiar 10 tna' ny "hich fiehry l. urea |"
secure the rishls ol MS sup1ects d.
against 'he hheshe ioros' oul no" lhs
provision Is aoop'eo by 'he iofos 'hem,
selves Tor the security or fair and
equal justice: All the AFORESAID Gus
toms ana hoerties that we nave
granted 10 DE heid In our Kingdom SO
far as pertains to u.s. with reference
to our vassals' all men OF our Kingdom
as well clerk as lay. snail observe, SO
Tar as pertains to them, with REFER
ence to their men,. The oarons main
tain and secure the r.Sht OF the whole
people as against themselvSe as wei
as against their master. Clause s'y
clause the rights of the commons are
provided for as we'll as the rights Of
the mobiles: the interest of the free
holder Is everywhere coupled with tina,