The popular history of England; an illustrated history of society and government from the earliest period to our own times . English—Contest with the Pope—English literature and language—Statutes of Wages—Labourers in husbandry—Games—Sanitary Laws—State interference in social affairs. j ^)^YMEE, our laborious historiographer, well describesthe reign of Eichard II. as a reign -which affordsbut little matter that may shine in history, andcannot boast of any one great and distinguishedcaptain, any one memorable battle, nor one im-portant siege; no proceeding to St. Pauls, no ToDeum for victory.*
The popular history of England; an illustrated history of society and government from the earliest period to our own times . English—Contest with the Pope—English literature and language—Statutes of Wages—Labourers in husbandry—Games—Sanitary Laws—State interference in social affairs. j ^)^YMEE, our laborious historiographer, well describesthe reign of Eichard II. as a reign -which affordsbut little matter that may shine in history, andcannot boast of any one great and distinguishedcaptain, any one memorable battle, nor one im-portant siege; no proceeding to St. Pauls, no ToDeum for victory.* To us, wto regard battles,and sieges, and processions, and Te Deums, as lessimportant matter for history than the progress of thepeople, the reign of Eichard II. is one of the mostinteresting in our annals. In this reign, the greatconstitutional principles of our government were moststrikingly exhibited in their practical efficiency. Inthis reign, the power of the Commons was more signallydisplayed than at any previous period, in demand-ing administrative reform as the condition of voting supplies; in the. * Dedication to Queen Anne of vol. vii. of the Fcedera. VOL. II.—32. Q) 2 CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES DEVELOPED. [1377 impeachment of those who were considered as the evil advisers of the crown ;and in strenuously insisting that the public liberties, secured by statutes andcharters, should not be infringed upon by a king who had manifest tendenciestowards despotism. At one period, this despotism was nearly two years Eichard was an uncontrolled tyrant. By what was unques-tionably a national act, however accompanied by treachery and violence, thedespot was deposed. In this deposition, all the forms which might appear tobelong to a more advanced state of society were most carefully king, who neglected the duties of his station, and aimed at arbitrarypower, was treated as a public delinquent; and the general good was set forthas the ultim
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpublisherlondon, bookyear185
