Young people's history of England . had onceof the more grown powerful. They had become bold enough to refuse to aid John in the defence ofNormandy; and their hostile attitude was one of the influ-ences which frightened him into submission to the time had now come when the barons, uniting withthe bishops and clergy and the common people, couldcompel the king to yield to their terms. The leading spiritin the revolt which sprang up against the kings brutalStephen tyrauuy was the patriotic Stephen Langton,Langton. Archbishop of Canterbury. In vain had heurged John to be just, and to gi
Young people's history of England . had onceof the more grown powerful. They had become bold enough to refuse to aid John in the defence ofNormandy; and their hostile attitude was one of the influ-ences which frightened him into submission to the time had now come when the barons, uniting withthe bishops and clergy and the common people, couldcompel the king to yield to their terms. The leading spiritin the revolt which sprang up against the kings brutalStephen tyrauuy was the patriotic Stephen Langton,Langton. Archbishop of Canterbury. In vain had heurged John to be just, and to give to his people the rightsand liberties which they had once enjoyed. At a councilheld in St. Pauls, London, Langton told the bishops andbarons that he had found the charter of liberties grantedto his people by the first Henry. With this preciouscharter, he exclaimed, we will win back the long-lostrights of the people. A year later, a still more notable gathering took place atthe shrine of St. Edmund. A great company of barons io6. KING JOHX AND THE GREAT CHARTER. - J^A(,e 107. THE GREAT CHARTER. lO/ met, and swore upon the altar that, unless the king grant-ed them a new charter of liberties, they would The baronsmake war upon him. Then they raised a for- combined ^ -^ against the midable army, with headquarters at Brackley. this, the king sent for Langton, and asked him whatthe barons wanted. When Langton told him of their de-mands, he refused, in a great rage, to grant them. Thebarons thereupon marched with their troops to kings adherents, even his courtiers and retinue, be-gan to desert him. Presently he found that he had noforce adequate to resist the advancing barons. It was clearthat everybody was against him. The Lord Mayor andcitizens of London espoused the cause of the insurgents,and sent train-bands to their camp. Perceiving that allwould be over with him if he further resisted, John at lastsent word to the barons that he would concede what theyde
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1887
