On this day in history

[shewhomust]

(With apologies to mabfan).

On 15 June 1215, King John consentented to the demands of his barons, as set out in a document which later became known as Magna Carta, the Great Charter.

The constitutional importance of Magna Carta lies in the fact that it placed limits upon the absolute power of the King and made him subject to the law. The most famous of its sixty-three clauses said that no free man could be imprisoned, outlawed or exiled except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land, and that justice could not be sold, delayed or denied. It also contained clauses relating to the treatment of heirs and widows and to the payment of debts. It provided for uniform measures of wine, ale, corn and cloth throughout the realm. It confirmed the liberties of the Church and of all cities and towns and it sought to regulate the conduct of all local officials such as sheriffs, bailiffs and constables and ensure that they knew and observed the law.

From the St. Edmundsbury website

All of which is a good thing.

And it's a sign of my irredeemable frivolity that what I can remember is actually the Sellar and Yeatman version:

1. That no one was to be put to death, save for some reason - (except the Common People).


2. That everyone should be free - (except the Common People).


3. That everything should be of the same weight and measure throughout the Realm - (except the Common People).


4. That the Courts should be stationary, instead of following a very tiresome medieval official known as the King's Person all over the country.


5. That 'no person should be fined to his utter ruin' - (except the King's Person).


6. That the Barons should not be tried except by a special jury of other Barons who would understand.

Then again, they have a point...

Comments

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

No apologies necessary. shsilver picked up the habit as well. It's always interesting to see what event people choose to acknowledge...

[profane-stencil.livejournal.com]

"This day in history" can be very interesting. I actually hope you continue doing this, especially if you don't just give a dry list of births and deaths and "strikes and famine and war and peace" (to quote the Clash).

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Both of these comments are too flattering by far! No, it's not going to become a habit: there are far too many other things I want to talk about...

Tony Hancock

[durham-rambler.livejournal.com]

A letter from Walter Cairns in today's Guardian reminds me of the great Tony Hancock rant:

Does nobody remember Magna Carta? Did she die in vain?

Re: Tony Hancock

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

And, if we're being completist about this, Stanley Holloway (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/barnicle/stanley/words/magna.htm):

'We'll get him a Magna Charter,'
Said Fitz when his face he had freed;
Said the Barons, 'That's right and if one's not enough,
Get a couple and happen they'll breed.