A Metrical History of England Or, Recollections, in Rhyme, Of some of the most prominent Features in our National Chronology, from the Landing of Julius Caesar to the Commencement of the Regency, in 1812. In Two Volumes ... By Thomas Dibdin |
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 | A Metrical History of England |  |
“And stern with conquest from their tyrant King
“(Now render'd tame) did challenge and secure
“The charter of thy freedom.”
Akenside.
“What ample tyranny! Six tedious years
“Our helpless fathers in despair obey'd
“The Papal interdict; and who obey'd
“The Sov'reign plunder'd.”
Shenstone.
“On yon young boy.—I'll tell thee what, my friend,
“He is a very serpent in my way,
“And wheresoe'er this foot of mine doth tread
“He lies before me.”
Shakespeare.
“Shall tithe or toll in our dominions;
“But, as we, under heav'n are supreme head,
“So under him, that great supremacy,
“Where we do reign, we will alone uphold.
“So tell the Pope; all reverence set apart
“To him, and his usurp'd authority.”
Ibidem.
“Thus have I yielded up into your hands
“The circle of my glory.”
Pandulph.
“Take again,
“From this my hand, as holding of the Pope
“Your sovereign greatness and authority.”
Shakespeare.
JOHN.
The gloomy horizon! and Lackland's reign,
With privilege for which our fathers fought,
Knee-deep in slaughter; and, to which their sons,
True to each other, ever will adhere.
In days when strength and skill too frequent won
The regal circle; else had Arthur's name,
With supercession legal, graced the roll
Where John's is now recorded—but what is,
We're told is right.—Had Arthur, haply, reign'd
His milder sway had fail'd create the cause
Which did the glorious great effects produce,
Of England's freedom, and of England's rights.
As if too conscious of his tottering claim,
And, that his crown sat lightly on his head,
Four times inaugurated was the King.
The warlike mind of Richard, now declares
Against the title of his brother John,
And in behalf of Arthur, claims the throne.
By an ambitious uncle, and thy right
Made, by pretended friendship, but a plea,
To sanctify it's interested views!
Their aid to John, who yet o'ercomes his foes;
And Arthur, captive, youthful, innocent,
Nor author of the war that Phillip wag'd,
Dies in imprisonment.—By some we read,
And our great Bard, with magic minstrelsy,
Has sung the tale, that from his prison walls,
Attempting hopeless egress, he was dash'd
Against the earth below, and found, alas!
The spirit of his uncle “in those flints
With which 'twas bedded.” Other stories tell
That murder, (that so frequent blot upon
Our English reigns, related, and to come,)
The Prince of life.
Philip of France, on this pretext, proclaim'd
King John a traitor and a murderer;
Seiz'd on his French possessions, while the Pope
In all concurring, and, pretending right
To chuse our Church Directors, John defies
(The sole good deed he did) the pow'r of Rome;
The Vatican, with thunder loud, replies;
And England excommunicate, cut off
From ev'ry human privilege, cou'd still,
Firm in herself, have scorn'd th' unblest decree,
Which dared to arrogate an awful right
By heaven's almighty power alone possess'd.
For pride and meanness are concomitant,
The land, the people, King, the crown itself,
Are pros trate thrown beneath the Pontiff's fect;
The Barons feel just anger, and disdain
To serve a Prince who owns himself a slave.
And other grievances, most justly drawn,
Was Magna Charta woven, and the King
After subscription tried too oft to break
The golden compact, which has since upheld
Our legal title as a People Free.
Of subterranean chambers yet is seen,
Where first, in secresy, the Barons met
To frame the code of Freedom.—Short the space
From hence to where my humble cot is hid,
By wild sequester'd scenery, and oft,
Bending my footsteps downwards, do I seek
The rock-hewn seats that round the cave remain,
And muse with awfully-delighted mind,
While witchery of fancy brings to view
Majestic forms, and men of other times;
Those aged peers whose venerable locks
A crested helm, the terror oft of France,
Concealed in iron bands,—those youthful lords,
Which, back reflecting ev'ry torch's blaze,
With double light the sacred vault illumed.
Clare, Albermarle, and Gloster, Hereford,
Mowbray, and Oxford, Delaval, and Say,
Norfolk, De Ros, and bands of heroes more,
Retired to fan the patriotic fire,
Which bursting into day at Runnimede,
With rays of glory lighten'd all the land.
And Lewis, son of France, call'd in, was own'd
As England's master: but the patriot lords,
Ill brooking Gallic rule, to John restored
His regal state, short time by him enjoy'd.
At Newark Castle (not at Swinestead, where
Our legendaries tell a fearful tale
Of monks and poison,) John respired his last.
Argentre, in his “Histoire de Bretagne,” says that, John came late one evening, and took his nephew out of prison; that he rode with him to a cliff that overhung the sea; that there he stabb'd him, and drawing his body by the heels to the brink of the precipice, threw it into the ocean.
“The cause of love, the cause of justice own,
“Matchless thy charms, and was no life resign'd,
“To see them sparkle on their native throne?
“Oh, shame of Britons! in one sullen tow'r
“She wet with royal tears her daily cell,
“She found keen anguish ev'ry rose devour,
“They sprung, they rose, they faded, and they fell.
Shenstone.
Eleanor, of Bretagne, the lawful heiress of the English Crown upon the death of Arthur,—esteem'd the beauty of her time, she died in Bristol Castle, after suffering forty years imprisonment.
The following short sketch of what the people gained by Magna Charta, is an abridgement from Hume, by the ingenious James Petit Andrews.
“Immunities granted to Barons, are extended to their vassals.”
“No Baron to levy money from his vassals, except for attending the King to war, repairing his castles, and the highways and bridges.”
“Measures to be equal through the realm.”
“Merchants not to be illegally taxed.”
“Free egress, and regress to Freemen.”
“Cities to preserve their privileges, and only to be taxed by Parliament.”
“Bridges to be equitably built or supported.”
“Freemen to dispose of goods by will, or, if intestate, their next heir to succeed.”
“The King's Purveyor not to sieze goods, &c.”
“Courts of Justice not to follow the King, but to be stationary, open, and equal to all men.”
“Justice not to be paid for, nor refused to any one, (this was a necessary proviso in a realm where bribes were received by the King to a great amount, and shamelessly set down in books kept for that purpose,) Sheriffs not to put any one on trial without good cause and lawful witnesses.”
“No Freeman to be in any way injured in person or goods, except by the law of the land. [Query,—would that be an injury, D.] Redress to be given to those who have suffered illegally. No extravagant fines to be levied on Freemen. No villain, i. e. rustic, to be deprived of his cart or other instruments of husbandry by fine.”
| A Metrical History of England | |