Part 21 (2/2)
”Ah well! 'Tis neither here nor there who led the palmers or whether they acted wholly of their own impulse. The thing of greatest moment now is this scroll of the articles which I have here in fair copy. Read it, I pray thee, and see whether thou wilt give thy voice for its adoption.
Thou wilt see that I have introduced the provision for five and twenty barons who shall enforce the charter and also have written in some other matters that seem to us of moment.”
The Abbot took the scroll and quickly conned the pages whereon he and Cedric had on the first day of their labors come to full agreement. Then he came to the twentieth article, and ceasing reading, looked up at Cedric sharply.
”Thou hast here the wording for which thou did'st argue yesterday.”
”Aye, 'tis so,” answered Cedric, grimly, ”read on.”
The Abbot complied, but quickly came to another stop.
”Let not the body of _a free man_ be taken or imprisoned-” he read, ”that again is the very language that was yesterday rejected.”
Cedric nodded in a.s.sent. ”Read on,” he said.
For some pages the Abbot went on in silence. Then he uttered an exclamation of surprise, and paused to read again-this time aloud-an article that appeared near the end of the scroll.
”All the aforesaid customs and liberties which the King hath conceded, to be held in the Kingdom as far as concerns his relations to his men, all in the realm, as well ecclesiastics as laity, _shall on their part observe toward their men_.”
The Abbot leaped to his feet, his face red with wrath.
”What means this, De La Roche? Would thou have all these things for which we risk our lives and lands extended to every churl and varlet in the Kingdom?”
”Aye,” answered Cedric steadily. ”And if thou'lt look abroad through our camp, thou'lt see some thousands of those same churls and yeomen that do risk their lives in this cause as much as thou or me.”
The Abbot shook his head with impatience.
”'Tis beyond reason, De La Roche. I cannot give my word for it.”
Cedric for a moment gazed out of window. Then he said to me:
”This keeping in durance of an ecclesiastic who was appointed to his place by the King and moreover stands high in his favor, is a difficult and dangerous business. 'Twill be better if we take him to the town's edge and turn him loose to find his way back whence he came.”
The Abbot gazed at Cedric with parted lips and bated breath while one might have told two score. Then of a sudden he flung the parchment on the table and laughed full loud and long.
”Thou hast won, De La Roche. I yield me. Thou hast won and fairly.
Thou'rt a most persuading speaker, I'll be bound. I will go before our group this day, and make them adopt these articles whether they will or no. Then to-morrow I will speak for them before the whole a.s.sembly. Thou shalt see what I can do when I am well put to it. Depend upon it, the articles of that very scroll that lies before us will be the ones our party will present to the King. And thou, on thy part, shall have due watch and ward kept of thy prisoner, and see to it that he by no means gains his liberty until the King hath sealed our charter and pledged himself to interfere no more in our clerical elections.”
The Abbot was as good as his word. That afternoon he delivered such an address in eulogy of the articles as they appeared in this latest scroll as I had never heard before on any subject whatsoever. He marshalled all the arguments Cedric had used together with many more he had not thought on. His speech was filled with grace and eloquence and was of an enthusiasm that carried all away. He showed beyond all doubt the power that would accrue to our party through this inclusion of the rights of the commonalty in our charter. When he was done De Longville as strongly favored these provisions in the articles as on the day before he had opposed them. Lord Esmond grimly held his peace, though oft shaking his gray head in denial, and soon the scroll had been adopted by our vote of four to one. The following day our ardent champion made a yet more eloquent speech before the full a.s.sembly; and the articles were approved by acclamation.
All know the remainder of the tale of Magna Charta,-how the King, three days later, at Brackley where the articles were read to him, refused them with an oath, furiously declaring that the barons might as well have asked of him his kingdom,-how we resumed the war forthwith and the taking of his castles,-how the gates of London were opened to us and the King was at length brought to terms at Runnymede. There again 'twas Cedric De La Roche and the Abbot of Moberley who conferred with the Archbishop and the other commissioners of the King and satisfied themselves and us that the completed scroll that received the royal seal was to the same effect as our articles of Stamford and Brackley.
And now King John is dead, and little lamented, and a wiser sovereign rules the land. Already men begin to see how great a thing was done at Runnymede. 'Tis said that the Great Charter will be for centuries to come the basis of our English law, since it affirms with equal voice the rights of all our three estates,-the n.o.bility, the clergy and the commons. It seems to me that later generations will find in its provisions the authority and the suggestion for many a reform that we dare not yet attempt, and that freer and happier men may date the beginning of better things to our bitter struggle with King John. If so be, may they think not overmuch of us that were n.o.ble born and fought for lordly privilege, but may they never forget that in our day there were true men of lowly birth who risked their all for the rights of their fellows. Of these was none more worthy of honor than he whom I am ever proud to call my friend and comrade,-Cedric, the Forester of Pelham.
THE END
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