Runnymede and Lincoln Fair : $b A story of the Great CharterEdgar, John G. (John George)
History
Runnymede and Lincoln Fair : $b A story of the Great Charter
Edgar, John G. (John George)
Great Britain -- History -- John, 1199-1216 -- Fiction
The 11th of September was appointed for this important conference; and
on that day, Henry, attended by the protector, and Louis by such of his
nobles as had survived the war, met near Kingston, on an islet of the
Thames. Everything went smoothly, for Louis was all eagerness to shake
himself clear of his perplexities; and Pembroke, so far from being
inclined to bear hard on vanquished foes, was sincerely anxious to
convert them into friends. Accordingly, such terms were agreed to as
enabled the French prince to leave England without dishonour, and gave
the captive barons an opportunity of recovering their liberty and
returning to their allegiance.
“It was concluded,” says the chronicler, “that Prince Louis should have
fifteen thousand marks for the charges he had been at, and abjure his
claim to any interest in the kingdom; and withal to work his father for
restitution of such provinces in France as appertained to the English
crown, and that when he himself should be king he should resign them in
a peaceable manner. On the other hand, King Henry takes his oath, and
after him the legate and the protector, to restore unto the barons of
the realm, and others his subjects, all their rights and privileges, for
which the discord began between the late king and his people. After
this, Prince Louis is honourably attended to Dover, and departs out of
England about Michaelmas.”
Almost ere the ships which carried the French prince and his surviving
comrades from the land which they had hoped to make their own had
reached France, affairs in England assumed their wonted aspect, and
Englishmen most devoutly thanked Heaven that peace was restored to the
suffering country. Nor did Pembroke leave his work half done. The Great
Charter having been carefully revised, and so modified as not to
interfere with “the king’s government being carried on,” was solemnly
confirmed, to the satisfaction of all parties; and young Henry, when he
entered London, on the occasion of going to be crowned with the golden
crown of the Confessor in Westminster Abbey, “was received with great
joy by the people.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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