THE DEBATES ON THE GRAND REMONSTRANCE. INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. SI. THE PLANTAGENETS. I PROPOSE to introduce an attempt to re- Purpose of this Effay. describe, with greater fullness and accuracy, fome leading events in the political struggle of the Seventeenth Century, by a sketch of the earlier efforts for freedom in the Plantagenet and Tudor reigns. From the circumftances that attended the gradual growth of our liberties, were drawn ever the most powerful arguments for their maintenance and defence; and it is impoffible clearly to understand the pofition in this refpect by Charles taken up by Charles the Firft's opponents, the Firft's without fome knowledge of the grounds on which they rested their claim to connect with the old laws and ufages of England, their refistance to the tyranny of the Stuarts. Pofition taken up opponents. Records One of the nobleft images in the writings and titles" of Burke, is that in which he fays of the fpirit of English of English Freedom that, always acting as if in Freedom. the presence of canonifed forefathers, it carries our Hif tory. Burke on an impofing and majestic afpect. "It has "a pedigree and illuftrating ancestors. It has "its bearings and its enfigns armorial. It has "its gallery of portraits, its monumental infcriptions, its records, evidences, and titles." For collecting and producing them, Selden was thrice imprisoned by James the First and his Son; and the part which they played in that struggle with the Stuarts, was but the revival, in more powerful form, of an influence they had exerted over the Plantagenets and the Tudors. As in later, fo it had been in the Precedents earlier time. The Petition of Right, enacted Time. in Charles the Firft's reign, was but the affir in older 1100. mation and re-enactment of the precedents of three foregoing centuries; and in the reign of John, when the Barons were in treaty for the Great Charter, Langton put forward, as the bafis and title of their claims, a charter of a hundred years' earlier date. Charter of That was the enactment of the first year of Henry I. Henry Beauclerc, the first of the name, and the third of our Norman kings. It was fupposed to be the only copy then in existence; fo affiduous Henry's officers had been, in the more secure years of his reign, to destroy the evidence of his recognition of popular rights at Difficulty the outset of his ufurpation. But he could not of fup- deprefs the people for his pleasure, when already Charter. he had raifed them for his gain. They are preffing a edged tools, these popular compacts and conceffions; and not fo fafe to play the game of diffimulation with, as a friendly nod or greeting to the friend you purpose to betray. "Does he smile and fpeak well of me?" faid one of the chief justiciaries of this King. Henry I. "Then I am undone. I never knew him fions not praise a man whom he did not intend to "ruin." It was truly faid, as the speaker foon had occafion to know; but it is more difficult fo to deal with a people. A charter Royal of relief from onerous and unreafonable bur- concefdens, once granted, is never more to be resumed refumable. as a mere waste piece of parchment. The provifions of which men have loft the memory, and are thought to have loft the proof, reappear at the time of vital need; and the prince into whofe violent keeping a people's liberties have fallen, is made fubject to a fharp responsibility. For the most part, unhappily, history is read Imperfect as imperfectly as it is written. Beneath the judgments furface to which the obfcurity of diftant records in Hiftory. too commonly reftricts us, there lies material to be yet brought to light, lefs by laborious refearch than by patient thought and careful induction. Conceding to the early chroniclers their particular cafes of oppreffion, fubjection, and acquiefcence, let us well affure ourfelves that thefe will not prevail for any length of time against an entire and numerous people. If ever rulers might have hoped to Strength measure their immunities and rights by the and weaktemper and ftrength of their fwords, it fhould Norman have been these early Norman princes; yet at Kings. every turn in their ftory, at every cafualty in their chequered fortunes, they owe their fafety to the fact of flinging down their spoil. A fomething which, under various names, reprefents the People, is ftill upon their track; and thus, over our rudeft hiftory, there lies at nefs of |