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CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Meaning of the term "English Constitution."-Is there an
English Constitution?-Primary Principles of the Consti-
tution. Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the Bill
of Rights forms its Code.-General Ignorance of these Sta-
tutes.-Scope of the present Work.-Constitutional Law of
Progress.-How to learn the Constitution.-Classification
of Constitutional Functions.-Importance of studying lead-
ing Scenes in History.-History of the Elements of our
Nation, why material.-Exclusion of Party Politics
Page
1
CHAPTER II.
Our Constitution coeval with our Nationality.—Thirteenth
Century the date when each commences.-The Four Ele-
ments of our Nation.-The Saxon, i. e. the Germanic, the
chief Element.-Parts of the Continent whence our Ger-
manic Ancestors came.-Their Institutions, Political, So-
cial, and Domestic.-Date of the Saxon Immigrations into
this Island.-What Population did they find here ?—The
British Element of our Nation, Romanized Celtic.—Primary
Character and Institutions of the British Celts.-Effect of
Roman Conquests.-How far did the Saxons exterminate or
blend with the Britons ?-Evidence of Language
12
CHAPTER III.
Conversion of the Anglo-Saxons.-Its civilizing Effects.-
They occupy the Roman Towns.-England attacked by the
Danes.—The third, i. e. the Danish, Element of our Nation.
Danish Institutions and Customs.-Ferocity of their Attack
on England.-Extent of their chief Settlements here.-
Evidence of Danish Names of Places and Persons.-Alfred
rescues Saxon England from them.-The Danish blends
with the Saxon Element.-Fusion of the first three Ele-
ments of our Nation .
CHAPTER IV.
Anglo-Saxon Institutions.—Classes of the Population.
Thralls, Ceorls, Thanes.-Townships.-Hundreds.-Tyth-
ings.-Frank pledge.-Lords-The Were.-The Socmen.-
The Towns.-The Witenagemote.-The King.—The Bishops.
-The Clergy-The Poor.-Deterioration of the Saxon Po-
lity before the Conquest
CHAPTER V.
The Norman Element.-Different from the Danish.-Rolf the
Ganger's Conquest of Neustria.-State of Civilization in
France. Characteristics of the Normans.-Their brilliant
Qualities.-Their Oppression of the Peasantry
CHAPTER VI.
The Norman Conquest.-Extent of the Changes which it
caused.-Numerical Account of the Norman and Anglo-
Saxon Populations.-Amount of Loss of Life caused by the
Conquest.-Probable Number of the Normans and other
New-comers from Continental Europe.-Did the Popula-
tion increase in the Century and a-half preceding the sign-
ing of Magna Carta ?—The Miseries of Stephen's Reign.-
Period of Tranquillity under Henry II.-Probable Amount
of Population in 1215
33
42
56
63
CHAPTER VII.
General View of the Feudal System.-Meaning of the terms
"Feudal" and "Allodial."-General Sketch of the Progress
of a Germanic Settlement in a Roman Province.-Causes of
Feudalism.-Progress of "Subinfeudation.”—Aristocratic
Character of Feudalism.-Its Oppressiveness to the Com-
monalty. Its brighter Features
CHAPTER VIII.
Distinction between Feudalism as developed in England, and
Feudalism as generally developed on the Continent.-How
far did it exist among the Saxons before the Conquest;
how far among the Normans?-Character of William the
Conqueror.-Feudalism which he introduced.-His Checks
on the Baronial Power.-Great authority of the First An-
glo-Norman Kings
73
84
CHAPTER IX.
State of the Mass of the English Nation at the Commence-
ment of the Thirteenth Century.--The Peasantry.-Villein-
age: its Incidents: its probable Origin and Extent; and
the Modes of becoming emancipated from it.-State of the
Lower Classes in Towns.-State of the Middle and Upper
Classes.-The various Tenures of Land.-State of the Bo-
roughs after the Conquest.-Their partial Recovery of their
Liberties
92
CHAPTER X.
Evil Character of King John.-Its Importance to our His-
tory.-Fortunate Loss of Normandy.-John's Quarrels with
his Clergy and with the Pope.-The Interdict.-The Ex-
communication.-John's abject Submission to the Pope.-
Return of Archbishop Langton to England. His patriotic
Character. He checks the King.-King's Oath to redress
Wrongs. His repeated Acts of Tyranny.-Council of the
Barons. Archbishop Langton produces the Charter of
Henry I.-Nature of this Charter, and its Value.-Demands
of the Barons on the King.-Vain Intervention of the Pope.
-Firmness of Archbishop Langton.-Strength of the Na-
tional Party.-Runnymede.-Articuli Carta.-The Grant
of the Great Charter .
CHAPTER XI.
Magna Carta.-General Distribution of its Clauses.—Text of
the Great Charter, and Comments
CHAPTER XII.
Renewals of the Great Charter in Henry the Third's Reign.
The Charter as confirmed by Edward I., and subsequent
Kings.-The Statute Confirmatio Cartarum.—All Taxation
without consent of Parliament made illegal
CHAPTER XIII.
The Principles of the Constitution traced in the Charter.-
Kingship in England.-Its Powers and Limitations.-Par-
liament. Origin of the House of Commons. Of the two
Branches of the House of Commons.-Trial by Jury.—Writ
of Habeas Corpus.-Origin and Value of these Constitu-
tional Rights
CHAPTER XIV.
Progress of the Constitution during the Reigns of the ten last
Plantagenet Kings.-Growing Importance of the House of
Commons. Qualifications of Members and Electors.-Pre-
rogatives of the Crown.-State of the Population.--Jurors.
-Boroughs.-Number of Electors
CHAPTER XV.
State of the Constitution under the Tudors.-Revival of spirit
in the House of Commons.-Weak but arbitrary Character
of the first two Stuart Kings.-Charles I. sincere, but an
Aggressor on the Constitution.-The Petition of Right
106
. 128
165
178
230
265
CHAPTER XVI.
-
The Restoration.-Affection of the English Nation for their
old Institutions.-Effects of the Period of Revolution.
Military Tenures abolished. Habeas Corpus Act.
Custom of Fining Jurors for their Verdicts pronounced
Illegal.-Revolution of 1688.-The Bill of Rights.-The
Act of Settlement.-Kingship in England since the Revo-
lution.—Its Limitations.—Its enduring Value.—House of
Lords.-Attempt to check Creation of Peers.-Benefits of
the House of Peers to the Country.-House of Commons.—
Borough Members.-Rotten Boroughs.-Reform Bill
CHAPTER XVII.
Present Population of England, and number of Parliamen-
tary Electors.-Property and Education considered as ele-
ments of Representative System.-Qualification of Jurors.
-Magistrates and Officers of various kinds, how appointed.
-Local Self-government.-Municipal Reform.-Influence
of Public Opinion.-Rights of Free Discussion, and Liberty
of Press
. 280
321