TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE The polity of the United States to some extent a revival of something most ancient. The plains at the mouths of the Elbe and Weser.- Social and legal aspects of the civiliza- tion of the Anglo-Saxons. — Divisions of rank. - Political forms. Comparison of the Anglo-Saxon polity with that of other primitive Aryan peoples; with that of modern America. Freeman and J. R. Green on the retention of. Inquiry into the value cf Anglo-Saxon freedom. — Views of John Stuart Mill and J. Toulmin Smith. - Saxon conquest of Britain. - Transferrence of the continental civilization to the new home. - Appearance of kingship. - How the King was appointed. — Origin of the thegns. — Conver- sion of the Saxons to Christianity. The Heptarchy.— The supremacy of Wessex. Moots of tun, hundred, and shire. - The witenagemote.- Conservative spirit of Al- Appearance to-day of the field of Senlac. - Importance of - - mans in 1066. — Appearance of Duke William. · . His pres- ence of mind. bey. - The - - - Difficult situation of Harold. - Battle Ab- - The minstrel Taillefer. - Dangerous situation of the - MAGNA CHARTA AND THE RISE OF PARLIAMENT. Submergence of popular government under feudalism. - Ultimate good effect of the Norman conquest. - Character. of the rule of William I. - Domesday Book. Persistence of ancient institutions in tun, hundred, and shire. Char- acter of the King's title. - Limitation of feudalism in Eng- land. Work of Henry II in depressing the great vassals. -The Curia Regis. - Serfdom. - Trial by jury. sion of John.- Runnymede. Analysis of Magna Charta. - The work of Langton. The origin of Parliament. Value of the representative system. Conditions of its - - Condition of freedom in Europe in the thirteenth century.- liament. - Misfortunes to representation in the shires and - Great increase of the power of the Crown. Effect of the Reformation in producing this. - Position and character of Henry VIII. - Good points of his reign. — Catholic reaction under Mary. - Wyatt's rebellion. — Parliament grows more spirited under Elizabeth. - Sir Thomas Smith's description. -Tact of the Queen - Acts of Suprem- acy and Uniformity. - Star Chamber and High Commis- sion Courts. - Absolutism restrained under the Tudors. Its triumph everywhere upon the continent. - Growth of the doctrine of the jus divinum. - Cowell's "Interpreter." -Subserviency of Convocation and the University of Oxford. - Claims of James I.-Opposition of Parlia- ment. Accession of Charles I. The Petition of Right. - - - Charters of the East India and Virginia Companies. — Settle- ment of Jamestown; of Plymouth. - Revival of ancient Anglo-Saxon polity in New England. - Submergence in England of the popular moots. Methods of Puritan set- tlement in New England. - The town-meeting. Repro- duction of contemporary England in Virginia. - The parish, the county, the court of Quarter Sessions.- Scene at the county court. — Reasons for the contrast be- tween New England and Virginia. - The yeoman settlers of the former. — The great planters, the slaves, the poor the Virginia society. - Spirit of the House of Burgesses. - - - - - -- primordial cell of Anglo-Saxon freedom. — Its condition in the Thirteen Colonies, its spirit in New England, its feeble- Effort of Charles to rule without a Parliament. - The Short Parliament. Assembling of the Long Parliament. — Its idea to establish the equilibrium between King, Lords, and Commons. Arrest of Laud and Strafford. · The Grand Remonstrance. Attempt to arrest the Five Members. Outbreak of the Civil War. - Constitution of the two parties. Edgehill. Low estate of the Parliament. - The Solemn League and Covenant and Marston Moor. — Naseby. The rank and file of the Ironsides. — Their Siege of Colchester and battle of Pres- The Agreement of the People. Its anticipation of the Enthusiasm for Charles II. Reaction from the ideas of - the Commonwealth. - Benefits flowing from the bad char- - - acters of Charles II and James II.-The nation forced - - CHAPTER XII. ERA OF PARLIAMENTARY CORRUPTION. Equal responsibility of Whigs and Tories for parliamentary CHAPTER XIII. THE COMING ON OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. - - Condition of the Thirteen Colonies in the first half of - - PAGE 163 177 |