Magna Carta 1215

“ Sometimes good , often comes from something bad,” announced Gramps firmly.

“Why say that?” enquired Felix.

The Peter’s family were sitting in the garden having tea.

“Well King John the first, was a very bad king, he took from the poor and used their money to use for his wars which he lost, in fact before he became king, England owned half of France among other lands.

He was terrible to his enemies, killing them in horrible ways; the church too lost money, as did the Jews. Any supposed wrong doing, was met with terrible repercussions, people made penniless, or simply killed or disappeared.

The Barons fought this tyrant, forcing him to sign a document which protected all the people from the king.

Shall we go to Runnymede where the King met with the Barons June 15th 1215 ?

“Oh yes,” cried the children.

They all tumbled into the mini, the familiar chant rang out

“Og og inim og,” and off they went, down through the mists of time.

Sunlight, shone through the windows, blue sky could be seen and the sound of galloping hooves could be heard,

and coming their way!

The whicker clothes hamper was empty, the children and Gramps having already dressed in the clothes of the day.

The mini was gone, leaving them standing in a meadow on the bank of the River Thames near Windsor Castle.

Bright colourful flags and banners were flying from the tents and awnings.

King John was furious, he was being threatened by his Barons if he didn’t sign the Charter they all would rise up against him.

The boys, Gramps, Innis and Holly, hid behind the Kings tent and heard him whispering to his Cardinal, that a note be sent to The Pope telling him the charter was signed under threat.

“We must stop the messenger getting to the Pope,” said Felix, “ this Charter is too important to the future of The World.”

Holly heard what Felix said, so started barking at the messenger’s horse who reared up and galloped away with an empty saddle, the messenger left fuming, looking at the rear end of his fast disappearing horse.

The King’s men, who were guarding the King, caught sight of the children, and gave chase. They were determined to capture all of them and put them in a dark dungeon and starve them to death. How dare these people get so close to the king.

Gramps, the boys and Innis and Holly ran as fast as they could; round the bend of the river, there, shining in the sunshine was Mini, her doors open for them to slide in, into safety, and off they went.

Did the king succeed in getting his message to The Pope?

asked Hector.

“He did The Pope agreed with king John, however, right prevailed a year later, after the king’s death. Nine year old King Henry111 reissued The Magna Carta. No one is above the law, this is also in the American Bill of Rights signed hundreds of years later.

“Thank you Gramps for our interesting afternoon,” said the children, thankful, to be safe and sound, away from that tyrant King.

Mini Memo

Nerdy Notes

Aim of Charter, to curb the unlimited power of the king. A

copy of The Charter is in the British Library, Lincoln Cathedral, and Salisbury Cathedral.