It was Sir Wilfrid of
Ivanhoe, I need scarcely say, who got the Barons of England to league
together and extort from the king that famous instrument and palladium
of our liberties at present in the British Museum, Great Russell Street,
Bloomsbury--the Magna Charta. His name does not naturally appear in the
list of Barons, because he was only a knight, and a knight in
disguise too: nor does Athelstane's signature figure on that document.
Athelstane, in the first place, could not write; nor did he care a
pennypiece about politics, so long as he could drink his wine at home
undisturbed, and have his hunting and shooting in quiet.
It was not until the King wanted to interfere with the sport of every
gentleman in England (as we know by reference to the Historic Page that
this odious monarch did), that Athelstane broke out into open rebellion,
along with several Yorkshire squires and noblemen. It is recorded of the
King, that he forbade every man to hunt his own deer; and, in order to
secure an obedience to his orders, this Herod of a monarch wanted to
secure the eldest sons of all the nobility and gentry, as hostages for
the good behavior of their parents.
Athelstane was anxious about his game--Rowena was anxious about her
son. The former swore that he would hunt his deer in spite of all Norman
tyrants--the latter asked, should she give up her boy to the ruffian who
had murdered his own nephew?* The speeches of both were brought to
the King at York; and, furious, he ordered an instant attack upon
Rotherwood, and that the lord and lady of that castle should be brought
before him dead or alive.
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