It was a privilege to attend Westminster Hall on Friday The Magna Carta debate had been organised by the Law Society , attended.by lawyers and dignitaries with a few seats balloted for the general public. We were there. Security was airport style with sniffer dogs – X-ray machine – loads of police men ( with guns) . DD’s hip held security up for a while until they decided that the belt on his waistcoat was the problem rather than the titanium in his hip. Eventually we got through and reached this wonderful old hall .
Westminster Hall was commissioned by Richard 11 in 1393 and built by mason Henry Yevele and carpenter Hugh Herland. It is the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster. It has a magnificent double hammer roof
Before the trial there was a procession of Sejeants of Arms from the Commonwealth and the USA who paraded down the hall and sat in front of the Justices. Gavin Eslsr was the Narrator, the prosecution counsel was James Eadie QC and defence counsel was Natalie Leiven. The three justices were Lord Neuberger, Damne Sian Elias and Justice Stephen Breyer. Four witnesses were called King John ( Clivr Anderson) William Marshall ( Lord Judge) Archbishop Stephen Langdon ( Lord Livane) and Robert Fitzwalter (Professor David Carpenter)
i suppose it was a foregone conclusion . King John was a man who bankrupted his country, starved and imprisoned his enemies until they resorted to cannibalism , raped the wives of his aristocratic friends . He was accuse of murdering a rival for the throne the child Arthur of Brittany, imposing inheritance tax which went down even less in the Middle Ag
es than now, and generally being a persona non grata. The Barons were fed up of it, and although the Magna Crata was a self interested document it was the foundation supporting the freedoms now enjoyed by two billion people. It enshrined the Rule of Law . It limited the power of authoritarian rule – the divine right of kings. It paved the way for trial by jury and limited taxation, So of course eight centuries after King John was forced to put his seal on the baron’s terms at Runnymede ( and no he didn’t sign it!!!) he was finally given the opportunity of justice And justice prevailed
What an evening – what a performance Sorry …….but the Park & Ride was the last thing on our mind A once only performance – well….. in our lifetime anyway
