Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/387

 England and France during the Hundred Years' War 281 The little Scotch nation differs in habits and character from the English, and no Scotchman likes to be mistaken for an Englishman. The peculiarities of the language and the character- istic habits of the people north of the river Tweed, which is the boundary line, have been made familiar to readers of Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and Robert Louis Stevenson. II. BEGINNINGS OF THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT 466. Origin of the English Parliament. One of the most important things to be noted in the period of the Edwards (1272- 1377) was the rise of the English Parliament, which was long after to become the model for similar assemblies in all parts of the civilized world. The Great Council of the Norman kings, like the older Wite- nagemot of Saxon times (369), was a meeting of nobles, bishops, and abbots, which the king summoned from time to time to give him advice and aid and to sanction serious undertakings. During the reign of Edward I's father a famous Parliament was held where a most important new class of members the com- mons were present. These were destined to give it its future greatness because they represented the interests and wishes of the great mass of influential people. In addition to the nobles and prelates, two country gentlemen (knights) were summoned from each county and two citizens from each of the more flourishing towns to attend and take part in the discussions. Edward I definitely adopted this innovation. He doubtless called in the representatives of the towns because the townspeople were becoming rich and he wished to have an opportunity to ask them to make grants of money to meet the expenses of the govern- ment. He also wished to obtain the approval of all the important classes when he determined upon important measures affecting the whole realm. Ever since the so-called " Model Parliament" of 1295 the commons, or representatives of the "freemen," have always been included along with the clergy and nobility when the national assembly of England has been summoned.