Page:Historical Outline of the English Constitution for Beginners -David Watson Rannie.djvu/24

THE ENGLISH AND THEIR POLITY form of our word sheriff (that is, shire-reeve). How these two headmen, or magistrates as we may call them, were elected, you shall hear presently.

11. Kings.— And now I must pass at once to speak of a most important governing arrangement among the early English, namely, the institution of kings. So long as the English lived on the Continent, they did without kings; and their most important magistrates were venerable nobles, whom they made ealdormen. But after they settled in Britain, and became more important, the English tribes began to wish to have leaders, who should not so much do work as look grand, and represent the grandeur and dignity of the tribe. So they fixed on some noble, generally one who had been a very brave soldier, and was supposed to be closely connected with the gods, and called him king, and venerated him very much. After a time it became customary to crown the elected king and anoint him with oil, to show his dignity and consecration. After coronation and unction, the king swore to keep the peace and govern righteously; and the people swore to obey the king, provided he governed righteously. One of the king's family was chosen to succeed him when he died. I have called the institution of English kings a most important governing arrangement. The English always made much of it, though the kings did little work; just as we greatly reverence the Queen, not because she does much work in the State, but because she is a very grand personage, and it makes us feel grand to be able to have her and keep her on the throne.

13. The Witena-gemot — In connexion with the