Page:The history of medieval Europe.djvu/535

 NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN ENGLAND 485 fights with the Capetian king in Gascony and Flanders, were expensive and he often had to appeal to Par i iam t. Parliament for funds. The king had a certain financial regular income from his crown lands or private power estates, from fees and fines, feudal incidents, and from his right of coinage, his forest rights, and his superior claim to such finds as hidden treasure and wreckage. He also might raise money by selling honors and offices, or by negotiations with the Jews and foreign merchants. But if he wished to levy any direct tax upon the property of his subjects, he had to get the consent of Parliament. Edward, it is true, when he found Parliament penurious, sometimes took taxes without its consent. But the members were sure to complain of such conduct when next he appealed to them for financial aid. In 1297 they insisted that he confirm the Great Charter and promise that henceforth he would take no "aids, tasks, or prises" without their consent. Thus Parliament early maintained its control over the purse. Edward II, a young man fond of frivolity and of low life, was disgracefully defeated by the Scots at Bannockburn in 13 14 and displayed no capacity as a ruler. He Edward II was the prey of greedy and insolent favorites, ment-Atit' and early offended the chief nobles of his realm, deposition As a result his reign was full of disloyalty, civil war, and anarchy. But the discontented barons used Parliament against him, and he, whenever for a time he recovered his power, employed Parliament against them. Parliament, it must be admitted, was subservient to whosoever happened to be in power for the moment, but on the other hand, neither side in the struggle could dispense with this national assembly. So Parliament was active throughout the reign, and finally in 1327 it deposed Edward II and chose his son to reign in his stead as Edward III. To-day the House of Commons is supreme in the English Parliament, but at this time the Lords took the lead in resisting the royal power or initiating new legis- Lords and lation. However, the Commons occasionally ven- Commons tured to submit humble petitions of their own. These, if