CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 8, 8 December 1936, Page 8

CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS.

"Of sealing-wax, and cabbages, and kings." A contributor writes : In view of the excitement about our possible future Queen, it might be interesting to note a few of the outstanding queens-consort of the past. Omitting the Saxons—the queenmother who tried to murder her stepson always stays in my mind, I believe she succeeded—we ought to mention the mother of William I. The fact that she ever existed was a great trial to all the Norman courtiers, yet her son surely justified his 'father's choice, even more as Duke of Normandy than, later on as King—and a very good king—of England. The tanner's daughter had truly a fine sou. Henry I married the descendant ol a conquered dynasty. Matilda the Saxon became the wife of the Norman Henry at a time when Normans still despised Saxons, and married them only to gain estates. No doubt there was much uncomplimentary gossip ill the court before this marriage. Possibly the wedding of Henry IT caused less stir, his wife bringing him many broad acres in France. Dkl the possession of these lands, which were the cause of so many wars, console Henry for a bad wife and troublesome sons? It was only his headstrong personality that made the marriage at all possible. The lady had been divorced by her previous husband, Louis of France (known as St. Louis) for the best—or should we say worst—of all reasons. The infamous John, of Magna Charta fame, was her favourite son. The Edwards married well until the time of the fourth king of that name, though Edward the Black Prince, the heir-apparent, married a subject, Joan of Kent. Edward IV, while betrothed to one woman, met, loved, and married Elizabeth Woddville, widow of n knight who had fought against him, and whose character does not seem to have been very admirable. Here was a mesalliance, but she became Quecuconsort, and two of her children sat on the English throne, Edward V and Elizabeth, wile of Henry VII, and this in spite of an Act of Parliament declaring the family illegitimate. Henrv VIII and his wives are a byword, it is difficult to find any good reason for his first divorce, though the lack of a son might be considered an excuse. His second marriage was legal only because he insisted on it. yet the issiie of that marriage will he ever honoured in history as one of our greatest rulers and her name, Elizabeth, a symbol of all that is best in English literature, seamanship and exploration. There were not a few Englishmen, both of high and low estate, who suffered even to death to place an illegitimate son of Charles II on the throne of England. Was this Duke of Monmouth worth it? And how did the Christians of that day find any just claim to the throne for him? There is an old saying that history repeats itself. One wonders whether the unseemly gossip of the present day has any parallel in the past. One thing is 'sure. Our present King has given his people every reason to trust him. It is a very poor return for his years of self-denying service to show so little confidence in his judgment now. It is. after all. a matter which concerns him more closely than any other. Even were he like one of his namesakes. David, King of Israel and Judah, did David'-; love affairs make him a poor king? Was Solomon, in spite of his mother's earlier behaviour, an unsuitable heir to the throne? And. since this appears to be a paragraph of questions—is anyone certain that Mrs Simpson is the King's choice? Is anyone certain that she is unworthy' of that high honour?