FIVE ABDICATIONS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 54, Issue 3899, 10 May 1937, Page 18 (Supplement)

FIVE ABDICATIONS

KINGS WHO GAVE UP THRONES. FIRST 610 YEARS AGO. PUZZLE OF JAMES. H, There have now been five abdications of British kings, Edward II (1327), Richard II (1399), Henry VI, (1461), Janies II (1689) and Edward VIII. An abdication is the act of renouncing and giving up an office by the person who holds it. The term is now applied to the giving up of the kingly office. The King of England cannot abdi cate except with the consent of the two Houses of .Parliament, in any constitutional form; for a proper abdication would be a divesting himself of his regal powers by his own will, and such an abdication is inconsistent with the kingly office. It is, however, established by a precedent that he does abdicate, or an abdication may be presumed, if he does acts which are inconsistent with and subversive of that system of government to which he forms a part. To Edward II (1284-1327) belongs the distinction, if such it can be called, of being the first English king to be compelled to abdicate. His charac ter was singularly despicable. He was devoid of self-control, firmness and dignity, and spent his time in the society of favourites and parasites. His reign, starting with much in his favour, was a miserable one; defeat and disgrace abroad, treachery and misgovernment at home; nowhere in Edward's life can there be found anything in his life or character that is praiseworthy. ESCAPE TO SEA. To escape from his wife’s and Mortimer's army, Edward put to sea from Bristol. A proclamation was immediately made through the town summoning him to return and resume the government. This farce was preparatory to an important decision of the prelates and barons in the Queen's interest. Assuming the powers of Parliament, they resolved that by the King’s absence the realm had ..been left without a ruler; and therefore appointed the King’s son guardian of the kingdom in the name and by the right of his father. Meanwhile Isabella with Mortimer and her son proceeded to meet the Parliament at Westminster, where Isabella’s son was declared King Edward 111. not a voice being raised in Edward Il’s favour. Though the Prince was declared Fing, his father had neither resigned nor been deposed. To remedy the defect, a bill of six articles was exhibited against Edward by the Bishop of Winchester charging him with indolence, incapacity, the loss of the Crown of Scotland, the violation of the Coronation oath, oppression of the church • and cruelty to the barons. In the pre- i sence of the young Prince seated on the throne, these charges were read and approved; and it was resolved • that the reign of Edward II had ceas ed, and that the sceptre should be entrusted to his son Edward of Wind sor, who became King Edward HI. Edward II was shortly afterwards murdered. RICHARD THE SECOND. Richard 11. the next English King, to be compelled to abdicate, was the son of the Black Prince. He had the misfortune to be called to the throne when only 10 years old. He was only 16 when he married Anne of Luxemburg. He early gave considerable offence by his extravagance and the favour he showed to worthless court iers. When 21 he issued a proclamation declaring his intention of gov erning without the assistance of Par liantent, and in pursuance of this re solution raised illegal taxes; but the money thus obtained not proving sufficient for his extravagant purposes, he endeavoured to borrow £lOOO from the • City ot London. This was refused, j and he then deprived the Lord Mayor , of his office, took possession of the city charter, and removed the courts i to York. It was not until 139.3 that , the charter was restored, upon payment ot £lO,OOO. While Richard was in Ireland quell- , ing an insurrection, the Duke of Lancaster, a cousin, joined by an immense number of noblemen and their retainers, marched direct to London, where , he was received as a deliverer. He next captured Bristol, and the whole kingdom lay at his feet. A Pallia ment met and solemnly deposed the King, who, after some natural reluct ance, performed the act of abdication in 1399. When the question of succession was considered, Lancaster asserted his claim, which being admitted, he mounted the throne, under the title of Henry IV. HENRY THE SIXTH. Henry VI. born in 1421, was less than nine months old at the time of his accession. He was the third Eng lish King who was compelled to abdicate. In his feign began the Wars of Ihe Roses, between rival factions claiming the Throne of England. At the first battle, the Battle of St. Al bans, Henry was wounded, gave himself up. and was conducted a prisonei to the Tower of London. On the morning of October ID, 1460, the Duke of York, at the head of 500 horsemen, and with the Sword of State borne before him, rode through the City of London to Westminster Hall, and laid claim to the Throne. The Archbishop of Canterbury inquired "If the Duke would be pleased to visit the King.” “I know of none in this realm who ought not rather to wait upon me,” was his arrogant reply. With these

words he left the hall, leaving to the peers the unpleasant proceeding of having to decide whether Henry should continue their King, or the Duke of York usurp his authority. But Nemesis soon overtook the Duke; he was killed in a battle against a force raised by Queen Margaret. The Duke’s son became King under the title of Edward IV. Henry, however, was restored for a brief . snace-. itt 1.+7J.. and.murdered the same year in the Tower. JAMES THE SECOND. James 11, whdse flight and abdication led to William 111 and Mary II being- offered, and accepting, the crown of England, was the second son ‘ of Charles I. He began his reign in . 1685 by disclaiming any intention of interfering with the church, and promising a legal form of Government. His acts, however, were not in accord with his declarations. Much was puf up with from him by the people, but the last straw was his design to re store Roman Catholicism. Meanwhile a number of leading statesmen of all parties requested James’ son-in-law, William of Orange, to come over from Holland to Eng land to secure his wife’s right to the throne, and protect the liberties and religion of the English people. Afraid of the consequences, James attempted to retrace his steps. But nobody trusted him. Fully realising the hopelessness of the position he resolved on flight. He was captured and brought back to London. He was again allowed to escape to France. His flight placed the statesmen ol the period in a very doubtful situation. There, being no precedents to guide them, the peers, as the only existing legal body, met and agreed to address the Prince of Orange, praying him to accept the responsibility Of the administration during the interregnum which • would exist until an assembly could be called for the purpose of considering the state of the nation, and deciding upon a settlement of the Government. TBhis position was accepted by Wil liam, but he, not being qualified to call a •Parliament, requested all those who had been members of any Charles the Second’s Parliaments, together with the Lord Mayor, aidermen and common council of the city of Rondon, to repair to the House of Commons, and deliberate upon the means to be adopted for collecting the opinions of the people. After some discussion it was resolved that the Prince should be requested to summon a convention to meet al Westminster in the following January, he himself continuing in charge of the Government until the tune specified. Whenthe convention assembled a resolution was proposed and carried I hat. “James having abdicated, the I krone was thereby become vacant,’’ and the ground being thus cleared, "A declaration ;?i the Rights of the People’’ was drawn up anil agreed to. being understood that whoever should be elected lo fill the sovereign position would, be required to subscribe to that, document. The convention, which had had sat one month, during which time it had transacted much important business, was changed into a Parliament. On April 11. 1869, William and Mary were crowned in Westminster Abbey.