Comments on: Simon de Montfort, Father of Parliament (not)

By: James Wimberley

James Wimberley — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:27:29 +0000

The textbook version in English school history is SFIK that de Montfort had the idea of the innovation, but that it was Edward who had the wisdom to see that his enemy’s expedient served his own purposes, given his predilection for expensive and lengthy imperial wars, and so turned the innovation into an institution.

The historical question, it seems to me, is not how how parliaments started in England, since similar big-tent assemblies were a common feature of European feudal monarchies: but rather why the English one survived when the Spanish Cortes, the French Etats-Généraux, etc were swallowed up in absolutism.

By: Anderson

Anderson — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:26:47 +0000

Without knowing enough to gainsay Hume, it bears minding that Hume’s history is not a neutral document; Hume was a Tory, and would be ideologically disinclined to favor Montfort, a man whose capture and control of Henry III would’ve borne distinct echoes of the Charles I unpleasantness.

By: Horseball

Horseball — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:29:00 +0000

A Jesuit priest died and went to heaven. St. Peter escorted him to his accommodations. On the way there, they passed a beautiful palace with angels singing. The priest asked, “what’s that St. Peter?”. St. Peter said, “Oh, that’s where the Dominican priests go when they die.” Seeing the luxurious home for the Dominicans, the Jesuit began to be embarrassed by the expected opulence of the Jesuit’s home in heaven — after all the Jesuits are the most prestigious order of priests in the entire church, much more so than the Dominicans.

St. Peter eventually stopped in front of an overgrown, dilapidated house. As a few bats flew out of the roof, St. Peter said, “Well, father, this is where the Jesuit priests go when they die.” The Jesuit was aghast and confused, “Now, St. Peter, I am certainly glad to be here, but I couln’t help but noticing on the way in that the Dominicans appear to have a slightly more agreeable situation. Not to take anything away from the Dominicans, but most people regard the Jesuits as the most pretigious order of priests in the entire church. What’s the explanation for this?” St. Peter replied, “Well, father, I’m sure that you’re aware that the Dominicans were formed to fight the Albigensian heresy, and the Jesuits were formed to fight the Protestants. And you’ve never heard of an Albigensian, have you?”

By: C.S.

C.S. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:02:11 +0000

[Alas, the extant record does not include the critical press releases no doubt issued by Grover Norquist and the Club for Growth, explaining that Edward's ideas would inevitably lead straight to Socialism.] To which Grover et al. would almost certainly respond: "Well, they did, didn't they?" Because, you see, 600 years is certainly a straight direction of time.