forming judgments of the past by the standard of the present age. Such modes of thinking will often invest facts with an unreal colouring, and both distort their own features, and the consequences they are intended to produce. The historical enquirer should exercise habitual caution and discretion, duly balancing against each other the events of the period, estimating them by the prevalent opinion of that particular time, not being himself unaware that the march of civilization, and the progress of enlightenment are, as Christian perfection ought to be, daily advancing. Without going into the whole transactions connected with the fall of Bedford castle[1]. I will briefly state that exasperated by the dilatory nature of the siege, Hubert de Burgh tarnished the first great victory of his master by hanging eighty of the garrison after it fell into his hands. We shudder upon reading such an act of barbarity, but in our detestation of the deed forget that this was the custom of the age: we forget that the lower as well as the upper classes, true to the degradation of fallen humanity, had their minds alike familiarized with deeds of cruelty, and looked on if not as regardless as exulting spectators. No doubt it was an execrable deed, and the more frightful mockery of justice from being carried into effect under the sanction of the highest legal officer of the realm. Yet modern parallels may readily be found, and to press the subject homewards to the feelings, it can scarcely be a point of dispute how posterity will estimate the humanity and refinement of a nation which with all these offensive examples before it as warnings still enforces the same mode of criminal punishment.
During the blockade just spoken of, the castle of Northampton rendered considerable relief to the king, and the town likewise furnished towards it several carpenters, and other persons whose ingenuity was serviceable. When at length the fortress was taken, several of the engines were dismounted and returned home, whilst the harness of the king was sent by
- ↑ An extract from the Scutage roll in the Tower may serve to shew the nature of the military service performed on this occasion; it is headed Scutagium exercitus domini Henrici regis de Bedeford scilicet de scuto duas marcas.—Rex vicecomiti Ebor. salutem, præcipimus tibi quod habere facias R. comiti Cestriæ et Lincolniæ scutagium suum de feodis militum quæ tenet de nobis in capite, et de feodis militum quæ tenentur in capite de wardis et honoribus quæ sunt in custodia sua in balliva tua scilicet de scuto duas marcas, pro exercitu nostro Bedeford in quo fuit nobiscum per præceptum nostrum.—Episcopus Wigorniensis qui habet milites suos in exercitu habet litteras directas vicecomitibus Wigorn. Glouc. Warv. de feodis militum quæ de domino rege tenet in capite, &c.—Misc. Roll, No. 10. 8th Hen. III.
