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1
December 1215
MAGNA CARTA SUCCESSFUL
FREE LIMITED EDITION
WHAT IS THE MAGNA
CARTA?
The Magna Carta includes 63 different
clauses which deals with specific
criticisms of King Johns rule.
WHY WAS THE MAGNA CARTA MADE?
The Magna Carta has been made for one main reason,
King John has made the barons very angry so they have
demanded action.
WHY WERE THE BARONS ANGRY?
King John has been driven out of France by King Philip,
so he needs to pay for an army to win back his land in
France. In order to pay for this he has done two main
thingsraised taxes (this has mostly affected the barons)
and made the barons serve in the army or pay money.
The barons are now infuriated, as many of them own
land in France which they now have to give up. This has
made them even angrier. King John has also imprisoned
or fined barons who annoyed him. The last reason why
the barons dislike King John is because they think that he
has murdered his nephew Arthur.
WHAT DOES THE MAGNA CARTA SAY?
For the first time, the Magna Carta has established the
principle that everyone, including the King, is subject to
the law. One of the most important clauses, is the 39th.
This clause states that all men have the right to justice
and a fair trial. Overall, it guarantees the rights of the
Church, closes the loopholes that King John can exploit in
the system, limiting scutages (a tax paid by a knight to
his lord, that frees him from military service) and relief
payments and also banning the abuses of privilege
common in wardship. Finally, it confirms peoples rights
under the Common Law.
HABEAS CORPUS
Habeas corpus literally means in Latin, you may have
the body. It is a writ (a court order) to bring a jailed per-
son before a judge or court to find out if that person
should really be in jail . It is included in the Magna Carta,
under the 39th clause, No freeman shall be taken or im-
prisoned or disseised or exiled or in any way destroyed,
nor will we go upon him nor will we send upon him ex-
cept upon the lawful judgement of his peers or the law of
the land."
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2
December 1215
CONTENTS National and International News
By Aishah Ahmed and Hanan Rasul
Local News
By Humera Ali and Rupika Gopalakrishnan
Religious Affairs
By Mauminah Ahmed and Aisha Ahmed
Property Page
By Grace Keane-Parry and Hafash Ahmed
Business, Trade and Exploration
By Ummarah Zahir and Afsa Hussain
Legal
By Esther Levin and Sara Ahmed
Editorial Letters
By Haleemah Sadiah and Kainaat Qamar
Fashion and Food
By Aneesah Ahmed, Javeria Khan, Bismah
Hussain and Hannah Summers
Science and Maths
By Anisa Khan and Yasmin Richardson
Culture, Literature and Music
By Niamh Cafferkey and Allena Mirza
Games and Sports
By Emma McNamara and April Parncutt
Advertisements by Lauren Badger and Maddie Bray
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3
December 1215
INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL NEWS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
THE MONGOLS OVERTHROW BEIJING
Yesterday, after two years of war Genghis Khan lead the
Mongols into Beijing, overthrowing the Chin dynasty and
taking the city. This tragic war started in 1211, when Khan
started building his army and developing his tactics, but
the Chin dynasty could keep him out. In 1213 he managed
to invade up to the Great Wall of China but the vast barrier
did its job and prevented them advancing. Khan then
strategically split his army into three and got through the
wall. The battle was long but finally it has been won, and
for the Mongols it is a time to rejoice, for the Chin dynasty,
not so much.
Besieged, captured and sacked the Jin capital of Yanjing
(Beijing) has been devastated by the attacks, torched to the
ground This isnt the Mongols first victory though, with
Genghis taking many countries in Asia including Burma,
Japan, Russia and Korea, and often ordering the mass
murder of innocent civilians. To his people he is a genius, a
master of war; to his enemies he is a nightmare.
POPE SUMMONS THE FOURTH
LATERAN COUNCIL
On November the Eleventh, Pope Innocent called the
Fourth Lateran council to discuss the pressing issue of
the Holy Land, plans have been put in place for Fifth
Crusade to happen, he wants to avoid the mistakes of the
Fourth Crusade and have it led by the papacy (the popes
office) rather than the Venetians (the people of Venice).
He has organised for the crusaders to re-meet in Brindisi
in 1216, and had prohibited any trade with the Muslim
enemies. He wants to reward all crusaders, even those
who didnt actually fight but donated money.
NATIONAL NEWS
KING BETRAYS BARONS (NOVEMBER
1215)
Now in November 1215, we have come to a point where the
nobility of England have had enough of paying extra
taxation. The displeased barons are rebelling. In June, the King
met these barons to try and reach a peaceful settlement. The
meeting took place at Runnymede on the river Thames. The
King agreed to their demands by signing a document known as
the Magna Carta - Latin for 'Great Charter'. Many people see the
Magna Carta as a vital piece of legislation, where the rights of
individuals are protected against the power of the King or
Queen. King John signed the document to keep peace with the
rebel barons - to buy time - and has not been keeping to what he
agreed to, thus betraying the barons. Because of this, Civil War
has commenced in England.
ROCHESTER CASTLE SIEGE LATE
(NOVEMBER 1215)
It all started in 1204 when King John lost most of his lands in
France including Normandy, Anjou and Poitou to the King of
France. John tried to regain the land and had to raise enormous
amounts of money to pay his knights and also to recruit foreign
armed force in order to prepare for battle against the French
king. The money was mainly raised by unfairly over-taxing his
barons. This Barons made a list of complaints and called it
Magna Carta - the Great Charter. The king was then forced to
sign Magna Carta, but as soon as he had, he secretly wrote to the
pope (Innocent III) . He hoped that the charter would be
declared illegal and condemned. However, before the pope had
an opportunity to write back, the rebellious barons had agreed
that John could not be trusted to stick to the terms of the charter.
John had then decided to offer the crown of England to Prince
Louis, the eldest son of the king of France. In preparation for
war, John had been recruiting foreign mercenaries from Dover
and had begun to march towards London. In his way stood
Rochester castle which King John was planning to take control
of. However, under the terms of Magna Carta, King John was
forced to hand it back to the archbishop of Canterbury in May
1215.
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4
December 1215
LOCAL NEWS WYCOMBE: CHEPPING
OR HIGH?
What will it be?
Yesterday a very important issue was
announced in the old medieval
council about something which may
impact upon the future of our town
and its next generation inhabitants.
People will soon be gathering to vote
on a very significant issue; the new
name of our town. Will it be called
Wycombe Chepping or High
Wycombe? For certain the name of
our town will not remain Wycombe,
and the vote to help contribute to
making this very important decision
will be tomorrow in the council
building, early noon. In the lead up to
the vote, orthodox radicals have been
protesting outside the council building
on the streets to keep the towns name
as Wycombe. But we want to know
our readers opinion, in other words
yours. Write to us at The Medieval
Times. We would love to know what
you think Chepping or High? Or
are you a radical???
WYCOMBES FIRST
LEPROSY HOSPITAL
OPENS FOR BUSINESS
An ambitious man with oozing sores will
always seek a fester way to do things.
Yesterday Wycombes first leprosy
hospital (St. Giles) opened to treat the
widespread illness of leprosy, which
made its way to Buckinghamshire last
month.
The prestigious establishment was
constructed near Easton Street in
Wycombe, next to St. Johns Hospital.
The hospital is new and efficient, with
up-to-date 13th century facilities. The
hospital opened after popular demand,
due to the fact that many people were
dying from this tragic disease.
In its later stages, the body of a leper
bears the appalling signs of decay and
putrefaction: a misshapen face, numb
and deteriorating limbs, festering sores
on the skin, rancid breath and a raspy,
fading voice. Believed to be highly
contagious, this distressing image is
quickly becoming the source of vast
panic in Europe.
However, according to this new hospital,
the physicians in practice will be able to
give you expert treatment. John
Skefthyng has been appointed a warden
in the hospital, and we went to speak
with him for an exclusive interview.
Skefthyng, although not particularly
educated, likes to think himself
something of an expert in the area of
leprosy. My brother died of leprosy, he
informs us. And I distinctly remember
my mother who was a notable alchemist,
making him a concoction of gold. The
metal symbolises richness and purity,
which corrects the illness. We will be
feeding this to all of our patients, and
giving them the best treatment in
Buckinghamshire. We also give out
bread and wheat to the poor, so we are
very charitable.
So, if you have any of the above
symptoms and fear yourself doomed
from leprosy, do not fear! St Giles leper
hospital opens for business tomorrow
morning, and youre 100% guaranteed to
survive the treatment!
ANTI SEMITISM ON THE
RISE ACROSS WYCOMBE
Recently on the streets of our town we
have noticed a rise in prejudice against
Jews in our area. Jews in our time are
now forced to wear special pointed hats, to
denote their religion to the public. Riots
involved Jews being physically and
verbally abused, and some Jews were
expelled from both their homes and the
town they live in, during the early hours
of Monday last week. A few days ago, an
old man, Noah Abraham, was brutally
killed due to the simple truth that he was,
in fact, Jewish.
We managed to track down a young
eyewitness who was present during this
horrific incident. The teenage boy, who
chooses to stay anonymous said the
following, as he describes the tragic and
heartlessly vicious event:
He was mercilessly thrown to the pavement
as they chanted Judas Judas. They stomped
on his limp body as blood oozed out of his
festering wounds. A scarlet sea surrounded the
dead body as they cheered at his demise. I stood
there in shock, unable to move, such cruelty
was unfathomable to a young boy like me.
As we read these above words, I am sure
you feel as horrified as we do about the
things we are capable of now in the 13th
century. The unknown offenders have got
away, as there is no police service, and a
lack of law and order in High Wycombe.
We know that King John sympathises with
the Jews, but only due to the fact that he
wants to befriend them because of their
abundance of wealth. Recently, he has
exploited the Jewish community by
demanding the sum of no less than 66,000
marks from the Jews. This is shocking.
However, we want to know your
opinions. Write to us and post your letter
through The Medieval Times letterbox.
What do you think?
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5
December 1215
RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS THE FIFTH CRUSADE
The Fifth Crusade started two years ago
in 1213 and is currently ongoing. It was
ordered by the Pope and is an attempt by
the Catholic Europeans to take back Jeru-
salem and rest of the Holy Land from the
Ayyubids. Many people have been at-
tacked, massacred, and crucified, includ-
ing Christians. This is all so that the Cru-
saders can reacquire Jerusalem and most
of the land that was previously held by
Christians.
THE ALBIGENSIAN
CRUSADE
Catholic chroniclers record that Cathar-
ism have become the majority religion in
many places in southern France, and that
Catholic churches have been abandoned.
They have mainly grown in influence in
the Languedoc. Of the Catholic clergy
that are remaining most are Cathar be-
lievers. The Papacy responded initially by
initiating preaching campaigns and en-
gaging in public debates, both of which
have proved humiliating failures for the
crack teams of theologians sent by the
Pope. The Albigensian Crusade is a for-
mal crusade in the full sense of the word -
preached and directed by the papacy, and
offering participants the remission of sins
and an assured place in heaven. The Cru-
saders regard themselves as being on
God's business and refer to themselves as
pilgrims. From the first major siege at
Bziers in 1209 the War has become one
of French and their allies against the inde-
pendent people of the Languedoc and
their allies.
The war is seeing many sieges, including
those of Bziers, Carcassonne, Bram,
Lavaur, Saissac and Minerve, with yet
more to come.
These sieges were of castra, constructed
for use as military defensive positions.
Some have given up without a fight - the
desired result of the Crusaders deliberate
terror tactics. These include Fanjeaux and
Castelnaudary Lastours and Foix and
Aguilar.
Terror tactics have included mass indis-
criminate slaughter as at Bziers and
Marmande, various atrocities as at Bram
and Lavaur, and mass burnings as at Mi-
nerve, Lavaur, and Montsegur.
THE FOURTH LATERAN
COUNCIL
The Fourth Lateran Council has con-
vened. The Pope desired the widest possi-
ble representation, and more than 400
bishops, 800 abbots and priors, envoys of
many European kings, and personal rep-
resentatives of Frederick II took part. The
purpose of the council was twofold: re-
form of the church and the recovery of
the Holy Land.
Many of the conciliar decrees touching on
church reform and organisation are
hoped to remain in effect for centuries.
The council ruled on such vexing prob-
lems such as the use of church property,
tithes, judicial procedures, and patriar-
chal precedence. It has ordered Jews and
Saracens to wear distinctive dress and
obliges Catholics to make a yearly confes-
sion and to receive Communion during
the Easter season. The teachings of the
Cathari and Waldenses are to be con-
demned. Pope Innocent is also ordering a
four-year truce among Christian rulers so
that a new crusade can be launched.
CATHARISM IN BRIEF
Catharism is a Christian movement.
They believe that once you die you
reincarnate and get put in a new
body by the bad God and then go
back into the world. They believe
that to escape the reincarnation cy-
cle they have to perform rituals so
they can go back to the good God.
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6
December 1215
QUIZZES
1. If you had to wear a robe, what colour would you
wear?
A) Brown
B) Black
C) Blue
2. Do you
A) Love the poor
B) Feel that education is most important
C) Have no cares for the world
3. Who is your favourite Saint?
A) Saint Francis
B) Saint Dominic
C) Saint Justin
4. Which is your favourite quote?
A) The Lord granted me, Br. Francis, to begin to
do penance in this way .
B) "If he abominated heresy and laboured untir-
ingly for its extirpation, it was because he loved
truth and loved the souls of those among whom
he laboured.
C) We have the right to live forever.
5. Do you prefer?
A) Lenient orders
B) Strict orders
C) Not to follow orders
IF YOU GOT.
Mostly As- You will be the perfect Franciscan monk, you
like to follow lenient orders and you love the poor
Mostly Bs- You will be the perfect Dominican monk you
like to follow strict orders and education is your top
priority
Mostly Cs- You will never be a monk. You are a disgrace
to the monastery world.
WHICH MONK ARE YOU? GUESS WHO LIVES IN THESE
HOUSES...
1.
A) The king
B) Noblemen with servants
C) Peasants
3.
A) Knights
B) Kings and Queens
C) Middle class families
5.
A) Princess
B) Earl
C) Farmer
2.
A) Peasants
B) Knights
C) Foreign royalty
4.
A) Working class
B) Servants
C) A priest
1.B 2.A 3.B 4.C 5.C
ANSWERS
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7
December 1215
PROPERTY PAGE TOP TIPS
1. Trim your hedges into neat lines; having a maze will
enhance the experience of your garden.
2. Roses are very popular especially red roses, they will
brighten up your garden by adding a sophisticated red
colour. Roses are important to represent your
Christian faith as well as creating a fresh scent.
Although roses are expensive they are impressive and
worth the effort.
3. If you are wanting to grow some profitable crops:
wheat is the best. Wheat has become increasingly
popular due to more rich people wanting wheaten
bread. We would recommend sowing seeds in April
and harvesting in August.
GET WITH THE GOTHIC
GLAMOUR
Gothic buildings have exploded over the nation and
are exactly what you need to look for when buying
a new house.
Features of Gothic Glamour
Churches & Cathedrals:
Very Tall
Gargoyles and religious statues
Flying buttresses
Pointed arch
Ribbed vault
Lots of windows
HOUSE ADVERTS
Mansion
This newly build mansion is located in Reigate,
Surrey and is surrounded by open meadows and
woodlands. The house has 4 bedrooms and with a
south facing living room with comfortable
furniture.
Cottage
This medieval cottage has a hall perfect for making
fires to dry your clothes. This cottage is made of
mud and a straw thatched roof. Although there are
few windows and a wooden ladder for stairs you
can make your home beautiful with a neat lawn
and array of flowers.
Rent: 6d a week
WHATS IN WITH THE GARD-IN?!
Have you ever experienced that embarrassing moment
when people see your garden in shambles? Well, we know
how to get your garden looking organized and something
to be proud of. Gardens should be used for entertainment,
food and herbs.
Gargoyles!
To ward off evil and
protect your property!
Only 2d each!
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8
ST GODRIC OF
FINCHALE
Born in 1065, died in 1170. He lived a glori-
ous 105 years! A merchant-turned-
hermit, monk and saint. He may not have
been as notorious as Cuthbert or Giles, but
he will definitely be remembered for years
to come. Today, we will commemorate his
legacy by acknowledging and celebrating
45 years since his death. This piece will
focus mainly on significant events in his
life. This includes his journeys, which im-
pacted his life massively. We will remem-
ber this extraordinary saint.
In his younger years, Godric was a mer-
chant, who travelled the seas on a daily
basis. It was said that he became attracted
to the seas as he sailed so often and with
great pleasure. He faced many issues,
whether it was in terms of the weather, the
size of the waves or terrifying sea crea-
tures. However, he overcame them all.
His visit to Lindisfarne can be identified as
the most fundamental point in his life. On
reaching Lindisfarne, Godric read an ac-
count on the life of Saint Cuthbert; this
deeply affected him, resulting in an imme-
diate alteration to his lifestyle. This was
when he decided to become a monk. He
began by travelling to Jerusalem on a pil-
grimage. After emerging from the River
Jordan, he pledged to never again wear
shoes, remaining barefoot for the remain-
der of his life. He kept this oath, even in
the worst of terrain.
The Saint then returned to England,
where he became a steward. However,
upon discovering the landowners meagre
treatment of other workers, he departed on
another pilgrimage; this was to the shrine
of Saint Giles, with his mother. This shows
the strength of his morals as he was com-
pelled to abandon his job due to the unfair
management of his fellow workers.
December 1215
Another prominent year in his life was
1105: his acceptance of a hermitage. Dur-
ing this year, he became very well ac-
quainted with an elderly hermit, named
Aelric. Following Aelrics death, Godric
made another journey to Jerusalem. He
remained there for several months, work-
ing in a hospital and living with other
hermits. During this time, Godric received
a vision from Saint Cuthbert, who prom-
ised him a hermitage in England. This
concluded his final visit to Jerusalem as he
returned again to England to accept his
hermitage.
The next 60 years of his life was spent,
here in Finchale, where he lived an
austere life of mortification. He lived on
berries and roots at first, but later decided
on growing his own vegetables and bar-
ley. During this period, he devoted his
time and exertion to build a small church
dedicated to Saint Mary.
I believe it is worth mentioning that Go-
dric faced at least two instances where he
almost died. The first near-death experi-
ence was before his conversion to become
a monk, where he was caught up in a
flood whilst sailing. This was fairly early
on in his life, when he was a merchant.
The second instance was after becoming a
hermit. He was violently beaten by
Scottish soldiers who believed he had
hidden valuables. This showed that
Godrics life never ran smoothly: he
faced difficulties wherever he went, but
overcame them as if it were nothing.
Finally, Saint Godric had the astound-
ing ability to foretell certain events. He
was able to predict the deaths of Bishop
William of Durham and Saint Thomas
Becket of Canterbury, despite having
never met either of them. He was also
known to have predicted many ship-
wrecks, or possible disasters at sea; it is
believed that he saw visions of scenes in
the distance and would often stop mid-
sentence to pray for ships in danger.
Additionally, he witnessed visions of the
Blessed Mary (Virgin Mary) as well as his
late sister and many others. Despite hav-
ing the ability to receive and understand
prophecies, he was never able to escape
his own fate. He foretold his own death.
He suffered a short illness during which
he was cared for by the monks of
Durham; this was the last time he ever
suffered. Nevertheless, he died a content-
ed death, at peace with the world as he
had lived a life free of sin.
So, we dedicate today to remembering
and celebrating the life of Saint Godric of
Finchale. He lived a life of nobility and
self-effacement. Regardless of the fact that
he endured many struggles, he always
stood by his ethics, and was not one to
allow any suffering. Saint Godric will
always be remembered and we will en-
sure he is never forgotten.
ALL AROUND THE WORLD
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9
December 1215
TRADE AND BUSINESS
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: TRACTATUS
DE SPHAERA
Book Review on Tractatus de Sphaera by Johannes de Sacro-
bosco - A brief insight into the understanding of the world be-
ing spherical.
An interesting book has come into my hands recently, and it
consists of a justification of an event which changed our outlook
on the world the World is round! Tractatus de Sphaera is not
available for the public to read as it has not been published as of
yet, but I have been very privileged to get a read of it. Since this
is the latest discovery Ill start by giving you the facts. Tractatus
de Sphaera for you dummies out there, is Latin for On the
Sphere of the World. De Sphaera mundi is another name given
to Tractatus d Sphaera. The book exhibits the background and
reasoning behind the great phenomena of finding out the world
is round. The book is written by the renowned Johannes de Sac-
robosco, it may surprise you that Sacrobosco has a passion for
astronomy since his first piece of work was a book on the Hindu
-Arabic numeral system Algorismus. He is known for the
Algorismus as it was very widely read and then used to judge
the number of manuscript copies. Currently, Johannes is a
scholar and works at the University of Paris. Tractatus de
Sphaera is written in four chapters. The first chapter deals with
the shape and place of the Earth within a spherical universe.
The second chapter conveys with various circles on the sky. The
third chapter describes rising and setting of heavenly bodies
from different geographical locations while the fourth chapter
gives a brief introduction to Ptolemy's theory of the planets and
of eclipses. Upon turning the book cover I was grinning like an
overly excited child, as I was overwhelmed to find out the rea-
soning behind this. Additionally, I was aware that his work
would be very valuable to me as well as assisting me to under-
stand the World better. After a couple of chapters, I discovered
that since the World is a sphere, and the new term given to de-
scribe it is Earth. Sounds unusual at first but Im sure it wont
take long for it to become familiar. As I finished the first chapter
I realised that this book has extensive detail and riveting con-
cepts and then it occurred to me that I must write a review on it
and bring the masterpiece to a wider audience. Following that, I
began to make notes whilst I was reading. Some of the theories
are expressed in the following:
The shape and place of the Earth:
Tractatus de Sphaera contains a clear description of the
Earth which agrees with wide-spread opinion in recent
years. It contrasts to statements of some historians who
indicate they thought the Earth was flat.
Various circles surrounding the Earth:
The circles of which this material sphere was composed is
discussed in this chapter.
Geographical locations:
The rise and significance of signs such as Astrology are
explored in this section as well as new found geograph-
ical locations.
Ptolemy and Eclipses:
Sacrobosco wrote the world was a machina, mundi, the
machine of the world, indicating that the reported eclipse
of the Sun at the crucifixion off Jesus was a disturbance of
the order of that machine.
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10
December 1215
COMPETITION OPPORTUNITY
Some of you are probably wondering how the world being
spherical affects you any more now than it used to. Well I sup-
pose that knowing the shape of the world is helpful for future
exploration but more importantly it provides us with better
opportunities to travel to these new places and appreciate this
newfound ability. Besides, it opens up more trade routes now
because we can export and import goods to and from foreign
lands. All in all it is a great discovery, which will benefit us all
in many years to come.
Personally taking the time and effort to educate yourself about
such issues is vital in todays society. Understanding the world
you live in is compulsory that is why I took the opportunity to
read the book. Tractatus de Sphaera is well written and in-
cludes images and documents from the discovery itself.
If you have limited knowledge when it comes to astronomy
then you might find it difficult to understand but for you smart
ones its a must read! Every page of this book made me excited
me to read the next. I must say absolutely formidable ideas are
conveyed in this profound book. I am certain this book will be
influential not only in Europe but across the world in centuries
to come as it is the true introduction into astronomy.
Finally, after rambling on about my love for this book and per-
haps enticing you into reading it I can announce that following
this Book review there is a chance to win an exclusive copy of
the book before its publishing/release date. Below are the details
for entering a competition which could lead to you getting your
hands on this book.
One lucky winner will be announced in my next article to be published on June 30th. So be sure to buy next weeks issue.
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11
December 1215
LEGAL ISSUES THE POPES PLAN FOR
PUNISHMENT
The Pope has decided that priests can no longer help with
ordeals due to their unpopularity as many people have
been using the opportunity to get revenge. No longer will
people be judged by ordeals, instead they will have to
attend a trial with the result determined by a jury.
Edward Smith was expected to complete the Ordeal By
Fire next week. As an accused person he would have
been required to hold a red hot iron bar and walk three
paces, his hands would have then been bandaged and left
for three days. If his wound had not healed after the three
days he would have been found guilty. In an interview
with Edward he stated: I was blamed for stealing a loaf
of bread from the bakers but I am innocent and I will be
able to tell my story to the jury.
Furthermore, Charlotte Baker was accused of witchcraft
after a neighbour saw her turning a cat into a frog. Last
week Charlotte completed the Ordeal By Water, she was
tied up from feet to hands and thrown into the River
Thames. A witch is expected to float but when Charlotte
sank it was decided she was innocent. However, all hell
broke loose when Charlotte was pulled from the water
and found to be dead.
Roger Bigod has reportedly refused to serve the King by
not paying the ridiculously high taxes. Yesterday,
Jonathan completed the Ordeal By Combat. He fought
with his accuser (James Glove) and won the battle
proving he was right, leaving James severely injured. But
his victory was short-lived as the new law set by the Pope
demands that Roger and James attend a trial with the
result to be determined by a jury next week.
Many are pleased by this new law. However, reporters
here worry that, now matters are being taken into
peoples hands, more innocent victims will be found
guilty and punished.
CRAZY CRIMES & PETTY
PUNISHMENTS
November 2nd
Richard Black was heard excommunicating (making fun of)
the King with a bell and a candle
By order of the King he was executed the next day.
November 10th
Thomas Dun was charged with theft of books. He submitted
himself to the jury and was found guilty.
He was hung November 20th.
November 18th
Meurig complained that, on Saturday 2 November, William
came and shot at him with a bow and arrow and seriously
injured him.
The jurors found William innocent and Meurig was fined 12d.
November 23rd
William of Lonsdale escaped from prison in England.
When asked how he escaped from prison, William answered
that he left by the open door, and went to Scotland.
Therefore he is to be hung.
November 27th
Christiana complained that the priest Matthew of York came
to Perth with a thief named William Wallace and stole her
possessions in her house.
The jury found him guilty therefore he is condemned to
penance.
November 30th
Victoria Black was caught nagging her
husband publicly by three neighbours
She is condemned to the stocks for a day.
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12
ROBIN HOOD
As citizens should know, the forests are out of bounds to anyone
but the King. This outlaw has been stealing from the rich to give
to the poor by hunting animals in Sherwood Forest. A hefty
bounty is offered to any peasant who can provide information as
to his or his merry mens whereabouts that lead to his arrest and
eventual execution. But beware, this outlaw is lethal with a bow
and arrow.
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13
December 1215
Dear The Medieval Times,
I find myself unable to resist the temptation of writing to you. Many
have heard of me, I am infamous for my thieving personality. I steal
from the rich and give to the poor. With such a big gap between the
two, the situation is in desperate need of interference.
I am wanted by King John for I have stolen his money but I do not
regret it as I am helping the needy. Some call me selfish but I think of
myself as generous. Sadly, some are unaware of this fact and consider
King John to be great; he is not.
I must inform you all of his manipulative, avaricious and evil ways.
You must be made aware that he is stealing your money through taxes
and spending it on a war that we will never win. We must fight this
injustice and rebel against him!
My name is Robin Hood and I am here to send this message to the
people of England.
Yours sincerely,
The treasonous traitor, RH
Dear Editor,
This letter is to uphold the dignity and honour of my late mistress Isa-
bella of England but to also help unite my fellow Christians to aid in
revolting against a breathing devil amongst us .
Despite my ladys youth and beauty her father, King John soft sword,
married her off to a man twice her age as a result of a political endeav-
our. The treatment of my lady was beyond degrading and unbecoming.
As a young child, my lady dreamt of marrying a man who respected
her and treated her with love. Unfortunately reality differed from her
expectations. This marriage constituted nothing but a political match
which resulted in my mistress dying in childbirth.
I understand that my writing this heinous and treacherous letter re-
garding our noble King will not be well received. However it is not in
my jurisdiction as to what will occur to me once this letter is published.
As a woman of God, I believe that no matter what occurs to me by the
hands of our ever so merciful King, my real judgement will be in the
eyes of the Lord.
What is a man who has no respect for Gods representative on Earth,
the blessed Pope? Such a question is utter idiocy for he is neither a man
thus nor a worthy king.
For those of you follow him like moths to a flame will not be treated
accordingly in the afterlife. Stop yourselves now, my fellow Christian
brothers and sisters, before the breathing devil amongst us strangles
your family and you are compelled to hear their stifled cries.
Rise up and fight the beast now or forever stay in its malicious and
deceitful power.
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD To the Editor,
King John captured and murdered his teenage nephew, Arthur of
Brittany, in April 1203, aged 15. This youthful, innocent soul was my
son. He was ruthlessly assassinated by the hands of the now King of
England.
He would have been an exemplary King and leader; he was mercilessly
killed by his uncle. One who he was meant to trust but King John did
not honour this relationship. Even the sound of his name revolts me.
I am writing to appeal to the masses so they are made aware of this
tyrant that they call their king. They must be cognisant about the cruel-
ty and oppression that exists in his kingdom.
The slaughter of my son is only one of many; so be vigilant because
when you turn your back, your children will be mercilessly torn from
your grasp. So beware of the King for, though he has been nicknamed
soft-sword, he has a core of iron within in his dwindling dagger.
Yours Sincerely, Constance, Duchess of Brittany
Dear The Medieval Times,
I am writing to you defend our great noble King, he has the potential to
be great, but due to unfortunate luck and a mass of enemies he is una-
ble to reach his potential.
The picture of a monster has been put forward by Roger of Wendover
and Matthew Paris, and their statements are false. There is no true basis
for their argument and they are just doing as they promised; obeying.
King John has the administrative ability of a great ruler but, from the
moment his reign began, foreign rivals and greedy traitors tried to
cheat him out of his inheritance and right to the throne. As he wrestled
with one of his enemies, more sprang upon him, behind his back. He
was constantly thrown by the constant attacks. He did not deal with
them as well as previous kings but he can be a decent king.
So I plead with you all, do not judge a king by one lost war. He can and
will do great things and I wish to give him the chance to do so dont
you?
Yours faithfully,
William Stubb
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14
December 1215
FAREWELL TO I, II and III NOW
NUMBERS WILL BE EASY AS 1,2,3!
Still on the topic of this Fibonacci bloke, it seems our Roman
numerals will now be history, and instead, we will use the Hin-
du-Arabic decimal system.
"These are the nine figures of the Indians: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. With these
nine figures, and with this sign 0 which in Arabic is called zephirum,
any number can be written, as will be demonstrated."
(This is taken from the first chapter of Fibonaccis book, which
he wrote 3 years ago).
0 this is not a circle, it is actually a number! Fibonacci explains
that with this, and the other figures, calculations for merchants
will be much easier, as subtraction and addition can happen
with smaller numbers.
For a Latin-speaking Europe, introducing this number system is
out of the ordinary, however, Fibonacci shows that mathemati-
cal and commercial calculations will be easier with this system.
So, tradesmen out there, it is up to you to decide who you are
thankful to the Arabs, or the Italian who has introduced it to us
here in Europe. Itll be hard to get used to, but daily life will
now be easier whenever we need to do mathematical calcula-
tions ourselves.
1,1,2,3,5? A GUIDE TO FIBONACCIS
SACRED SEQUENCE
13 years ago, in 1202, Fibonacci uncovered his own sequence.
For 1000 years we have been waiting for such a mathematical
discovery in Europe, and for once an Italian glorifies Maths in-
stead of an Arab (of course with the inspiration and help from
the Arabs knowledge). Europe is beginning to delve into the
scientific and mathematical world, where many more discover-
ies are likely to emerge.
So, we are all familiar with the name, Fibonacci sequence, but
what exactly is it? The string of numbers do actually bear some
relevance and intellect. Each number is the sum of the two pre-
vious numbers.
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144
The Italian genius corresponds numbers with a population
problem involving rabbits. Yes, rabbits. Who knew that the
question How many pairs of rabbits can be produced from a
single pair of rabbits in one year? could result in such a phe-
nomenon?
It is evident that the mathematical discovery relates to natural
population, but it seems that it relates to other wonders, such as
the distances between the curves in a snail shell! Never underes-
timate sequences.
FIBONACCIS REVELATION
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
SCIENTIST AND BISHOP ROBERT
GROSSETESTE
Q) What contribution have you personally made towards the
future of scientific development?
A) I was the first person in the Latin West to develop an account
of an experimental method in science. I challenged the frontiers
of knowledge, making systematic use of a method of experi-
mental verification and falsification, utilising mathematics in
my attempt to provide scientific explanations of the physical
world.
Q) What experiment are you most famous for performing?
A) An experiment which I am most proud of investigated
whether scammony causes the discharge of red bile.
Q) What was the significance of this experiment?
A) It enabled me to introduce the notion of controlled
experiment to the Latin West and it was also useful in revealing
the connection between this and demonstrative science.
Q) In what way were these experiments relevant and useful in
developing scientific theory?
A) I arrived at conclusions in my scientific writings which were
drawn on the basis of a multitude of considerations. I appealed
to authority and everyday observation and made use of thought
experiments and certain metaphysical assumptions. An exam-
ple of one of these revolutionary conclusions is: every opera-
tion of nature occurs in the most
finite, ordered, shortest and best
way possible for it. This shows
how, through establishing a system
involving variables and a controlled
method, I was able to broaden the
prospects of science for the future
and also improve understanding of
current theories through proving
them to be true.
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15
OXFORD VS CAMBRIDGE
Recent reports have suggested that a new university in Cam-
bridge has been founded. Started by former Oxford alumni flee-
ing after two scholars were hanged for the death of a woman,
the university is beginning to develop at a fast rate. Similar to
the learning pattern of French and Italian universities, Cam-
bridge provides a foundation course in arts, which entails:
grammar, logic and rhetoric.
The incident in Oxford has caused the university to suspend its
teachings for an unspecified time. A clerk killed a woman by
accident and fled the city. The mayor of Oxford and others
searched for the man in his house, which was rented by three
others. The peers were seized and insisted that they knew noth-
ing of the murder and were innocent. The three men were
thrown in prison and later, by order of the King, were hanged.
An account from Roger of Wendover stated that: "When the
deed had been done, both masters and pupils, to the number of three
thousand clerks, left Oxford so that not one remained out of the whole
university; they left Oxford empty, some engaging in liberal studies at
Cambridge and some at Reading."
The university in Cambridge already has a structure for learn-
ing similar to that of Oxford - with teachings being conducted
by masters who had previously passed the course. These teach-
ings are mainly in the form of reading texts, which leads to an
examination in which students will discuss questions with oth-
ers, including the master who is teaching them. Masters have
already partaken in advanced studies such as law and medi-
cine, which has enabled them to become doctors in their chosen
field.
It is not known how Oxford has reacted to the establishment of
the University of Cambridge, but it is likely to be irate. It is un-
known how much of an impact that Cambridge will have in the
future, but it is almost certain that a rivalry will form between
the two universities. As they continue to develop and galvanise
knowledge, only time will tell.
HILDEGARDE OF BINGEN
Saint Hildegard of Bingen, was born in 1098 and died on the 17
September 1179. She was a German writer. Hildegard com-
posed over seventy chants, hymns and sequences , some of
which have been the subject of recent recordings by ensembles
of medieval music including " Sequentia " Ave polka , Columba
aspexit , O presul.
She also composed a liturgical drama titled Ordo virtutum (The
game of the virtues), which has eighty-two melodies and di-
rected the pain of the soul between the devil and the virtues.
Hildegard travelled throughout southern Germany and into
Switzerland and as far as Paris, preaching. In the last year of her
life, she was briefly in trouble because she provided Christian
burial for a young man who had been excommunicated. Her
defense was that he had repented on his deathbed, and received
the sacraments. She died on 17 September 1179. Her surviving
works include more than a hundred letters to emperors and
popes, bishops, nuns, and nobility. She wrote 72 songs includ-
ing a play set to music. Musical notation had only shortly before
developed to the point where her music was recorded in a way
that we can read today.
December 1215
CULTURE, LITERATURE AND MUSIC
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16
CLOGS IN OR OUT? PRACTICAL OR JUST A
FASHION FAUX PAS ?
FIND OUT INSIDE! ALSO
WAYS TO RECYCLE YOUR
CLOGS FROM LAST SEASON
3 H A I R S T Y L E S F O R S U M M E R
HOW TO SPICE YOUR
PLAITS UP TO GET HEADS
TURNING!
DID THE KING
REALLY LOSE
THE CROWN
JEWELS?
ALL THE JUICY DETAILS
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17
December 1215
FASHION & FOOD CLOGS IN OR OUT?
Clogs may not be the most stylish shoes out there but they
are most certainly the most practical. The thick wooden sole
can protect your delicate feet from the harsh English terrain.
They are very appropriate for heavy labour type jobs. They
are also very versatile and after they have served their
purpose you could use them as firewood. So in our opinion
clogs are definitely in - not for their looks but for their
practicality.
HOW TO PREPARE THE PERFECT
CHRISTMAS DINNER
Are you thinking of hosting a big Christmas celebration this
year? Do you want to enjoy a delicious roasted Peacock?
Firstly, start by removing the insides of the bird and making
sure it's clean. Then make some stuffing to help give the
meat a little more flavour. We recommend ripping up some
bread into small pieces then mix it with some honey, onion,
garlic, pepper, rosemary and parsley before stuffing it into
the peacock. Next wrap some bacon around the outside of
the bird and start to slowly cook over the fire. Once the bird
is looking golden brown, check the inside is cooked then
remove it from the fire. Serve it with any vegetables or fruit
such as leeks or apples and a few slices of bread.
FOBBED OFF BY YOUR FARMERS
Farmers are now being accused of ripping off customers,
by raising taxes on produce. They claim that they are
being forced to charge more tax. However, this is not true.
Are you being robbed of your riches? In 1214, farmers sold
2 cows for 30 pennies and 2 pigs for 16 shillings. However,
an investigation carried out in January this year shows
farmers selling 1 cow for 20 pennies and 2 pigs for 18
shillings. This shows that farmers are raising prices of their
produce with no reason. So, the question is, what will you
do about this? Is this acceptable? Jane Smith is a mother of
six and finds this behaviour unacceptable, I work hard
for my money to provide food for my family, but I cant
even afford meat for my children due to the raise in
prices. Finally, more research is being done into the
problem but will there be any way of solving the tax
problem?
SURVIVING LENT
Wondering how youre going to survive Lent without
meat? There are many alternative options, but the best
substitute for meat is fish. So, go and visit your local
market to pick up some fish or go and visit the nearest
pond or river and see what you can catch. Cooking fish is
really simple as well! Just mix some nice herbs or spices
with some oil and rub all over your fish before cooking
over the fire then serve with your favourite vegetables and
breads. If youre not a fan of fish then just substitute your
meat with extra vegetables and you can create some
delicious vegetable stews.
KING JOHN LOSES THE CROWN?
Has King John really lost the Crown Jewels? According to re-
ports, the King was travelling from Lincolnshire to Norfolk
when the supposed accident happened. A source close to the
King told us, His majesty fell ill a few days after arriving. He
decided to return, however he took the longer route and had to
have his baggage taken down across the mouth of the River
Wellstream. The horses were too slow for the incoming tide and
we lost many horses as well as the Kings belongings.. The ex-
tent to which the Kings valuables have been affected is not yet
known but allegedly the Crown Jewels are lost.
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18
December 1215
GAMES OF THE CENTURY A DUMMIES GUIDE TO JOUSTING
Equipment:
A lance
A horse
A jousting shield
A vamplate
The primary aim of jousting,
is to strike the opponent with
the jousting sticks whilst
riding towards him at high
speed on a horse. The riders
should try to break the lance
on the opponent's shield, joust
their armour, or unhorse him.
Jousts are most commonly
held in jousting tournaments
which usually take place for
gatherings, ceremonies and
events. The winner of the tour-
nament goes through to the
next round, and this continues
until the final round, when the
overall winner is announced.
Here's a step by step tutorial:
1. Check that you are properly
armed and have the correct
armour.
2. Mount your horse.
3. Sit firmly in the saddle,
making sure your feet are in
the stirrups, and be prepared
to use your knees to cling to
your horse.
4. Hold your lance upright in
your right hand.
5. At the signal, ride forceful-
ly straight ahead, with the tilt
barrier to your left.
6. Lean forward slightly for
better visibility and keep your
lance upright.
7. At the last possible mo-
ment, lower your lance at an
angle across your horse's
neck, couching it in your
right arm pointing forward
across the tilt barrier.
8. Aim for the torso or, if
you're feeling confident, the
helm of your opponent.
9. Cling tightly to your mount
with your legs, and be
prepared to lean backward on
impact, whether you hit your
foe or he hits you, in order to
remain in the saddle.
10. Repeat the run until one of
you falls out of the saddle.
BACKGAMMON Backgammon is a game played
between two opposing sides on
a board marked with 24 triangles
called points. Each side has 15
checkers of a different colour that
move in opposite directions
counting the points as spaces
according to the numbers rolled
by a pair of dice. The player first
to get his checkers around, and
then off the board, wins the game.
In addition to their checkers, each
player has a pair of dice and a
dice cup (to shake and toss the
dice). There is also a doubling
cube which is initially placed in
the middle of the tray on one side
SHOULD FOOTBALL BE
BANNED?
I think that football should be banned
because it is a very dangerous sport.
The football pitches often include
rivers, streams and woods and many
players usually end up being injured.
Football is a brutal game. It is unsafe
and it is not good to encourage young
children to participate in such brutal
and dangerous activities as it could
encourage them to behave inappro-
priately in the future. Furthermore the
inflated pigs bladder or sometimes a
leather ball are unsafe equipment and
the pigs bladder is unhygienic.
Therefore, football should definitely
be banned.
Article by John Freeman.
On the contrary, I think that football
is a very interesting and exciting
sport. Football encourages friendly
rivalry between different villages and
encourages people to stay fit through
the exercise. This means that everyone
can join in and have fun with healthy
competitiveness. It is also a good way
of encouraging people to exercise and
stay fit.
Article by Edward Cartwright.
Every game of chess has its own
story. Some are long-drawn out
strategic affairs; others can be quick,
but complicated, tactical battles.
The winner is the player who can
out-think his or her opponent, and
make the best plans for attack and
defence.
If you have a chess set, or decide to
make your own, here are the rules
you need to play the game.
What you need:
A chess board and pieces.
Aim of the game:
The aim of the game is to use your
army to capture the enemy king.
The armies:
There is a white army and a black
army. Both armies have the same
pieces.
THE GAME OF CHESS
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19
December 1215
MAGNA CARTA SPECIAL
WHAT IS THE MAGNA CARTA?
The Magna Carta is an important medieval document that limited the right of the king to do as he wished without
regard to the law. It is world-famous as a symbol of justice, fairness, and human rights. Magna Carta means big
charter in Latin (a charter is a legal document which guarantees certain rights). When it was signed in 1215 it was
intended to protect the barons and a limited class of free men from the worst excesses of the king by regulating feu-
dal customs and rights and setting out rules relating to the administration of justice. The Magna Carta is often seen
as the basis of rights to equal and fair treatment under the law for all citizens.
TOP 10 FACTS
1. King Richard I Richard the Lionheart', brother of
King John, died in 1199. Under Richard's rule England
was involved in a series of expensive wars.
2. King John inherited his brother's wars and needed
money to continue to fight so he put pressure on his bar-
ons to raise the necessary finance. He increased taxes,
confiscated land and levied heavy fines.
3. The barons were angered by what they saw as King
Johns misuse of feudal customs and rights.
4. The barons rebelled and on 17 May 1215 they cap-
tured London. King John was forced to meet with them
at Runnymede in June 1215.
5. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton,
played an important role in negotiations between the
king and the barons. The Magna Carta contains many
references to the rights of the church.
6. The text of the Magna Carta was written by scribes in
Medieval Latin. They wrote on parchment; this was very
expensive and so they used small writing and abbrevia-
tions in order not to waste any space.
7. King John did not sign the Magna Carta. It was au-
thenticated by the Great Seal. It is possible that King
John could not write!
8. Many copies of the Magna Carta were made and sent
out to important officials such as sheriffs and bishops.
Only four copies currently exist; two are in the British
Library, one in Lincoln Castle and one in Salisbury Ca-
thedral.
9. The Magna Carta originally had sixty-three clauses
of which only three remain in law today.
10. The most famous clause of the Magna Carta is inter-
preted as guaranteeing individuals the right to a free
and fair trial under the law. This means that the law
provides protection from punishments such as impris-
onment, seizure of property or exile without a trial.
DID YOU KNOW?
The 800th anniversary of the signing of the
Magna Carta fell on the 15 June 2015.
Parchment was made from sheep skin
which was soaked in lime before being
stretched out to dry and scraped with a
knife to make a smooth writing surface.
King John supposedly died as a result of
dysentery caused by over eating.
The Magna Carta was amended and reis-
sued in 1216, 1217 and 1225.
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20
December 1215
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW
THE MAGNA CARTA? In the years before Magna Carta was written, the barons were
unhappy for lots of reasons. Which of the following is NOT one
of them?
A The King took hostages from the King of Scotland and Prince
of North Wales
B The King followed a different religion
C Taxes were very high
D The King seized the barons' land
Magna Carta was an agreement between the King of England
and ...
A The Pope
B The rebel barons
C The peasants
D The King of France
What does Magna Carta mean?
A The Peace Treaty
B The People's Demands
C The Royal Decree
D The Great Charter
Magna Carta was written in ink made from what?
A Earth mixed with water
B Dye from blueberries and blackberries
C Lead
D Growths left by parasitic wasps on oak trees
Was Magna Carta agreed ...
A by signing it with a quill?
B with a seal of hot wax?
C by signing it in gold pen?
D with the King's fingerprint?
What was Magna Carta originally written on?
A Paper
B It was engraved in metal
C Wax tablets
D Animal skin
Magna Carta was no longer relevant to British Law after ...
A Parts of Magna Carta are still relevant today?
B 1914?
C 1688?
D 1509?
What is Magna Carta?
A A document that gives the monarch power over everyone
else
B An official history of Britain
C A big map
D A document that limits the monarch's power
Which King sealed the 1215 Magna Carta?
A King Henry VII
B King Theoden
C King John
D King George III
How many of the original 1215 Magna Carta documents are
left?
A Hundreds
B Four
C Ten
D None
Answers: B, B, D, D, B, D, A, D, C, B