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."

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

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.

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?

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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