While this movement, which covered the land with religious edifices, was in progress, religion itself was undergoing a change.  The old monastic orders had grown rich, indolent, and corrupt.  The priests had well-nigh ceased to do missionary work.  At this period a reform sprang up within the Church itself.  On the Continent two new religious orders arose, calling themselves Friars, or Brothers.  They first came to England in 1221.  These Brothers bound themselves to a life of self-denial and good works.  Some labored in the outskirts of towns among the poor and the sick and called them to hear the glad tidings of the teachings of Christ.  From their living on charity they came to be known as “Beggin Friars.”

Others, like Roger Bacon at Oxford, took an important part in education, and endeavored to rouse the sluggish monks to make efforts in the same direction.  Bacon’s experiments in physical science, which was then neglected and despiseed, got him the reputation of being a magician.  He was driven into exile, imprisoned for many years, and deprived of books and writing materials.

But, as nothing could check the religious fervor of his mendicant brothers, so no hardship or suffering could daunt the intellectual enthusiasm of Bacon.  When he emerged from captivity he issued his great book entitled an “Inquiry into the Roots of Knowledge."[1] It was especially devoted to mathematics and the sciences, and deserves the name of the encyclopedia fo the thirteenth century.

[1] Bacon designated this book by the name of “Opus Majus,” or “Greater Work,” to distinguish it from a later summary which he alled his “Opus Minus,” or “Smaller Work.”

209.  The “Mad Parliament”; the Provisions of Oxford (1258).

But the prodigal expenditure and mismanagement of Henry kept on increasing.  At last the burden of taxation became too great to bear.  Bad harvests had caused a famine, and multitudes perished even in London.  Confronted by these evils, Parliament (S205) met in the Great Hall at Westminster.  Many of the barons were in complete armor.  As the King entered there was an ominous clatter of swords.  Henry, looking around, asked timidly, “Am I a prisoner?”

“No, sire,” answered Earl Bigod (S172); “but we must have reform.”  The King agreed to summon a Parliament to meet at Oxford and consider what should be done.  The enemies of this assembly nicknamed it the “Mad Parliament” (1258); but there was method and determination in its madness, for which the country was grateful.

With Simon de Montfort, the King’s brother-in-law, at their head, they drew up a set of articles, called the Provisions of Oxford, to which Henry gave an unwilling assent.  These Provisions practically took the government out of the King’s inefficient hand and vested it in the control of three committees, or councils. (See Summary of Constitutional History in the Appendix, p. x, S11.)