<論説>マグナ・カルタの本質と身分構成に就いて

Abstract

大憲章 (マグナ・カルタ) の成立の動機としては、 john 王の対仏・対教皇・対バロン (barons) の諸関係であるが、本質は Henry I. (1100～18) 以来の自由証の確認であつて国王とバロンとの関係であり、バロンの封建的特権の擁護であり、国王とバロンとの協定である。バロン下の Vassals・都市邑の市民の特権保護叉農民や農奴の最低財産の擁護の如きは、封建社会の経済機構の必要上よりきたものであつて、むしろ第二義的のものである。尤も大憲章中にも曖昧なる箇所があり国王の専制を誘発し、国王とバロンとの抗争がつづいている。大憲章の対象となる当時の身分構成が相当複雑なるものであるが、これが重要性を知るために身分構成の沿革・変遷・成立の過程を考察してみたいと思う。

Motives in authorization of Magna Carta were relations of King John with France, pope, and barons. Its nature was to secognize the liberty since Henry the First (1100-18), to be the agreement between king and barons, and to protect the feudal privileges of barons. Protection for the privileges of vassals under barons and citizens in borough and for the least means of peasants and serfs were made as a result of economic organization in the feudal society, having a secondary importance. There were, indeed, some doubtful passages in Magna Carta, which caused king's despotism, with a continual struggle of king against barons. Though the then rank construction which became the object of Magna Carta was fiirly intricate, we are going to study its process of formation, its history, and its transition.