2.The Pope then uttered the terrible sentence of Interdict，which deprivedthe land of all religious services，and caused the churches to be hung with black and strewn with ashes.Quite pitiless with regard to the people he ruled，John set about extorting money from them to carry on his wars-wars in which he lost a great portion of the territory left by his father.
3.His cunning cruelty may be judged of from the plan which he took to make a Jew of Bristol pay ransom.Having thrown him into a dungeon，he sent a man with a pair of pincers every morning to pull out one of the poor wretch‘s teeth.The Jew bore this for eight days，but，when the ninth tooth was about to be wrenched from his aching and swollen jaw，he agreed to pay the money demanded by the King.
4.When John saw that the Pope was going to give away his kingdom toa Archbishop of Canterbury.-The chief bishop of England.
b Interdict.-An order of the Pope by which the clergy are forbidden to perform，and laymen are forbidden to attend，divine service of any kind.
Philip of France，he yielded ever ything to Pandulf，theaPapal legate.
He gave up his
crown to him and received it again from his hands；and he took an oath that he would hold England and Ireland from the Pope，and that he would pay him a yearly tribute.
5.The barons of England，enra ged by John’s want of spirit，and encouraged by hisKING JOHN CROWNED BY P‘ANDULF.
cowardice，met together several times in order to consult how they might wring from him a Charter，which should place their liberties as Englishmen beyond the power of any King.The Archbishop of Canterbury having drawn up a deed，it was carried by some of these stern steel-clad warriors into the presence of John，who grew as pale as death when he saw them.
6.He promised to give them an answer at Easter；but，when Easter came，he cursed and swore，and said that they might as well ask for his crown.The barons then did what they had resolved to do if he refused their demands.They drew their swords and seized London.This brought John to his senses，and a time was then arranged for signing the Great Charter.
7.One day in June，1215，there was a great meeting of barons and courtiersbin a green spot by the Thames，which bears the name of Runnymede.
The
barons，glittering in steel and gold，came riding on their chargers from the town of Staines.John，with a false smile on his face，and a train of attendants behind him，came out of Windsor to the place of meeting.Many of the barons came to the field that morning prepared to shed blood if necessary；but the King was as smooth and soft as the satin of his royal tunic.
8.Taking the pen with scarcely a question，he wrote his name at the footcof the deed called Magna Carta，which secured to Englishmen the full
enjoyment of their freedom.And then，with smiles and gracious words to the armed men，he galloped away to the castle from which he had come.Scarcely able to believe that they had got the royal signature with so little trouble，they talked a while and then dispersed.
a Papal legate.-The ambassador or messenger of the Pope.
b Runnymede.-Near Staines，on the Thames，17miles from London.
c Magna Carta.-The Latin for “The Great Charter.”
9.Before the last man had left the meadow，henceforward to bear a name so famous in our history，John was rolling on the floor at Windsor，chewing sticks and straw like a madman，and cursing his weak folly for having put his name to such a document.He almost immediately began to treat his people even worse than before.
中文阅读
1.约翰差不多是英格兰所有国王中最卑鄙的一个。他与教皇的争端暴露了他那怯懦无能的本性。争端的起因是坎特伯雷大主教a的人选问题，约翰支持一个人，教皇则支持另外一个，互不相让。当教皇推举的人选最终成功入主坎特伯雷之后，约翰便悍然派兵将教堂里的僧众全部驱赶，并同时威胁说，只要在英格兰境内抓到罗马牧师，一定要挖出他们的眼睛，割下他们的鼻子。
2.教皇当然极为震怒，立即严肃下达禁令，要求彻底禁绝英格兰所有宗教仪式及教务，这让全国的教堂关了门，变成了尘封的荒芜之地。即使在这样的情况下，冷酷无情的约翰依然继续对他治下的人民敲骨吸髓，搜刮钱财，以维持他的战争开销，而这些战争的目的，无非是从其他国家夺回他父王当年留给他的部分土地。
3.他的邪恶残忍，还可以从他让一位布里斯托尔的犹太富商向他交赎金的手段上看出来。他把此人投入地牢，每天早上派一个人拿钳子去拔掉富商的一颗牙齿。这位犹太人坚持了8天，第9天早上当他又一颗牙齿即将被从疼痛肿胀的牙床里拔出来时，他终于答应向国王交钱。
4.但是当约翰发现教皇已经打算要剥夺他的王位，并交给法国的菲利普时，他立马就服软了，对教廷的使节潘道夫几乎言听计从。他把王冠取下来交给潘道夫，让潘道夫亲手戴在他头上以示归顺效忠于教廷权威。并且还发誓说，他会在教皇的授权之下统治英格兰与爱尔兰，每年还要向教皇进贡。
5.约翰的贪婪与暴政激怒了英格兰整个贵族阶层，他的怯懦则鼓励了贵族们对他采取行动，于是他们数次集会，商议如何让这位无道昏君签署一道文书，让英格兰人的自由不再受缚于国王的王权。坎特伯雷大主教根据商议结果草拟了一份契约文书，让一帮身穿钢铁铠甲的战士将其送往约翰的寝宫。约翰一看这阵势，立马面如死灰，傻眼了。
6.他向众人承诺他在复活节到来之前会给出答复，但到了复活节，他却赌咒说，想要得到答复的话，也得问问他头上王冠同不同意。这样一来，贵族们只按事先计划好的对策，立即率军占领了伦敦。这一下，约翰才看清了局势，于是安排时间签署《大宪章》。
a 坎特伯雷大主教：全英格兰最高级别的教首。
7.公元1215年6月的一天，贵族与王公大臣在泰晤士河畔一片名叫兰尼米德a的草地上举行大会。参会的贵族们一身黄金战甲在阳光下煜煜生辉，骑着战马从斯坦斯镇款款行来。约翰脸上挂着虚伪的微笑，身后跟随着一众仆从，也从温莎来到了大会现场。当天前来参会的贵族们大多已经做好了流血牺牲的准备，不过约翰却如他腰上的皇家绸缎一般柔顺，没有找半点麻烦。
8.约翰拿起笔，毫不犹豫地在《大宪章》的页脚签下了自己的名字，同意保障英国人在王权之下的最大自由。签完之后，他向全副武装的众人微微一笑，说了几句漂亮话，然后便上马飞奔回了城堡。会场上的人简直不敢相信一切进展得这么顺利，面面相觑之后，相互寒暄了几句就散去了。
9.这片草场，从此便名垂青史，而当草场上的人还未全部散尽，约翰便已开始在他温莎的城堡里满地打滚，口里还嚼着树枝和稻草，完全疯狂了。他不停诅咒自己的怯懦，竟然如此荒唐地在这样一份文书上签了字。从此之后，他便开始更加恶毒地对待他的国民。
a 兰尼米德：靠近斯坦斯，位于泰晤士河畔，离伦敦17英里。
52
KING JOHN
约翰王
constrained，forced.coursing，flowing rapidly.embowering，shading.exulting，joyous.
gorge，swallow.haggard，wan；anxious.opiate，soothing.
sceptred，carrying a sceptre；royal.
translucent，clear.trembling，shaking.vengeful，seeking revenge.volcano，burning mountain.whelm，overwhelm；destroy.wreathed，curled.
1.There stands at Runnymede a king，while summer clothes the plains，The blood of high Plantagenet is coursing through his veins；But yet a sceptred hand he lifts to shade his haggard brow，As if constrained to do a deed his pride would disallow.
2He pauses still.-His faint eye rests upon those barons bold，Whose hands are grappling to their swords with fierce and sudden hold.That pause is broke；-he bows him down before those steel-girt men，And glorious Magna Carta glows beneath his trembling pen.