Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/109

kind, by requiring any more aids: and ſuch like tranſactions as theſe, till we come to Ann. Dom. 1244. when again he wants money. And then upon theſe following conſiderations, that becauſe the charter of liberties, which the King had long ſince granted, and for the obſervation whereof Edmond the archbiſhop had ſworn and moſt faithfully paſſed his word on the King’s behalf, had not hitherto been kept: and becauſe the aids which had been granted to the King, had turned to no profit of the King or kingdom: and becauſe of other grievances which the King promiſes to redreſs, the parliament came to this reſolution, “That there ſhould be a prorogation of three weeks, and that if in the mean time the King ſhould freely chuſe himſelf ſuch counſellors, and order the rights of the kingdom as ſhould be to their content, they would then give him an anſwer about the aid.” In theſe three weeks the lords drew up a proviſion by the King’s conſent, to this effect: “Concerning the liberties at another time bought, granted and confirmed, that for the time to come they be obſerved. For the greater ſecurity whereof, let a new charter be made, which ſhall make ſpecial mention of theſe things. Let thoſe be ſolemnly excommunicated by all the prelates, who wittingly op-

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