Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/152

years to come, and for the year laſt paſt, ſo much as they gave the barons for guarding the ſea againſt ſtrangers.” To this they gave anſwer, “That the war began by unjuſt covetiſe, and is not yet over [the iſle of Ely being not then reduced] and it were neceſſary to let alone ſuch very bad petitions as theſe, and to treat of the peace of the realm, and to convert his parliament to the profit of church and kingdom, not to the extortion of pence, eſpecially when the land is ſo far deſtroyed by the war, that it will be a long time, if ever, before it recover.” The ſeventh is in the pope’s behalf, for the ſpeedy preaching up of a cruſado throughout all England. To this they made anſwer, “That the people of the land are in a great part, deſtroyed by the war; and if they ſhould now engage in a cruſado, few or none would be left for the defence of their country; whereby it is manifeſt, that the legate would have the natural progeny of the land into baniſhment, that ſtrangers might the more eaſily conquer the land.” Art. VIII. Alſo it was ſaid, “That the prelates were bound to agree to all theſe petitions nolens volens, becauſe of the late oath at Coventry, where they ſwore they would aid our lord the King, all manner of ways they

could