Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/23

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DISCOURSE.
xvii

They do therefore humbly pray your moſt excellent majeſty that no man hereafter be compelled to make or yield any gift, loan, benevolence, tax, or ſuch like charge, without common conſent by act of parliament; and that none be called to make anſwer, or take ſuch oath, or to give attendance, or be confined, or otherwiſe moleſted or diſquieted concerning the ſame, or for refuſal thereof: and that no freeman in any ſuch manner, as is before mentioned, be impriſoned or detained: and that your majeſty would be pleaſed to remove the ſaid ſoldiers and mariners, and that your people may not be ſo burthened in the time to come: and that the aforeſaid commiſſions for proceeding by martial law, may be revoked, and annulled; and that hereafter, no commiſſions of like nature, may iſſue forth to any perſon or perſons whatſoever, to be executed as aforeſaid, left by colour of them, any of your majeſty’s ſubjects be deſtroyed or put to death, contrary to the laws and franchiſes of the land.

All which they moſt humbly pray of your moſt excellent majeſty, as their rights and liberties, according to the laws and ſtatutes of this realm: and that your majeſty would alſo vouchſafe to declare, that the awards, doings, and

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