Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/75

and laid the ruin of it deeply to heart. And reſolving to have done with ſuch a barbarous tyrant, and to chuſe a new King; after ſome debate, they unanimouſly agreed upon Lewis, the dauphin of France. Their main reaſon was, becauſe the moſt of K. John’s army being ſubjects of France, upon the firſt appearance of Lewis, they would be apt to join him, and leave K. John, whereby of neceſſity he would be ſoon brought to reaſon, and in all probability, it would be a very ſhort war. Lewis readily accepted their offer, and came over upon the ſecurity of twenty-four of the principal barons’ ſons for hoſtages; and being joyfully received at London by the barons, had homage and fealty ſworn to him, and he himſelf ſwore “To reſtore them their good laws, and their loſt inheritances.” After which, he wrote to the King of Scotland to come and do him homage, and to all the great men of England to come and do the like, or elſe immediately depart the kingdom. Upon which, the earls of Warren, Arundel, Saliſbury, K. John’s brother, and the earl marſhal’s ſon, with many others, readily obeyed this ſummons, and left K. John, as did his foreigners, all but the Poitovins; ſome of them returning home with their ſpoils, and the reſt coming over to the dauphin.

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