Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/111

Rh And when (ſays Matt. Paris) the great men in the receſs of three weeks had diligently treated of theſe matters, which were ſo exceedingly profitable for the common-wealth, the enemy of mankind, the diſturber of peace, and the raiſer of diviſion, the devil, through the pope’s avarice, unhappily put a ſtop to the whole buſineſs. For in this nick of time, comes a legate to raiſe money, with new and unheard of powers; and this put all into confuſion, and made work for a long time after.

years after this, A.D. 1248. a parliament meets the ſennight after Candlemas at London, that they may treat diligently and effectually with our lord the king, of the affairs of the realm, which is very much diſordered and impoveriſhed, and enormouſly maimed in our days. The parliament, underſtanding that the king intended to aſk an aid of money, told him that he ought to be aſhamed to demand ſuch a thing, eſpecially feeing that in the laſt exaction of that kind, to which the nobles of England conſented with much difficulty, he gave them a charter that he would never burden nor injure them with the like again. He was likewiſe grievouſly reprehended, and no wonder, for calling in aliens, and