Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/121

Rh upon his ſoul. They demanded, moreover, to chuſe them a juſticiary, chancellor, and treaſurer, by the common council of the realm, as was the cuſtom from antient times, and was juſt; who likewiſe ſhould not be removed but for manifeſt faults, and by the common council and deliberation of the realm called together in parliament. For now there were ſo many Kings in England, that the antient heptarchy ſeemed to be revived.” You might have ſeen grief in the people’s countenances. For neither the prelates nor the nobles knew how to hold faſt their Proteus, I mean their King, although he ſhould have granted them all this. Becauſe in every thing he tranſgreſſes the bounds of truth; and where there is no truth, no certainty can be had. It was told them likewiſe by the gentlemen of the bed-chamber, who were moſt intimate with the King, that he would by no means grant them their deſire about the juſticiary, chancellor and treaſurer. Moreover, their prelates were bloodily grieved about their tenth, which they promiſed conditionally, and now were forced to pay abſolutely, the church being uſed like a ſervant maid. The nobles were wounded with the exaction which hung over their heads, and were bewildered.