Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/124

78 King and his foreigners, or be able to contradict them. As for earl, who is reckoned our greateſt nobleman, he ſtood neutral. In like manner there were others not daring to mutter or ſpeak within their teeth. The archbiſhop of Canterbury, who ought to be like a ſhield againſt the aſſaults of the enemy, was engaged in ſecular affairs beyond ſea, taking little care of his flock in England. The magnanimous patriots and hearty lovers of the realm, namely, the archbiſhop of York,, biſhop of Lincoln, , and many others, were dead and gone. In the mean time, the Poitovin kindred of the King with the provincials, and now the Spaniards and the Romans, are daily enriched with the revenues as faſt as they ariſe, and are promoted to honours, while the Engliſh are repulſed.

this lamentable ſtate was the nation again, within two years after the ſo much magnified confirmation of their charter, which was indeed performed with the greateſt ſolemnity poſſible; for heaven and earth were called to witneſs it. The year following, though England ſtill lay under oppreſſion, yet the Welſh were reſolved to bear the tyranny no longer, but ſtood up for their