Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/145

Rh allowed   ; for every greater contains in it the leſs, and the power of the twenty four counſellors at Oxford, as much as the power of coerſion and puniſhing is above that of directing.

French King and parliament were ſo far parties, that (as we ſaw before) they had promiſed the King a powerful aſſiſtance; which gave him encouragement ſo openly to break his oath, and undoe what he had done: which certainly the barons did not then know, or elſe they would have been very far from ſubmitting to their determination; eſpecially when they could get nothing by it. For if he had proceeded in favour of them, they only had been where they were before, a foreign confirmation adding no authority to the Engliſh laws; and that determination that was made, only ſerved to puzzle the cauſe, and to bring on a war upon them, which it muſt be this unwiſe expedient was intended to prevent.

firſt aggreſſor in this war was, who invaded and ravaged the lands of ; but he was ſoon even with him: the prince likewiſe took ſeveral caſtles; and earl of Derby, who was of neither ſide, took that opportunity to ſeize and plunder