Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/189

Rh were intermutual. The news of a new King made and crowned in Scotland, was that which wrought the effect hereof. For upon this he went to Scotland, and not long after wintering at Carliſle, held his laſt parliament there: wherein ſays, the ſtate was mindful of the pope’s late action, and got many ordinances to paſs for reformation of the abuſes of his miniſters, and his own former exactions.” In the next reign it was confirmed in the third year of II. and afterwards greatly violated; but every body knows what came of that.

K. the third’s time it received many noble confirmations; and amongſt the reſt, in the forty ſecond year of his reign, it is provided, that all ſtatutes made againſt Magna Charta are void. In the fourth year of II. it was appointed by the archbiſhop and lord chancellor to be read at the opening of the parliament, as if it were the foundation and ſtandard of our laws; and in ſhort, it was confirmed over and over again in the ſucceeding reigns; ſo that it was always common law, it is now become a great part of the ſtatute law, the ſtatute called The great charter of the liberties of England, and The laudable ſtatute