Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/227

Rh maſter, ſub-deacon of our Lord the apoſtle, and of our friend brother , maſter of the order of knights templars in England; and by the advice of our barons, , earl marſhal earl of Pembroke, , earl Saliſbury, , earl of Warren, , earl of Arundel, of Galloway, conſtable of Scotland, , , , , , , , and , and by the advice of other lieges:

in the firſt place granted to, and confirmed by this our preſent charter, for us and for our heirs for ever, That the churches of England ſhall be free, and ſhall enjoy their rights and franchiſes entirely and fully: and this our purpoſe is, that it be obſerved, as may appear by our having granted, of our mere and free will, that elections ſhould be free (which is reputed to be a very great and very neceſſary privilege of the churches of England) before the difference aroſe betwixt