Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/56

10 which, when the King underſtood, he ſent to them the archbiſhop, the lord marſhal, earl of Pembroke, and ſeveral other ſage perſons, to know what were the laws and liberties they required; which they preſently delivered in a ſchedule to thoſe that came from the King, affirming, That if he would not forthwith confirm them under his ſeal, they would compel him, by ſeizing his caſtles, lands, and poſſeſſions, till he gave them competent ſatisfaction in the premiſes. Then the archbiſhop, with the reſt of his company, carrying this ſchedule to the king, rehearſed all the chapters or heads of it before him memoriter. But when the King underſtood, the purport of it he laughed and ſaid with the utmoſt indignation and ſcorn, “And why do not the barons, together with theſe unjuſt demands, demand my kingdom? The things they aſk,” ſaid he, “are idle and ſuperſtitious, and not ſupported by any title or pretence of reaſon.” And at length, in a great rage he affirmed with an oath, that he would never grant them ſuch liberties, whereby he himſelf ſhould be made a ſervant.

, therefore, the archbiſhop and earl of Pembroke could, in no wiſe, gain the King’s conſent to theſe liberties, by his command they returned