grant by way of charter, and under ſeal, whereby he gave them their own and quitted all claim to it himſelf, was looked upon as the utmoſt confirmation and corroboration, and the laſt degree of ſettlement amongſt the Normans. And therefore, though King William was too ſtrong for his own Charter, and ſhamefully broke it, yet they covenanted with his ſon Henry I. before they choſe him King, that as ſoon as he was crowned he ſhould give them another, which accordingly he did. In the ſame manner they dealt with King Stephen. And this made them covenant after the ſame manner with King John before they admitted him to the crown; and ſo much inſiſted afterwards upon having his charter, and having their liberties ſecured and fortified with his ſeal, ſigillo ſuo munitas, as they termed it. For in thoſe days, what was not under ſeal, was not thought good in law: and not long before in Henry the ſecond’s time, the biſhop of Lincoln in a trial before the King, was for ſetting aſide all the Saxon king’s charters granted to the Abby of St. Alban’s, for want of a ſeal, till the King ſeeing a charter of Henry I. which confirmed them all[1], “Why here,” ſays he, “is my grand-
- ↑ In vitis abb. p. 79.
