Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/219

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ARTICLES, &c.
173

This is the form of the ſecurity for keeping peace and the liberties betwixt the King and the kingdom. The barons ſhall chuſe five and twenty barons of the realm, whom they will themſelves, upon whom it ſhall be incumbent, that with all their might they obſerve and keep, and cauſe to be obſerved and kept, the peace and liberties which the King has granted to them, and confirmed by his charter; to wit, “That if the King, or his juſtices, or bailiffs, or any of his miniſters, offend any perſon contrary to any of the ſaid articles, or tranſgreſs any article of this peace and ſecurity, and that ſuch offence be made known to four of the ſaid five and twenty barons; thoſe four barons ſhall go to the King, or to his juſticiary, if the King be out of the realm, declaring to him that ſuch an abuſe is committed, and ſhall deſire him to cauſe it ſpeedily to be redreſſed. And if the King, or (if he be out of the realm) his juſticiary, do not redreſs it, thoſe four barons ſhall within a reaſonable time, to be limited in the charter, refer the matter to the reſidue of the five and twenty barons. And thoſe five and twenty, with the commonalty of all the land, ſhall diſtreſs the King all the ways they can, to wit, by ſeizing his caſtles, be lands and poſſeſſi-

ons,