ful authority of Kings and of the People?
Happily in the violent ſhocks which the diviſions between Kings and the Nobles gave to empires, the chains of Nations were more or leſs heavy. Liberty, in England, ſprung from the quarrels of Tyrants. The Barons forc'd King John and King Henry the third, to grant the famous Magna Charta, the chief deſign of which was indeed to make Kings dependant on the Lords, but then the reſt of the nation were a little favour'd in it, in order that they might join, on proper occaſions, with their pretended Maſters. This great Charter which is conſider'd as the ſacred origin of the Engliſh Liberties, ſhews in it ſelf how little Liberty was known.
The Title alone proves, that the King thought he had a juſt right to be abſolute; and that the Barons, and even the Clergy forc'd him to give up the pretended right, for no other reaſon but becauſe they were the moſt powerful.
Magna Charta begins in this ſtile, We grant, of our own free will, the fol-
