rincipal
objects to which they had so long aspired.

But what we are most to admire is the prudence and moderation of those
haughty nobles themselves who were enraged by injuries, inflamed by
opposition, and elated by a total victory over their sovereign. They
were content, even in this plenitude of power, to depart from some
articles of Henry I's charter, which they made the foundation of their
demands, particularly from the abolition of wardships, a matter of the
greatest importance; and they seem to have been sufficiently careful
not to diminish too far the power and revenue of the crown. If they
appear, therefore, to have carried other demands to too great a
height, it can be ascribed only to the faithless and tyrannical
character of the King himself, of which they had long had experience,
and which they foresaw would, if they provided no further security,
lead him soon to infringe their new liberties, and revoke his own
concessions. This alone gave birth to those other articles, seemingly
exorbitant, which were added as a rampart for the safeguard of the
Great Charter.

The barons obliged the King to agree that London should remain in
their hands, and the Tower be consigned to the custody of the Primate
till the 15th of August ensuing or till the execution of the several
articles of the Great Charter. The better to insure the same end, he
allowed them to choose five-and-twenty members from their own body as
conservators of the public liberties; and no bounds were set to the
authority of these men either in extent or duration. If any complaint
were made of a violation of the charter, whether attempted by the
king, justiciaries, sheriffs, or foresters, any four of these barons
might admonish the king to redress the grievance; if satisfaction were
not obtained, they could assemble the whole council of twenty-five;
who, in conjunction with the great council, were empowered to compel
him to observe the charter, and, in case of resistance, might levy war
against him, attack his castles, and employ every kind of violence
except against his royal person and that of his queen and children.

All men throughout the kingdom were bound, under the penalty of
confiscation, to swear obedience to the twenty-five barons; and the
freeholders of each county were to choose twelve knights, who were to
make report of such evil customs as required redress, conformably to
the tenor of the Great Charter[56]. The names of those conservato