The Archbishop Stephen Langhton persevering in his treasonable seditious practi∣ses* 1.1 against King Henry the 3d. as he had done against his Father King John, Anno 1223. demanded of him a confirmation of the Great Charter, granted and ra∣tified by his Father, on purpose to raise new Wars and Rebellions upon the same account, and in the same manner as he had * 1.2 formerly done; thus registred by Matthew Paris.
REX Henricus ad natale tenuit Curiam suam apud Oxoniam. Et postmodum,* 1.3 in octavis Epiphaniae, apud Londonias veniens cum Baronibus ad colloquium; requisitus est ab Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi, et Magnatibus aliis: ut Libertates, et liberas consuetudines, pro quibus guerra mota fuit contra Patrem suum, confirmaret. Et sicut Archiepiscopus ostendit evidenter, idem Rex diffugere non potuit, quin hoc faceret: cum in recessu Lodovici ab Anglia, juravit, et tota Nobilitas Regni cum eo; quod libertates praescriptas omnes observarent, et omni∣bus traderent observandas. Quod audiens Willielmus Briwere, qui unus erat ex Consiliariis Regis, pro Rege respondens, dixit: Libertates quas petitis, quia violen∣ter extortae fuerunt, non debent de jure observari. Quod verbum Archiepiscopus moleste ferens, increpavit eum, dicens: Willielme (inquit) si Re∣gem diligeres, pacem Regni non impedires. Uidens autem Rex Archiepiscopum in iram commotum, dixit: Omnes libertates illas juravimus, et omnes astricti sumus, ut quod juravimus, observemus. Et Rex protinus habito super hoc consilio, misit Literas suas ad singulos Vicecomites Regni; ut per Milites duodecim, vel legales homines, uniuscujusque Comitatus, per sa∣cramentum facerent inquiri, quae fuerunt libertates in Anglia, tempore Regis Henrici avi sui; & factam inquisitionem ad Londonias mitterent ad Regem, in quindecem diebus post Pascha.
Soon after, this Archbishop with 3. more Bishops came to Lewes the French King, to demand Normandy, and other transmarin Lands to be rendred to King Henry, ac∣cording to his Oath upon the Peace made between them: He refusing to perform it, replyed, (most probably by the Archbishops direction, whose words he used) That King Henry himself had violated his Oath and agreement between them, especially* 1.4 concerning their Liberties and Laws. De Libertatibus autem Regni Angliae, pro quibus guerra mota fuerat, qu•• in recessu suo concessae erant, & ab omnibus juratae, ita actum est;