mence their survey of the Forests in Harvest-time, they should meet at Northampton, at the farthest by the ensuing Michaelmas day: he also requested that the people would not believe any that maliciously reported to the contrary, in order to awaken strife between the Sovereign and the Nation. At another Parliament which sat at London on the 6th of March, the Charters were again confirmed by a new statute, entitled the "The Articles upon the Charters," hereafter printed, in the series of these instruments. After much doubt concerning the King's promise, it is supposed that the Forest Commissioners or Perambulators, met at Northampton, about Michaelmas, in the year 1299, to arrange their plans of proceedings for the next Spring. On the first of April, 1300, Edward issued Writs to each of them, commanding them to commence their journies through the ForestCounties; and on the 10th of May, these were followed by Commissions to the Knights who had been elected in the various Shires, by others dated on May the 27th, to put in force and execute the two Charters. The Forest Commissioners concluded their perambulations for settling the boundaries of the Royal Woods, about the Summer of of the year 1300. On September the 29th, a Parliament was called to assemble at Lincoln on the 20th of January in the following year, and every person cited to appear thereat, who could offer any reason why the report of these Commissioners

should not be proceeded upon. The Perambulations were then finally examined and approved by the Parliament, having been attested by the King's Justices, the oaths of a Jury, and the evidence of the Verderers and Foresters of each Forest. After receiving a fifteenth from the Commonalty of England, the King, on the 14th of the succeeding February, confirmed the Perambulations, by which he thus fixed the future boundaries of the Forests, and at the same time issued the last Confirmation of the Charters; with the provisions, "that if any thing had been enacted contrary to their true sense and meaning, it should be remedied or even annulled, by the common consent of the Realm. a""

Thus, after the example of Blackstone's celebrated Introduction, although certainly with much less minuteness, have been traced the rise, fluctuating progress, and permanent conclusion of Magna Charta. Sir Edward Coke, in the Proën to the second of his Institutes, remarks, that Magna Charta and the Charta Foresta, "have been confirmed, established, and commanded to be put into execution by thirty-two several acts of Parliament in all;" and when this is properly considered, it will be evident that it must occupy a history of no trivial extent, to shew all the circumstances and events concerning it. The centuries which have elapsed since it's execution, and the consequent oblivion into which many of the customs so early a period must have fallen,

a Blackst. Introd. lxxiii.

while they are sufficient arguments for the illustration of the history of the Great Charter, are at the same time almost insurmountable barriers to the performance of it. By means of an Essay even imperfect as the present, however, some idea may be formed of the manner in which the English Baron s thought and acted: what circumstances opposed their progress, or what events combined to assist them; and when the Reader is possessed of only such information as this, he will with greater satisfaction turn to the modernised Copies and Translations, which occupy the following pages.

without destruction or waste of the men or goods; and if the Keeper of such land shall make destruction or waste, he shall be dismissed from that, gaurdianship; (5). and the Keeper shall maintain the houses, parks, fish-ponds, mills, and other things which belong to the land, or to the rents thereof: (6). and that Heirs shall be married without disparagement, so that it be by the advice of them that are nearest of kin.

IV. (7). No Widow shall give any thing for her Dower or Marriage, after the decease of her husband: but she may remain within his house for forty days after his death; and within that term they shall be assigned her, and she shall have in the same place her Dower, and her Marriage-portion, and her Inheritance.

V. (9). The King nor his Bailiffs shall not seize upon any land for debt, while there are sufficient goods of the Debtor's; nor shall the Securities of a Debtor be distressed, so long as the principal Debtor be solvent: but if the principal Debtor fail in payment, the Securities, if they be willing, shall have the lands of the Debtor until they shall be repaid; unless the principal Debtor can show himself to be acquitted thereof from the Securities.

VI. (15.) The King shall not grant to any of his Barons, that he shall take aid of his Free-men, unless it be for the redeeming of his own body, for the making of his eldest son a Knight, and