( 7 ) 



marrying a princefs of Englifli blood ; and Normandy 

 in the hands of his brother Robert was conlidered as a 

 country hoftile to England. At his acceflion he pro- 

 mifed to abolifh the opprefTions of his father and brother, 

 and to obferve the Saxon inftitutions, fo far as they had 

 not been altered by general alTent. If we notice what 

 were then deemed the opprefTions of the Conqueror and 

 Rufus, we fhall find they were arbitrary ftretches of 

 power, and not changes of the form of government ; 

 which remained, conftitutionally, always nearly the fame 

 (except the hereditary quality given to the office of peer 

 of the realm) tho in pra£lice overwhelmed by the in- 

 fluence of the crown. 



Each fucceeding reign commenced with a ftipulation 

 for the due obfervance of the Saxon inftitutions, which 

 were the eftabliftied law of the realm ; and under Henry 

 the fecond, the country generally flouriftied in good go- 

 vernment and internal peace. 



The extravagance of Richard and his brother John, 

 and the final feparation of Normandy from England in 

 the reign of the latter, deftroyed important fources of 

 royal influence. John became the penfioner of his 

 people; and as their penfioner became fubje6l to the laws 

 of his country, which his weaknefs led him perpetually 

 to infringe. His violence produced precife ftipulations 

 for the prefervation of the ancient conftitution, and the 

 liberties of the fubjedl, by the great charter and charter 

 of the forefts. When he offered to violate his engage- 

 ments, the indignation of the country called a foreign 

 prince to the throne ; but the death of John put an 

 end to thefe difturbances, and his infant fon fucceeded 

 to the crown. To pave the way for this fucceffion, 

 the friends of the young prince found that a promife of 



a 4 ftridt 



