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ftricl obfervance of the eftabliflied conftitution was 

 cffentially neceflary. 



Henry the third was one of the weakeft princes that 

 ever fat on the throne of England. Always in want of 

 money, yet always infringing the liberties of his fubjedls ; 

 always bartering for confirmation of their rights, and 

 always breaking his engagements ; he at length excited 

 a democratical fpirit in the country, which tended to the 

 introdudlion of fuch reftraints on the kingly power as 

 amounted almofl: to the abolition of monarchical govern- 

 ment, and the cftablifhment of an ariftocratical tyranny 

 in it's ftead. The abilities of his fon extricated him from 

 his diftrefs ; he became fo far wifer by misfortune as to 

 be defirous of obtaining repofe by forbearing to break 

 the engagements he had made, and his days ended in 

 peace. 



At the clofe of his reign, the conftitution of the legif- 

 lature, which had been gradually verging towards the 

 form it now bears, and had been imperfe£lly modelled 

 by the charter of John, was at length placed nearly on 

 it's prefent eftablifhment ; and fo happily framed was the 

 general machine of government, that altho Edward I. 

 was at the death of his father in the holy land, and a 

 year had elapfed before he arrived in England, yet all 

 the powers of government were in the mean time duly 

 adminiftered under the fansSlion of the permanent council 

 of the crown, the lords fpi ritual and temporal, who 

 a6ling in the king's name conducted in his abfence the 

 whole bufmefs of the country. 



Edward I. was one of the greateft and wifeft of our 

 princes. Experience had taught him the temper of his 

 people, and the true conftitution of their government. 

 With fome contention he fubmittcd to both ; he reformed 

 the abufes of former times, and during his reign the con- 

 ftitution 



