A

1649-13

HISTORY and DEFENCE

O F

MAGNA CHARTA.

CONTAINING

A COPY OF THE

ORIGINAL CHARTER at large,

WITH AN

ENGLISH TRANSLATION;
The Manner of its being obtained from

KING

JOHN,

With its PRESERVATION and FINAL ESTABLISH-
MENT in the SUCCEEDING REIGNS;

WITH ΑΝ

INTRODUCTORY DISCOURSE,
Containing a short Account of the Rife and Progrefs of National
Freedom, From the Invasion of Cafar to the prefent Times.
Alfo the LIBERTIES which are confirmed by the

BILL OF RIGHTS, &c.

ORIGIN IN ENGLAND,
And the extraordinary Means by which they have been
lengthened from half Yearly to Septennial ones.

LONDO N.

Printed for J. BELL, (Succeffor to Mr. BATHOE) at
his Circulating-Library, near Exeter-Exchange, in the
Strand; S. BLADON, Pater-nofter-Row; and C. ETHER-
INGTON, at York.

M.DCC.LXIX.

Halk's

حل

114797

T

HOUGH it is very difficult to

trace the first rudiments of the

policy and laws established in England, yet we have the greatest reason to believe, that the natives, even in the earlieft ages, were divided into fmall communities, in which a kind of democracy had the afcendant. CESAR, on his invafion of this island, feems to confirm this opinion in feveral paffages of his commentaries, and expressly tells us, "The chief command " and administration of the war was, by "the common council, beftowed on Cas

A

SIVELAN." In emerging from a state of rudeness and fimplicity, men generally act from that spirit of independance to which they have been accustomed. It is propable, therefore, that the old inhabitants had no monarch; but, upon any extraordinary occafion,

2.

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