of the
said twenty-five barons, those four barons shall come before us,
or our Chief Justiciary if we are out of the realm, declaring the
offense, and shall demand speedy amends for the same. If we or, in
case of our being out of the realm, our Chief Justiciary fails to
afford redress within forty days from the time the case was
brought before us or, in the event of our having been out of the
realm, our Chief Justiciary, the aforesaid four barons shall refer
the matter to the rest of the twenty-five barons, who, together
with the commonalty of the whole country, shall distrain and
distress us to the utmost of their power, to wit, by capture of
our castles, lands, and possessions and by all other possible
means, until compensation is made according to their decision,
saving our person and that of our Queen and children; as soon as
redress has been had, they shall return to their former
allegiance. Anyone in the realm may take oath that, for the
accomplishment of all the aforesaid matters, he will obey the
orders of the said twenty-five barons and distress us to the
utmost of his power; and we give public and free leave to everyone
wishing to take oath to do so, and to none will we deny the same.
Moreover, all such of our subjects who do not of their own free
will and accord agree to swear to the said twenty-five barons, to
distrain and distress us together with them, we will compel to do
so by our command in the aforesaid manner. If any one of the
twenty-five barons dies or leaves the country or is in any way
hindered from executing the said office, the rest of the said
twenty-five barons shall choose another in his stead, at their
discretion, who shall be sworn in like manner as the others. In
all cases which are referred to the said twenty-five barons to
execute, and in which a difference arises among them, supposing
them all to be present, or in which not all who have been summoned
are willing or able to appear, the verdict of the majority shall
be considered as firm and binding as if the whole number had been
of one mind. The aforesaid twenty-five shall swear to keep
faithfully all the aforesaid articles and, to the best of their
power, to cause them to be kept by others. We will not procure,
either by ourself or any other, anything from any man whereby any
of these concessions or liberties may be revoked or abated. If any
such procurement is made, let it be null and void; it shall never
be made use of either by us