But peace in one direction did not mean peace in all. John's tyranny,
brutality, and disregard of his subjects' welfare had gone too far.
He had refused the Church the right to fill its offices and enjoy its
revenues. He had extorted exhorbitant sums from the barons. He had
violated the charters of London and other cities. He had compelled
merchants to pay large sums for the privilege of carrying on their
business unmolested. He had imprisoned men on false or frivolous
charges, and refused to bring them to trial. He had unjustly claimed
heavy sums from villeins, or farm laborers (S113), and other poor men;
and when they could not pay, had seized their carts and tools, thus
depriving them of their means of livelihood.
Those who had suffered these and greater wrongs were determined to
have reformation, and to have it in the form of a written charter or
pledge bearing the King's seal. Stephen Langton, the new archbishop,
was likewise determined. He no sooner landed in England than he
demanded of the King that he should swear to observe the laws of
Edward the Confessor (S65), a phrase[1] in which the whole of the
national liberties was summed up.
[1] Not necessarily the laws made by that King, but rather the customs
and rights enjoyed by the people during his reign.