committee is to be formed of twenty-five barons. Then if the king or
any of his servants do wrong and complaint is made to four of the
twenty-five, they are to ask for redress. In the event of this not
being granted within forty days the matter is to be referred to the
twenty-five, who are empowered to seize the lands and property of the
king, or to obtain justice in any other way possible. They must,
however, spare the persons of the king, the queen and their children.
Vacancies in the committee are to be filled by the barons themselves.
The twenty-five barons were duly appointed, their names being given by
Matthew Paris. This chronicler also reports that another committee of
thirty-eight members was appointed to assist and control the
twenty-five. S. R. Gardiner calls the scheme "a permanent organization
for making war against the king."