We now wish you all to know that we have sworn, on the holy gospels of God, that we will maintain the tranquillity of our realm. We will not proceed against or seek to blame, by reason of whatever was done in the time of the said disturbances or of the war, any of those whom we denounced as enemies, or any of their supporters. That is to say, the earls of Leicester and of Gloucester and others supporting them.
And we wish and expressly agree that if we, or Edward our son, should in any way disturb the peace and tranquillity of our realm, or should proceed against anyone of whom we denounced in the time of the disturbances of war, then it shall be lawful for all our realm to rise up against us.
Even more remarkable than the Inspeximus is this document which extends the 1225 version of Magna Carta by adding this clause. This calls on subjects to rebel against the King if he should break the law! This is like the ‘security clause 61’ of the original 1215 Magna Carta. The question is whether this agreement will last. And will de Montfort lose support from the barons because of the power he has gained and his control over the king?
The Form of Peace and the King's Oath March 1265
C53/54
The National Archives
Test your understanding
Who had Henry denounced as his enemies?
Not quite right... Why don’t you return to the document and listen to the transcript again, then try again?
Excellent! That’s correct. It was the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester.
Why have the barons rebelled against Henry III?
- Is it because Simon de Montfort is an ambitious traitor who wants power for himself? Is he not really interested in the liberties granted by Magna Carta and is acting like a revolutionary dictator by seizing power?
- Or is it Henry who cannot be trusted? Has he ruled the kingdom badly and he is also trying to get out of commitments he has made to rule according to Magna Carta and the Provisions of Oxford?
- It is the view of this chronicle that the barons have rebelled against King Henry III because…
