82.] The concession of the Great Charter, or rather its full establishment, (for there was a considerable interval of time between the one and the other,) gave rise, by degrees, to a new species of government, and introduced some order and justice into the administration.

The ensuing scenes of our history are therefore somewhat different from the preceding.

Yet the Great Charter contained no establishment of new courts magistrates, or senates, nor abolition of the old.

It introduced no new distribution of the powers of the common-wealth, and no innovation in the political or public law of the kingdom.

It only guarded, and that merely by verbal clauses, against such tyrannical practices as are incompatible with civilized government, and, if they become very frequent, are incompatible with all government.
The barbarous license of the kings, and perhaps of the nobles, was thenceforth somewhat more restrained: men acquired some more security for their properties and their liberties; and government approached a little nearer to that end for which it was originally instituted--the distribution of justice, and the equal protection of the citizens.