(3): Suspicions of John’s good faith.

There is evidence that the King was distrustful of the barons’ good faith, and desired on his part some “sanction” that they would not again renounce allegiance. The barons’ promise to grant John security, and the written protest against their breach of faith, made by Langton and other prelates at John’s request, have already been described.

The barons, on their part, soon came to the conclusion that the Committee, in spite of all its powers, formed an inadequate sanction against John. They demanded further “security.” The city of London was placed in their hands, and the Tower of London in the neutral custody of the primate, as pledges of John’s good faith, until 15th August or longer if need were. Those terms were reduced to writing in a document entitled “Conventio facta inter Regem Angliae et barones ejusdem regni,” which thus supplied a new “form of security,” supplementing, if not superseding, that contained in chapter 61.