[Sidenote: The abuses of those gouernurs.] But now to returne vnto the dooings in the parlement holden at Oxford. It was ordeined (as some write) that the king should choose twelue persons of the realme, and the communaltie of the land should choose other twelue, the which hauing regall authoritie in their hands, might take in charge, the gouernance of the realme vpon them, & should from yeare to yeare prouide for the due election of iustices, chancellors, treasurors, and other officers, and sée for the safe kéeping of the castels which belonged to the crowne. These foure and twentie gouernours appointed as prouiders for the good gouernement of the realme, began to order all things at their pleasure, in the meane time not forgetting to vse things chéeflie to their own aduantages, as well in prouiding eschets and wards for their sonnes and kinsfolks, as also in bestowing patronages of churches (belonging to the kings gift) at their pleasures, so that these prouiders séemed to prouide all for themselues, in so much that neither king nor Christ could receiue ought amongst them: and as for iustice they regarded nothing lesse, their minds were so rauished with desire of priuat wealth; which who so hunteth after, being in place of magistracie, he must néeds neglect the law and course of equitie, and therefore this counsell is good which a good writer giueth in this behalfe, saieng; [Sidenote: _M. Pal. in Virg. Fabian._] Si iustus vult esse aliquis non vtile quærat, Iusticia est multis laudata, domestica paucis. There be that write, how there were but twelue of these gouernours chosen; whose names were as followeth. First, the archbishop of Canturburie, the bishop of Worcester, Roger Bigod earle of Northfolke and marshall of England, Simon de Mountfort earle of Leicester, Richard de Clare earle of Glocester, Humfrey Bohun earle of Hereford, the earles of Warwike and Arundell, sir Iohn Mansell chéefe iustice of England, sir Roger lord Mortimer, sir Hugh Bigod, sir Peter de Sauoy, sir Iames Audeley, and sir Peter de Mountfort. To these was authoritie onelie giuen to punish and correct all such as offended in breaking of any the ordinances at this parlement established. [Sidenote: Contention betwixt the earles of Leicester and Glocester.] [Sidenote: The lords come to the Guildhall to haue their ordinances confirmed.]