(1) _The Feudal Aristocracy._ Even a casual glance at the clauses of the Great Charter shows how prominently abuses of feudal rights and obligations bulked in the eyes of its promoters. Provisions of this type must be considered chiefly as concessions to the feudal aristocracy—although it is true that the relief primarily intended for them indirectly benefited other classes as well. (2) _Churchmen._ The position of the Church is easily understood when we neglect the privileges enjoyed by its great men _quâ_ barons rather than _quâ_ prelates. The special Church clauses found no place whatsoever in the Articles of the Barons, but bear every appearance of having been tacked on as an after-thought, due probably to the influence of Stephen Langton.[209] Further, they are mainly confirmatory of the separate Charter already twice granted within the few preceding months. The National Church indeed, with all its patriotism, had been careful to secure its own selfish advantage before the political crisis arrived. ----- Footnote 209: Cf. _supra_, p. 50. ----- (3) _Tenants of Mesne Lords._ When raising troops with the object of compelling John to grant Magna Carta by parade of armed might, the barons were perforce obliged to rely on the loyal support of their own freeholders. It was essential that the knights and others who held under them should be ready to fight for their mesne lords rather than for the King their lord paramount. It was thus absolutely necessary that these under-tenants should receive some recognition of their claims in the provisions of the final settlement. Concessions conceived in their favour are contained in two clauses (couched apparently in no specially generous spirit), namely, chapters 15 and 60. The former limits the number of occasions on which aids might be extorted from sub-tenants by their mesne lords to the same three as were recognized in the case of the Crown. Less than this the barons could scarcely have granted. Chapter 60 provides generally, in vague words, that all the customs and liberties which John agrees to observe towards his vassals shall be also observed by mesne lords, whether prelates or laymen, towards their sub-vassals. This provision has met with a chorus of applause from modern writers. Prof. Prothero declares[210] that “the sub-tenant was in all cases as scrupulously protected as the tenant-in-chief.” Dr. Hannis Taylor[211] is even more enthusiastic. “Animated by a broad spirit of generous patriotism, the barons stipulated in the treaty that every limitation imposed for their protection upon the feudal rights of the king should also be imposed upon their rights as mesne lords in favour of the under-tenants who held of them.”[212] It must, however, be remembered that a vague general clause affords less protection than a definite specific privilege; and that in a rude age such a general declaration of principle might readily be infringed when occasion arose.