This liberty was to be guaranteed by laws in such a way that it was never to be curtailed or violated.

No mere man was to be given an opportunity to tamper with it.

The individual was to be protected at all costs.

No king, or sheriff, or judge, or officer was to lay his finger on a free man save at his peril.

If he did, the free man might immediately have his "law"-- "have the law on him," as the good old expression was--for no king or sheriff was above the law.