MAGNA CARTA

The Great Charter of English liberty granted (under considerable duress) by King John at Runnymede on June 15, 1 15
John, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of An ou, to hi! archbi!ho"!, bi!ho"!, abbot!, earl!, baron!, u!tice!, fore!ter!, !heriff!, !te#ard!, !er$ant!, and to all hi! official! and loyal !ub ect!, greeting% Kno# that before God, for the health of our !oul and tho!e of our ance!tor! and heir!, to the honour of God, the e&altation of the holy Church, and the better ordering of our kingdom, at the ad$ice of our re$erend father! 'te"hen, archbi!ho" of Canterbury, "rimate of all England, and cardinal of the holy (oman Church, )enry archbi!ho" of Dublin, *illiam bi!ho" of London, +eter bi!ho" of *inche!ter, Jocelin bi!ho" of ,ath and Gla!tonbury, )ugh bi!ho" of Lincoln, *alter ,i!ho" of *orce!ter, *illiam bi!ho" of Co$entry, ,enedict bi!ho" of (oche!ter, -a!ter +andulf !ubdeacon and member of the "a"al hou!ehold, ,rother Aymeric ma!ter of the Knight! of the .em"le in England, *illiam -ar!hal, earl of +embroke, *illiam earl of 'ali!bury, *illiam earl of *arren, *illiam earl of Arundel, Alan de Gallo#ay con!table of 'cotland, *arin /it0 Gerald, +eter /it0 )erbert, )ubert de ,urgh !ene!chal of +oitou, )ugh de Ne$ille, -atthe# /it0 )erbert, .homa! ,a!!et, Alan ,a!!et, +hili" Daubeny, (obert de (o""eley, John -ar!hal, John /it0 )ugh, and other loyal !ub ect!1 2% /ir!t, that #e ha$e granted to God, and by thi! "re!ent charter ha$e confirmed for u! and our heir! in "er"etuity, that the Engli!h Church !hall be free, and !hall ha$e it! right! undimini!hed, and it! libertie! unim"aired% .hat #e #i!h thi! !o to be ob!er$ed, a""ear! from the fact that of our o#n free #ill, before the outbreak of the "re!ent di!"ute bet#een u! and our baron!, #e granted and confirmed by charter the freedom of the Church3! election! 4 a right reckoned to be of the greate!t nece!!ity and im"ortance to it 4 and cau!ed thi! to be confirmed by +o"e Innocent III% .hi! freedom #e !hall ob!er$e our!el$e!, and de!ire to be ob!er$ed in good faith by our heir! in "er"etuity% *e ha$e al!o granted to all free men of our realm, for u! and our heir! for e$er, all the libertie! #ritten out belo#, to ha$e and to kee" for them and their heir!, of u! and our heir!1 5% If any earl, baron, or other "er!on that hold! land! directly of the Cro#n, for military !er$ice, !hall die, and at hi! death hi! heir !hall be of full age and o#e a 6relief3, the heir !hall ha$e hi! inheritance on "ayment of the ancient !cale of 6relief3% .hat i! to !ay, the heir or heir! of an earl !hall "ay for the entire earl3! barony, the heir or heir! of a knight l77!% at mo!t for the entire knight3! 6fee3, and any man that o#e! le!! !hall "ay le!!, in accordance #ith the ancient u!age of 6fee!3 8% ,ut if the heir of !uch a "er!on i! under age and a #ard, #hen he come! of age he !hall ha$e hi! inheritance #ithout 6relief3 or fine% 9% .he guardian of the land of an heir #ho i! under age !hall take from it only rea!onable re$enue!, cu!tomary due!, and feudal !er$ice!% )e !hall do thi! #ithout de!truction or damage to men or "ro"erty% If #e ha$e gi$en the guardian!hi" of the land to a !heriff, or to any "er!on an!#erable to u! for the re$enue!, and he commit! de!truction or damage, #e #ill e&act com"en!ation from him, and the land !hall be entru!ted to t#o #orthy and "rudent men of the !ame 6fee3, #ho !hall be an!#erable to u! for the re$enue!, or to the "er!on to #hom #e ha$e a!!igned them% If #e ha$e gi$en or !old to anyone the guardian!hi" of !uch land, and he cau!e! de!truction or damage, he !hall lo!e the guardian!hi" of it, and it !hall be handed o$er to t#o #orthy and "rudent men of the !ame 6fee3, #ho !hall be !imilarly an!#erable to u!% :% /or !o long a! a guardian ha! guardian!hi" of !uch land, he !hall maintain the hou!e!, "ark!, fi!h "re!er$e!, "ond!, mill!, and e$erything el!e "ertaining to it, from the re$enue! of the land it!elf% *hen the heir come! of age, he !hall re!tore the #hole land to him, !tocked #ith "lough

team! and !uch im"lement! of hu!bandry a! the !ea!on demand! and the re$enue! from the land can rea!onably bear% ;% )eir! may be gi$en in marriage, but not to !omeone of lo#er !ocial !tanding% ,efore a marriage take! "lace, it !hall be3 made kno#n to the heir3! ne&t4of4kin% <% At her hu!band3! death, a #ido# may ha$e her marriage "ortion and inheritance at once and #ithout trouble% 'he !hall "ay nothing for her do#er, marriage "ortion, or any inheritance that !he and her hu!band held ointly on the day of hi! death% 'he may remain in her hu!band3! hou!e for forty day! after hi! death, and #ithin thi! "eriod her do#er !hall be a!!igned to her% =% No #ido# !hall be com"elled to marry, !o long a! !he #i!he! to remain #ithout a hu!band% ,ut !he mu!t gi$e !ecurity that !he #ill not marry #ithout royal con!ent, if !he hold! her land! of the Cro#n, or #ithout the con!ent of #hate$er other lord !he may hold them of% >% Neither #e nor our official! #ill !ei0e any land or rent in "ayment of a debt, !o long a! the debtor ha! mo$able good! !ufficient to di!charge the debt% A debtor3! !uretie! !hall not be di!trained u"on !o long a! the debtor him!elf can di!charge hi! debt% If, for lack of mean!, the debtor i! unable to di!charge hi! debt, hi! !uretie! !hall be an!#erable for it% If they !o de!ire, they may ha$e the debtor3! land! and rent! until they ha$e recei$ed !ati!faction for the debt that they "aid for him, unle!! the debtor can !ho# that he ha! !ettled hi! obligation! to them% 27% If anyone #ho ha! borro#ed a !um of money from Je#! die! before the debt ha! been re"aid, hi! heir !hall "ay no intere!t on the debt for !o long a! he remain! under age, irre!"ecti$e of #hom he hold! hi! land!% If !uch a debt fall! into the hand! of the Cro#n, it #ill take nothing e&ce"t the "rinci"al !um !"ecified in the bond% 22% If a man die! o#ing money to Je#!, hi! #ife may ha$e her do#er and "ay nothing to#ard! the debt from it% If he lea$e! children that are under age, their need! may al!o be "ro$ided for on a !cale a""ro"riate to the !i0e of hi! holding of land!% .he debt i! to be "aid out of the re!idue, re!er$ing the !er$ice due to hi! feudal lord!% Debt! o#ed to "er!on! other than Je#! are to be dealt #ith !imilarly% 25% No 6!cutage3 or 6aid3 may be le$ied in our kingdom #ithout it! general con!ent, unle!! it i! for the ran!om of our "er!on, to make our elde!t !on a knight, and ?once@ to marry our elde!t daughter% /or the!e "ur"o!e! only a rea!onable 6aid3 may be le$ied% 6Aid!3 from the city of London are to be treated !imilarly% 28% .he city of London !hall en oy all it! ancient libertie! and free cu!tom!, both by land and by #ater% *e al!o #ill and grant that all other citie!, borough!, to#n!, and "ort! !hall en oy all their libertie! and free cu!tom!% 29% .o obtain the general con!ent of the realm for the a!!e!!ment of an 6aid3 4 e&ce"t in the three ca!e! !"ecified abo$e 4 or a 6!cutage3, #e #ill cau!e the archbi!ho"!, bi!ho"!, abbot!, earl!, and greater baron! to be !ummoned indi$idually by letter% .o tho!e #ho hold land! directly of u! #e #ill cau!e a general !ummon! to be i!!ued, through the !heriff! and other official!, to come together on a fi&ed day ?of #hich at lea!t forty day! notice !hall be gi$en@ and at a fi&ed "lace% In all letter! of !ummon!, the cau!e of the !ummon! #ill be !tated% *hen a !ummon! ha! been i!!ued, the bu!ine!! a""ointed for the day !hall go for#ard in accordance #ith the re!olution of tho!e "re!ent, e$en if not all tho!e #ho #ere !ummoned ha$e a""eared% 2:% In future #e #ill allo# no one to le$y an 6aid3 from hi! free men, e&ce"t to ran!om hi! "er!on, to make hi! elde!t !on a knight, and ?once@ to marry hi! elde!t daughter% /or the!e "ur"o!e! only a rea!onable 6aid3 may be le$ied% 2;% No man !hall be forced to "erform more !er$ice for a knight3! 6fee3, or other free holding of land, than i! due from it% 2<% Ardinary la#!uit! !hall not follo# the royal court around, but !hall be held in a fi&ed "lace% 2=% Inque!t! of no$el di!!ei!in, mort d3ance!tor, and darrein "re!entment !hall be taken only in their "ro"er county court% *e our!el$e!, or in our ab!ence abroad our chief u!tice, #ill !end t#o u!tice! to each county four time! a year, and the!e u!tice!, #ith four knight! of the county elected

by the county it!elf, !hall hold the a!!i0e! in the county court, on the day and in the "lace #here the court meet!% 2>% If any a!!i0e! cannot be taken on the day of the county court, a! many knight! and freeholder! !hall after#ard! remain behind, of tho!e #ho ha$e attended the court, a! #ill !uffice for the admini!tration of u!tice, ha$ing regard to the $olume of bu!ine!! to be done% 57% /or a tri$ial offence, a free man !hall be fined only in "ro"ortion to the degree of hi! offence, and for a !eriou! offence corre!"ondingly, but not !o hea$ily a! to de"ri$e him of hi! li$elihood% In the !ame #ay, a merchant !hall be !"ared hi! merchandi!e, and a hu!bandman the im"lement! of hi! hu!bandry, if they fall u"on the mercy of a royal court% None of the!e fine! !hall be im"o!ed e&ce"t by the a!!e!!ment on oath of re"utable men of the neighbourhood% 52% Earl! and baron! !hall not be amerced !a$e through their "eer!, and only according to the mea!ure of the offence% 55% No clerk !hall be amerced for hi! lay tenement ece"t according to the manner of the other "er!on! afore!aidB and not according to the amount of hi! eccle!ia!tical benefice% 58% Neither a to#n nor a man !hall be forced to make bridge! o$er the ri$er!, #ith the e&ce"tion of tho!e #ho, from of old and of right ought to do it% 59% No !heriff, con!table, coroner!, or other bailiff! of our! !hall hold the "lea! of our cro#n% 5:% All countie!, hundred!, #a"entake!, and trithing!44our deme!ne manor! being e&cce"ted44 !hall continue according to the old farm!, #ithout any increa!e at all% 5;% If any one holding from u! a lay fee !hall die, and our !heriff or bailiff can !ho# our letter! "atent containing our !ummon! for the debt #hich the dead man o#ed to u!,44our !heriff or bailiff may be allo#ed to attach and enroll the chattel! of the dead man to the $alue of that debt, through $ie# of la#ful menB in !uch #ay, ho#e$er, that nothing !hall be remo$ed thence until the debt i! "aid #hich #a! "lainly o#ed to u!% And the re!idue !hall be left to the e&ecutor! that they may carry out the #ill of the dead man% And if nothing i! o#ed to u! by him, all the chattel! !hall go to the u!e "re!cribed by the decea!ed, !a$ing their rea!onable "ortion! to hi! #ife and children% 5<% If any freeman !hall ha$e died inte!tate hi! chattel! !hall be di!tributed through the hand! of hi! near relati$e! and friend!, by $ie# of the churchB !a$ing to any one the debt! #hich the dead man o#ed him% 5=% No con!table or other bailiff of our! !hall take the corn or other chattel! of any one e&ce"t he !traight#ay gi$e money for them, or can be allo#ed a re!"ite in that regard by the #ill of the !eller% 5>% No con!table !hall force any knight to "ay money for ca!tle#ard if he be #illing to "erform that #ard in "er!on, or44he for a rea!onable cau!e not being able to "erform it him!elf44through another "ro"er man% And if #e !hall ha$e led or !ent him on a military e&"edition, he !hall be quit of #ard according to the amount of time during #hich, through u!, he !hall ha$e been in military !er$ice% 87% No !heriff nor bailiff of our!, nor any one el!e, !hall take the hor!e! or cart! of any freeman for tran!"ort, unle!! by the #ill of that freeman% 82% Neither #e nor our bailiff! !hall take another3! #ood for ca!tle! or for other "ri$ate u!e!, unle!! by the #ill of him to #hom the #ood belong!% 85% *e !hall not hold the land! of tho!e con$icted of felony longer than a year and a dayB and then the land! !hall be re!tored to the lord! of the fief!% 88% )enceforth all the #eir! in the .hame! and -ed#ay, and throughout all England, !a$e on the !ea4coa!t, !hall be done a#ay #ith entirely% 89% )enceforth the #rit #hich i! called +raeci"e !hall not be to !er$ed on any one for any holding !o a! to cau!e a free man to lo!e hi! court% 8:% .here !hall be one mea!ure of #ine throughout our #hole realm, and one mea!ure of ale and one mea!ure of corn44namely, the London quartB44and one #idth of dyed and ru!!et and hauberk cloth!44namely, t#o ell! belo# the !el$age% And #ith #eight!, moreo$er, it !hall be a! #ith mea!ure!%

8;% )enceforth nothing !hall be gi$en or taken for a #rit of inque!t in a matter concerning life or limbB but it !hall be conceded grati!, and !hall not be denied% 8<% If any one hold of u! in fee4farm, or in !ocage, or in burkage, and hold land of another by military !er$ice, #e !hall not, by rea!on of that fee4farm, or !ocage, or burkage, ha$e the #ard!hi" of hi! heir or of hi! land #hich i! held in fee from another% Nor !hall #e ha$e the #ard!hi" of that fee4farm, or !ocage, or burkage unle!! that fee4farm o#e military !er$ice% *e !hall not, by rea!on of !ome "etit4!er eanty #hich !ome one hold! of u! through the !er$ice of gi$ing u! kni$e! or arro#! or the like, ha$e the #ard!hi" of hi! heir or of the land #hich he hold! of another by military !er$ice% 8=% No bailiff, on hi! o#n !im"le a!!ertion, !hall henceforth any one to hi! la#, #ithout "roducing faithful #itne!!e! in e$idence% 8>% No freeman !hall be taken, or im"ri!oned, or di!!ei0ed, or outla#ed, or e&iled, or in any #ay harmed44nor #ill #e go u"on or !end u"on him44!a$e by the la#ful udgment of hi! "eer! or by the la# of the land% 97% .o none #ill #e !ell, to none deny or delay, right or u!tice% 92% All merchant! may !afely and !ecurely go out of England, and come into England, and delay and "a!! through England, a! #ell by land a! by #ater, for the "ur"o!e of buying and !elling, free from all e$il ta&e!, !ub ect to the ancient and right cu!tom!44!a$e in time of #ar, and if they are of the land at #ar again!t u!% And if !uch be found in our land at the beginning of the #ar, they !hall be held, #ithout harm to their bodie! and good!, until it !hall be kno#n to u! or our chief u!tice ho# the merchant! of our land are to be treated #ho !hall, at that time, be found in the land at #ar again!t u!% And if our! !hall be !afe there, the other! !hall be !afe in our land% 95% )enceforth any "er!on, !a$ing fealty to u!, may go out of our realm and return to it, !afely and !ecurely, by land and by #ater, e&ce"t "erha"! for a brief "eriod in time of #ar, for the common good of the realm% ,ut "ri!oner! and outla#! are e&ce"ted according to the la# of the realmB al!o "eo"le of a land at #ar again!t u!, and the merchant!, #ith regard to #hom !hall be done a! #e ha$e !aid% 98% If any one hold from any e!cheat44a! from the honour of *alingford, Nottingham, ,oloin, Lanca!ter, or the other e!cheat! #hich are in our hand! and are baronie!44and !hall die, hi! heir !hall not gi$e another relief, nor !hall he "erform for u! other !er$ice than he #ould "erform for a baron if that barony #ere in the hand of a baronB and #e !hall hold it in the !ame #ay in #hich the baron ha! held it% 99% +er!on! d#elling #ithout the fore!t !hall not henceforth come before the fore!t u!tice!, through common !ummon!e!, unle!! they are im"leaded or are the !"on!or! of !ome "er!on or "er!on! attached for matter! concerning the fore!t% 9:% *e #ill not make men u!tice!, con!table!, !heriff!, or bailiff! unle!! they are !uch a! kno# the la# of the realm, and are minded to ob!er$e it rightly% 9;% All baron! #ho ha$e founded abbey! for #hich they ha$e charter! of the king of England, or ancient right of tenure, !hall ha$e, a! they ought to ha$e, their cu!tody #hen $acant% 9<4 A22 fore!t! con!tituted a! !uch in our time !hall !traight#ay be annulledB and the !ame !hall be done for ri$er bank! made into "lace! of defence by u! in our time% 9=% A22 e$il cu!tom! concerning fore!t! and #arren!, and concerning fore!ter! and #arrener!, !heriff! and their !er$ant!, ri$er bank! and their guardian!, !hall !traight#ay be inquired into each county, through t#el$e !#orn knight! from that county, and !hall be eradicated by them, entirely, !o that they !hall ne$er be rene#ed, #ithin forty day! after the inque!t ha! been madeB in !uch manner that #e !hall fir!t kno# about them, or our u!tice if #e be not in England% 9>% *e !hall !traight#ay return all ho!tage! and charter! #hich #ere deli$ered to u! by Engli!hmen a! a !urety for "eace or faithful !er$ice% :7% *e !hall entirey remo$e from their bail#ick! the relati$e! of Gerard de Athye!, !o that they !hall henceforth ha$e no bail#ick in England1 Engelard de Cygne!, Andre# +eter and Gyon de

Chancele!, Gyon de Cygne!, Geoffrey de -artin and hi! brother!, +hili" -ark and hi! brother!, and Geoffrey hi! ne"he#, and the #hole follo#ing of them% :2% And !traight#ay after "eace i! re!tored #e !hall remo$e from the realm all the foreign !oldier!, cro!!bo#men, !er$ant!, hireling!, #ho may ha$e come #ith hor!e! and arm! to the harm of the realm% :5% If any one !hall ha$e been di!!ei0ed by u!, or remo$ed, #ithout a legal !entence of hi! "eer!, from hi! land!, ca!tle!, libertie! or la#ful right, #e !hall !traight#ay re!tore them to him% And if a di!"ute !hall ari!e concerning thi! matter it !hall be !ettled according to the udgment of the t#enty4fi$e baron! #ho are mentioned belo# a! !uretie! for the "eace% ,ut #ith regard to all tho!e thing! of #hich any one #a!, by king )enry our father or king (ichard our brother, di!!ei0ed or di!"o!!e!!ed #ithout legal udgment of hi! "eer!, #hich #e ha$e in our hand or #hich other! hold, and for #hich #e ought to gi$e a guarantee1 *e !hall ha$e re!"ite until the common term for cru!ader!% E&ce"t #ith regard to tho!e concerning #hich a "lea #a! mo$ed, or an inque!t made by our order, before #e took the cro!!% ,ut #hen #e return from our "ilgrimage, or if, by chance, #e de!i!t from our "ilgrimage, #e !hall !traight#ay then !ho# full u!tice regarding them% :8% *e !hall ha$e the !ame re!"ite, moreo$er, and in the !ame manner, in the matter of !ho#ing u!tice #ith regard to fore!t! to be annulled and fore!t! to remain, #hich )enry our father or (ichard our brother con!titutedB and in the matter of #ard!hi"! of land! #hich belong to the fee of another44#ard!hi"! of #hich kind #e ha$e hitherto en oyed by rea!on of the fee #hich !ome one held from u! in military !er$iceB44and in the matter of abbey! founded in the fee of another than our!el$e!44in #hich the lord of the fee may !ay that he ha! uri!diction% And #hen #e return, or if #e de!i!t from our "ilgrimage, #e !hall !traight#ay e&hibit full u!tice to tho!e com"laining #ith regard to the!e matter!% :9% No one !hall be taken or im"ri!oned on account of the a""eal of a #oman concerning the death of another than her hu!band% ::% All fine! im"o!ed by u! un u!tly and contrary to the la# of the land, and all amerciament! made un u!tly and contrary to the la# of the land, !hall be altogether remitted, or it !hall be done #ith regard to them according to the udgment of the t#enty fi$e baron! mentioned belo# a! !uretie! for the "eace, or according to the udgment of the ma ority of them together #ith the afore!aid 'te"hen archbi!ho" of Canterbury, if he can be "re!ent, and #ith other! #hom he may #i!h to a!!ociate #ith him!elf for thi! "ur"o!e% And if he can not be "re!ent, the affair !hall ne$erthele!! "roceed #ithout himB in !uch #ay that, if one or more of the !aid t#enty fi$e baron! !hall be concerned in a !imilar com"laint, they !hall be remo$ed a! to thi! "articular deci!ion, and, in their "lace, for thi! "ur"o!e alone, other! !hall be !ubtituted #ho !hall be cho!en and !#orn by the remainder of tho!e t#enty fi$e% :;% If #e ha$e di!!ei0ed or di!"o!!e!!ed *el!hmen of their land! or libertie! or other thing! #ithout legal udgment of their "eer!, in England or in *ale!,44they !hall !traight#ay be re!tored to them% And if a di!"ute !hall ari!e concerning thi!, then action !hall be taken u"on it in the -arch through udgment of their "eer!4 4concerning Engli!h holding! according to the la# of England, concerning *el!h holding! according to the la# of *ale!, concerning holding! in the -arch according to the la# of the -arch% .he *el!h !hall do like#i!e #ith regard to u! and our !ub ect!% :<% ,ut #ith regard to all tho!e thing! of #hich any one of the *el!h by king )enry our father or king (ichard our brother, di!!ei0ed or di!"o!!e!!ed #ithout legal udgment of hi! "eer!, #hich #e ha$e in our hand or #hich other! hold, and for #hich #e ought to gi$e a guarantee1 #e !hall ha$e re!"ite until the common term for cru!ader!% E&ce"t #ith regard to tho!e concerning #hich a "lea #a! mo$ed, or an inque!t made by our order, before #e took the cro!!% ,ut #hen #e return from our "ilgrimage, or if, by chance, #e de!i!t from our "ilgrimage, #e !hall !traight#ay then !ho# full u!tice regarding them, according to the la#! of *ale! and the afore!aid di!trict!%

:=% *e !hall !traight#ay return the !on of Lle#elin and all the *el!h ho!tage!, and the charter! deli$ered to u! a! !urety for the "eace% :>% *e !hall act to#ard! Ale&ander king of the 'cot! regarding the re!toration of hi! !i!ter!, and hi! ho!tage!, and hi! libertie! and hi! la#ful right, a! #e !hall act to#ard! our other baron! of EnglandB unle!! it ought to be other#i!e according to the charter! #hich #e hold from *illiam, hi! father, the former king of the 'cot!% And thi! !hall be done through udgment of hi! "eer! in our court% ;7% -oreo$er all the !ub ect! of our realm, clergy a! #ell a! laity, !hall, a! far a! "ertain! to them, ob!er$e, #ith regard to their $a!!al!, all the!e afore!aid cu!tom! and libertie! #hich #e ha$e decreed !hall, a! far a! "ertain! to u!, be ob!er$ed in our realm #ith regard to our o#n% ;2% Ina!much a!, for the !ake of God, and for the bettering of our realm, and for the more ready healing of the di!cord #hich ha! ari!en bet#een u! and our baron!, #e ha$e made all the!e afore!aid conce!!ion!,44#i!hing them to en oy for e$er entire and firm !tability, #e make and grant to them the folIo#ing !ecurity1 that the baron, namely, may elect at their "leaure t#enty fi$e baron! from the realm, #ho ought, #ith all their !trength, to ob!er$e, maintain and cau!e to be ob!er$ed, the "eace and "ri$ilege! #hich #e ha$e granted to them and confirmed by thi! our "re!ent charter% In !uch #i!e, namely, that if #e, or our u!tice, or our bailiff!, or any one of our !er$ant! !hall ha$e tran!gre!!ed again!t any one in any re!"ect, or !hall ha$e broken one of the article! of "eace or !ecurity, and our tran!gre!!ion !hall ha$e been !ho#n to four baron! of the afore!aid t#enty fi$e1 tho!e four baron! !hall come to u!, or, if #e are abroad, to our u!tice, !ho#ing to u! our errorB and they !hall a!k u! to cau!e that error to be amended #ithout delay% And if #e do not amend that error, or, #e being abroad, if our u!tice do not amend it #ithin a term of forty day! from the time #hen it #a! !ho#n to u! or, #e being abroad, to our u!tice1 the afore!aid four baron! !hall refer the matter to the remainder of the t#enty fi$e baron!, and tho!e t#enty fi$e baron!, #ith the #hole land in common, !hall di!train and o""re!! u! in e$ery #ay in their "o#er,44namely, by taking our ca!tle!, land! and "o!!e!!ion!, and in e$ery other #ay that they can, until amend! !hall ha$e been made according to their udnnent% 'a$ing the "er!on! of our!el$e!, our queen and our children% And #hen amend! !hall ha$e been made they !hall be in accord #ith u! a! they had been "re$iou!ly% And #hoe$er of the land #i!he! to do !o, !hall !#ear that in carrying out all the afore!aid mea!ure! he #ill obey the mandate! of the afore!aid t#enty fi$e baron!, and that, #ith them, he #ill o""re!! u! to the e&tent of hi! "o#er% And, to any one #ho #i!he! to do !o, #e "ublicly and freely gi$e "ermi!!ion to !#earB and #e #ill ne$er "re$ent any one from !#earing% -oreo$er, all tho!e in the land #ho !hall be un#illing, them!el$e! and of their o#n accord, to !#ear to the t#enty fi$e baron! a! to di!training and o""re!!ing u! #ith them1 !uch one! #e !hall make to #ear by our mandate, a! ha! been !aid% And if any one of the t#enty fi$e baron! !hall die, or lea$e the country, or in any other #ay be "re$ented from carrying out the afore!aid mea!ure!,44the remainder of the afore!aid t#enty fi$e baron! !hall choo!e another in hi! "lace, according to their udgment, #ho !hall be !#orn in the !ame #ay a! the other!% -oreo$er, in all thing! entru!ted to tho!e t#enty fi$e baron! to be carried out, if tho!e t#enty fi$e !hall be "re!ent and chance to di!agree among them!el$e! #ith regard to !ome matter, or if !ome of them, ha$ing been !ummoned, !hall be un#illing or unable to be "re!ent1 that #hich the ma ority of tho!e "re!ent !hall decide or decree !hall be con!idered binding and $alid, u!t a! if all the t#enty fi$e had con!ented to it% And the afore!aid t#enty fi$e !hall !#ear that they #ill faithfully ob!er$e all the foregoing, and #ill caue them be ob!er$ed to the e&tent of their "o#er% And #e !hall obtain nothing from any one, either through our!el$e! or through another, by #hich any of tho!e conce!!ion! and libertie! may be re$oked or dimini!hed% And if any !uch thing !hall ha$e been obtained, it !hall be $ain and in$alid, and #e !hall ne$er make u!e of it either through our!el$e! or through another% ;5% And #e ha$e fully remitted to all, and "ardoned, all the ill4 #ill, anger and rancour #hich ha$e ari!en bet#een u! and our !ub ect!, clergy and laity, from the time of the !truggle% -oreo$er ha$e fully remitted to all, clergy and laity, and44a! far a! "ertain! to u!44ha$e "ardoned fully all

the tran!gre!!ion! committed, on the occa!ion of that !ame !truggle, from Ea!ter of the !i&teenth year of our reign until the re4e!tabli!hment of "eace% In #itne!! of #hich, more4o$er, #e ha$e cau!ed to be dra#n u" for them letter! "atent of lord 'te"hen, archbi!ho" of Canterbury, lord )enry, archbi!ho" of Dubland the afore!aid bi!ho"! and ma!ter +andulf, regarding that !urety and the afore!aid conce!!ion!% ;8% *herefore #e #ill and firmly decree that the Engli!h church !hall be free, and that the !ub ect! of our realm !hall ha$e and hold all the afore!aid libertie!, right! and conce!!ion!, duly and in "eace, freely and quietly, fully and entirely, for them!el$e! and their heir! from u! and our heir!, in all matter! and in all "lace!, fore$er, a! ha! been !aid% -oreo$er it ha! been !#orn, on our "art a! #ell a! on the "art of the baron!, that all the!e abo$e mentioned "ro$i!ion! !hall ob!er$ed #ith good faith and #ithout e$il intent% .he #itne!!e! being the abo$e mentioned and many other!% Gi$en through our hand, in the "lain called (unnymede bet#een *ind!or and 'tane!, on the fifteenth day of June, in the !e$enteenth year of our reign%