LXXV. And we will not, by ourselves or others, procure anything whereby any of these concessions and liberties be revoked or lessened; and if any such thing be obtained, let it be null and void; neither shall we ever make use of it, either by ourselves or any other. LXXVI. And all the ill-will, anger and malice, that hath arisen between us and our subjects of the clergy and laity, from the first breaking out of the dissension between us, we do fully remit and forgive. Moreover, all trespasses occasioned by the said dissensions, from Easter, in the sixteenth year of our reign, till the restoration of peace and tranquillity, we hereby entirely remit to all, clergy as well as laity, and as far as in us lies, do fully forgive. LXXVII. We have moreover granted them our letters patents testimonial of Stephen, Lord-Archbishop of Canterbury, of Henry, Lord-Archbishop of Dublin, and the bishops aforesaid, as also of Master Pandulph, for the security and concessions aforesaid. LXXVIII. Wherefore we will, and firmly enjoin, that the Church of England be free, and that all men in our kingdom have and hold all the aforesaid liberties, rights and concessions, truly and peaceably, freely and quietly, fully and wholly, to themselves and their heirs, of us and our heirs, in all things and places forever, as is aforesaid. LXXIX. It is also sworn, as well on our part as upon the part of the barons, that all the things aforesaid shall faithfully and sincerely be observed. Given under our hand, in the presence of the witnesses abovenamed, and many others, in the meadow called Runningmede, between Windelsore and Staines, the 17th day of June, in the 17th year of our reign. The great charter has been repeatedly amended and confirmed. I take the liberty of copying the following down to the end of page 201, from Mr. Creasy's Text-Book of the Constitution.' 1 The Text-Book of the Constitution, Magna Charta, The Petition of Rights and the Bill of Rights, with Historical Comments and Remarks on the Present Political Emergencies, by E. S. Creasy, M.A., Barrister-at-Law, Professor of History in University College, London, &c. London, 1848. A small work of 63 pages, excellent in its kind. MAGNA CHARTA, THE GREAT CHARTER, (Translated as in the Statutes at large,) MADE IN THE NINTH YEAR OF KING HENRY THE THIRD, AND CONFIRMED BY KING EDWARD THE FIRST, IN THE FIVE AND TWENTIETH YEAR OF HIS REIGN. Edward, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Guyan: to all archbishops, bishops, &c. We have seen the great charter of the Lord Henry, sometimes King of England, our father, of the liberties of England, in these words: "Henry, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Guyan, and Earl of Anjou: to all archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons, sheriffs, provosts, and officers, and to all bailiffs and other our faithful subjects, which shall see this present charter, greeting: Know ye, that we, unto the honour of Almighty God, and for the salvation of the souls of our progenitors and successors, kings of England, to the advancement of holy church and amendment of our realm, of our mere and free will, have given and granted to all archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons, and to all freemen of this our realm, these liberties following, to be kept in our kingdom of England forever." CHAPTER I.-A Confirmation of Liberties. "First, we have granted to God, and by this our present charter have confirmed for us and our heirs forever, that the Church of England shall be free, and shall have all her whole rights and liberties inviolable. We have granted, also, and given to all the freemen of our realm, for us and our heirs forever, these liberties underwritten, to have and to hold to them and their heirs, of us and our heirs forever." CHAP. II-The Relief of the King's Tenant of full Age. [Same as 2d chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. III.-The Wardship of the Heir within Age. The Heir a Knight. [Similar to 3d chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. IV. No waste shall be made by a Guardian in waste lands. [Same as 4th chapter of John's Charter. CHAP. V.-Guardians shall maintain the Inheritance of Wards. Of Bishoprics, &c. [Similar to 5th chapter of John's Charter, with addition of like provisions against the waste of ecclesiastical possessions while in the king's hand, during a vacancy in the see, &c.] CHAP. VI-Heirs shall be Married without Disparagement. [Similar to 6th chapter of John's Charter. CHAP. VII—A Widow shall have her Marriage, Inheritance, and Quarantine. The King's Widow, &c. [Similar (with additions) to the 7th and 8th chapters of John's Charter.] CHAP. VIII.-How Sureties shall be charged to the King. [Same as 9th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. IX.-The Liberties of London and other Cities and Towns confirmed. [Same as 13th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. X.-None shall distrain for more Service than is due. [Same as 16th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XI.-Common Pleas shall not follow the King's Court. [Same as 17th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAPS. XII. & XIII.-When and before whom Assizes shall be taken. Adjournment for Difficulty. Assizes of Darrein Pre sentment. [Analogous to 18th and 19th chapters of John's Charter.] CHAP. XIV.-How men of all sorts shall be amerced, and by whom. [Same as 20th and 21st chapters of John's Charter.] CHAPS. XV. & XVI.—Making and defending of Bridges and Banks. [Similar to 23d chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XVII.-Holding Pleas of the Crown. [Same as 24th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XVIII.—The King's Debtor dying, the King shall be first paid. [Same as 26th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAPS. XIX. XX. & XXI.-Purveyors for a Castle. Doing of Castle-ward. Taking of Horses, Carts and Woods. [Same as 28th, 29th, 30th, and 31st chapters of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXII.-How long Felons' Lands shall be holden by the King. [Same as 32d chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXIII.-In what places Wears shall be put down. [Same as 33d chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXIV.-In what case a Præcipe in Capite is grantable. [Same as 14th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXV.-There shall be but one Measure through the Realm. [Same as 35th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXVI.-Inquisition of Life and Member. CHAP. XXVII.-Tenure of the King in Socage, and of another by Knight's Service. Petit Serjeanty. [Same as 37th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXVIII.—Wager of Law shall not be without witness. [Same as 38th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXIX.—None shall be condemned without Trial. Justice shall not be sold or deferred. "No freeman shall be taken, or imprisoned, or be disseised of his freehold, or liberties, or free customs, or be outlawed or exiled, or any otherwise destroyed; nor will we pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man, either justice or right." 2 See 39th and 40th Chapters of John's Charter. CHAP. XXX.-Merchant Strangers coming into this Realm shall be well used. [Same as 41st chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXXI.-Tenure of a Barony coming into the King's hands by Escheat. [Same as 43d chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXXII.-Lands shall not be aliened to the Prejudice of the Lord's Service [i. e. Lord of the Fee]. CHAP. XXXIII.-Patrons of Abbeys shall have the custody of them in time of Vacation. [Same as 46th chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXXIV.—In what cases only a Woman shall have an Appeal of Death. [Same as 51st chapter of John's Charter.] CHAP. XXXV.-At what time shall be kept a County Court, a Sheriff's Term, and a Leet. CHAP. XXXVI.—No land shall be given in Mortmain. "It shall not be lawful from henceforth to any to give his lands to any religious house, and to take the same land again to hold of the same house. Nor shall it be lawful to any house of religion to take the lands of any, and to lease the same to him of whom he received it: if any from henceforth give his lands to any religious house, and thereupon be convict, the gift shall be utterly void, and the land shall accrue to the lord of the fee." CHAP. XXXVII.—A subsidy in respect of this Charter, and the Charter of the Forest granted to the King. 66 Escuage from henceforth shall be taken like as it was wont to be in the time of King Henry, our grandfather; reserving to all archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, templars, hospitalers, earls, barons, and all persons, as well spiritual as temporal, all their free liberties and free customs, which they have had in time past. And all these customs and liberties aforesaid, which we have granted to be holden within this our realm, as much as appertaineth to us and our heirs, we shall observe. And all men of this our realm, as well spiritual as temporal (as much as in them is), shall observe the same against all persons in like wise. And for this our gift |