Primary Source: Excerpts from the Magna Carta

Handout A: Excerpts from the Magna Carta (1215)

1. … the English Church shall be free, and shall have her rights entire, and her liberties inviolate…

13. [T]he city of London shall have all its ancient liberties and free customs… furthermore…all other cities, boroughs, towns, and ports shall have all their liberties and free customs…

20. A freeman shall not be amerced [fined] for a slight offense, except in accordance with the degree of the offense; and for a grave offense he shall be amerced in accordance with the gravity of the offense…

28. No constable or other bailiff of ours shall take corn or other provisions from anyone without immediately tendering money therefore, unless he can have postponement thereof by permission of the seller…

39. No freemen shall be taken or imprisoned or disseised [deprived] or exiled or in any way destroyed…except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land…

40. To no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay, right or justice…

42. It shall be lawful in future for anyone (excepting always those imprisoned or outlawed in accordance with the law of the kingdom…) to leave our kingdom and to return…