Magna Carta Translation

Jul 6, 2026

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The document provides an English translation of the Magna Carta, presenting a royal message from King Henry outlining liberties granted in perpetuity. It confirms freedoms for the English Church and extends specified rights to the realm’s freemen. The text details inheritance and relief obligations, protections for heirs who are underage, responsibilities and limits on land custodians to prevent waste, and rules covering custody, maintenance of estates, and marriage without disparagement. It also addresses widows’ rights and limits on seizure of land or rent for debts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

Magna Carta Translation

Prologue and Purpose

Church Freedoms

Inheritance, Relief, and Heirs

Custody and Prevention of Waste

Estate Maintenance During Custody

Marriage and Widows’ Rights

Debt, Guarantors, and Limits on Seizure

National Archives and Records Administration 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20408-0001 Magna Carta Translation Translation by Professor Nicholas Vincent, Copyright Sotheby's Inc. Edward by the grace of God King of England, lord of Ireland and duke of Aquitaine sends greetings to all to whom the present letters come. We have inspected the great charter of the lord Henry, late King of England, our father, concerning the liberties of England in these words: Henry by the grace of God King of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and count of Anjou sends greetings to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons, sheriffs, reeves, ministers and all his bailiffs and faithful men inspecting the present charter. Know that we, atthe prompting of God and for the health of our soul and the souls of our ancestors and successors, for the glory of holy Church and the improvement of our realm, freely and out of our good will have given and granted to the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons and all of our realm these liberties written below to hold in our realm of England in perpetuity. (1) In the first place we grant to God and confirm by this our present charter for ourselves and our heirs in perpetuity that the English Church is to be free and to have all its rights fully and its liberties entirely. We furthermore grant and give to all the freemen of our realm for ourselves and our heirs in perpetuity the liberties written below to have and to hold to them and their heirs from us and our heirs in perpetuity. (2) If any of our earls or barons, or anyone else holding from us in chief by military service should die, and should his heir be of full age and owe relief, the heir is to have his inheritance for the ancient relief, namely the heir or heirs of an earl for a whole county £100, the heir or heirs of a baron for a whole barony 100 marks, the heir or heirs of a knight for a whole knight’s fee 100 shillings at most, and he who owes less will give less, according to the ancient custom of (knights’) fees. (3) If, however, the heir of such a person is under age, his lord is not to have custody of him and his land until he has taken homage from the heir, and after such an heir has been in custody, when he comes of age, namely at twenty-one years old, he is to have his inheritance without relief and without fine, saving that if, whilst under age, he is made a knight, his land will nonetheless remain in the custody of his lords until the aforesaid term. (4) The keeper of the land of such an heir who is under age is only to take reasonable receipts from the heir’s land and reasonable customs and reasonable services, and this without destruction or waste of men or things. And if we assign custody of any such land to a sheriff or to anyone else who should answer to us for the issues, and such a person should commit destruction or waste, we will take recompense from him and the land will be assigned to two law-worthy and discreet men of that fee who will answer to us or to the person to whom we assign such land for the land’s issues. And if we give or sell to anyone custody of any such land and that person commits destruction or waste, he is to lose custody and the land is to be assigned to two law-worthy and discreet men of that fee who similarly will answer to us as is aforesaid. (5) The keeper, for as long as he has the custody of the land of such (an heir), is to maintain the houses, parks, fishponds, ponds, mills and other things pertaining to that land from the issues of the same land, and he will restore to the heir, when the heir comes to full age, all his land stocked with ploughs and all other things in at least the same condition as when he received it. All these things are to be observed in the custodies of archbishoprics, bishoprics, abbeys, priories, churches and vacant offices which pertain to us, save that such custodies ought not to be sold. (6) Heirs a

FAQs

What freedoms does the charter grant to the English Church?

It grants and confirms that the English Church is to be free and holds all rights and liberties fully in perpetuity.

What happens if an heir is under age?

The heir’s lord cannot take custody of the heir or land until homage is taken. After the heir reaches twenty-one, inheritance is to be returned without relief and without fine, with a limited exception relating to knighthood during minority.

How does the charter limit actions for debts?

Neither the king nor his bailiffs may seize land or rent for debt while existing chattels suffice and the debtor is ready to pay. Guarantors are also protected while the principal debtor can pay.

Jul 6, 2026

Upload by Aurelia