Magna Carta

Excerpted from Magna Carta

We have in the first place granted to God and by this our present charter have confirmed, for us and our heirs forever, that the English Church shall be free and shall have its rights entire and its liberties inviolate. We have also granted to all freemen of our kingdom, for us and our heirs forever, all the liberties hereinunder written, to be had and held by them and their heirs of us and our heirs.

original latin

Nulla vidua distringatur ad se maritandum, dum voluerit vivere sine marito, ita tamen quod securitatem faciat quod se non maritabit sine assensu nostro, si de nobis tenuerit, vel sine assensu domini sui de quo tenuerit, si de alio tenuerit.

Nullus constabularius, vel alius ballivus noster, capiat blada vel alia catalla alicuius, nisi statim inde reddat denarios, aut respectum inde habere possit de voluntate venditoris. Nullus ballivus ponat decetero aliquem ad legem simplici loquela sua, sine testibus fidelibus ad hoc inductis.

Nullus liber homo capiatur, vel imprisonetur, aut disseisiatur, aut utlagetur, aut exuletur, aut aliquo modo destruatur, nec super cum ibimus, nec super cum mittemus, nisi per legale iudicium parium suorum vel per legem terrae.

Nulli vendemus, nulli negabimus aut differemus rectum aut iustitiam.  Nullus capiatur nec imprisonetur propter appellum feminae de morte alterius quam viri sui.