And now, for your reading pleasure, the first paragraphs of the Magna
Charta - an interesting read as it is a fine example of titles and
etiquette :)
This is probably one of the most powerful Grant Actions taken by a
european monarch during this period. Signed by King John at Runnymede,
near Staines (if that helps..), June 15, 1215 (thats 782 yrs ago). It was
a statement of the laws and customs of the land, it became the symbol of
hte supremacy of the constitution over the king, and was interpreted in
later ages as a guarantee of liberties.
Translated from the latin, of course, but not by me :)


MAGNA CHARTA
The GREAT CHARTER

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 whom these Presents shall come, Greetings Archbishops, Bishops,
etc. We have seen teh Great Charter of the Lord Henry, sometimes King off
England, our father, of het Liberties of England, in these words : HENRY by
the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandie and
Guyan, and the Earl of Anjou, to all Arhcbisops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors,
Earls, Barons, Sheriffs, Provosts, Officiers, and to all Bailiffs and other
our faithful Subjects, which shall see this present Charter, Greetings.
Know ye that we, unto the Honour of Almighty God, and for the salvation of
the souls of our progenitors and successors - King of England, to the
advancement of holy Church, and amendment of our Realm, of our meer and
free will, have given and granted to all Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots,
Priors, Earls, Barons, and to all free-men of this our Realm, these
liberties following, to be kept in our kingdom of England for ever.

CAP I
A Confirmation of Liberties
FIRST, We have granted to God, and by this our present CHarter have
confirmed, for us and our Heirs for ever, 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 free-men of our realm, for us
and our Heirs for ever, these liberties underwritten, to have and to hold
to them and their Heirs, of us and our Heirs for ever.

CAP II
The Refief of the King's Tenant of full Age
IF any of our Earls or Barons, or any other, which hold of us in chief by
Knights service, die, and at the time of death his heir be of full age, and
oweth to us Relief, he shall have his inheritance by the old Relief; that
is to say, teh heir or heirs of an Earl for a whole Earldom, by one hundred
pound; the heir if heirs of a Baron, for an whole Barony, by one hundred
marks; the heir or heirs of a Knight, for hte whole Knights fee, one
hundred shillings at the most; and he that hath less, shall give less,
according to the old custom of the fees.

[This continues for 35 more paragraphs, and covers Marriages, Weights &
Measures, Land, Trade, Laws, etc, etc, etc...]



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