Constitutional history -- England -- Sources; Magna Carta
6. Heirs shall be married without disparagement, yet so that before the
marriage takes place the nearest in blood to that heir shall have
notice.
7. A widow, after the death of her husband, shall forthwith and without
difficulty have her marriage portion and inheritance; nor shall she
give anything for her dower, or for her marriage portion, or for the
inheritance which her husband and she held on the day of the death of
that husband; and she may remain in the house of her husband for fourty
days after his death, within which time her dower shall be assigned to
her.
8. No widow shall be compelled to marry, so long as she prefers to live
without a husband; provided always that she gives security not to marry
without our consent, if she holds of us, or without the consent of the
lord of whom she holds, if she holds of another.
9. Neither we nor our bailiffs shall seize any land or rent for any
debt, so long as the chattels of the debtor are sufficient to repay the
debt; nor shall the sureties of the debtor be distrained so long as the
principal debtor is able to satisfy the debt; and if the principal
debtor shall fail to pay the debt, having nothing wherewith to pay it,
then the sureties shall answer for the debt; and let them have the
lands and rents of the debtor, if they desire them, until they are
indemnified for the debt which they have paid for him, unless the
principal debtor can show proof that he is discharged thereof as
against the said sureties.
10. If one who has borrowed from the Jews any sum, great or small, die
before that loan can be repaid, the debt shall not bear interest while
the heir is under age, of whomsoever he may hold; and if the debt fall
into our hands, we will not take anything except the principal sum
contained in the bond.
11. And if any one die indebted to the Jews, his wife shall have her
dower and pay nothing of that debt; and if any children of the deceased
are left underage, necessaries shall be provided for them in keeping
with the holding of the deceased; and out of the residue the debt shall
be paid, reserving, however, service due to feudal lords; in like
manner let it be done touching debts due to others than Jews.
12. No scutage nor aid shall be imposed on our kingdom, unless by
common counsel of our kingdom, except for ransoming our person, for
making our eldest son a knight, and for once marrying our eldest
daughter; and for these there shall not be levied more than a
reasonable aid. In like manner it shall be done concerning aids from
the city of London.
13. And the city of London shall have all its ancient liberties and
free customs, as well by land as by water; furthermore, we decree and
grant that all other cities, boroughs, towns, and ports shall have all
their liberties and free customs.
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