Constitutional history -- England -- Sources; Magna Carta
(9) Neither we nor our officials will seize any land or rent in payment
of a debt, so long as the debtor has movable goods sufficient to
discharge the debt. A debtor’s sureties shall not be distrained upon so
long as the debtor himself can discharge his debt. If, for lack of
means, the debtor is unable to discharge his debt, his sureties shall
be answerable for it. If they so desire, they may have the debtor’s
lands and rents until they have received satisfaction for the debt that
they paid for him, unless the debtor can show that he has settled his
obligations to them.
(10) If anyone who has borrowed a sum of money from Jews dies before
the debt has been repaid, his heir shall pay no interest on the debt
for so long as he remains under age, irrespective of whom he holds his
lands. If such a debt falls into the hands of the Crown, it will take
nothing except the principal sum specified in the bond.
(11) If a man dies owing money to Jews, his wife may have her dower and
pay nothing towards the debt from it. If he leaves children that are
under age, their needs may also be provided for on a scale appropriate
to the size of his holding of lands. The debt is to be paid out of the
residue, reserving the service due to his feudal lords. Debts owed to
persons other than Jews are to be dealt with similarly.
(12) No ‘scutage’ or ‘aid’ may be levied in our kingdom without its
general consent, unless it is for the ransom of our person, to make our
eldest son a knight, and (once) to marry our eldest daughter. For these
purposes only a reasonable ‘aid’ may be levied. ‘Aids’ from the city of
London are to be treated similarly.
(13) The city of London shall enjoy all its ancient liberties and free
customs, both by land and by water. We also will and grant that all
other cities, boroughs, towns, and ports shall enjoy all their
liberties and free customs.
(14) To obtain the general consent of the realm for the assessment of
an ‘aid’ - except in the three cases specified above - or a ‘scutage’,
we will cause the archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, and greater
barons to be summoned individually by letter. To those who hold lands
directly of us we will cause a general summons to be issued, through
the sheriffs and other officials, to come together on a fixed day (of
which at least forty days notice shall be given) and at a fixed place.
In all letters of summons, the cause of the summons will be stated.
When a summons has been issued, the business appointed for the day
shall go forward in accordance with the resolution of those present,
even if not all those who were summoned have appeared.
(15) In future we will allow no one to levy an ‘aid’ from his free men,
except to ransom his person, to make his eldest son a knight, and
(once) to marry his eldest daughter. For these purposes only a
reasonable ‘aid’ may be levied.
(16) No man shall be forced to perform more service for a knight’s
‘fee’, or other free holding of land, than is due from it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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