Great Britain -- History -- Norman period, 1066-1154 -- Sources; Normans -- England
And if any of my barons or other men wish to give his daughter in
marriage, or his sister or niece or kinswoman, he shall speak with me
thereon. But neither will I take anything of his for licence herein,
nor will I forbid him from giving her in marriage, unless he wish to
unite her with my enemy. And if, upon the death of a baron or other
man of mine, his daughter be left heir, I will give her in marriage
with her land by the counsel of my barons. And if a husband die and
his wife be left and she have no children, she shall have her dower
and marriage, and I will not give her to a husband except according to
her will; and if a wife be left with children, she also shall have her
dower and marriage, so long as she live chastely, and I will not give
her in marriage except according to her will; and the guardian of the
children’s land shall be either the wife or another kinsman, who shall
have the juster claim. And I command that my barons behave in like
manner towards the sons or daughters or wives of their men.
The common moneyage which was taken by cities and by counties, which
also was not taken in the time of king Edward, I wholly forbid
henceforth. If any man be taken, whether moneyer or other man, with
false money, right justice shall be done thereon.
All pleas and all debts which were due to my brother, I pardon,
except my right farms, and except those which were agreed upon for
the inheritances of others, or for those matters for which others
were justly liable. And if any man have made any covenant for his own
inheritance, I pardon it, and all reliefs which were agreed upon for
right inheritances.
And if any of my barons or men shall fall sick, I grant that, as he
shall give his money, or dispose it to be given, it shall be so given.
But if he be prevented by battle or sickness and do not give his money
or dispose it to be given, his wife or children or kinsfolk, and his
lawful men, shall divide it for his soul as shall seem best to them.
And if any of my barons or men shall do amiss, he shall not pledge
his money by way of mercy, as he did in the time of my father or my
brother, but according to the manner of the fault, so shall he make
amends, as he would have made amends before the time of my father in
the time of other my predecessors. And if he be convicted of treason or
crime, he shall make amends in like manner.
I pardon also all murder-fines incurred before the day on which I was
crowned king. And for such as shall be made hereafter, amends shall be
made justly, according to the law of king Edward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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