lands according to the
counsel given me by my barons. And if the wife of one of my
tenants shall survive her husband and be without children,
she shall have her dower and her marriage portion [that
given to her by her father], and I will not give her in
marriage unless she herself consents.

[4.] If a widow survives with children under age, she shall
have her dower and her marriage portion, so long as she
keeps her body chaste; and I will not give her in marriage
except with her consent. And the guardian of the land, and
of the children, shall be either the widow or another of
their relations, as may seem more proper. And I order that
my barons shall act likewise towards the sons and daughters
and widows of their men.

[5.] I utterly forbid that the common mintage [a forced levy
to prevent loss to the King from depreciation of the
coinage], which has been taken from the towns and counties,
shall henceforth be levied, since it was not so levied in
the time of King Edward [the Confessor]. If any moneyer or
other person be taken with false money in his possession,
let true justice be visited upon him.

[6.] I forgive all pleas and all debts which were owing to
my brother [William II], except my own proper dues, and
except those things which were agreed to belong to the
inheritance of others, or to concern the property which
justly belonged to others. And if anyone had promised
anything for his heritage, I remit it, and I also remit all
'reliefs' which were promised for direct inheritance.

[7.] If any of my barons or of my men, being ill, shall give
away or bequeath his movable property, I will allow that it
shall be bestowed according to his desires. But if,
prevented either by violence or through sickness, he shall
die intestate as far as concerns his movable property, his
widow or his children, or his relatives or one his true men
shall make such division for the sake of his soul, as may
seem best to them.

[8.] If any of my barons or of my men shall incur a forfeit,
he shall not be compelled to pledge his movable property to
an unlimited amount, as was done in the time of my father
[William I] and my brother; but he shall only make payment
according to the extent of his legal forfeiture, as was done