FFS, PROVOSTS,
OFFICERS AND TO ALL BAILIFFS AND OTHER OUR FAITHFUL SUBJECTS WHICH
SHALL SEE THIS PRESENT CHARTER, GREETING.

KNOW YE THAT WE, UNTO THE HONOR OF ALMIGHTY GOD, AND FOR THE
SALVATION OF THE SOULS OF OUR PROGENITORS AND SUCCESSORS KINGS OF
ENGLAND, TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF HOLY CHURCH AND AMENDMENT OF OUR
REALM, OF OUR MERE 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 FOREVER.

[I. A CONFIRMATION OF LIBERTIES]

First, we have granted to God, and by this our present Charter
confirmed, for us and our heirs forever, that the English Church
shall be free and enjoy her whole rights and her liberties
inviolable. {And that we will this so to be observed appears from
the fact that we of our own free will, before the outbreak of the
dissensions between us and our barons, granted, confirmed, and
procured to be confirmed by Pope Innocent III the freedom of
elections, which is considered most important and necessary to the
English Church, which Charter we will both keep ourself and will
it to be kept with good faith by our heirs forever.} We have also
granted to all the free men of our realm, for us and our heirs
forever, all the liberties underwritten, to have and to hold to
them and their heirs of us and our heirs.

[II. THE RELIEF OF THE KING'S TENANT OF FULL AGE]

If any of our earls, barons, or others who hold of us in chief by
knight's service dies, and at the time of his death his heir is of
full age and owes to us a relief, he shall have his inheritance on
payment of [no more than] the old relief; to wit, the heir or
heirs of an earl, for an entire earldom, 100 pounds [2,000s.]; the
heir or heirs of a baron of an entire barony, {100 pounds} 100
MARKS [67 POUNDS OR 1340s.]; the heir or heirs of an entire
knight's fee, 100s. at the most [about 1/3 of a knight's annual
income]; and he who owes less shall give less, according to the
old custom of fees.

[III. THE WARDSHIP OF AN HEIR WITHIN AGE. THE HEIR A KNIGHT]

BUT IF THE HEIR OF SUCH BE UNDER AGE, HIS LORD SHALL NOT HAVE THE
WARD OF HIM, NOR OF HIS LAND, BEFORE THAT HE HAS TAKEN OF HIM
HOMAGE. If, however, any such heir is under age and in ward, he
shall have his inheritance without relief or fine when he comes of
age, THAT IS, TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE. SO THAT IF SUCH AN HEIR NOT
OF AGE IS MADE A KNIG