Henricus rex Anglorum {N.} episcopo et {M.} uic(ecomiti) et omnibus baronibus et fidelibus suis tam francigenis quam anglicis de {tali} scira salutem.

1. Sciatis me dei misericordia et communi consilio baronum regni Anglie eiusdem regni regem coronatum esse. Et quia regnum oppressum erat iniustis exactionibus, ego respectu dei et amore quem erga uos <omnes> habeo, sanctam dei ecclesiam in primis liberam facio, ita quod nec [eam] uendam nec ad firmam ponam, nec mortuo archiepiscopo seu episcopo siue abbate aliquid accipiam de dominio ecclesie uel de hominibus eiusdonec successor in eam ingrediatur. Et omnes malas consuetudines quibus regnum Anglie iniuste opprimebatur inde aufero, quas malas consuetudines ex parte hic pono.

2. Si quis baronum meorum, comitum siue aliorum qui de me tenent, mortuus fuerit, heres suus non redimet terram suam sicut faciebat tempore fratris mei, sed legitima et iusta releuatione releuabit eam. Similiter et homines baronum meorum legitima et iusta releuatione releuabunt terras suas de dominis suis.

3. Et si quis baronum uel aliorum hominum meorum filiam suam nuptum tradere uoluerit siue sororem siue neptem siue cognatam, mecum inde loquatur. Sed neque ego aliquid de suo pro hac licentia accipiam neque defendam ei quin eam det, excepto si eam iungere uellet inimico meo. Et si mortuo barone meo uel alio homine filia heres remanserit, illam dabo consilio baronum meorum cum terra sua. Et si mortuo marito uxor eius remanserit et sine liberis fuerit, dotem suam et maritationem habebit, et eam non dabo marito nisi secundum uelle suum.

4. Si uero uxor cum liberis remanserit, dotem quidem et maritationem suam habebit, dum corpus suum legitime seruauerit, et eam non dabo nisi secundum uelle suum. Et terre et liberorum custos erit siue uxor siue alius propinquorum qui iustius esse debebit. Et precipio ut barones mei similiter se contineant erga filios et filias uel uxores hominum suorum.

5. Monetagium commune, quod capiebatur per ciuitates et per comitatus, quod non fuit tempore Eadwardi regis, hoc ne amodo sit omnino defendo. Si quis captus fuerit siue monetarius siue alius cum falsa moneta, iustitia recta inde fiat.

6. Omnia placita et omnia debita que fratri meo debebantur condono, exceptis rectis firmis meis et exceptis illis que pacta erant pro aliorum hereditatibus uel pro eis rebus que iustius aliis contingebant. Et si quis pro hereditate sua aliquid pepigerat, illud condono, et omnes releuationes que pro rectis hereditatibus pacte erant.

7. Et si quis baronum uel hominum meorum infirmabitur, sicut ipse dabit uel dare disponet pecuniam suam, ita datam esse concedo. Quod si ipse preuentus uel armis uel infirmitate pecuniam suam nec dederit nec dare disposuerit, uxor sua siue liberi aut parentes autlegitimi homines eius eam pro anima eius diuidant, sicut melius eisuisum fuerit.

8. Si quis baronum uel hominum meorum forisfecerit, non dabit uadium in misericordia pecunie sue sicut faciebat tempore patris uel fratris mei, sed secundum modum forisfacti ita emendabit sicut emendasset retro a tempore patris mei in tempore aliorum antecessorum meorum. Quod si perfidie uel sceleris conuictus fuerit, sicut iustum fuerit, sic emendet.

9. Murdra etiam retro ab illa die qua in regem coronatus fui omnia condono. Et ea que amodo facta fuerint, iuste emendentur secundum lagam regis Eadwardi.

10. Forestas communi consensu baronum meorum in manu mea ita retinui, sicut pater meus eas habuit.

11. Militibus qui per loricas terras suas deseruiunt, terras dominicarum carucarum suarum quietas ab omnibus geldis et ab omni opere proprio dono meo concedo, ut sicut tam magno grauamine alleuiati sunt, ita equis et armis se bene instruant, ut apti et parati sint ad seruitium meum et ad defensionem regni mei.

12. Pacem firmam in toto regno meo pono et teneri amodo precipio.

13. Lagam regis Eadwardi uobis reddo cum illis emendationibus quibus pater meus eam emendauit consilio baronum suorum.

14. Si quis aliquid de meo uel de rebus alicuius post obitum regis Willelmi fratris mei cepit, totum cito reddatur absque emendatione. Et si quis inde aliquid retinuerit, ille super quem inuentum fuerit grauiter michi emendabit.

Testibus Mauricio episcopo Londoniensi, et Willelmo episcopo electo Wintoniensi, et Girardo episcopo Herefordensi, et comite Henrico, et comite Simone, et Waltero Giffardo, et Roberto de Monteforti, et Rogero Bigoto, et Eudone dapifero, et Roberto filio Hamonis, et Roberto Maleto. Apud Lundoniam quando in regem coronatus fui. Valete.

Henry, King of the English, to Bishop Samson and Urso de Abetot and all his barons and faithful, both French and English, of Worcestershire, [copies were sent to all the shires] greeting.

1. Know that by the mercy of God and the common counsel of the barons of the whole kingdom of England I have been crowned king of said kingdom; and because the kingdom had been oppressed by unjust exactions, I, through fear of God and the love which I have toward you all, in the first place make the holy church of God free, so that I will neither sell nor put to farm, nor on the death of archbishop or bishop or abbot will I take anything from the church's demesne or from its men until the successor shall enter it. And I take away all the bad customs by which the kingdom of England was unjustly oppressed; which bad customs I here set down in part:

2. If any of my barons, earls, or others who hold of me shall have died, his heir shall not buy back his land as he used to do in the time of my brother, but he shall relieve it by a just and lawful relief. Likewise also the men of my barons shall relieve their lands from their lords by a just and lawful relief.

3. And if any of my barons or other men should wish to give his daughter, sister, niece, or kinswoman in marriage, let him speak with me about it; but I will neither take anything from him for this permission nor prevent his giving her unless he should be minded to join her to my enemy. And if, upon the death of a baron or other of my men, a daughter is left as heir, I will give her with her land by the advice of my barons. And if, on the death of her husband, the wife is left and without children, she shall have her dowry and right of marriage, and I will not give her to a husband unless according to her will.

4. But if a wife be left with children, she shall indeed have her dowry and right of marriage so long as she shall keep her body lawfully, and I will not give her unless according to her will. And the guardian of the land and children shall be either the wife or another of the relatives who more justly ought to be. And I command that my barons restrain themselves similarly in dealing with the sons and daughters or wives of their men.

5. The common seigniorage, which has been taken through the cities and counties, but which was not taken in the time of King Edward, I absolutely forbid henceforth. If any one, whether a moneyer or other, be taken with false money, let due justice be done for it.

6. I remit all pleas and all debts which were owing to my brother, except my lawful fixed revenues and except those amounts which had been agreed upon for the inheritances of others or for things which more justly concerned others. And if any one had pledged anything for his own inheritance, I remit it; also all reliefs which had been agreed upon for just inheritances.

7. And if any of my barons or men shall grow feeble, as he shall give or arrange to give his money, I grant that it be so given. But if, prevented by arms or sickness, he shall not have given or arranged to give his money, his wife, children, relatives, or lawful men shall distribute it for the good of his soul as shall seem best to them.

8. If any of my barons or men commit a crime, he shall not bind himself to a payment at the king's mercy as he has been doing in the time of my father or my brother; but he shall make amends according to the extent of the crime as he would have done before the time of my father in the time of my other predecessors. But if he be convicted of treachery or heinous crime, he shall make amends as is just.

9. I forgive all murders committed before the day I was crowned king; and those which shall be committed in the future shall be justly compensated according to the law of King Edward.

10. By the common consent of my barons I have kept in my hands forests as my father had them.

11. To those knights who render military service for their lands I grant of my own gift that the lands of their demesne ploughs be free from all payments and all labor, so that, having been released from so great a burden, they may equip themselves well with horses and arms and be fully prepared for my service and the defense of my kingdom.

12. I impose a strict peace upon my whole kingdom and command that it be maintained henceforth.

13. I restore to you the law of King Edward with those amendments introduced into it by my father with the advice of his barons.

14. If any one, since the death of King William my brother, has taken anything belonging to me or to any one else, the whole is to be quickly restored without fine; but if any one keep anything of it, he upon whom it shall be found shall pay me a heavy fine.

Witnesses Maurice bishop of London, and William bishop elect of Winchester, and Gerard bishop of Hereford, and earl Henry, and earl Simon, and Walter Giffard, and Robert de Montfort, and Roger Bigot, and Eudo the steward, and Robert son of Hamo, and Robert Malet. At London when I was crowned. Farewell.