Magna Carta: List 2

The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, is 800 years old on June 15, 2015. The Magna Carta settled the rebellion of some barons against the king. Although some of the language is still obscure, the document is widely credited as being the first statement of individual rights under kingly rule. Among other things, it put a limit on payments that could be made to a king and ensured swift justice, guaranteed by a board of peers, in this case 25 barons. Here are lists of words from the English translation of the original Latin of this document that is the forerunner of democratic expressions like the Declaration of Independence.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. dower
    a life estate to which a wife is entitled on the death of her husband
    At her husband's death, a widow may have her marriage portion and inheritance at once and without trouble. She shall pay nothing for her dower, marriage portion, or any inheritance that she and her husband held jointly on the day of his death.
  2. discharge
    free from obligations or duties
    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.
  3. surety
    property that can be claimed if an obligation is in default
    A debtor's sureties shall not be distrained upon so long as the debtor himself can discharge his debt.
  4. distrain
    legally take something in place of a debt payment
    A debtor's sureties shall not be distrained upon so long as the debtor himself can discharge his debt.
  5. irrespective
    in spite of everything; without regard to drawbacks
    [H]is heir shall pay no interest on the debt for so long as he remains under age, irrespective of whom he holds his lands.
  6. residue
    something left after other parts have been taken away
    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.
  7. summons
    an order to appear in person at a given place and time
    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.
  8. trivial
    of little substance or significance
    For a trivial offence, a free man shall be fined only in proportion to the degree of his offence, and for a serious offence correspondingly, but not so heavily as to deprive him of his livelihood.
  9. villein
    (Middle Ages) a person who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord
    ...and for a grave offense he shall be amerced in accordance with the gravity of the offense, yet saving always his “contentment;” and a merchant in the same way, saving his “merchandise;” and a villein shall be amerced in the same way, saving his “wainage”...
  10. gravity
    alarming importance or seriousness
    Earls and barons shall be fined only by their equals, and in proportion to the gravity of their offence.
  11. ecclesiastical
    of or associated with a church
    A fine imposed upon the lay property of a clerk in holy orders shall be assessed upon the same principles, without reference to the value of his ecclesiastical benefice.
  12. intestate
    having made no valid will or not disposed of by a legal will
    If a free man dies intestate, his movable goods are to be distributed by his next-of-kin and friends, under the supervision of the Church.
  13. constable
    a law officer with limited authority
    No sheriff, constable, coroners, or other royal officials are to hold lawsuits that should be held by the royal justices.
  14. writ
    a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer
    The writ called precipe shall not in future be issued to anyone in respect of any holding of land, if a free man could thereby be deprived of the right of trial in his own lord's court.
  15. gratis
    without payment
    It shall be given gratis, and not refused.
Created on Mon Jun 02 16:37:32 EDT 2025 (updated Fri Jul 11 12:21:57 EDT 2025)

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