Magna Carta: List 1

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. abbot
    the superior of a community of monks
    JOHN, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou, to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, foresters, sheriffs, stewards, servants, and to all his officials and loyal subjects, Greeting.
  2. earl
    a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
    JOHN, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou, to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, foresters, sheriffs, stewards, servants, and to all his officials and loyal subjects, Greeting.
  3. baron
    a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank
    JOHN, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou, to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, foresters, sheriffs, stewards, servants, and to all his officials and loyal subjects, Greeting.
  4. subject
    a person who owes allegiance to a nation
    JOHN, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou, to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, foresters, sheriffs, stewards, servants, and to all his officials and loyal subjects, Greeting.
  5. exaltation
    the elevation of a person, as to the status of a god
    KNOW THAT BEFORE GOD, for the health of our soul and those of our ancestors and heirs, to the honour of God, the exaltation of the holy Church, and the better ordering of our kingdom, at the advice of our reverend fathers Stephen, archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, and cardinal of...
  6. papal
    proceeding from the head of the Roman Catholic Church
    ...Jocelin bishop of Bath and Glastonbury, Hugh bishop of Lincoln, Walter bishop of Worcester, William bishop of Coventry, Benedict bishop of Rochester, Master Pandulf subdeacon and member of the papal household, Brother Aymeric master of the knighthood of the Temple in England, William Marshal earl of Pembroke, William earl of Salisbury, William earl of Warren, William earl of Arundel,...
  7. charter
    a document creating an institution and specifying its rights
    WE HAVE GRANTED TO GOD, and by this present charter have confirmed for us and our heirs in perpetuity, that the English Church shall be free, and shall have its rights undiminished, and its liberties unimpaired.
  8. perpetuity
    the property of being seemingly ceaseless
    WE HAVE GRANTED TO GOD, and by this present charter have confirmed for us and our heirs in perpetuity, that the English Church shall be free, and shall have its rights undiminished, and its liberties unimpaired.
  9. reckon
    deem to be
    [W]e granted and confirmed by charter the freedom of the Church's elections — a right reckoned to be of the greatest necessity and importance to it — and caused this to be confirmed by Pope Innocent III.
  10. ward
    a person who is under the protection of another
    But if the heir of such a person is under age and a ward, when he comes of age he shall have his inheritance without 'relief' or fine.
  11. feudal
    relating to a system where vassals are protected by lords
    The guardian of the land of an heir who is under age shall take from it only reasonable revenues, customary dues, and feudal services.
  12. pertain
    be relevant to
    For so long as a guardian has guardianship of such land, he shall maintain the houses, parks, fish preserves, ponds, mills, and everything else pertaining to it, from the revenues of the land itself.
  13. revenue
    the entire amount of income before any deductions are made
    For so long as a guardian has guardianship of such land, he shall maintain the houses, parks, fish preserves, ponds, mills, and everything else pertaining to it, from the revenues of the land itself.
  14. implement
    a piece of equipment or a tool used for a specific purpose
    When the heir comes of age, he shall restore the whole land to him, stocked with plough teams and such implements of husbandry as the season demands and the revenues from the land can reasonably bear.
  15. husbandry
    the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
    When the heir comes of age, he shall restore the whole land to him, stocked with plough teams and such implements of husbandry as the season demands and the revenues from the land can reasonably bear.
Created on Mon Jun 02 16:37:45 EDT 2025 (updated Mon Jun 02 17:54:53 EDT 2025)

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