It’s Magna Carta Friday!

Allen Matkins
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This year marks the 800th anniversary of King John of England’s sealing of the Magna Carta at the field of Runnymede.  Readers may remember that King John was the youngest brother of the more celebrated Richard Coeur de Lion (the “Lion Heart”).   King John was known as John Lackland because he didn’t receive any land grants in Europe.  Some readers may recall the reference to King John in the Singing Nun’s song, Dominique: “l’e poque ou Jean-sans-Terre De’ Angleterre etait Roi Dominique, notre Pere Combattit les Albigeois“.

“Upon a parchment, and against this fire
Do I shrink up”

After King John dissipated the realm’s resources in an unsuccessful war in France, the English Baron’s forced him to grant the Magna Carta (or Great Charter) in June 1215.  The original Magna Carta was written in Latin.  To mark the anniversary, I will from time to time publish the Latin text of the charter with my translation.

Below is the introductory paragraph.  It’s useful to compare the opening lines of the Magna Carta with our own Constitution.  The Magna Carta is fundamentally a concession from a King while the Constitution is explicitly ordained by the people.

Johannes del gracia rex Anglie, dominus Hibernie, dux Normannie, Aquitannie et comes Andegavie, archiepiscopis, episcopis, abbatibus, comitibus, baronibus, justiciariis, forestariis, vicecomitibus, prepositis, ministris et omnibus ballivis et fidelibus suis salutem.Sciatis nos intuitu Dei et pro salute anime nostre et omnium antecessorum et heredum nostrorum ad honorem Dei et exaltacionem sancte Ecclesie, et emendacionem regni nostri, per consilium venerabilium patrum nostrorum, Stephani Cantuariensis archiepiscopi tocius Anglie primatis et sancte Romane ecclesie cardinalis, Henrici Dublinensis archiepiscopi, Willelmi Londoniensis, Petri Wintoniensis, Joscelini Bathoniensis et Glastoniensis, Hugonis Lincolniensis, Walteri Wygorniensis, Willelmi Coventrensis, et Benedicti Roffensis, episcoporum; magistri Pandulfi domini pape subdiaconi et familiaris, fratris Aymerici magistri milicie Templi in Anglia; et nobilium virorum Willelmi Mariscalli comitis Penbrocie, Willelmi comitis Sarrisberie, Willelmi comitis Warennie, Willelmi comitis Arundellie, Alani de Galeweya constabularii Scocie, Warini filii Geroldi, Petri filii Hereberti, Huberti de Burgo senescalli Pictavie, Hugonis de Nevilla, Mathei filli Hereberti, Thome Basset, Alani Basset, Philippi de Albiniaco, Roberti de Roppel’, Johannis Mariscalli, Johannis filii Hugonis et aliorum fidelium nostrorum: John by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Count of Anjou, to the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, counts, barons, justices, foresters, sheriffs, overseers, ministers and all his officials and faithful, greeting.Know that we, looked on upon by God, and for our health of our soul and of all our ancestors and heirs, to the honor of God and the exaltation of the holy Church, and the improvement of our reign, by the advice of our reverend fathers, Archbishop Stephen of Canterbury and primate of England and Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Archbishop Henry of Dublin: Bishops William of London, Peter of Winchester, Jocelyn of Bath and Glastonbury, Hugh of Lincoln, Walter of Worcester, William of Coventry, and Benedict of Rochester; Master Pandolf subdeacon and servant to our lord pope and servants and brothers Aymericus Master of the Knights Templar in England; and our noble men William Mariscal Count of Pembroke, William Count of Salisbury, William Count of Warren, William Count of Arundel, Alan of Galway and constable of Scotland, Waren son of Gerold, Peter sof Herbert, Hubert de Burgh (Seneschal of Poitou), Hugo de Neville, Mathew son of Herebert, Thomas Basset, Alan Basset, Philip de Albiniaco, Robert de Roppel, John Mariscal, John son of Hugo and our other faithful:

 

DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.

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