Magna Charta
69
chants be treated in the nation at war with us; and if ours be safe there,
the others shall be safe in our dominions.
4 2 . f r e e d o m t o l e av e a n d r e e n t e r t h e k i n g d o m
It shall be lawful, for the time to come, for any one to go out of our kingdom, and return safely and securely by land or by water, saving his allegiance to us; unless in time of war, by some short space, for the common
benefit of the realm, except prisoners and outlaws, according to the law
of the land, and people in war with us, and merchants who shall be
treated as is above mentioned.
43. If any man hold of any escheat as of the honour of Wallingford, Nottingham, Boulogne, Lancaster, or of other escheats which be in our hands,
and are baronies, and die, his heir shall give no other relief, and perform
no other service to us than he would to the baron, if it were in the baron’s
hand; and we will hold it after the same manner as the baron held it.
44. Those men who dwell without the forest from henceforth shall not
come before our justiciaries of the forest, upon common summons, but
such as are impleaded, or as sureties for any that are attached for something concerning the forest.
4 5 . a p p o i n t m e n t o f t h o s e w h o k n o w t h e l aw
We will not make any justices, constables, sheriffs, or bailiffs, but of such
as know the law of the realm and mean duly to observe it.
46. All barons who have founded abbeys, which they hold by charter
from the kings of England, or by ancient tenure, shall have the keeping
of them, when vacant, as they ought to have.
47. All forests that have been made forests in our time shall forthwith be
disforested; and the same shall be done with the water-banks that have
been fenced in by us in our time.
48. All evil customs concerning forests, warrens, foresters, and warreners, sheriffs and their officers, water-banks and their keeper, shall forth-