
(39) No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land.
(40) To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice
Magna Carta June 1215
Clauses 39 and 40
Salisbury Cathedral
Test your understanding
Who is responsible for providing ‘lawful judgement’ upon a free man?
That's the wrong answer... Why don't you study the clause once again, and listen to the transcript?
Excellent, excellent! Yes, the answer is his equals.
Will Magna Carta bring peace and freedom?
- Is Magna Carta simply a collection of complaints and grumbles by the barons which will only have benefits for them?
- Is Magna Carta more than this? Is it an important statement of key principles about how the king can rule and will have benefits for everyone in England?
- Will this document be long lasting and bring about peace and freedom, or will King John will find a way out of it?