Magna Carta

and Modern Australia

Magna Carta is one of the most famous documents in the world. First written in 1215, it set out rules limiting the power of the monarchy and safeguarding basic human rights. Over its long history it has been reinterpreted as an icon of justice and liberty. Magna Carta is one of the historic foundations of Australian democracy. Its principles about the rule of law and good government remain relevant today.

Explore Magna Carta through its clauses or view the stories to discover how people have used this medieval document to shape modern Australia.

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37

Si aliquis teneat de nobis per feodifirmam vel per sokagium vel per burgagium et de alio terram teneat per servitium militare, nos non habebimus custodiam heredis nec terre sue que est de feodo alterius, occasione illius feodifirme vel sokagii vel burgagii; nec habebimus custodiam illius feodifirme vel sokagii vel burgagii nisi ipsa feodifirma debeat servicium militare. Nos non habebimus custodiam heredis vel terre alicuius quam tenet de alio per servicium militare occasione alicuius parve sergenterie quam tenet de nobis per servicium reddendi nobis cultellos vel sagittas vel huiusmodi.

If a man holds land of the Crown by 'fee-farm', 'socage', or 'burgage', and also holds land of someone else for knight's service, we will not have guardianship of his heir, nor of the land that belongs to the other person's 'fee', by virtue of the 'fee-farm', 'socage', or 'burgage', unless the 'fee-farm' owes knight's service. We will not have the guardianship of a man's heir, or of land that he holds of someone else, by reason of any small property that he may hold of the Crown for a service of knives, arrows, or the like.

and Modern Australia
Clause 37
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Si aliquis teneat de nobis per feodifirmam vel per sokagium vel per burgagium et de alio terram teneat per servitium militare, nos non habebimus custodiam heredis nec terre sue que est de feodo alterius, occasione illius feodifirme vel sokagii vel burgagii; nec habebimus custodiam illius feodifirme vel sokagii vel burgagii nisi ipsa feodifirma debeat servicium militare. Nos non habebimus custodiam heredis vel terre alicuius quam tenet de alio per servicium militare occasione alicuius parve sergenterie quam tenet de nobis per servicium reddendi nobis cultellos vel sagittas vel huiusmodi.

If a man holds land of the Crown by 'fee-farm', 'socage', or 'burgage', and also holds land of someone else for knight's service, we will not have guardianship of his heir, nor of the land that belongs to the other person's 'fee', by virtue of the 'fee-farm', 'socage', or 'burgage', unless the 'fee-farm' owes knight's service. We will not have the guardianship of a man's heir, or of land that he holds of someone else, by reason of any small property that he may hold of the Crown for a service of knives, arrows, or the like.