Magna Carta: A Commentary on the Great Charter of King John With an Historical Introduction
Chapter 46 is a “saving clause,” reserving to archbishops, bishops,
abbots, priors, templars, hospitallers, earls, barons, and all other persons, cleric and lay, the liberties and free customs which they previously had. The vagueness of this provision (a mere reference to the undefined and misty past) deprived it of all practical value. The other addition was of much greater importance.