In case you missed it, Wednesday marked the 896th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, one of the most important documents in the Anglo-American political tradition and, I would argue, in the political tradition of the West generally.
The Magna Carta put significant checks on the arbitrary exercise of authority by the King John of England. Nobles were to be tried by a jury of their peers rather than by judges representing the royal interest. All freemen were promised protection against arbitrary arrest or seizure of their property. John also promised that he would stop interfering with the English Church. The Magna Carta even guaranteed a uniform system of weights and measures throughout the realm.
This recognition of the liberties of subjects by the Crown became a fixture in the English legal tradition. Jurists and political figures of later centuries in both Britain and America continually pointed to the Magna Carta as the legal starting point for our tradition of limited government.
So if you enjoy the Bill of Rights, thank some rebellious barons of the 13th century. The text of the Magna Carta is linked here for your perusal.