What was the first statute to provide a right to bail?

The correct answer is the Statute of Westminster 1275, as this statute is recognized as the first legislative act that expressly provided a right to bail. It established the principle that defendants should not be held before trial without bail as a precondition to their release. This statute marked a significant shift towards the acknowledgment of individual rights within the legal framework of the time.

In contrast, the Petition of Right primarily addressed issues of unlawful detention and was more focused on the constraints of royal power rather than establishing a specific right to bail. The Habeas Corpus Act, while crucial in protecting individuals against unlawful imprisonment, came later and built upon existing concepts rather than being the initial statute to introduce bail rights. The Magna Carta, though monumental in shaping law and individual liberties, did not specifically provide a right to bail but contained broader principles concerning lawful punishment and due process. The Statute of Westminster thus stands out as the formal acknowledgment of the right to bail within the legislative history.