Merton College MS. 297B
Former shelfmark: G. 1. 1
STATUTES; S. XV (bef. 1435)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Fols. iv-iiv, iiiv blank.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
Ruled with fine pencil in 41–2 long lines.
Hand(s)
I is written in textura; otherwise two secretary hands, the second responsible for art. 7. Art. 6 was finished after 18 Feb. 1426 and presumably before 6 Nov. 1429, when Henry VI was crowned.
Decoration
On f. 328 a 14-line initial A, pink and blue in a gold frame, enclosing Henry VI as a boy, seated and holding two crowns and with two sceptres in his lap, a scroll inscribed ‘Viuere pacifice michi sit et utrique corone’; handsome full border with magpie. Arts 5 and 6 (fols. 161 and 304) open with 13-line gold initials on gold and pink grounds, patterned and enclosing beasts, each gorged with a coronet and bearing an inscribed scroll, the second with full border: an eagle (f. 69, Edw. I?, ‘Laus legislate uolat undique cum probitate’), a leopard (f. 161, Edw. III, ‘Viuat uis legis quia ius est gloria regis’), a hart (f. 225, Ric. II, ‘Sauns departier’), a dog (f. 273; Hen. IV, ‘Ma soueraine’), and a horned dog-like spotted animal (f. 304; Hen. VI, ‘Vn sanz pluis’). On f. 9 a gold S on pink and blue ground (champe); 6-line blue initials flourished in red; red or blue paraphs; red highlighting. A marginal sketch of a leopard rampant on f. 272v.
Binding
Standard Merton s. xvii, sewn on six bands; formely chained from the usual position.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Made in England, perhaps in London.
At the foot of fols. 9v, 106v, 211v, 296v, ‘Liber ecclesie Christi Cantuar’ de statutis et legibus Anglie, quem librum Iohannes Pyrye de Cantuar’ iurista legauit eidem ecclesie anno domini millesimo CCCCXXXV cuius anime propicietur Deus.’ Either the John Pyrye who was bailiff in Canterbury in 1401–2, or the man who became a monk of Christ Church in 1435, d. 1449 (J. Greatrex, Biographical Register of the English Cathedral Priories of the Province of Canterbury [Oxford, 1997], p. 259).
Art. 7 was probably added at Canterbury in or soon after 1445.
On f. iii, s. xvi, ‘Liber Collegii Mertonensis ex dono Magistri Iacobi Leeche quondam socii eiusdem’, repeated on f. i, s. xvii, together with a table of contents. Leach d. 1589.
On f. i is also ‘P. 4. 28. Art:’, canc. and replaced with ‘Q. 7. 11.’, canc. and replaced with ‘Q. 2, 15’, canc. and replaced with ‘K. 1. 7 (CCXCVII B)’ in red. ‘11’ is inked on the foredge. The College bookplate is on f. iii.
Merton College MS. 297B – Part I (fols. 1–8v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
A table to arts 5 and 6, 1–83, in 2 cols.
Erkenwald in red; added in red, John of Beverley and John of Bridlington, ‘Dedicacio noui templi London ix lc’ at 7, 11 and 31 May.
Merton College MS. 279B – Part II (fols. 9–393v)
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Unpr.; Baker & Ringrose, pp. 619–20, list copies including this one. In the text on f. 13 are 15 lines in English about payment of debts: IMEP, pp. 52–3.
in arts 5 (fols. 19v-34; 34v blank) and 6 (fols. 35–62; 62v-8v blank)
The table to art. 5 occurs also in Lincoln’s Inn, Hale 74, f. 9 seq., and in Bodl. Libr., Douce 362, fols. 13–27v. It takes into account 20 pieces in those manuscripts but not in this one (MMBL 3. 660).
A complete list is in MMBL 3. 660–3: to the references there add: fols. 83v-5v Statute of Gloucester, in French: Baker & Ringrose, p. 52. f. 106rv ‘Modus calumpniandi essonia’: Baker & Ringrose, p. 97. f. 111 ‘Modus faciendi homagium et fidelitatem’, in French: Baker & Ringrose, p. 58. f. 114rv View of Frankpledge, in French: Baker & Ringrose, p. 60. fols. 117v-18 ‘De wardis et releuiis’: Baker & Ringrose, p. 100. fols. 119v-20 Extenta manerii: Baker & Ringrose, p. 61. fols. 120–1 ‘De apportis religiosorum’: = SR i. 150 (Statute of Carlisle, 35 Edw. I); for the word ‘apportis’ in the title, see Statutes at Large 1 (1811), p. 175. f. 126rv ‘Diffinicio de excepcione. Notandum quod quatuor modis dicitur excepcio ...’. A commonly-found explanatory note: Baker & Ringrose, pp. 96–7, listing copies including this one. f. 129rv ‘Composicio de ponderibus. Nunc dicendum est de ponderibus plumbi et aliarum rerum. Notandum est quod le chare de plumbo ...’: as in CUL Gg. 5. 7, f. 12v. f. 130rv Expositiones uocabulorum: copies listed in Baker & Ringrose, p. 62. f. 133rv ‘Statutum siue tractatus de antiquo dominico’. A frequently-copied opinion, occasionally ascr. Anger de Rypone: pr. Year Books 20 & 21 Edward I (RS, 1866), pp. xviii-xix; copies, including this one, listed by Baker & Ringrose, pp. 49–50. f. 148 ‘Distinccio de socagio. Socage poet estre ...’: Baker & Ringrose, p. 97, listing copies including this one. ‘Expliciunt uetera statuta uidelicet Henrici tercii, Edwardi primi et Edwardi secundo post conquestum regni Anglie.’
Listed in MMBL 3. 663–4.
SR ii. 232, 238–58/29 (end of c. 26), 263, 272, 278, 289, 295, 301, 315, 326.
fols. 388v, 390–1v, 392–3v blank. f. 389 is headed ‘Henrici sexti’. On f. 389v are pen-trials, including ‘Sir G. G. Nenman (or Nonman)’ and ‘A. D. J. M. 1623’. On f. 392 is an extract in French, headed ‘In parliamento tento apud Westmon’ tercio die Iunii anno vii E. iiijti’.
Additional Information
Record Sources
Availability
For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact Merton College Library.
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
Conversion of the printed catalogue to TEI funded by the Warden and Fellows of Merton College .
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2019-10-25: First online publication