A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

Christ Church MS. 103

Statutes of England and works of common law; England (?Cobham, Surrey), s. xiii/xiv

Contents

Language(s): Latin and Anglo-Norman; pentrials in Middle English

1. Fol. 1ra-rb

Contents list for items 3–19

2. Fol. 1v-4v

The conventional table of chapters for the seven ‘classic’ statutes (to Westminster II)

3. Fols 5–73v
Incipit: [the heading cut off at the top of the page] Henricus dei gracia Rex Anglie Dominus Hibernie et Dux Aquitanie et Comes Andegauensis Archiepiscopis Episcopis
Incipit: Sciatis quod nos intuitu dei et pro salute anime nostre
Incipit: In primis concessimus deo et beate Marie et omnibus sanctis et pre presenti carta nostra confirmauimus
Explicit: Burgis seu villis illas tangentibus prout temporibus preceptis fieri consueuit Expliciunt statuta de Recognitoribus
Statutes of England,

‘The old statutes’ (Statuta vetera), as follows:

i. Fols 5–8v: Henry III’s confirmation of Magna Carta (1224/5), dated to 1265 confirmation, ed. SR, 1:*22-*25.

ii. Fols 8v-10v: ‘carta de Foresta’ (reissue of 1225), ed. SR, 1:*26–27.

iii. Fols 10v-11v: ‘sentencia super Cartas lata Contra transgressores’ (1253), ed. SR, 1:6–7.

iv. Fols 11v-13v: ‘Provisiones de Mertona’ (1235/6), ed. SR, 1:1–4.

v. Fols 13v-19: ‘statuta de Marleberg’ (1267), ed. SR, 1:19–25.

vi. Fols 19–22: ‘statuta de Gloucestre’ (1278), ed. SR, 1:45–50, with a much briefer prologue than that printed.

vii. Fol. 22rv: ‘Explanaciones Eorundem’, ed. SR, 1:50.

viii. Fols 22v-33: ‘Statuta Westmonasterii Prima’ (1275), ed. SR, 1:26–39.

ix. Fols 33–51v: ‘statuta Westmonasterii Secunda’ (1285), ed. SR, 1:71–95.

x. Fols 51v-52: ‘modus Calumpniandi Essonia’, ed. SR, 1:217.

xi. Fol. 52: ‘Composicio monete et mensurarum’, ed. SR, 1:204, but here in Anglo-Norman.

xii. Fol. 52v: ‘statuta de Anno et die bisextili’ (1256), ed. SR, 1:7.

xiii. Fol. 52v: ‘quo Warranto’, ed. SR, 1:107, but here in Anglo-Norman.

xiv. Fols 52v-54v: ‘statuta de mercatoribus’ (1285), ed. SR, 1:98–100, with the writ specified in the statute at the end.

xv. Fols 54v-56: ‘statuta Wynton’’ (1285), ed. SR, 1:96–98.

xvi & xvii. Fols 56–57: ‘statuta de moneta’ and (fol. 56v-57) ‘Articuli de moneta’, ed. SR, 1:219-.

xviii. Fol. 57r-v: ‘statuta de militibus’, ed. SR, 1:229.

xix. Fols 57v-59v: ‘Statuta de Scaccario’, ed. SR, 1:197–98, not identical with the text printed.

xx. Fols 59v-60: ‘districciones Eorum’, ed. SR, 1:197b (ending in the variant reading printed as n5).

xxi. Fol. 60rv: ‘statuta Religiosorum’ (1279), ed. SR, 1:51.

xxii. Fols 60v-62: ‘Quo Warranto [primum, in the colophon only]’ (1278), ed. 1:45–46, but here in Latin.

xxiii. Fols 62–63: ‘statuta de Iustic’ Assignati⟨s⟩’ (1276), ed. SR, 1:44.

xxiv & xxv. Fols 63–65v: ‘statuta Exonie’ and (fol. 64–65v) ‘Articuli Eorum’ (1286), ed. SR, 1:210–12.

xxvi. Fols 65v-66v: ‘Circumspecte agatis’ (1285), ed. SR, 1:101–2.

xxvii. Fols 66v-67: ‘Gauelet in London’’, ed. SR, 1:222.

xxviii. Fol. 67r-v: ‘lotrum [sic] pistoris [in colophon: Iudicium pillorie et timberelli]’, ed. SR, 1:201–2.

xxix. Fols 67v-68: ‘statuta de moneta per willielmum de marchia’, ed. SR, 1:220 (ending in the variant reading printed in n5).

xxx. Fols 68–69: ‘statuta Armorum’, ed. SR, 1:230–31.

xxxi. Fol. 69rv: ‘Compositio de ponderibus’, ed. SR, 1:205 (lacking the prologue and not identical elsewhere).

xxxii. Fols 69v-70: ‘statuta de Emptoribus Terrarum’ (1289/90), ed. SR, 1:106.

xxxiii. Fol. 70r-v: ‘modus Faciendi Homagium et Fidelitatem’, ed. SR, 1:227–28.

xxxiv-xxxvi. Fols 70v-71: ‘Assisa Panis per precium bladi’, ‘Assisa seruisie’, and ‘lucrum pistoris’, ed. SR, 1:199–200, but here in Anglo-Norman (the last not identical to the text printed).

xxxvii. Fol. 71r-v: ‘dies Communes’, ed. SR, 1:208.

xxxviii. Fols 71v-72: ‘dies in placito dotis’, ed. SR, 1:208 (with the extra sentence printed in n2).

xxxix. Fol. 72r-v: ‘statuta de bigamis’, ed. SR, 1:42–43.

xl. Fols 72v-73: ‘statuta de Conspiratoribus’, ed. SR, 1:216, the second paragraph only.

xli. Fol. 73r-v: ‘statuta de Iuratoribus et Recognitoribus’, ed. SR, 1:113.

Fols 73v-76v, the last two leaves probably later insertions, were originally blank, now with added texts (b)-(i).

4. Fols 77–89
Rubric: [underlined in red in upper margin] Fet assauer
Incipit: Fet assauer au comencement de chescon play qe est playde en la Court le Reys
Explicit: ad renable encheson pur quex il ne ly ad ueynt fet vener
Final rubric: Explicit Summa Fet assauer
Ralph of Hengham (attrib.), Summa fait assavoir

Ed. George E. Woodbine, Four Thirteenth Century Law Tracts (New Haven CT, 1910), 53–115.

5. Fols 89–104v
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit Magna hengham [blank line followed by text]
Incipit: Licet ordo placitandi in Curia domini Regis secundum legem et consuetudinem Regni
Explicit: patris Regis Edwardi sic perhemptorie dedicitur accio actoris
Final rubric: Explicit magna Hengham
Ralph Hengham, Summa Magna

Sharpe no. 1247 [448], ed. William H. Dunham, Radulphi de Hengham Summæ (Cambridge, 1932), 1–50, lacking 38/3–41/5 owing to the removal of a folio after fol. 101. The manuscript is not among the seventy Dunham lists at lxxiii-viii.

6. Fols 104v-13
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit:] Incipit Parua hengham
Incipit: [fol. 105, text:] Notandum quod quinque sunt essonia videlicet primum de vltra mare secundum de terra sancta
Explicit: defenderet ille qui prius cassauit si compertus fuerit tenens
Final rubric: Expliciunt[sic] Parua hengham
Ralph of Hengham, Summa parua

Ed. Dunham, 52–71.

7. Fols 113–15v
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit Modus componendi breuia [blank line, then text]
Incipit: Cvm sit neccasarium conquerentibus in Curia domini Regis vt sibi in suis casibus exhibeatur remedium
Explicit: pronunciantur iccirco huiusmodi excepciones lingua romana in scriptis rediguntur etc.
Final rubric: Explicit modus componendi breuia
Modus compondendi brevia

Ed. Woodbine, 143–59.

8. Fols 115v-20v
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit Iudicium Essoniorum
Incipit: | [fol. 116] Primum capitulum de difficultate essoniorum. Circa viros et mulieres siue circa plures tenentes pro indiuiso siue
Explicit: procedere debent ad alia placita iuxta eorum discrecionem. explicit.
Final rubric: Explicit Iudicium Essoniorum
Ralph of Hengham (attrib.), Iudicium Essoniorum

Ed. Woodbine, 116–42.

9. Fols 120v-24v
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit Bastardia
Incipit: | [fol. 121] Si Bastardus clamando se legittimum heredem intrauerit aliqua tenementa post mortem antecessoris sui
Explicit: de seruicio domini Regis nisi attornatus ille amoneat
Final rubric: Explicit Bastardia
Summa Bastardiae

The tract sometimes called Bastardia, unprinted but derived from Henry Bracton, De legibus et consuetudinis Anglie, ed. George Woodbine, trans. and rev. Samuel E. Thorne, 4 vols (Cambridge MA, 1968–77), with added teaching materials: see Woodbine, 1 and n3, and the list of manuscripts, including this one, at J. H. Baker and J. S. Ringrose, A Catalogue of English Legal Manuscripts in Cambridge University Library (Woodbridge, 1996), 65–66 (CUL, MS Dd.vii.6, item 94).

10. Fols 124v-30
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit Cadit Assisa [blank line, then text]
Incipit: Rex vicecomiti salutem Si A fecerit te securum de clam suo prosequendo tunc
Explicit: petendum remanebit possessio loco suo vt predictum est etc.
Final rubric: Explicit Summa Cadit Assisa
Summa cadit assisa

See Woodbine, 1–2 n4, a demonstration that the tract is derived from Bracton, De legibus, ed. Woodbine, rev. Thorne, 3:294–317 passim; and the list of MSS, including this one, at Baker and Ringrose, 78 (CUL, MS Dd.vii.14, item 51). Bottom three lines of fol. 130 blank.

11. Fols 130v-32v
Incipit: Incipiunt articuli qui narrando indigent obseruari et primo de breui de Recto de quantitate ten’
Explicit: quod se subtraxit iniuste et ad dampnum etc. Et tendatur secta etc.
Final rubric: Expliciunt Articuli In Narrando

See Baker and Ringrose, 170 (CUL, MS Ee.i.5, item 65), for a list of copies, including this manuscript.

12. Fols 132v-34v
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit natura breuium
Incipit: | [fol. 133] Qvia in superiori diuisione loquitur de breuibus Notemus hic quid sit breue
Explicit: [fol. 134] et districcionum sicuti breue de transgressione et cetetetera [sic, to fill line]
Final rubric: [fol. 134v] Explicit Natura breuium
Natura brevium

Frequently appended to or incorporated in the preceding item; see Baker and Ringrose, 55 (CUL, MS Dd.vii.6, item 50).

13. Fols 134v-39
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit ordo Excepcionum [blank line, then text]
Incipit: Excepciones generales ad Breue Si nomen petentis uel cognomen non concordant breui suo
Explicit: et seruicio sicut in seruicio et elemosina sicut in elemosina etc.
Final rubric: Explicit ordo Excepcionum
Exceptiones generales ad breve

See Baker and Ringrose, 71 (CUL, MS Dd.vii.14, item 14, the ‘Exceptiones generales ad breve’); this text is frequently associated with item 11 above.

14. Fols 139rv
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit Tractatus Corone [blank line, then text]
Incipit: Licet in antiquo dominico Corone non currat aliquid breue nisi paruum breue de Recto clausum
Explicit: Ego secure procederem assisam sicut pluries consueui quid alii faciunt ignoro etc.
Final rubric: Explicit tractatus corone

A version ed. Alfred J. Horwood, Year Books of the Reign of King Edward the First, years XX and XXI, RS 31/1 (1866), xviii-xix, with an ascription to Anger of Ripon; see also Baker and Ringrose, 49–50 (CUL, MS Dd.vii.6, item 8).

15. Fols 139v-43v
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit Excepciones Contra breuia
Incipit: Cest le ordre de excepcion a mettre auant enplaydaunt Nomement quele excepcion deit
Explicit: par sa femme noun sanz nomer sa femme en le bref dunc partaunt etc.
Final rubric: Expliciunt Excepciones Contra Breuia
Exceptiones contra breuia

Ed. Woodbine, 163–83. See Baker and Ringrose, 70 (CUL, MS Dd.vii.14, item 9).

16. Fols 143v-51
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit Placita Corone [blank line, then text]
Incipit: Eodem modo quo quis feloniam facere potest interficiendo alium Item feloniam facere
Explicit: [fol. 145] domini regis et tunc fiat de hiis secundum quod superius sit etc.
Tractatus coronae
Incipit: [fol. 145v] Si un hommese vodra pleyndre
Placita corone

The French Placita corone preceded by the Latin Tractatus coronae, both ed. J. M. Kaye [Selden Society, supplementary series, 4] (London, 1966), with this manuscript cited as ‘B’. See Baker and Ringrose, 49 (CUL, MS Dd.vii.6, item 3, the ‘Tractatus corone/de corona’), where this MS is noted, and 75–76 (CUL, MS Dd.vii.14, item 37). A heading was originally placed in mid-text, at the foot of fol. 145, with an initial decorated capital at the head of fol. 145v, but the heading has subsequently been erased.

17. Fols 151–52
Rubric: [title continues on the same line as previous explicit] Incipit officium Coronatoris [blank line, then text]
Incipit: Hec sunt inquirenda a Coronatoribus domini Regis In primis quando Coronatores habent mandatum
Explicit: quod noluerit attachietur quod sit coram Iusticiariis in Gaola explicit ⟨Explicit [two words fully erased]⟩
Final rubric: Explicit Officium de Coronatoribus

SR, 1:40–41 (1275 and 1276).

Fols 152v-53r were originally blank but now have added texts (k) and (l).

18. Fols 153v-154r

three short items added on originally blank leaves in the main text hand.

i. Fol. 153v: ‘Edwardus etc. vic’ Surr’ salutem Quia volumus quod perambulaciones quas per dilectos et fideles nostros — sigilla sua apposuerit.’.

A letter of Edward II to John de Warenne, seventh earl of Surrey, reporting on visitations of royal forests; the text mentions Ralph Hengham as one of the perambulators and includes such a visit to Windsor Forest in 1300. For the situation giving rise to these perambulations, see J. H. Denton, Robert Winchelsea and the Crown 1294–1313 (Cambridge, 1980), 184–91. This letter is immediately followed by two further brief texts.

ii. Fols 153v-54: ‘Dat’ per copiam sub sigillo — in forma iuris.’

A petition by the ‘procurator domus sancte crucis iuxta Wynton’’ against Mr Peter, rector of Colesdone (ie Coulsdon, Surrey) and executor of Mr Peter de St Maur;

iii. Fol. 154: ‘Edwardus etc. vic’ Surr’ salutem. Precipimus tibi quod in pleno — fuerit apud Eborum.’.

A royal writ addressed to John de Warenne, sixth earl of Surrey and dated 1297, judging a transaction between Henry Gerard of Guldeford and Henry Helegh, prior of Merton. On Henry Gerard, clerk of Guildford, see TNA, C 241/49/32 (dated 1300), but not that the prior of the Augustinian house of Merton at this date was Edmund de Herierd: VCH Surrey, 2:102.

Fol. 154v was originally blank but is now provided with added texts (m) and (n).

Fol. 155: blank.

19. Fols 156–237
Incipit: Edwardus dei gracia Rex Anglie . . . Balliuis suis Notingh salutem Precipimus vobis quod sine dilacione plenum Rectum teneatis Henrico Trik
Explicit: sub sigillo tuo reddes certiores indilate remit⟨te⟩ntes nobis hoc breue T amen
Register of writs

Listed (like our MS 123 but not our MS 102) by Elsa de Haas and G. D. G. Hall, Early Registers of Writs, Selden Society 87 (1970), xxiii. There is neither an introductory heading nor a colophon. The top of the folios have been cropped but usually visible are folio numbers, beginning at fol. 1, written mainly in Roman numerals but moving to Arabic numerals at ‘73’ (fol. 228), by the hand (anglicana, s. xvex) of the index to this section which is item 22.

20. Fols 237–38
Incipit: Quia fines in Curia domini Regis leuati finem litibus imponere debent
Explicit: ordinata alique inquisiciones capiantur quod nullis habeantur
Statuta de finibus

Identified by a hand of s. xv ex. as ‘statuta de finibus’, ed. SR, 1:128–130 (lacking the final paragraph). In the hand of the main scribe, but probably an addition on originally blank leaves.

Bottom of fol. 238, orginally blank, has added text (o).

21. Fol. 238v
Incipit: Excommunicamus et anathematizamus ex parte dei omnipotentis patris et filii et spiritus sancti
Form of excommunication

Apparently a general form. Added on a blank page by the main scribe.

Fols 238–39: the remainder of the original volume, originally blank, now have added texts (p).

22. Fols 240–44v

Index to the Register of writs

Added to the volume, presented in two columns, the divide provided by the folios having been creased rather than ruled (anglicana, s. xv ex.); the folio numbers relate to those added in the upper margin of item 19. The scribe of this index also writes added texts (k) and (n), as well as annotations through the volume.

Added texts (most blank areas have been filled in):

(a) Fol. 4v: a royal writ of spring 1345 to the sheriff of Surrey respecting Alicia atte Wale’s property in Coueham. Added in anglicana, s. xivmed by a reader who also adds (e-g), and (i) at the end of the first portion of the manuscript; (m) at the end of the second, and (o) and (p) at the end of the third. Several others of this reader’s additions are also royal writs, mainly from the same year.

(b) Fols 73v-74: (marginal title: ‘Breue de Medio quod acquietet de seruiciis etc.’) a writ concerning a land dispute between Roger de Penteneye and Richard de Boylonde, with other writs. Added in anglicana, s. xiii/xiv or xivin, by a reader who also contributes three items (c) and (d).

(c) Fol. 74v: notes on ‘Fet asseuer’.

(d) Fol. 74v: (marginal title ‘Bref de entre sur la nouele disseisine’) a writ concerning a dispute over lands in Helham, Mandwelerand, and Leynggesham between Johan de Frompton’ and Williame Russel.

(e) Fol. 74v: a royal writ (1344) to Robert de Sedyngton, Chancellor (ie Sadyngton), concerning lands in Gascony disputed by Richard de Nenaton and Richard a la Clise de Debynton’. Return to contributor of (a) etc.

(f) Fols 75rv: ‘[title in upper margin:] Incipit modus ad mensurandi terram [sic] [text:] [Q]vando acra terre continet x. particas in longitudine tunc continebit — eiusdem mensure faciunt particam comunem ad terram mensurandam etc. c. c. Explicit modus ad mensurandum Terram’.

Ed. SR, 1:206, the explicit an extension of an expanded version of the note there on measurements.

(g) Fol. 75v: ‘[title in upper margin:] Incipit quot modus dicitur Excepcio [text:] [N]otandum quod quatuor modis dicitur excepcio videlicet excepcio dilatoris excepcio peremptoris . . .’.

A paragraph.

(h) Fols 75v-76: ‘Incipit statuta de wardis et releuijs [C]eo fait assauoir que la ou Relef doit estre done illoq’s appent garde . . .’.

Ed. SR, 1:228. Added in yet a third hand, mixed anglicana/secretary, s. xv2.

(i) Fol. 76v: ‘[title in upper margin:] Incipit visus Franciiplegii [text:] [P]rimes vous nous dirrez par le serment que vous nous auez scit si touz — festez assauer par le serment que vous nous auez fet etc. c.

Ed. SR, 1:246–47. This is in the script of (a) etc.

(k) Fol. 152v: ‘Statutum de Cimiterio Quoniam inter rectores ecclesiarum et suos parochianos super arboribus crescentibus . . .’.

Ed. SR, 1:221. Added by another reader in anglicana, s. xvex.

(l) Fol. 153: ‘Domesday villa de Coueham. Inuenitur in libro qui dicitur Domesday ad scaccarium domini Regis . . .’.

Cf. the entry for ‘Covenham’, i.e. Cobham, Domesday Book 3 Surrey, ed. John Morris (Chichester, 1975), no. 8.6 (32c), where Covenham is, as here, held by the abbot of Chertsey. Added by yet another reader in anglicana, s. xivmed.

(m) Fol. 154v: two writs, one to the sheriff of Surrey concerning a messuage in Weston (as [a], dated spring 1345); the second, to the sheriff of Lancashire, anonymised to serve as a form, with a third writ expunged. Added by contributor of (a) etc.

(n) Fol. 154v: two notes concerning a council held at Exeter in 9 Henry (presumably Henry VI, i.e. 1430–31). Added s. xv2/4 in anglicana, and written over the expunged third writ at the end of (m), extending to the page foot.

(o) Fol. 238: a writ of Edward III (1345) to the sheriff of Essex (ie Sir John of Coggeshall) concerning lands of ‘Hugo filius Roberti de stanton’’. Added by contributor of (a) etc.

(p) fols 238v, 239v-39 (the writing ends on the recto): a group of four further writs from the reign of Edward III, the first to the sheriff of Sussex concerning John de K, the rest involving other individuals identified as ‘de K’, one other directed to the sheriff of Suffolk over a messuage in Stanford (?Norfolk). At the top of fol. 239v, there is a note of seven lines in a slightly earlier script, on the procedure concerning essoin. There are other notes in later hands on fol. 239; see provenance.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: Capitulum xxxv de scutagio
Secundo Folio: nisi domus (fol. 6)
Form: codex
Support: Parchment (FSOS)
Extent: Fols iii + 244 + ii (numbered fols 245 and 246)
Dimensions (leaf): 240 × 160 mm.

Collation

14 2–98 106 (with two added at end) [to fol. 76, the end of a production unit] | 11–138 148 (wanting second before fol. 102) 15–208 (the final leaf probably a later supply, pasted to the stub of the original) [to fol. 155, the end of a production unit] | 21–248 2510 26–298 308 (with one added at end as fol. 238) 314 (with a single leaf added at start and end with their stubs folded on the outside of the quire; the first, fol. 239, is probably an old flyleaf and perhaps a former pastedown). A catchword is fully visible only at fol. 44v; elsewhere there are rare remains of cropped catchwords (fols 36v, 179v); evidence of signatures is very scarce: fol. 48, the fourth leaf of the quire, is marked at bottom right with four horizontal lines in red; at the final verso of two quires there are marks (fol. 115v: ‘l’; fol. 213v: non-alphabetical).

Layout

Often cropped at top well into the running titles; writing area: 187mm x 115mm, usually bound by double borders on all sides, with a leading edge column of 5mm (for chapter numbers etc) c.18mm from outer binding line of text-frame, and a further double border, its lines 4mm apart, placed 6mm above top line; in addition, the lines for ll. 17–19 are extended to the edge of the page; other text lines end ragged beyond the double borders.

In long lines, somewhat variable, usually about 34 lines to the page.

No signs of full pricking but evidence of prick-holes in line with the vertical double borders; bounded and ruled in lead.

Hand(s)

Written in anglicana, s. xiii/xiv.

Punctuation by mid point and occasional punctus elevatus.

Decoration

Headings in decorative anglicana formata (perhaps not the text hand), underlined in red. Large (up to ten-line) red and blue lombards, with red flourishing, for each statute in item 3 and then for each item; that at fol. 5 extends into a full blue line border, flourished in red. Chapter numbers in the marginal column, frequently underlined in red and/or red-slashed. The texts are divided by alternate red and blue paraphs. Originally, full running titles up to fol. 139v, most cut away completely; these provided the title of the statute and were underlined in red. On fol. 152 a drawing in red of a robed man pointing toward the now expunged explicit, below and later a pointing hand and a bird in ink. The same hand draws a flower in red at fol. 188. Not in AT.

Binding

Brown calf over millboards, s. xvii ex., stamped in gilt on the inner edges. Sewn on five thongs. In the upper spine compartment, on a red leather label in gilt, ‘Corpus Iur Angli Vet’. Pastedowns paper, a ChCh bookplate (ChCh and Wake’s arms) on the front pastedown. At the front, three and at the rear two (fol. 245–46) paper flyleaves, presumably added with binding.

History

Origin: England (?Cobham, Surrey); s. xiii/xiv

Provenance and Acquisition

The book was certainly produced for (or by?) an individual in Cobham (Surrey). Two added texts in the scribal hand treating events of 1297 and 1300 (item 18) refer to Surrey affairs. The hand which adds texts (a, e-g, i, m, o, p), scattered in all three production units and datable c. 1345, includes writs referring to Cobham and to nearby Weston Green. And the contemporary addition, text (l), copies the Domesday entry for Cobham. There are a few early pentrials, one in English ‘In kente wher care be gane’ (fol. 239, s. xv2); ‘Thynke And sey lasse be not soe dulle as a asse and wake wyrke Faste and prey here wel thy’ (unnoted Middle English verse?, in display anglicana, s. xvex), beneath it a contemporary signature ‘Iohannes Grewe’ (fol. 244v). There is a further note of ownership (fol. 239), now illegible through scratching.

Although the book itself includes no note to the effect, it certainly was part of Wake’s bequest. It is included in the autograph schedule (MS 352/8, fol. 1v) under quarto volumes: ‘Corpus Iuris Anglicani veteris: parchment’ (which corresponds to the title on the spine). This provenance is corroborated by the bookplate and explains its absence from the New Library catalogue (see Appendix IV).

Record Sources

Ralph Hanna and David Rundle, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Western Manuscripts, to c. 1600, in Christ Church, Oxford (Oxford, 2017).

Availability

For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact Christ Church Library.

Last Substantive Revision

2017-07-01: First online publication.

See the Availability section of this record for information on viewing the item in a reading room.