MS. Douce 159
Summary Catalogue no.: 21733
Contents
Index to the Statutes passed in the reigns of Edward III to 23 Henry VI, 1444-1445, in alphabetical order of subjects
Douce owned least ten manuscript copies of the Statutes of England which probably interested him as a result of his legal studies at Gray's Inn. In MS. Douce d. 57, fol. 49, is a list of his manuscripts of the Statutes
Prefixed by Frances Douce is the following note: 'This is an index to the Nova Statuta. It seems to have been afterwards printed in an enlarged form by Machlinia, and by Pynson, under the title of 'Abbreviamentum statutorum.'
Physical Description
Decoration
In two styles (partly unfinished). Pächt and Alexander iii. 997, Pl. XCII
Fine other initials
Binding
Red morocco binding made for Count Justin MacCarthy Reagh in Toulouse in c. 1774 by David Wier (or Weir) of London
History
Provenance and Acquisition
'Thomas Grenehalghe socius de Greys Inne doyt cest lyure' (fols 32v and 33r: early 16th century ?)
Francis Douce, 1757–1834. Identifiable with Douce's manuscript no. 2 which he 'Bought at Count Macarthy's sale' (lot 1613) for 6s in the MacCarthy sale, Leigh and Sotheby, May 1789. The catalogue describes the manuscript as 'Various tracts on jurisprudence French with initials and ornaments illuminated. 4º red morocco...'
The marks in Douce's own copy of the MacCarthy sale catlaogue (Oxford, Bodleian Library, Douce CC 301 [1]) show that he bought eighteen manuscripts at this sale, including MS. Douce 196, MS. Douce 197 and MS. Douce 198, for a total of £26. 18s. 6d
Bequeathed to the Bodleian in 1834
Record Sources
Digital Images
Digital Bodleian (2 images from 35mm slides)
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2024-08-30: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the printed catalogues.