Register of writs, Statutes of England (statuta vetera) — Multiple dates; English

Title

Register of writs, Statutes of England (statuta vetera) — Multiple dates; English

Shelfmark

MS. Bodl. 940

Place of origin

English

Date

14th century, second quarter (after 1310)

added decoration, 15th century

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

ii + 2 + 230 + 2 fols.

Decoration

Good penwork initials. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 613)

Pen sketches added, 15th century. (Pächt and Alexander)

Rubrics.

Binding

Blind-stamped leather over pasteboards, Oxford, late 16th or early 17th century.

Acquisition

Presented in 1736 by Nathaniel Crynes M.A. of St John's College, Oxford.

Provenance

The first writ is dated 1310 (not here dated, but cf. texts in MS. Rawl. C. 246 and MS. Rawl. C. 310).

Johannes Paston est verus possessor istius libri in mirror writing; Johannes Paston; fol. i, 15th century: John Paston I, d. 1466 (cf. C. Richmond, The Paston Family in the Fifteenth Century II: Fastolf's Will (1996), p. 29).

Cursson’ Gregorius dominatur codicus huius, fol. 232v, early 16th century.

Title

Statutes and other English law documents

Shelfmark

MS. Bodl. 940

Summary

Statutes and other English law documents:

1 (fol. 3). Registrum brevium, a collection of writs under 118 heads, of which there is a 'kalendarium' at fol. 230v, added in a 15th century hand. The first two headings are 'De recto', 'De recto de rationabili parte': the last is 'De forma donacionis.'

2 (fol. 123). Certain Statutes: Magna Charta, de Foresta, de Merton, de Marlebergh, first of Westminster, de Gloucester, with Explanaciones, second of Westminster. Lists of the chapters are at fols. 1, 226v.

3 (fol. 202v). A collection of fourteen minor statutes, beginning with the 'Statutum de Medijs' (Quia emptores), Quia fines, De religiosis, Circumspecte agatis: and followed by the Statutum Wynton (fol. 221v) and 'Officium coronatoris' (fol. 224v).

On a fly-leaf are entered Latin notes, hardly later than the text, of:

a complaint by John de Arundel, warden of the royal chapel of Tickhill in Yorkshire, about a raid on the tithes of Harworth made by men from Nostel priory, perhaps in 1326;

the standard weights and measures in England.

Date

written early in the 14th century in England

Language

Latin

Physical facet

On parchment, with some illuminated capitals, etc., binding, see below

Physical extent

234 Leaves

Custodial history

The binding is English brown leather, stamped with rolls, one of which bears N. S. (16th century?): the initials are probably those of the cutter of the roll.

'Johannes Paston est verus possessor istius libri', 15th century, written reversed: 'Cursson Gregorius dominatur codicis huius' (early 16th century).