Accession number
MS M.1150
Object title
Statutes of the realm, including Magna Carta (MS M.1150).
Created
England, first quarter of the 14th century.
Binding
18th-century calf gilt with silver catches (lacking clasps) in modern purple morocco box.
Credit line
Melvin R. Seiden Collection, 2006.
Description
218 leaves (1 column, 23 lines), bound : vellum, ill. ; 95 x 55 mm
Provenance
Knowledge of the statutes of England was the basis for the administration of justice and medieval legal practice and it is probable that this manuscript was made for a lawyer; Thomas Merton: notes added to the Calendar record the births of the children of Thomas Merton, Robert on 2 May and Elizabeth on 21 October, apparently in 1491/2 ('anno vii Henrici vii'); Sir Thomas Saunder : note on endleaf ii recording his gift of the manuscript to his son Edmond 20 July 1561; Edmond Saunder: inscription on flyleaf dated 20 July 1561; Edward Ire(?): cropped note in a 16th-century hand of the recto of endleaf ii; Ink-stamped monogram on f.16v, TSR superimposed on EL, with the date 1693; William Harcourt Hopper: his bookplate inside upper cover; sale (London, Christie's, 29 November 1999, lot 4).
Notes
Ms. statutes written and illuminated in England in the first quarter of the 14th century.
Decoration: 38 historiated initials accompanied by a cusped border with leaf terminals and marginal grotesques or drolleries; 20 large flourished divided initials of burnished gold and blue with ornate cadels and drolleries into the margin; 1 large illuminated initial with border and drollery.
The subjects of the historiated initials are as follows: 1. fol. 17r: King James with Sword of Justice -- 2. fol. 25r: Huntsman and hound pursuing a stag -- 3. fol. 29r: Robert Archbishop of Canterbury addressing a man to threaten excommunication for non-compliance with the articles of the King -- 4. fol.31r: Man holding the Magna Carta complete with the King's seal -- 5. fol. 40v: King with a widow (Merton I and II concern the protection of widows' dowers) -- 6. fol. 45v: King and two officers -- 7. fol. 58r: Man entering a doorway (Westminster I protects religious houses from abuse of hospitality) -- 8. fol. 81r: King with one man by the bedside of another -- 9. fol. 88r: Seated King -- 10. fol. 91v: Head of a man -- 11. fol. 92r: Two men disputing -- 12. fol. 136v: Shopkeeper and customer -- 13. fol. 137v: King with a priest -- 14. fol. 138v: Two men disputing over documents -- 15. fol. 143v: Two men with a confiscated animal -- 16. fol. 145r: King with a merchant with a money-bag -- 17. fol. 150r: Two men, each one holding half of an indenture -- 18. fol. 153r: Hanged man regarded by two other men -- 19. fol. 158r: King questioning official -- 20. fol. 159r: One man questioning another standing beside a body (the statutes of Exeter open with the procedure for enquiring into the conduct of coroners) -- 21. fol. 166r: King ruling on the conduct of two men -- 22. fol. 167v: Three conspirators -- 23. fol. 168r: Judge and three jurors -- 24. fol. 169v: Man with a sheep (?) at the city-gate -- 25. fol. 170v: Man writing on a roll at the dictation of another -- 26. fol. 171v: Judge and petitioner examining a charter -- 27. fol. 175r: King petitioned by two men, one holding up a charter -- 28. fol. 175v: Two men arguing before the king -- 29. fol. 176v: Two men on ploughed land discussing tenancy -- 30. fol. 177v: Young man with a dying tree (introducing the statue concerning waste and destruction) -- 31. fol. 179r: Bishop adjudicating over two men -- 32. fol. 180r: King giving ruling to another man -- 33. fol. 181r: Justice on horseback entering a city -- 34. fol. 182v: King with two petitioners -- 35. fol. 183v: Armed Knight (introducing the statute governing the carrying of weapons and conduct at tournaments) -- 36. fol. 185r: Man weighing bread in scales (introducing the assize of bread) -- 37. fol. 186v: Man with a two gallon pot (?) (introducing the assize of ale) -- 38. fol. 187r: Baker who had sold short measure in a pillory, watched by two others.
Collation: ii + 218 leaves: 1-38, 47 (of 8, lacking vi), 5-108, 1112, 12-168, 174, 188, 1912 (including 4 misbound folios from 17), 20-238, 247, signature marks and catchwords throughout.
Decoration: 38 historiated initials accompanied by a cusped border with leaf terminals and marginal grotesques or drolleries; 20 large flourished divided initials of burnished gold and blue with ornate cadels and drolleries into the margin; 1 large illuminated initial with border and drollery.
The subjects of the historiated initials are as follows: 1. fol. 17r: King James with Sword of Justice -- 2. fol. 25r: Huntsman and hound pursuing a stag -- 3. fol. 29r: Robert Archbishop of Canterbury addressing a man to threaten excommunication for non-compliance with the articles of the King -- 4. fol.31r: Man holding the Magna Carta complete with the King's seal -- 5. fol. 40v: King with a widow (Merton I and II concern the protection of widows' dowers) -- 6. fol. 45v: King and two officers -- 7. fol. 58r: Man entering a doorway (Westminster I protects religious houses from abuse of hospitality) -- 8. fol. 81r: King with one man by the bedside of another -- 9. fol. 88r: Seated King -- 10. fol. 91v: Head of a man -- 11. fol. 92r: Two men disputing -- 12. fol. 136v: Shopkeeper and customer -- 13. fol. 137v: King with a priest -- 14. fol. 138v: Two men disputing over documents -- 15. fol. 143v: Two men with a confiscated animal -- 16. fol. 145r: King with a merchant with a money-bag -- 17. fol. 150r: Two men, each one holding half of an indenture -- 18. fol. 153r: Hanged man regarded by two other men -- 19. fol. 158r: King questioning official -- 20. fol. 159r: One man questioning another standing beside a body (the statutes of Exeter open with the procedure for enquiring into the conduct of coroners) -- 21. fol. 166r: King ruling on the conduct of two men -- 22. fol. 167v: Three conspirators -- 23. fol. 168r: Judge and three jurors -- 24. fol. 169v: Man with a sheep (?) at the city-gate -- 25. fol. 170v: Man writing on a roll at the dictation of another -- 26. fol. 171v: Judge and petitioner examining a charter -- 27. fol. 175r: King petitioned by two men, one holding up a charter -- 28. fol. 175v: Two men arguing before the king -- 29. fol. 176v: Two men on ploughed land discussing tenancy -- 30. fol. 177v: Young man with a dying tree (introducing the statue concerning waste and destruction) -- 31. fol. 179r: Bishop adjudicating over two men -- 32. fol. 180r: King giving ruling to another man -- 33. fol. 181r: Justice on horseback entering a city -- 34. fol. 182v: King with two petitioners -- 35. fol. 183v: Armed Knight (introducing the statute governing the carrying of weapons and conduct at tournaments) -- 36. fol. 185r: Man weighing bread in scales (introducing the assize of bread) -- 37. fol. 186v: Man with a two gallon pot (?) (introducing the assize of ale) -- 38. fol. 187r: Baker who had sold short measure in a pillory, watched by two others.
Collation: ii + 218 leaves: 1-38, 47 (of 8, lacking vi), 5-108, 1112, 12-168, 174, 188, 1912 (including 4 misbound folios from 17), 20-238, 247, signature marks and catchwords throughout.
Contents
fol. 2r: Easter tables -- fols. 3r-8v: Calendar -- fols. 9r-10v: List of contents -- fols. 11r-16r: List of chapters in Magna Carta, De Foreste, Novi Articuli, Statutes of Merton, Marlborough, Westminster I, Gloucester and Westminster II -- fols. 17r-25r: Magna Carta -- fols. 25r-29r: De Foresta -- fols. 29r-29v: Sentencia lata (in law French) (lacking end) -- fols. 30r-30v: Assisa Foreste (lacking opening) -- fols. 31r-40r: Novi Articuli (in law French) -- fols. 40v-45v: Statuta Merton -- fols. 45v-57v: Statuta Marleburgh -- fols. 58r-81r: Statuta Westministerie I (in law French) -- fols. 81r-88r: Statuta Gloucestrie (in law French) -- fols. 88r-89r: Explanaciones Gloucestrie (in law French) -- fols. 89r-91v: De Bigamia -- fol. 91v: De Anno and De Bisexto -- fols. 92r-136v: Statuta Westministerie II -- fols. 136v-137v: De Emptoribus -- fols. 137v-138v: De Religione -- fols. 138v-143v: De Scaccario (in law French) -- fols. 143v-144v: Districtiones (in law French) -- fols. 145r-149v: De Mercatoribus (in law French) -- fols. 150r-153r: De Finibus -- fols. 153r-158r: Statuta Wynton (in law French) -- fols. 158r-159r: Articuli Wynton -- fols. 159r-166r: De Excestris -- fols. 166r-167r: De Champestris (in law French) -- fols. 167v-168r: De Conspiratoribus -- fols. 168r-169v: De Recognitoribus -- fols. 169v-170v: De Gaveleto -- fols. 170v-171v: Modus Assumpmandi Essonie -- fols. 171v-174v: De Quo Warranto -- fol. 175r: De Quo Warranto II -- fols. 175v-176r: De Quo Warranto III -- fols. 176v-177v: De Presenti Vocato -- fols. 177v-179r: De Vasto -- fols. 179r-180r: De Agatis -- fols. 180r-180v: Contra Prohibitur -- fols. 181r-182v: De Ragman -- fols. 182v-183v: De Militibus -- fols. 183v-185r: De Armorum (in law French) -- fols. 185r-186r De Assisa Panis (in law French) -- fols. 186v-187r: De Assisa Cervisie (in law French) -- fols. 187r-189r: De Pillorie -- fols. 189r-190r: De Prisone -- fols. 190r-191v: De Extenta Manerii -- fols. 191v-193v: Contra Vicecomites -- fols. 193v-194r: De Boscis -- fols. 194v-195r: Dies Communes -- fols. 195r-196r: Visus Franci Plegii (in law French) -- fols. 196r-198v: Officium Coronatur -- fols. 198v-201r: Exposiciones Vocabulorum -- fols. 201r-202v: De Moneta (in law French) -- fols. 203r-204r: Articuli Moneta (in law French) -- fol. 204r: Compositio Monete -- fols. 204r-205v: Compositio Ponderum -- fols. 206r-207r: De Tonsura -- fols. 207r-210r: De Iudaisino -- fols. 210r-211r: Modus Capiendo Homagium (in law French) -- fols. 211r-212r: Modus de Wardis (in law French) -- fols. 212r-213r: De Coheredibus -- fols. 213v-214r: De Hiis Qui Admittendi Sunt -- fols. 215r-216c: Summary of the first four chapters of the Ordinance of Labourers (of 1349).
Script
small charter hand
Language
Law French and Latin
Resources
Century
Catalog link
Classification
Department