Add MS 49365

HOLKHAM HALL MSS. Vol. XV (formerly Holkham MS. 212). LIBER JUDICORUM or Visigothic laws; 13th cent. Copy of the 'Vulgate' version of the code, first promulgated by Reccesswinth as a single code to replace the separate laws for Romans and Goths in Spain, circa A.D. 654, and revised several times before the Moorish conquest of Spain. Contains 543 capitula, i.e., all printed in K. Zeumer, Mon. Germ. Hist., Legum Sectio I.i, 1902, except II.1.5, II.4.14, II.5.10, III.1.4, VI.2.2, VI.5.13 and 21, VII.5.9, VIII.4.18, IX.1.8, 9, 16, X.2.5, XII.1.3, XII.2.18, XII.3.1-28. Seven capitula are displaced: II.1.7 is at II.5.19, II.2.10 at II.5.20, IV.5.6-7 at V.1.1-2, and IX.1.21 is on f. 128, IX.2.8 on f. 129, and IX.2.9. on f. 130b. X.2.6 is divided into X.2.5. and X.2.6. Forty capitula are labelled 'Antique' or with the name of a Visigothic king. Reccesswinth is spelt 'Recensiundus', Ervigius 'Eringius' in II.1.1 and 'Erugius' in IX.2.9 on f. 130b. 'Fls' is sometimes correctly expanded to 'Flavius', sometimes absurdly to 'Famulus'. Normalized spelling, apart from 'presummat', 'occulis', 'oportuna', 'iniesserunt' (for 'ingesserunt'), 'exobtata'. For other MSS. of the Visigothic laws, see Add. MS. 33610, f. 11, Add. MS. 47676 and the preface to Zeumer, op. cit. Followed by a regulation relating to the sale of church property (f. 127), beg. 'Placuit ut presbiteri', an oath formula (ff. 127, 127b), beg. 'Conditiones sacramentorum' and a formula for ordeal by fire and water (ff 127b-132), beg. 'Exorcizo te aqua calida et ferrum igneum', which were printed by A. Gaudenzi, 'Nuove formule di giudizii di Dio', Atti e Memorie della R. Deputazione di Storia Patria per le Provincie di Romagna, 3rd series, iii, Bologna, 1885, pp. 466-74, from a hasty transcript. Acquired by Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (signature, f. 1), 1715, from the Augustins déchaussés at Lyons (no. 62). See H. Martin, Catalogue des manuscrits de la Bibliothèque de l'Arsénal, viii, 1899, pp. 245-74. Signature and bookplate of Thomas William Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester of Holkham (ff. i, ii). No. 212 in the Holkham Library (f. iii). See also S. de Ricci, A Handlist of Manuscripts in the Library of the Earl of Leicester at Holkham Hall, 1932, p. 18. Press-marks D.5.B.6 (f. iii), 5(?)no. 13-No. 1- (f. 1).

Vellum; ff. iii+132. 360 x 240mm. Written area 235 x 140mm. Early XIII cent. Sec. fol. 'emptione'. Written in one hand with corrections and many marginal notes by the original scribe, several 13th century and some later hands. Two columns of 30 lines (occasionally 31 lines; 33 lines on f. 9b, the end of a gathering). Ruled in plummet, some leaves also in dry point. Gatherings (i-xi uncertain) i1, ii8, iii12, iv8, v12, vi8, vii12, viii8, ix11 (7 a cancel, lacks 12), x10, xi8, xii8, xiii10, xiv10, xv(last)6. Gatherings ii-viii have hair side outside, x-xv have flesh side outside. Catchwords on ff. 90b, 98b, 106b, 126b at lower right corner. Elaborate Spanish binding in black calf, gilt-stamped and -tooled with a Jesuit device, last quarter 16th cent., repaired and overstamped with the Coke arms, 19th cent.

Elaborate red and blue flourished initials. Illuminated initials in gold, reds, greens, and blues, picked out in white, on ff. 2, 5b, 32b, 48, 62b, 76, 89, 97, 109, 114b, 119b, 120b, at the beginning of each of the twelve books, of which the following are historiated, depicting:–

1. f. 48. Two dogs rearing up, with tails entwined.

2. f. 76. A bearded man, with long hair, seated.

3. ff. 89, 114b. Elongated birds.

4. f. 97. Top half of a man with long hair, hand raised.

5. f. 119b. A bearded physician, with cloak, seated, examining a specimen jar.

Those on ff. 5b and 62b are against the capitula here numbered II.1.2. (the first capitulum in Bk. II in its original form) and V.1.3, which was displaced from the beginning of Book V by Zeumer's no. IV.5.6-7, a displacement shared with Codex Toletanus arm. 43 nr. 5, his V3, and Madrid, Bibl. Nac. Reserv. - 4-7, his V15. See Real Academia Española, Fuero Juzgo en latin y castellano, 1815. Against III.1.2 and III.2.8 (ff. 33, 37) is written 'pro mea sorore', 15th cent. On f. 132b (reversed) is a 16th century receipt in Spanish for a fistula in the shin.

Art. Illuminations and Drawings SPANISH: Initials, etc.,: 13th cent.

Bindings SPANISH: Brown calf, gilt-tooled: last quarter of 16th cent.

Lyon, France: MS owned by Augustins Déchausées of: 1715.

LAW CIVIL: Visigothic laws: 13th cent.

includes:

• ff. i, ii Thomas William Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester of Holkham: Signature and bookplate: bef. 1837.
• f. 1 Thomas Coke, Baron Lovell; Earl of Leicester: Signature: n.d.