Harley MS 323

This composite manuscript consists of eight parts that were written separately at different moments in time and joined together at a later stage, before or after reaching the library of Sir Simonds D'Ewes (b. 1602, d. 1650).

Contents:

Part 1:

ff. 1r-12v: Richardus de Pofis, Summa dictaminis, here entitled: 'hic incipiunt dictamina et primo de amicicijs compassionibus et increpacionibus amicabilibus'; and beginning: 'Amicus amicum redarguit inducit quod ad curiam revertatur'; written in the 15th century.

Part 2:

ff. 13r-22v: Pope Clement V, Constitutiones Clementinae with gloss; written in the 13th century

Part 3:

ff. 23r-39v: Raymund de Peñafort, Decretals of Gregory IX (fragment of book II); written in the 13th century.

Part 4:

ff. 39r-62r: Ranulf de Glanvill, Tractatus de legibus et consuetudinibus regni Anglie; written in the late 13th or early 14th century.

Part 5:

ff. 62r-68v: Magna Carta, Carta Foresta and other writs of Henry III; written in the late 13th or early 14th century.

Part 6:

ff. 69r-88r: Registrum Brevium (fragment); written in the late 13th or early 14th century.

Part 7:

ff. 89r-100v: Pope Innocent III, De miseria humanae conditionis, also known as Liber de contemptu mundi; written in the 13th century.

ff. 89r-91r (lower and upper margins): Note on the Three Marys, beginning: 'Tres Joachim cleophas salomee'; followed by liturgical instructions: 'In vigilia nativitatis beate marie'; written in the 15th century.

Part 8:

ff. 101r-187v: Bernardus Parmensis [Bernardus de Bottone] (d. 1266), Casus longi quinque libros decretalium; imperfect at the beginning and end; written in the late 13th or early 14th century.

This part of the manuscript contains a few additions:

f. 115v: Latin notes; added in the 14th century.

Decoration:

Parts 1-6:

No decoration.

Part 7:

Large (2-line) plain red initials. Capitals highlighted in red. Rubrics in red.

Part 8:

1 large (4-line) puzzle initial in green and red (f. 116r). Small (1-line) capitals in green or red.