Add MS 38821

REGISTRUM BREVIUM, statutes and other legal collections, temp. Edw. I, doubtless compiled for use in Lincolnshire. Contents: 1. "Registrum": a register of writs in the name of Edward I, and evidently compiled in the first years (1272-1275) of his reign, since the formulae of the writs of De nativo habendo and Mort d'ancestor (ff. 13, 23 b) are those in use before the First Statute of Westminster. Cf. Egerton MS. 656, and see F. W. Maitland in Harvard Law Review, iii, 1890, p. 212. The principal divisions are (a) Writ of Right group. f. 1 ; (b) Ecclesiastical group, beg. "Quot modis breuia de aduocacionibus ecclesiarum debeant fieri consequenter dicetur." f. 6 b; (c) Replevin group, ending with the writ De odio et atia, which is ascribed to J. de Lessigton [Lexington]. In the writ De nativo habendo (f. 13) the limitation is "post vltimum reditum domini I. regis patris nostri de Hybernia," etc. f. 11 ; (d) Criminal group. f. 13 b; (e) Miscellaneous group, beg. with De corredio subtracto recuperando. f. 14 b ; (f) Account. f. 16; (g) Easements group, beg. with De auxilio habendo ad primogenitum filium militem faciendum. f. 16; (h) Mesne group. f. 18; (i) Customs and services. f. 18 b; (k) Covenant and fine. f. 19; (l) Wardship. f. 19 b; (m) Dower. f. 20; (n) De attornato faciendo, etc. f. 20 b ; (o) Novel disseisin, with limit "post primam transfretacionem nostram in Britanniam." f. 21b ; (p) Mort d'ancestor group, with limitation as in the De nativo. The Besaiel is attributed to Walter of Merton. f. 23 b ; (q) Quare ejecit (attributed to Walter of Merton) and Escheat. f. 25 b ; (r) Entry and formedon. f. 26 ; (s) Miscellaneous group, beg. with De custodia priori et conuentui concessa per finem, and including petition and congé d'élire, etc., for W[illiam] de C[olern], Abbot of Malmesbury, letter to the Archbishop for confirmation of W[alter] Giffard, Bishop of Bath and Wells [1264], pardons, grants of franchises (one to Thomas de Wesenham, the King's surgeon), a special writ for R[obertl de [B]erwick impleaded in the court of William de Braose [at Bramber], note "de anno bisextili pro languidis," mutatio justiciarii in the assisa utrum, several prohibitions and protections, letter to the Dominican general chapter at Stamford asking prayers for the King, and Queen, etc. f. 27 b ; (t) Municipal group, comprising writs relating to disputes between citizens of Oxford and dwellers in the suburbs about talliage, disputes between the towns of Lincoln and Louth, and between the Abbot and gild of Bury St. Edmunds and tenants in the town. f. 32 b; (u) Civil disturbances, the Provisions of Oxford, etc. f. 33 ; (v) Jewry and debts to the King. f. 33b; (w) Wardship, additional writs. f. 34 b ; (x) Trespass (very few). f. 35 ; (y) Miscellaneous, chiefly administrative, including Darrein Presentment in time of legal vacation, inquest as to Nottingham custom for pre-emption by right heirs, appointment and association of justices, certificate of casual mutilation of an ear, exhibition in an abbey school, debts due to Crusaders, certiorari, collection of a twentieth, etc. f. 35. The collection ends with the Statutum de Iudaeis (f. 38), here dated 25 July, 51 Hen. III., but in the Patent Roll 55 Hen. III [1271], printed in Foedera, Record ed. i, p. 489; followed by a supersedeas for a suit of over 40s. in the bailiff's court at Lincoln.

2. "Ci comencent diuers cas demandes e aprise et assoines dones en la court le Rey" : a legal treatise of which other copies are in Royal MS. 9 A. vii, f. 190, and Harley MS. 746, f. 100. The texts differ. The judges quoted here are John de Cobham (probably the elder of the name, d. after 1250), Henry de Ba[thonia] and Roger de Thurkilby (both d. about 1260), and Simon de Wauton (Bishop of Norwich in 1257). Beg. "[E]n quant poinz passe le bref de mort de ancestre le bref de nouele desseysine" ; ends "pur ceo quil ne pot demande[r] veue sur nun certein." f. 38 b.

3. "Hic demonstrat quot modis essonia sunt calumpnianda, quibus sciliect casibus non iacent": a brief summary of the law of essoins, cf. Royal MS. 9 A. vii, f. 200, Statutes of the Realm, i, p. 217. Beg "Non iacet quia terra capta est in manu domini regis." f. 43.

4. "Veredictum regis Francie" : the Mise of Amiens, morrow of St. Vincent, "m^o. cc^o. lxx^o. tercio" (sic for 23 Jan. 126). Printed in Foedera, i, p. 433. The preamble is abridged. For another copy see Royal MS. 10 B. vi, f. 132. f. 43 b.

5. Documents relating to the Battle of Lewes, viz. (a) Letter of the Barons to the King, [12 May, 1264]; (b) The King's answer, 12 May, 48 Hen. III [1264]; (c) Letter of defiance of the King of the Romans, Prince Edward and the Barons to the King, [same date]. All these are printed in Foedera, i, p. 440, and for other copies see Royal MSS. 5 F. xv, f. 2 b, 8 D. iii, f. 164 b, etc. f. 44 ; (d) "De bello de Lewes" : a brief account of the result of the battle, with lists of prisoners and killed. Beg. "Vt sciatis autem de processu belli habiti apud Lewes." f. 44; (e) "Ordinacio status regni apud London" : the document printed at the end of the Act of Parliament of 1264 in Foedera, i, p. 443. Beg. "Ordinatum est quod status ecclesie Anglicane in statum debitum reformetur." f. 44 b.

6. "De manerio extendendo" : not the Extenta manerii of Stat. Realm, i, p. 242, but a briefer summary, incompletely copied. Beg. "Ad manerium extendendum primo eligentur xii homines . . . ab hiis inquirendum est de redditu assiso"; ends "quantum terre quisque teneat et per quod seruicium et per que." f. 45.

7. "De officio coronatoris" : differing somewhat from the text printed from Harley MS. 667 in Stat. Realm, i, p. 40, and having no mention of wreck of the sea. Beg. "In principio hec inquirenda sunt a coronatore domini regis: inprimis quod cum ipsi coronatores habuerint mandatum." f. 45 b.

8. "Acopement de mort de home" : a formula including a date 13 Edw., which may be that of the scribe, who has apparently an affection for the number 13, see in art. 1 (compiled certainly before 1275) the date of the petition for election of an abbot of Malmesbury given on f. 28 as 12 Mar. 13 Edw., which cannot be right (the true date is 44 Hen. III, see Harley MS. 6957, f. 69), and again in art. 9 in forms on ff. 57 b-59 b. Beg. "Ce vus mustl.e W. le fuiz W." f. 46.

9. "Registre" (so catchword, no title) : a form of the treatise known as Brevia Placitata, other copies of which are in Add. MS. 5762, f. 111, Harley MSS. 409, f. 97, 1120, f. 153, Egerton MS. 656, f. 165, etc. The first form of writ is dated 2 May, 1 Edw., but the date 13 Edw. also occurs, see above. The first comment beg. (f. 47 b) "[O]re fet a resortir au primer bref que plus est comun." Introduced near the end (f. 61 b) are some pleadings concerning the manor of Gainsborough between William de Valence and the Stutevilles after the death of G[erard] Talbot. Ends "En checun bref de fine fete quant ele est freint pot home counter par meime la fourme." f. 47.

10. "Hic incipit quedam summa quam dominus Radulphus de Hengham fecit conpendiose de breuibus et placitis in curia domini regis the treatise known as Magnum (or Magna) Hengham, compiled by Ralph de Hengham, Chief Justice of the King's Bench 1274-1289 and of the Common Pleas 1301-1307 (d. 1311). Printed by Selden with Fortescue's De Laudibus Legum Angliae, 1616. Beg. "[L]icet ordo placitandi in curia domini regis"; ends "perenptorie descinditur actio actoris." f. 62 b. After art. 10 three blank leaves (completing the 7th quire) have been cut out. Artt. 1-10 are apparently in one hand (see also end of art. 27).

11. "Westmoster" (in another hand "premer") the First Statute of Westminster, 22 Apr. 1275. French. Printed in Stat. Realm, i, p. 26. f. 74.

12. "Les estatuz nostre seianur le rey Edward de la Iurie fez a la seint Michel en lan de son regne terz" [Michaelmas, 1275] : the Statute of Jewry. Printed with many variants ib. p. 221, as of uncertain date. At the end, without fresh heading, follow the paragraphs known as Districtiones Scaccarii (ib. p. 197). Colophon, "Ci finisent les estatuz de la Iurie." f. 81.

13. "Les articles que touchent la Iurie a enquere." Not printed in Stat. Realm. Beg. "[D]e Jeus fausers e retondors de la monoye." f. 82.

14. "Les estatuz le rey Edward fez a Gloucestre" : the Statute of Gloucester [7 Aug. 1278], with the abridged form of preamble. Printed ib. p. 45. f. 82 b.

15. "Les estatuz sur le rageman": the Statute De justiciariis assignatis, Michaelmas, 4 Edw. I [l276]. Printed ib. p. 44. f. 84 b.

16. "Les estatuz de religions": De viris religiosis [7 Edw. I, 15 Nov. 1279]. French. Printed in Latin, ib. p. 51. f. 85.

17. "La grant charre le rey Henri de franchises" : the form of excommunication against violators of Magna Carta and Carta de Foresta pronounced by the Archbishop of Canterbury and prelates at Westminster, 15[?12] May, 1253. French. Printed in Latin in Foedera, i, p. 289. Followed by a French translation of Magna Carta [as confirmed in 36 Hen. III, 11 Feb. 125¹/₂ , see Stat. Realm, i (charters), p. 28]. f. 85 b.

18. "La chartre de la forest" : French tranlation of Carta de Foresta as confirmed 2 Hen. III, 6 Nov. [1217], cf. ib. p. 20. f. 88 b.

19. "Les purueances de Merton" : French version of the Provisions of Merton, 20 Hen. III [23 Jan. 1236]. Cf. ib. p. 1. f. 90.

20. "Les purueances de Marleberge": French version of the Statute of Marlborough, 52 Hen. III, 18 Nov. 1267. The Latin text of one clause is given in the margin. Cf. ib. p. 19. f. 91 b.

21. 'Lestatuz de Atton Burnel' : the Statute of Acton Burnell or De mercatoribus, 11 Edw. I, 12 Oct. [1283]. Printed ib. p. 53. f. 95 b.

22. "Ceo fet asauer" : the common treatise known as Fet asaver. Printed by G. E. Woodbine, Four Thirteenth Century Law Tracts, Yale and Oxford, 1910. Beg. "[C]eo fet asauer que au comencement de checun ple" ; ends with the writs in plea of trespass. The writs are translated into French and contain the initials of G[ilbert] de P[reston] as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas [circ. 1269-1274], and one (f. l00b) is addressed by Edw. I to R[ichard de Gravesend, d. 1279], Bishop of Lincoln. f. 96b.

23. "[C]es sunt les iugemenz des essoignes, e ci pot home aprendre coment home se deit contenir en plai" : a French form of the treatise (sometimes attributed to Ralph de Hengham or to John de Mettingham) called Judicium Essoniorum. The text however differs very considerably from the Latin as given in Harley MS. 1120, f. 112, Royal MS. 9 A. vii, f. l12, etc. A nearer Latin text is given by Add. MS. 5762, f. 65 b, Egerton MS. 656, f. 205; cf. the text printed by Woodbine, op. cit. p. 116. From the Egerton MS. it would seem that the tract had originally the form of answers to a set of questions addressed to a judge. Beg. "En comensement de tuz plez la ou essoignes gisent" ; ends "sicum les autres que cheront deuant iustices erranz ou deuant iustices du bane." f. 106.

24. "De warantizacione carte et quis tenetur warantizare" : a few miscellaneous legal notes, beg. "[D]e warantizacione carte et quis tenetur warantizare et quid de iure quando vnus vel plures maiores vel minores vocantur ad warantum. Notandum diuersis modis possunt aliqui." f. 110. On a blank space on f. 111 are added in another hand the 'Explanaciones super quibusdam articulis statuti de Gloucestre' (see art. 14), printed in Stat. Realm, i, p. 50.

25. Reports of cases (about 26), whether strictly speaking a Year-book, i.e. cases of a particular term or terms, or a collection made from various terms, does not appear. Some of the cases must be of a date between 1272 and 1277 (see f. 113b, where the Queen of Almain [Beatrice, widow of Richard, Earl of Cornwall] is a plaintiff). A regular Year-book of this date would perhaps be the earliest yet discovered. The chief names of judges and counsel occurring are Alan of Walkingham, Gilbert de Thornton, John Giffard, John de Cave, John le Koy, Martin [of Littlebury?], R. de Boyland, Sire Ells [de Beckingham?], John de Mettingham and R[alph] de Freningham. Beg. "[N]ichole de Berkelee prist femme. apres morut Nichol sanz esperance de heir" ; ends "quil certifiast la court etc. Teste magistro R. de Freningham." f. 111 b.

26. "Les reulles sein Robert," beg. "[C]i comencent les reulles que le bon euesque de Nicholc sein Robert fist a la contesse de Nichole de garder et de gouerner terres osteus. Qui les reulles voudra tenir, ben e bel del soen viure porra, e sei meimes e les soens sustenir": twenty-eight rules for the economical management of an estate. The tract is printed from Harley MS. 273, f. 81, Add. MS. 5762, f. 136, and other MSS. by Miss E. Lamond with Walter of Henley's Husbandry (1890). If the attribution is true, the rules were probably drawn for Margaret, wife of John de Lacy, 1st Earl of Lincoln, who was left a widow in 1240, her son being then about thirteen. She married Walter Marshal, Farl of Pembroke, about Jan. 1243. The first rule beg. "La primere reulle enseigne coment seignur ou dame porra sauer en checun maner totes les terres;" the last ends "en Lindeseye en Norfoukes e en le val de Beauer e en ceu pais vos robes achatez a seint Iue." f. 118 b.

27. "La manere de pleder en Nichole" : rules of the city court of Lincoln, relating chiefly to pleas of assault or debt. A defendant, if a man, has the choice of compurgation "quasi Gallicus" with two compurgators, here called "wachtesmunes" ("wahtes," "whacti" ), or "quasi Anglicus" with eleven. If a woman, she must defend in the English fashion. Beg. "[I]n primis sciendum est quod placita ciuitatis" ; ends "per iudicium curie abibit, similiter et conquestor, etc." f. 121 b. Artt. 11-27 appear to be in one hand, which is perhaps the same as that of artt. 1-10. Art. 28 may be also in the same hand, but seems to be a later addition.

28. "Kaernaruan. Cos sunt les articles purueuz de la moneye de Engletere a Kaernaruan par nostre seingnur le rey Edward e son conseil lan de son regne douzime": the Statutum de Moneta of 12 Edw. I [29 Sept. 1284], incomplete, the first three paragraphs only. Printed in Stat. Realm, i, p. 219. f. 123 b. At the end is a note in a minute band on dower. Art. 29 is in another hand.

29. "Noua statuta edita apud Westmonasterium ad Pascha anno regni regis Edwardi terciodecimo" (so colophon) : the Second Statute of Westminster [after Easter, 1285] in French, including art. xlix, which does not occur in the Latin, see Stat. Realm, i, p. 71. f. 124. At the end, in the same minute hand as the note on f. 123 b, is copied (f. 139 b) a portion of the Statute of Winchester [13 Edw. 1]. On the vellum fly-leaves are: (a) Contemporary note of the absence of Edward I abroad for three years from Easter [really from 13 May], 17 (sic for 14) Edw. [1286] to 15 [really 12] Aug. 17 Edw. [1289]. f. 142; (b) "Assisa panis" (et cervisie), in a late 13th cent. band. Nearly as in Stat. Realm, i. p. 199. f. 142 ; (c) Form of proxy for litigation, in 4 hand of the first half of the 14th cent. f. 141 b; (d) Latin verses on the numerical values (in some cabbalistic system of the kind known as gematria ?) of the letters of the alphabet. In a hand of about the same period. Another copy is in Sloane MS. 297, f. 9. Beg. "A capud est. numerum quingentos iungere debes." f. 141 b; (e) Memoranda of farm accompts in several 14th cent. hands, relating to Glaston, co. Rutl., and the neighbourhood. ff. 142 b-143 b. Vellum (except ff. i-vi) ; ff. vi + 143. 9¹/₄ in. x 6¹/₄ in. Circ. A.D. 1285. Gatherings of 12 leaves (iv^l0, vii³, ix¹⁶, xii⁸, xiii⁷ ), with catchwords. Sec. fol. "in eadem." Initials not inserted. On f. 141 is scribbled the name of an early 16th cent. owner (?) "Reynold Mohun off the comte of Cornewale esqueyer bedfelow wnto master Denssell in Lyncons Yn." This is probably a member of the Boconnoc family (see Vivian's Visitations of Cornwall, p. 324), either the Sir.Reginald, of Hall, who was aged about 8 in 1517, or his uncle Reginald, 4th son of John Mohun who died in 1508. A John Densell occurs in 1514 in Letters and Papers, Hen. VIII, i. 5656, and a J. Densell as counsel in the Henry VIII Yearbooks, see Foss, Judges of England, v, p. 107. The MS. afterwards belonged to Sir Thomas Phillipps, MS. 9301 (sale-cat. 1897, lot 291). Dunn sale-cat. 1914, lot 1.547.

Manuscripts, Dated (to A.D. 1500): Latin and Modern Languages: A.D 1285.

Law OF ENGLAND: Registrum Brevium, statutes and treatises: circ. 1285.: Fr. and Lat.

includes:

• f. 1 Edward I of England: Registrum Brevium: bef. 1275; circ. 1285.
• f. 27 b City of Winchester: Writ conc. custody of Hyde Abbey: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 28 William de Colern, Abbot of Malmesbury: Writs for election of: 1260.: Copies.
• f. 28 Abbey of Malmesbury: Writs conc. election of Abbot William de Colern: 1260; 13th cent.: Copies.
• f. 28 b Walter Giffard, Bishop of Bath and Wells: Letter of Henry III to the Abp. of Canterbury for confirmation of, 1264. Lat. Copy: 13th cent.
• f. 29 Stoke, Lincolnshire: Form of writ for free warren in temp. Edw.I.
• f. 29 W- de Say: Licence to, to hunt in the forest of Essex: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 29 b Philip le Draper, de Maldon: privilege to: 13th cent.: Lat.: Copy.
• f. 29 b H- de Hotington: Grant to, in London: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 29 b Walter Hervi, Escheator of London: Writ to: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 29 b Roger de Cambridge, felon: Writ conc. escheat of, in London: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 29 b London, England: Writ to Walter Hervi, Escheator of: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 29 b Maldon, Essex: Privilege to P. le Draper in: 13th cent.
• f. 29 b J- de Dune, of Winchester: Privilege to: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 29 b Thomas de Wesenham, Surgeon to Henry III: Privilege to, in Westminster: 13th cent.: Lat.: Copy.
• f. 30 City of York: Writ concerning thraves due to St. Leonard's Hospital: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 30 Robert de Berwick: Writ for ,in a suit at Bramber: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 30 William de Braose: Inhibition to the bailiffs of his court at Bramber: 13th cent.: Lat.: Copy.
• f. 30 Bramber, Sussex: Inhibition to bailiffs of W. de Braose's court in: 13th cent.: Lat.: Copy.
• f. 31 b Nostell Priory; Yorkshire: Writ for. conc. Tickhill church: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 31 b Tickhill, West Riding of Yorkshire: Writ conc.the church of: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 31 b H- de Lacy: Writ for, conc. advowson of East Bradenham: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 31 b East Bradenham, Norfolk: writ conc. advowson of church: 13th cent.: Copy.
• f. 32 b City of Oxford: Form of writ conc. disputes at: 13th cent.
• f. 32 b Lincoln, Lincolnshire: Form of writ conc. disputes with Louth: 13th cent.
• f. 32 b Orders Religious. Dominicans: Letter of Henry III to the Chapter at Stamford, .: n.d.: Lat.: Copy circ. 1285.
• f. 32 b Louth, Lincolnshire: Form of writ conc. disputes with Lincoln: 13th cent.
• f. 32 b Henry III of England: Letter to the Dominican chapter at Stamford, n.d.: circ. 1285.: Copy.
• f. 33 Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk: Form of writ cone. disputes between the gild and inhabitants: 13th cent.
• f. 33 b Jews: Forms of writ concerning: 13th cent.
• f. 35 b City of Nottingham: Form of writ conc. legal custom of: 13th cent.
• f. 38 Jews: Statutum de Judacis, 51 Hen. III: 13th cent.
• ff. 38, 85 b, 88 b-95 b Henry III of England: Statutes and charters of. Copies,: circ. 1285.
• f. 43 b Amiens, Mise of: Provisions of: 1264; 13th cent.: Lat.
• f. 43 b Louis IX of France: Provisions of the Mise of Amiens: 1264; 13th cent.: Lat.
• ff. 43 b Henry III of England: Mise of Amiens and documents rel. to the battle of lewes: 1264.: Copies, circ. 1285.
• f. 44 Lewes, Sussex: Documents rel. to the battle of: 1264 ; circ. 1285.: Lat.
• f. 45 Manors: De manerio extendendo: 13th cent.
• f. 45 b Coroners: De officio coronatoris: temp. Edw. I.
• f. 61 b Gainsboroagh, Lincolnshire: Pleadings cone. the manor: 13th cent.
• f. 62 b Ralph de Hengham, Chief Justice of Common Pleas: Hengham Magna, treatise so-called: circ. 1285.
• f. 81 Jews: Statute, of Jewry, 3 Edw. I: 13th cent.
• f. 82 Jews: Articles a enquere: 13th cent.
• f. 82 Exchequer: Districtiones Seaccarii: 13th cent.
• f. 106 Ralph de Hengham, Chief Justice of Common Pleas: Judicium Essoniorum attrib. to: circ. 1285.: Fr.
• f. 106 John de Mettingham: Judicium Essoniorum attrib. to: circ. 1285.: Fr.
• f. 111 b Law OF ENGLAND: Year-book: early temp. Edw. I.: Fr.
• f. 118 b Agriculture: Les reulles seint Robert: 13th cent.
• f. 118 b Manors: Les reulles sein Robert, for economical management of an estate: 13th cent.
• f. 118 b Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln: Lea reulles saint Robert: 13th cent.
• f. 118 b Economics: Lea reullesi seint Robert: 13th cent.
• f. 118 b Margaret de Lacy, Countess of Lincoln; widow of John, 1st Earl: Les reulles seint Robert made for: 13th cent.
• f. 121 b Lincoln, Lincolnshire: La manere de pleder en Nichole: circ. 1285.
• f. 141 John? Densell, of Lincoln's Inn: Name scribbled: early 16th cent.
• f. 141 Reginald Mohun: Name scribbled: early 16th cent.
• f. 141 b Gematria: Verses on: 14th cent.: Lat.
• f. 141 b Poetry: Verses on numerical values of the alphabet: 14th cent.: Lat.
• f. 142 Ale: Assize of: late 13th cent.
• f. 142 Bread: Assize of: late 13th cent.: Lat.
• ff. 142 b, 143 b Glaston, Rutland: Farm accompts relto: 14th cent.
• ff. 142 b, 143 b Accompts: Fragments of farm accompts, co. Rutl.: 14th cent.