Cotton MS Claudius C IX, ff 105–202

Contents:

ff. 105r-177r: Liber Terrarum of Abingdon Abbey ('Historia ecclesie Abbendonensis').

ff. 177v-178r: Confirmation-charter of Richard I, king of England (r. 1189-99), for Abbot Hugh (r. 1189/90-1221), his successors and the monks of Abingdon, Gisors, 29 March 1190 (late 12th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.245-49].

f. 178r: Notification of an agreement between (Robert of Hendred), abbot of Abingdon (1221-34), and Peter son of Herbert de Forc’, 5 November 1232 (mid 13th century).

f. 178r: Charter of Henry III, king of England (r. 1216-72), for Abbot Robert (r. 1221-34), the monks of Abingdon and their successors, Portsmouth, 20 April 1230 (mid 13th century) [Calendar of Charter Rolls, I.121].

ff. 179r-182r: Memoranda of customs pertaining to Abingdon obedientiaries (2nd half of the 12th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.297-309].

f. 182r: List of hides of Abingdon abbey, ‘De hidis pertinentibus ad Abbendoniam in Barrokeschire’ (2nd half of the 13th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.309-10].

f. 182r: List of landholders from Abingdon abbey, ‘Nomina militum tene[ne]ntium de Abbendo[ni]a’ (2nd half of the 13th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.311-12].

f. 182v: Memorandum of dues owed by John de Courtney (Curteney) from Sutton to Abingdon obedientiaries: final third of column erased (late 13th century).

f. 183r: Memoranda of customs pertaining to Abingdon obedientiaries (continued) (2nd half of the 12th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.312-13].

ff. 183r-183v: Bull of Pope Alexander III (r. 1159-81), Vieste, 12 February (1177), beginning: ‘Alexander servus servorum Dei. Dilectis filiis priori et fratribus monasterii de Abbendona salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Sacrosancta Romana ecclesia de votos et humiles filios ex assuete pietatis officio propensius diligere consuevit’ (2nd half of the 12th century) [Jaffé, Regesta Pontificum Romanorum (1888), II. 12782; Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.313-14].

ff. 184r-184v Confirmation-charter of William, dean and chaplain of Salisbury (r. 1220-36/7), for Abingdon Abbey (mid 13th century).

f. 185v: Days of the year on which obedientiaries are due wine (late 13th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.314-17].

ff. 186r-186v: Rules for the profession of novices (late 13th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.317-20].

f. 187r: Names of tenants in Wallingford (2nd half of the 12th century).

f. 187r: Instruction that the arrangements of churches is not to be changed by the minority, but the majority of a community, (?) based on the 4th Lateran Council, beginning ‘Ex concilio lat[era]nan [sic] - De hiis que (?) factum a maiori parte capituli’ (13th century).

f. 187r: Principal feast-days on which abbots of Abingdon are accustomed to eat in refectory (late 13th century).

f. 187v: On the hundreds and hides of Abingdon abbey, beginning ‘De hundredis et de hidis ecclesie Abbendonensis in Berchescire sicut scriptura thesauri regis continet per hundreta singula dispositis’.

ff. 187v-188v: On the hundreds and hides of Abingdon abbey, begining: ‘Item in alio libro thesauri regis tempore Willelmi regis qui Angliam suo adquisivit imperio scripto, abreviatio hidarum et descriptio taliter continetur’.

ff. 188v-189r: On Abingdon abbey’s lands in Oxfordshire, beginning: ‘De terris in Oxeneford comitatu huius ecclesie’.

f. 189r: On Abingdon abbey’s lands in Warwickshire, beginning: ‘De terris huius ecclesie in Warewicscira’.

f. 189r: On Abingdon abbey’s lands in Gloucestershire, beginning: ‘De terris in comitatu Gloecestrescira’.

ff. 189v-190r: A list of the division of Abingdon abbey’s lands, ‘Qui sint qui tenent terras huius ecclesie Abbendonensis’, with contemporary documentary additions on f. 190r.

ff. 190r-190v: Names of knights holding land from Abingdon, with the rubricated title: ‘Hec sunt nomina militum tenentium de ecclesia Abbendonensi de veteri fæfamento’.

f. 191r: An assessment of Abingdon abbey’s hides (untitled).

f. 191v: On Abingdon abbey’s institution of a custom for collecting wood, begining: ‘De consuetudine lignandi’ [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.321-22].

ff. 191v-192r: On Abingdon abbey’s kitchen, beginning: ‘De coquina monachorum’ (with a near-contemporary addition on f. 192r) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.322-24].

f. 192v: On the rent of the altar, beginning: ‘De redditu altaris’ [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.324-25].

f. 192v: On the rents due to the camerarius, ‘De redditu cammere’ [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.326-27].

f. 193r: Rents due to the almoner (untitled) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.327-28].

f. 193r: Confirmation of Pope Alexander III (r. 1159-81) addressed to the prior and monks of Abingdon, Vieste, 10 February (? 1177), beginning: ‘Alexander episcopus servus servorum Dei. Dilectis filiis priori et fratribus de Abbend’, salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Iustis petentium desideriis dignum est nos facilem prebere consensum’ (near-contemporary addition) [Jaffé, Regesta Pontificum Romanorum (1888), II. 12981].

f. 193r: Rents due to precentor (untitled) (near-contemporary addition) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.328].

f. 193r: Rents due to infirmarer (untitled) (near-contemporary addition) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.328].

f. 193v: Rents due for maintenance of buildings (untitled) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.328-29].

ff. 193v-194r: Rents due to guesthouse-keeper (untitled) (12th or 13th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.329-30].

ff. 194r-194v: Memorandum of tenant-holdings (13th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.330-32].

f. 194v: Memorandum of payments due to almoner (13th century) [Stevenson, Chronicon (1858), II.332-34].

196r-202v Abingdon boundary-clauses (Old English, with Latin rubrics) [Kelly, Charters of Abingdon Abbey (2001), II, pp. 585-91].

The manuscript contains a few later additions:

f. 195r: A late medieval or early modern parchment leaf, with (?) 16th-century note in the upper margin of f. 195r.

f. 104r: A title, 'Historia Abbatiae Abbendonensis de rebus & terries eiusdem ecclesiae duobus distincta Libris', added in the 17th century.

[ff. 185r, 195v are blank].

Decoration:

A drawing of the papal seal of Pope Eugenius III (r. 1145-53) on f. 170v and f. 171v in brown ink. 1 large historiated initial in gold and red, outlined in green, against a blue background, on f. 144r; the miniature inside the letter depicts Abbot Faricius of Abingdon (r. 1100-17); 1 large gold initial in a blue frame with decoration featuring zoomorphic and foliate interlace in blue, brown and green (f. 105r); 1 large initial in gold and red, outlined in green, against a blue background, featuring foliate decoration in green, gold and red inside the letter (f. 136r); 2 large puzzle initials in blue, green and red with penwork decoration in the same colours (f. 111r [2x]); medium initials in blue, green and red, some with filigree penwork decoration or arabesque motifs; 1 medium initial with arabesque motifs in green and red (f. 170v); small initials in blue, green and red. Rubrics in red.