Medieval manuscript fragments, mainly relating to law

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0096 MS 592
Held at	: Senate House Library, University of London   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/our-collections ›
Full title	: Medieval manuscript fragments, mainly relating to law
Date(s)	: 13th century-14th century
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 5 items
Name of creator(s)	: Unknown
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Sir Ralph de Hengham (d 1311) was the Lord Chief Justice of Edward I from 1274-1290, when he was imprisoned and fined for corruption. He continued as a judge of the common pleas, and was the reputed author of the law tracts 'Hengham magna' and 'Hengham parva'.
At a date some time after 1139 (probably 1140), Johannes Gratian compiled the Church laws (`canons') from all available sources and called the collection Concordia Discordantium Canonum (the harmonizing of discordant canons). The collection became known as the Decretum Gratiani.
The Digestum Novum was a section of the Digests or Pandects of the Corpus Iurus Civilis organised by the Roman emperor Justinian I, which compiled the writings of the great Roman jurists such as Ulpian along with current edicts (533).
Aristotle (384-322 BC) was a Greek philosopher who was the student of Plato and tutor of Alexander the Great. His De anima (On the Soul) was a discussion of issues in the philosophy of mind.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Five fragments of Latin mediaeval manuscripts, formerly pastedowns, details as follows:
1. Fragment of a leaf containing part of a legal tract entitled Judicium Essoniorum relating to the procedure at assizes, dating from the 13th century. The text has variants and is in places abbreviated from that printed in G.E. Woodbine Four thirteenth century law tracts (New Haven, 1910). The text corresponds to the pp 119-20 of Woodbine's edition, where the composition of the work is attributed to Ralf de Hengham and the date of the composition put at 1267-1275.
2. and 3. Two consecutive leaves containing extracts from Part II of Gratian's Decretum, comprising Causa XXVI, quest. VII 16, to Causa XXVII, quest. I 19, on penance and the marriage of those who had sworn chastity. There is a glossary in a different hand and ink, with each section preceded by a symbol corresponding to one in the text. The leaves are possibly Italian and 14th century.
4. Leaf, foliated 109, in a late 14th century hand, containing part of Lib. XLII, 8, 1-10, of the Digestum Novum, relating to restitution to deceived creditors. With a glossary and marginal and interlineal annotations in several 13th-14th century hands. The fragment is probably English.
5. Fragment from the head of a bifolium, containing part of a commentary on Aristotle's De Anima Book III, heavily glossed and annotated in several 13th century hands. The fragment is probably English and early 13th century.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
Latin

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Finding aids:

See R. Watson, 'Descriptive list of fragments of medieval manuscripts in the University of London Library' (1976).

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Given by Miss W. Myers in 1963.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

G.E. Woodbine Four thirteenth century law tracts (New Haven, 1910).

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Oct 2001