HLS MS Description

The Harvard Law School’s Collection
of Medieval English Statute Books and
Registers of Writs

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HLS MS No. 48	England. Statutes, 1 Edw. 3 to 4 Hen. 4	ca. 1403
	http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HLS.LIBR:13348206

The HOLLIS cataloguing may be found here. The following items are worth repeating:

“Description : 60 leaves : vellum ; 17 cm.

“Summary : Contains the statutes of 1 Edward III to 4 Henry IV in law-French.

“Notes : Bound in brown half-morocco.”

The cataloguing in Baker’s English Legal Manuscripts, 1, no. 71 reads as follows:

“STATUTA NOVA, 1 EDWARD III TO 4 HENRY IV

“MS. 48.

“Early C.xv, 60 ff.

“The name of John Reymys, merchant of London (1522) is written several times, but not necessarily indicating ownership; acquired by George Dunn in Dec. 1887; his sale, S. 12 Feb. 1913, no. 272; bought privately by HLS.

“Census, I, 1032, no. 48.”

The manuscript measures approximately 170 X 120 mm.

The statutes of Edward III are only a selection. Those of Richard II are fuller. The hand reminds one more of that of a clerk than that of a professional scribe. Decoration is minimal and not of high quality. The headings are written in the margin, and some of them are quite faded. The binding seems to date from the 19th century, which is probably also the date of the foliation in the lower right-hand corner. The foliation is accurate, and we have used it. The marginal notes and those at the end are difficult to read; they may contain more clues as to provenance. We did not find Baker’s ‘John Reymys’, though we have no doubt that he is there. Whether or not Reymys was an owner, the book is unlikely to have been made for a lawyer or a clerk in the central royal courts. A connection with London and with merchants is at least possible.

The manuscript has six regular quires of ten folios each. There are also two bifolia of endpapers, one before the manuscript and one after, each originally having one marbled surface. (The marbled page of the initial bifolium has been torn out.) This gives us the following collation:

1² (unfoliated), 2–7¹⁰ (f. 1–60), 8² (unfoliated).

Summary Contents

Clicking on the item in question will open the first sequence for the item in the PDS in a new tab or window.

Seq.	Fol.	No.	Item
6–8	f. 1r–2r	1	1 Edw. 3, stat. 1 (S.R. 1:251–4)
8–9	f. 2r–2v	2	1 Edw. 3, stat. 2 (S.R. 1:255–7)
9–10	f. 2v–3v	3	4 Edw. 3 (S.R. 1:261–5)
11–12	f. 3v–4r	4	9 Edw. 3, stat. 1 (S.R. 1:269–72)
12–13	f. 4r–4v	5	10 Edw. 3, stat. 1 (S.R. 1:275)
13–15	f. 4v–5v	6	14 Edw. 3, stat. 1 (S.R. 1:281–9)
15–17	f. 5v–6v	7	Ordinance of labourers, 23 Edw. 3 (S.R. 1:307–9)
18–21	f. 7r–8v	8	Ordinance for the clergy, 25 Edw. 3, stat. 6 (S.R. 1:324–26)
21–21	f. 8v–8v	9	25 Edw. 3, stat 5, c. 2 (S.R. 1:3119–20)
21–24	f. 8v–10r	10	Statute of labourers, 25 Edw. 3, stat. 2 (S.R. 1:311–13)
24–25	f. 10r–10v	11	Statute of praemunire, 27 Edw. 3, stat. 1 (S.R. 1:329–31)
25–26	f. 10v–11r	12	28 Edw. 3 (S.R. 1:345–9)
26–28	f. 11r–12r	13	31 Edw. 3, stat. 1 (S.R. 1:349–53)
28–29	f. 12r–12v	14	34 Edw. 3 (S.R. 1:364–9)
29–30	f. 12v–13r	15	36 Edw. 3, stat. 1 (S.R. 1:371–6)
30–30	f. 13r–13r	16	Statutum de victu et vestitu, 37 Edw. 3 (S.R. 1:378–83)
31–31	f. 13v–13v	17	38 Edw. 3, stat. 1 (S.R. 1:383–5)
31–34	f. 13v–15r	18	42 Edw. 3 (S.R. 1:388–90)
34–35	f. 15r–15v	19	45 Edw. 3 (S.R. 1:393)
35–36	f. 15v–16r	20	47 Edw. 3 (S.R. 1:395)
36–39	f. 16r–17v	21	De perdonacionibus et gratiis factis per Regem communitati regni sui Anglie, 50 Edw. 3 (S.R. 1:396–8)
40–50	f. 18r–23r	22	1 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:1–5)
50–52	f. 23r–24r	23	3 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:13–15)
52–53	f. 24r–24v	24	5 Ric. 2, stat. 1 (S.R. 2:17–23)
54–56	f. 25r–26r	25	6 Ric. 2, stat. 1 (S.R. 2:26–30)
56–61	f. 26r–28v	26	7 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:31–36)
61–62	f. 28v–29r	27	8 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:36–7)
62–65	f. 29r–30v	28	9 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:38–9)
66–70	f. 31r–33r	29	12 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:55–60)
70–75	f. 33r–35v	30	13 Ric. 2, stat. 1 (S.R. 2:61–68)
75–78	f. 35v–37r	31	14 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:76–77)
78–82	f. 37r–39r	32	15 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:78–82)
82–84	f. 39r–40r	33	16 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:82–87)
84–89	f. 40r–42v	34	17 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:87–92)
89–91	f. 42v–43v	35	20 Ric. 2 (S.R. 2:92–94)
92–97	f. 44r–46v	36	1 Hen. 4 (S.R. ??)
97–107	f. 46v–51v	37	2 Hen. 4 (S.R. 2:120–31)
107–115	f. 51v–55v	38	4 Hen. 4 (S.R. 2:132–43)
115–117	f. 55v–56v	39	Notes (Not in S.R.)
123–125	f. 59v–60v	40	Notes (Not in S.R.)

Detailed Contents

Clicking on the sequence number will open that sequence in the PDS in a new tab or window.

Seq.	Fol.	Label	Header	Sig.
1	no fol., no sig.	Spine
2	no fol., no sig.	Front cover
3	no fol., no sig.	Marbled front pastedown, with bookplate, From the Library of George Dunn, Gift of the Alumni of the Harvard Law School
4	no fol., no sig.	Pencilled notes, some by George Dunn
5	no fol., no sig.	Blank
6	1r	1 Edw. 3, stat. 1. (S.R. 1:251–4)		i
	Heading: Statuta de tempore Regis E tercii Anno primo.
	Note: Decorated initial ‘E’.
7	1v		Anno primo
8	2r	1 Edw. 3, stat. 2. (S.R. 1:255–7)	Anno sc’do	ii
	Heading: Anno secundo.
9	2v	4 Edw. 3. (S.R. 1:261–5)	Anno
	Heading: Anno quarto.
10	3r		quarto R E	iii
11	3v	9 Edw. 3, stat. 1. (S.R. 1:269–72)	Anno quarto
	Heading: Anno nono.
12	4r	10 Edw. 3, stat. 1. (S.R. 1:275)	Anno ix e xo R E	iiii
	Heading: Anno Xmo.
13	4v	14 Edw. 3, stat. 1. (S.R. 1:281–9)	Anno
	Heading: Anno xiii.
14	5r		xiiii R E
15	5v	Ordinance of labourers, 23 Edw. 3. (S.R. 1:307–9)	Anno
	Heading: Anno xxiii.
	Note: Decorated initial ‘O’, unfinished.
16	6r		xxiii R E
17	6v		Anno xxiii
18	7r	Ordinance for the clergy, 25 Edw. 3, stat. 6. (S.R. 1:324–26)	Anno xxv R E
	Heading: Anno xxv.
19	7v		Anno
20	8r		xxv R E
21	8v	(1) 25 Edw. 3, stat 5, c. 2. (2) Statute of labourers, 25 Edw. 3, stat. 2. (S.R. [1] 1:3119–20 [2] 1:311–13)	Anno
	Heading: (1) de eodem Anno de treson’. (2) Eodem Anno de labrers come de ??.
22	9r		xxv R E
23	9v		Anno xxv
24	10r	Statute of praemunire, 27 Edw. 3, stat. 1. (S.R. 1:329–31)	Anno xxvii E R
	Heading: Anno xxvii.
	Note: Decorated initial ‘A’, unfinished.
25	10v	28 Edw. 3. (S.R. 1:345–9)	Anno
	Heading: Anno xviii.
26	11r	31 Edw. 3, stat. 1. (S.R. 1:349–53)	Anno xxxi R E	i
	Heading: Anno xxxi.
27	11v		Anno xxxi
28	12r	34 Edw. 3. (S.R. 1:364–9)	Anno xxxiiii R E	ii
	Heading: Anno xxxiiii.
	Note: Decorated initial ‘O’, unfinished.
29	12v	36 Edw. 3, stat. 1. (S.R. 1:371–6)	Anno xxxvi
	Heading: Anno xxxvi.
30	13r	Statutum de victu et vestitu, 37 Edw. 3. (S.R. 1:378–83)	Anno xxxvii	iii
	Heading: Anno xxxvii.
31	13v	(1) 38 Edw. 3, stat. 1. (2) 42 Edw. 3. (S.R. [1] 1:383–5 [2] 1:388–90)	Anno xxxviii
	Heading: (1) Anno xxxviii. (2) Anno xlii.
32	14r		xlii R E
33	14v		Anno
34	15r	45 Edw. 3. (S.R. 1:393)	xlii & xlv E R
	Heading: Anno xlv.
35	15v	47 Edw. 3. (S.R. 1:395)	Anno xlv & xlvii
	Heading: Anno xlvii.
36	16r	De perdonacionibus et gratiis factis per Regem communitati regni sui Anglie, 50 Edw. 3. (S.R. 1:396–8)	quinquagesimo R E
	Heading: Anno lmo.
37	16v		Anno
38	17r		quinquagesimo R E
39	17v		Anno quinquagesimo R E
	Heading: Explic’ statut’ de tempore R E tercii.
40	18r	1 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:1–5)
	Heading: Statuta de tempore R Ric’i sc’di Anno primo.
	Note: Decorated initial ‘E’.
41	18v
42	19r		primo R Ric’i
43	19v
44	20r		primo R Ric’i
45	20v
	Note: Signature (or flourishes) in lower margin.
46	21r		primo R Ric’i
47	21v		anno
48	22r		primo R Ric’i
49	22v		anno primo
50	23r	3 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:13–15)	Anno t’cio Regis Ric’i
51	23v		anno t’cio
52	24r	5 Ric. 2, stat. 1. (S.R. 2:17–23)	anno quinto R Ric’i
	Heading: Anno vto.
53	24v
54	25r	6 Ric. 2, stat. 1. (S.R. 2:26–30)	Anno vito R Ric’i
	Heading: Anno vi.
55	25v
56	26r	7 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:31–36)	Anno sexto R Ric’i
	Heading: Anno vii.
57	26v		Anno
58	27r		septimo
59	27v		Anno
60	28r		septimo
61	28v	8 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:36–7)	Anno viii
	Heading: Anno viii.
	Note: Decorated initial ‘A’, unfinished.
62	29r	9 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:38–9)
	Heading: Anno ix.
63	29v		Anno
64	30r		ix
65	30v		Anno
66	31r	12 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:55–60)	Anno xii R Ric’i	1
	Heading: Anno xii.
	Note: Decorated initial ‘O’, unfinished.
67	31v		Anno
68	32r		xii Regis R’	2
	Note: Notes or pen trials in lower margin.
69	32v		Anno
70	33r	13 Ric. 2, stat. 1. (S.R. 2:61–68)	Anno xiii regis R	111 3
	Heading: Anno xiii.
71	33v		Anno
72	34r		xiii	iiii 4
73	34v		anno
74	35r		Anno xiii R Ric’i
75	35v	14 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:76–77)	anno
	Heading: Anno xiiii.
76	36r		xiiii R Ric’i
77	36v		Anno xiiii
78	37r	15 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:78–82)	Anno xv
	Heading: Anno xv.
	Note: Large hole in page; text seems unaffected.
79	37v		Anno
80	38r		xv R Ric’i
81	38v		Anno xv
82	39r	16 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:82–87)	Anno xvi R Ric’i	iii
	Heading: Anno xvi.
83	39v		Anno
84	40r	17 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:87–92)	Anno xvii R Ric’i	iiii
	Heading: Anno xvii.
85	40v		Anno
86	41r		xvii R Ric’i
87	41v		Anno
	Note: Note or pen trials in lower margin.
88	42r		xvii R Ric’i
89	42v	20 Ric. 2. (S.R. 2:92–94)	Anno xvii
	Heading: Anno xxmo.
90	43r		Anno xx R Ric’i
91	43v
	Note: Note in 16th-century script: ‘made iiid London / Item to speake to my Brudelt for an ?heriest ?letwen’.
92	44r	1 Hen. 4. (S.R. 1 Hen. 4)
	Heading: Statuta de tempore R Henr’ quarti Anno primo.
	Note: Decorated initial ‘P’.
93	44v		Anno
94	45r		primo R H
95	45v		Anno
96	46r		primo R H
97	46v	2 Hen. 4. (S.R. 2:120–31)	Anno primo
	Heading: Anno sc’do.
98	47r		Anno sc’do R H
99	47v		Anno
100	48r		sc’do R H
101	48v		Anno
102	49r		sc’do R H
103	49v		Anno
104	50r		sc’do R H
	Note: Note in lower margin in later informal script.
105	50v		Anno
106	51r		sc’do R H
107	51v	4 Hen. 4. (S.R. 2:132–43)	Anno
	Heading: Anno quarto.
108	52r		quarto R H
109	52v		Anno
110	53r		quarto R H
111	53v		Anno
112	54r		quarto R H
113	54v		Anno
114	55r		quarto R H
115	55v	Notes	Anno quarto
	Note: Notes in a different hand concerning wool (‘lanuage’) and hostlers, both citing statutes of Richard II, followed by notes and pen trials in a later hand; modern note in pencil below.
116	56r	Notes
	Note: Notes in more informal later script continued.
117	56v	Notes
	Note: Draft of the beginning of a letter in English in a later script.
118	57r	Blank except for pencilled layout and foliation
119	57v	Pen trials
120	58r	Blank except for pen trial and foliation
121	58v	Blank except for brief note at bottom of page
122	59r	Blank except for foliation
123	59v	Notes
	Note: Note in English in later script followed by pen trials.
124	60r	Notes
	Note: Note in a hand contemporary with the ms. concerning treason.
125	60v	Notes
	Note: Forms and notes of various dates; the date 1521 is mentioned.
126	no fol., no sig.	Blank
127	no fol., no sig.	Blank
128	no fol., no sig.	Blank
129	no fol., no sig.	Marbled freestanding endpaper
130	no fol., no sig.	Marbled back pastedown
131	no fol., no sig.	Back cover