Language(s): Middle English and Latin
1. [a] verso
Medical recipe for making a plaster to treat headache
Language(s): Middle English
Added by a late 15th-century hand.
Fully transcribed in Mooney (1995), pp. 109-110.
2. [a] verso
Medical recipe for making plasters to treat migraine headaches
Language(s): Middle English
Added by a late 15th-century hand.
Fully transcribed in Mooney (1995), p. 110.
3. 1v
Preface to the translation of Nicholas of Oresme's De moneta
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
1v To sum it semyth that any king or prince of his owne auctorite may of right
or privelage chaunge freely the money rennyng in his realme and of theym at his lust
to ordeigne and vpon that to take
the lucre profite and wynnyng whatsumeuer it be
Explicit:
1v and com to guydre and aboute that to fynde that to princis and their
subgettis þat in althyng most rathest to the publique and comune weele may profite
in tyme comyng
4. 1v-2r
Table of contents, or chapters, for the translation of Nicholas of Oresme's De moneta
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
1v Here bigynnenthe chapitres folowyng a Treatise of the begynnyng of natures
lawe and right and chaunges of money
Incipit:
1v The first chapitre wherfor and whi money owgth to be f vijo
Explicit:
2r xxvi. That to take lucre or wynnyng of chaunges of money doeth preiudice to
al the Roial power
5. 2r-6r
The Kalender of the chater of London (table of chapters of the Charter of London)
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
2r A kalender of the charter of london [added by a 16th-century hand]
Incipit:
2r Capitulo jo The shereffhod of london and
middilsex leten to ferme to the citezeyns of london for .CCC. pounds
Explicit:
6r Cvj. That the maire from that tyme to come be nat compelled to make any
other oth than in tyme of the kyng Edward the .iij. was wont to be don
The lower halves of ff. 6r-6v, 6a recto-6a verso are left blank for additional chapther
headings or contents.
Mooney (1995), p. 110 [other copies]
6. 7r-25r
De moneta [English translation]
Nicholas of Oresme
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
7r Whan the highest god divided folkes whan he departed the sones of adam he
ordeigned termes of peoplis Therof bien men multiplied vpon the erth and possessions
as is expedient thei bien divided
Of this forsoth it happith and fallith that oon hath more of oothyng than hym needith
Explicit:
25r But who therfor with love and trowth to lasse piese seyenges wil geynsey
or agenst write he may wele do it and if I say evil bere he witnes of evil with reason
that he be nat seen freely and
voluntarily to condempne that may nat lightly be impugned etcaetera
Final rubric:
25r Here endith the treatice of chaunge of money
7. 26r-45r
Charter of the City of London as confirmed by Richard II
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
26r Richard with the grace of god kyng of Inglond and of ffraunce and lord of
Irlond to Archebisshoppis Bisshoppis Abbottis and Priours Dukes Erlis Barons Iustices
Shereves Provostes Ministres and
al Bailiefs and his feithful liegis gretyng we han bihold the Charter of confirmacioun
of the holy memorie of the lord
Edwarde laate kyng of Inglond oure grandsir in thiese wordis
Explicit:
45r Ergo in London: Also that the Shereves of london whiche for the tyme
beyng þe toln and other customs to their forme perteyneng and other open offices to
theym longyng and bi other
exercised if thei wiln turn hem to men sufficient for whiche tho Shereves wiln aunswer
and to nonother bien thei
commytted and whosumever bi the forsaide Shereves to any of the premysses deputed
he or any other hym berath or vndue
custom takith in that office other wise than hym owght and at the sute of the pleintief
therof be convict from that
office be he amoeved and taken awey and after his demerites be he [crossed out: ‘he’]
punysshed
As noted by Mooney (1995), p. 110, the text does not appear to follow the order of
that of the table of contents on
ff. 2r-6r. Mooney identifies the text's source as the inspeximus charter of Richard
II, April 12, 1377, or its
reiteration in 1384.
Mooney (1995) [other copies]
8. 45v
Memorandum of law of Robert Billesdon, Mayor, and the Aldermen of London in the second
year of Richard III
(1484), concerning translation from one craft to another
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
45v Memorandum that the xxvij day of august the ijde
yere of the reign of kyng richard the iijde it is aggreed bi robert billesdon mair and
thaldremen of the cittee of london to eschewe the discencions which myght happyn betwene
craftes of this cittee that
from hensforth no translacioun be made from one craft to another withowte the consent
of the mair and the aldremen of
the said cittee for the tyme being etcaetera
Added by a 15th-century hand; the same hand that added the next item.
Full transcription, as in Mooney (1995), p. 111.
Reginald Sharpe, Calendar of letter-books preserved among the archives of the Corporation
of the City of London
at the Guildhall. Letter Book L, Circa A.D. Temp Edward IV-Henry VII (London: 1912),
p. 214
9. 45v
Condition of Recognisance of freemen of the City of London
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
45v The condicioun of Recougnisaunce of free men etcaetera
Incipit:
45v The condicioun of this recougnisaunce is suche that if the said A. B. as
long as he shall joy or clayme to joy the liberte of the said cittee he shalbe continually
abydyng with his howshold
within the said cittee or the suburbes of the same
Explicit:
45v And also if [crossed out: ‘be’] spesially and principally occupie
the craft or myster of .l. to the whiche he is admitted more than any other craft
/ if any within the said citte he
will occupie or it shall happen hym to occupie than this recougnysaunce be had for
nought or elles stond in full
strenght and vertue
Added by a 15th-century hand; the same hand that added the previous item.
10. 46r-50v
The manner and form of Coronation for kings and queens of England
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
46r The maner and forme of the Coronacioun of Kynges and Qweenes of
Inglond
Incipit:
46r First the Prince that is newe to be corowned the day bifore his
Coronacioun shalbe apparailed and clothed with most noble and fairest clothyng and
so he shal ride from the Towr of
london vnto his paleys of westmynster thurghout þe citee of london barehed ridyng
with hym temporal lordis and the
communalte of the same citee with other moche and noble people
Explicit:
50v Also he shalbe nygh and bi the kynges side til the service of the
Coronacioun be fully endid and fulfilled
Mooney (1995) [other copies]
11. 61r-65r
Of the liberties and priviliges in the City of London
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
61r Off the libertees and ffraunchices in the Citee of london in the tyme of
Seynt Edward kyng of Inglond
Incipit:
61r Has it conteyneth in the lawe of seynt edward capitulo xlvio that it owith in london whiche is the hede of the realme and of lawe and alwey the
court
of our lord the kyng every wike on the moneday . Hustyng to sitte . and to beholde
. fforsoth sumtyme was founded and
edified at the instaunce and nygh to the symilitude of grete Troie and to the maner
and memory in itsilf
Explicit:
65r And if the maisters of the Brigge denye to drawe the Brigge whan thei
bien duely requyred for .vj. pence so as it is saide than thei to forfete .iiij. shillinges
iiij pence to thuse of the
chamber of the proper goodis of the saide maisters to be levied etcaetera
Final rubric:
65r Thomas cooke of london maire entred in the booke marked with the
letter .L. the leef .xliiij.
For further details about the contents of this text, see Mooney (1995), p. 111.
12. 65r-67r
Alphabet of legal and everyday terms
Language(s): Middle English, Old English, and Celtic
Rubric:
65r Thexposiciouns of Vowels as wel of Britouns as of Saxons in dyvers parties
in the Realme of Inglond
Incipit:
65r-65v Thexposiciouns of vowels as wel of bretons as of saxons in divers
parties of inglond vsed aldermanni that is to say eldermen nat for their age but for
their wisdam abremurde that is to
say open murther or proved abasue that is say passage auerpany that is to say to be
quyte of peny yevyng for arrerage
of the kyng
Explicit:
67r Nota that grene in briton tunge is cald glas in inglissh shield is cald
tarcan
13. 67r
Note on the foundation of London and Rome
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
67r London was made in the last yere of Brute and Rome þe first yeere of
Cunedage so Rome after the foundacioun ccc vj yeeere space and so to vnderstonde that
rome is of latter makyng þan
london vnderstonde from the compassyng aboute the wallis and of the names that remus
and romulus and nat at the first
foundacioun for whi bifore that brute was bore grete part of rome was founded as in
the cronicles of rome lightly may
be shewed
Full transcription as in Mooney (1995), p. 111.
14. 67r
Note on the origins of St Peter's Church, Cornhill
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
67r Nota that the temple of accorde now is a chirche founded in the worship of
the prince of apostels bi kyng lucie the whiche now is cald seynt petir vpon cornhill
Full transcription, almost as in Mooney (1995), pp. 111-112 [Mooney transcribes: ‘kyng
lune’].
An added marginal note reader: ‘Stow. An. 39’.
15. 67r
Note on a law of Ine, King of Wessex, regarding legal age for thieves to be prosecuted
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
67r In the lawe of ine kyng of westsaxouns a chield of .x. yeere old ought to
knowe that he dide no theft
Full transcription as in Mooney (1995), p. 112.
16. 67r-68r
Collection of customs, rights, and privileges of portions and of various guilds of
London [English version
of Anglo-Norman Liber Albus
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
67r Ancient Customes that the Kyng ought to take of marchaundices in
London
Incipit:
67r The baale greyn that peiseth .CCC. pounds owith to scavage .iij.
shillinges .iiij. pence
Explicit:
85v-86r and thow shalt do non extorciouns ne wronges to man ne to womman of
this warde bi colour of thyn office ne mayntene no quarels agenst the right but weele
and triewly kepe and mayntene þe
kynges pees in this warde and do triewly and wele to þe poore as to the riche to thi
power so help the god and
holydom
For further details on this text, see Mooney (1995), p. 112.
17. 87r-96r
Laws governing the sheriffs' court in London
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
87r Of the Shereves court daies
Incipit:
87r ffirst it is to wite that the shereves of london shuldn hold the courtis
of our lord the kyng bifore hem in the Guyldhall of london and plees of dette of whatsumever
somme and of al other
accions personels at te sute of parties and everiche of the saide shereves holde his
court at the saide Guyldhall bi
hymsilf severally and bi the vertu of the pleintes and quarels made bifore that oon
and that other of the sant
shereves
Explicit:
96r And how be it that suche a fermer withynne the saide citee do felony or
other contempt for whiche his goodis and chatels bien arrested or forfetable yit the
lessour bi vsage of the citee
shalbe served of his ferme behynde bi .ij. yeere as is biforsaide of goodis founden
withyn the same house
Note on actions of account added in purple ink to the margin of f. 95r in a
near-contemporary hand.
18. 100r-100v
Statute of Servants
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
100r The statue of seruauntis made the xxiiij yeere of Kyng Edward
.iij.
Incipit:
100r It is ordeyned that every man or womman of whatsumever state of
condicioun that he be free seruile or bonde of condicioun myghti in body withynne
the age of .lx. yeere nat livyng bi
marchaundyse nor exercisyng any certayne craft nor havyng of his owne wherof they
mown live nor lond of their owne of
the whiche tilth thei mown be occupied and seruant to nonother . If to seruice he
be required be he hold to serve hym
whiche hym huyreth and takith his wagis þat in placis wher hym ought to serve and
wont to be don the yeere of our
reigne .xx. precedent
Explicit:
100v And for whi many strong mendivauntes beggers renyed and denyen to
laboure aslong while as they mown live of almes It is ordeyned that noman vnder colour
of pitee presume to savour hem
in their subsidie or help vnder and vpon the peyne of enprisonement
First item of a legal casebook.
19. 100v
A deed of gift of goods
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
100v A deede of yift of goodis
Incipit:
100v To al triew cristen people to whom thiese present lettres comen by .J.
N. gretyng al yowr vniuersite knowith me the forsaide j hath yeven graunted and to
this my present writyng confermed
to .T. G. al my goodis moevable and vnmoevable as wel the quike as dede withynne the
towne of .M. or elliswhere
withynne the realme of Inglond wherever they mown be founde
Explicit:
100v And in the name of sisyne and possessioun of the forsaide goodis I
have delivered to the forsaide .T. G. a parcel in ful and pesible possessioun of the
same in witnesse of whiche thyng
etcaetera
Second item of a legal casebook.
20. 100v-101r
Plaint on Trespass
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
100v A playnt of trespas vpon cas
Incipit:
100v-101r Richard Thorp playneth vpon john vlceby of plee of trespas and
wherof the saide pleintief bi his attorney saith that as he with hym in the vigile
of ascencioun of our lord the yeere
of kyng henry the sixt after the conquest of Inglond .xxvij. at beverley withyn the
see and fraunchice of the lord
john Cardynal and Archebisshop of york with the saide defendaunt bargayned that suche
an hors of the saide pleintief
price of .xx. shillinges in suche a close of pasture of the saide defendaunt there
sauf and sure to feede graase and
agifte from the saide vigile vnto the holy Trynite than next folowyng to paie to the
saide defendaunt .CC. every tyme
and what sumever tyme the saide pleintief the saide horse toke out of the forsaide
pasture
Explicit:
101r To that the saide pleintief bi his forsaide attorney saith that to
this plee maner and fourme pleated no lawe puttith hym to aunswere Therfor for defaute
of aunswer he askith iugement
etcaetera
Third item of a legal casebook; relates to events in Beverley, Yorkshire, 21 May 1449.
21. 101r-101v
Plea of debt pursued by executors
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
101r Plee of dette or duete pursued bi executours
Incipit:
101v Nicholas Brampton sone of John Brampton of Beverly marchaunt William
Spencer John Steton Executours of the testament of the forsaide John Brampton playnen
on John Bedforth of kyngeston
vpon hull marchaunt of plee that he yield .lxij. pounds the whiche he theym vniustly
witholdith
Explicit:
101v at whiche fest the forsaide defandaunt often tymes lawfully required
of the saide lxij pounds to the saide John Brampton nat paid after whos deth etcaetera
Fourth item of a legal casebook.
22. 101v-103r
Definitions of legal terms
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
101v Sute seruice: svte seruice is at the court from .iij. wikes into .iij.
wikes bi þe yeere and for this a man shal be distressed in the grace of the lord and
nat amercied
Explicit:
103r fflemenfrith: fflemenfrith this is that ye have the catels of your men
tenamentis sugitiefs and dampned etcaetera
Final rubric:
103r Explicit
23. 103r-122r
Legal casebook
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
103r A man holdith of a lord bi certayne seruice and rent and ceasith bi
.ij. yeere his issue entrith and puttith out the fader and attournyth to the lord
the rent is behynde the tenant
disclaymeth the lord bryngeth a writ of right after the disclayme and recoverith the
fader bryngeth assise
Explicit:
122r and in [r]ight the saide tenaunt his wife and so
seised of suche estate died seised after whos deth the said pleintief supposith that
his fader at tyme of
his||
Many of the briefs pertain to people and places in Dale and Aldermaston in Devonshire.
Others involve Kent,
Berkshire, and Middlesex. The last case is incomplete.
24. 133r-157r
Jubilee Book or new book of ordinances of the city of London, 1 Richard II
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
133r La proheme del The proheme in the newe booke of thauncient customs and
vsages in the Citee of London compiled and affermed bi the maire aldermen and comunes
of the same Citee the yeere of
kyng Richard the secunde the first yeere
Incipit:
133r [T]he perfeccioun of al policie and the grounde of goode gouernaunce
dwellen and abiden vpon .ij. thynges the whiche ne mown nat be disseuered ne departed
but alwey toguyder to be hold
and kept
Explicit:
157r Other articles in the same charter content for vs and our heires of
certein causis at the instaunce of the saide citezenis vttirly we adnulle
For further details on this text, see Mooney (1995), p. 133.
Barron and Wright (2020) [edition].
25. 158r-158v
Oath for Richard Reynolds for his appointment of Sheriff of London, 1532
Language(s): English
Rubric:
158rThe oth that Richard Reynold mercer tok at the yeldhall when he was
chosen shryve of london in anno 1532
Incipit:
158r Ye shall swere that ye shalbe good and trew avnto our soueraign lord
the kyng of Inglond . and to his heris kynges and the franches of this cyte of london
within and withowt ye shall save
and mayntayn to your power and ye shall well and truly kepe the sherys of london and
medilsex and thoffices that to
the same sheres pertaynen to be doon well and lawfull
Explicit:
158r-158v ye shall kepe from harme after your pour and the shere of
medilsex . in the gaole of newgate ye shall not let to farme and all the ordinanunces
by the mair aldermen and commen
cownsell made not repellid well and lawfully . ye shall kepe and do to be kept . as
god yow help . and all sayntes and
by this bok
Copied by a 16th-century hand.
26. 158v
Regulations for poulterers (1521)
Language(s): English
Rubric:
158v Cor. consilium temp. die veneris videlicit quinto die Julij anno Regni
Regis Henrrci viijm xiij in presenc. Johannis Brugge militis maioris
Incipit:
158v Item for as moche as dyuerse and many of the pulters of this cyte
distryt fully arrey their seruanttes lyke vnto husbandmen of the countrey and the
same so aperielid sent as well into
chepesyd to the market ther as into other markettes within this cyte with vitaylles
corrupt lern and vnholsom for mans
body and ther distrytfully sell and vtter the same to the gret dissayte of the kynges
leige
Explicit:
158v it is also firther agreid and fully concludyd by the same auctorite
that they nor any of them by them selfes wifes or servauntes take apon them to by
or regrate in any of the said
markettes of this cyte any maner of pultie wares of any foren apon lyke payn etcaetera
Added by a 16th-century hand.
27. 177v
Notice of payments due to curates of London, according to a bull purchased from Pope
Nicholas
Language(s): Middle English
Incipit:
177v In the bull of pope Nicholas purcheced by the curates of london for the
oblacions among other it is contayned thus ffirst for euery inhabitaunt and householder
within the said cette and
franches of the same that is the rent of .x. shillinges by yere shall pay to god and
to his curate euery offeryng day
in the yere a ferthyng
Explicit:
177v and the said curates be bounde by vertue of obedience to declare the
said bull iiij tymes in the yere to there parisschens etcaetera
Mooney (1995), p. 133 [other copies]
28. 178r
Deposition of John Forster concerning release by Dame Agnes Forster of her servant
Thomas Holbeche so that
he could return to his home, the manor of Mullesworth, for Christmas (c. 1485)
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
178r
Incipit:
178r John fforster of the pariche of alhalowyn in the wall in london draper
of thage of l yere sworon and examyned the day and yere abveseid sayth and deposith
that in the first yere of the
reign of king richard iijde vppon ij or iij days before cristemas he was then in the place
of dame annes fforster wedow in a highe chambre
Explicit:
178r And the seid deponent seith that he was not priuy to noo delyuere of
the seid relese otherwyse than he hathe aboue deposed and more he cannot sey in this
mater etcaetera
Added by a late 15th- or early 16th-century hand.
29. 178r
Heading for a medical recipe to treat bruises, incomplete
Language(s): Middle English
Rubric:
178r A provysyon maed for all manner brouces
Full transcription as in Mooney (1995), p. 114. Added by a late 15th- or early 16th-centuruy
hand.
30. 178v
Bond obligating Thomas Robinson, Carpenter, to pay William Clerk, Carpenter, dated
to February
1493/4
Language(s): Latin
Incipit:
178v Nouerint vniversi per presentes me Willhelmum Clerke Ciuem et Carpenter
london teneri et firmiter obligari Thome Robynson Ciui eciam et Carpenter London in
quadraginta solidie legalis monete
anglie soluendum eidem Thome
Explicit:
178v presens oblicacio pro nullo habeatur sin autem in omni suo robore stet
et effectu
Origin:
c. 1450-1483.
;
England (?London).
Copied by the 'Hammond Scribe' (see Script).
Provenance and Acquisition
Sir Thomas Cook (b. c. 1410, d. 1478)
, draper and mayor of London
(1462-63) and father-in-law of John Forster (see below): perhaps the manuscript's
commisioner and first owner. A text
on the liberties and privileges of the City of London refers to a book owned by Thomas
Cooke (f. 65r). For further discussion of his connection with this manuscript, see Barron and Wright
(2020), pp. 1, 27-30.
John Forster (d. 1488)
, son of the London alderman and mayor Stephen
Forster and son-in-law of Sir Thomas Cook (see above): perhaps added his deposition
of 1483 to f. 178r. For further discussion of his connection with this manuscript, see Barron and Wright
(2020), pp. 1, 27-30.
One of the manuscripts of
Thomas Gale (1635/6-1702)
, dean of York, antiquary and fellow of
Trinity College Cambridge. The manuscript is listed as no. 316 (see f. 1r) in the
list of Gale's manuscripts in Bernard, Catalogi librorum manuscriptorum Angliæ et
Hiberniæ (1697).
One of the manuscripts of
Roger Gale (1672-1744)
, antiquary and scholar, son of Thomas Gale.
Inherited from his father. A letter signed ‘R. Gale’ and with a red wax seal featuring
the Gale coat of arms on
f. [iii] recto: ‘There is extant in Print, about the time of
Henry the 7th a Booke of the Customes of London. It reckoneth the begining of the
Bailiffes custoses Shereffes of
London from about the begining of the reigne of Richard the first. It agreeth with
this Booke in some fer things.
But this is far better.’
Donated to Trinity College by
Roger Gale
(1672-1744)
, son of Thomas Gale
(1635/6-1702), in 1738. The alpha-numerical elements of its current classmark are
printed on three (much worn) labels
pasted onto the spine (‘O.3.11’), and those of its current and previous
classmarks are inscribed in the manuscript: inside of the front
cover (‘O.9.32’ in pencil); f. [a] recto (‘O.3.11 -
Customs of London’ and ‘H.2.’ [crossed out], and ‘O.10.6’ [crossed out]) Its printed
ex libris featuring
its armorial coat of arms, motto (‘Virtus Vera Nobilitas’) and name (‘Coll: Trin:
Cant:’) pasted on the inside of the front cover. Its modern library stamp on ff.
[a] verso, 1r, 178v.
