Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 383 Laws

Abstract

55. Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 383
Laws
[Ker 65, Gneuss 102]

HISTORY: Written 11/12c; the main texts surviving from the A-S period (in Booklets B and D) were written by one hand, small, round, and neat. Probably at St Paul's Cathedral, London, when item 28 was added in the first half of the 12c; on f. 69r the words 'pertinet s(anc)to paulo' added in a 16c hand in the right-hand margin draw attention to the fact that most of the places mentioned in it belonged to St Paul's. On f. 24r in the lower margin there occur the words 'Matildis bey<n> soror mag<ist>ri Rob<er>ti de bey<n> Abbend [... .]' in a hand of the first half of the 13c. On ff. 40v-42v there are marginalia (13c) in Latin and French offering injunctions to say psalms in particular circumstances. Annotated by Robert Talbot (ca. 1505-1558), e.g., on ff. 12v, 53r, 54v (interlinear glosses), 57r, and perhaps already disordered, with what is now Quire II misplaced before III and IV, as this misordering is confirmed by the Parkerian pagination in red ochre crayon. Soon afterwards the manuscript was modified so that what now survives has three booklets (A, C, E) added in the 16c. Both A-S booklets (B and D) are imperfect at the end (D only in respect of material added in 12c), and Booklet D is imperfect at the beginning as well. A quire or more has been lost after B. Booklet C (16c) was inserted to cover the material lost before Booklet D, but there is some textual overlap (I Cnut 14.2-17.1). There are headings by John Joscelyn (1529-1603), Parker's Latin secretary, on ff. 38v-52r, and occasional annotations, e.g., on f. 57v. The manuscript was used by Lawrence Nowell the antiquary (d. ca. 1570) for his copy of item 28 in London, BL, Additional 43704, f. 110v, and by William Lambarde (1536-1601) for his Archaionomia (1568) for items 19 (heading from item 8), 14-15, 9, 16--17, 7, 24, and 25 (given in the order of use by Lambarde, who adds some headings). Bequeathed by Parker (Register, §17, no. 4) to Corpus in 1575.

CODICOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION: 72 leaves, ff. i+viii+21+vii+32 +iii, membrane, measuring 185 x 115 mm., membrane end leaves being added front and back with the binding of 1991. Written space: Booklet A 143 x 75 mm. on f. 2, 138 x 75 mm. on f. 3, 138 x 73 mm. on f. 4r but 138 x 71 mm. on 4v; Booklet B 139/142 x 75/77 mm.; Booklet C (some folios have wider written area at bottom than top) f. 32r 138 x 78/80 mm.; f. 32v 134 x 78/80 mm., f. 33r 135 x 79 mm., f. 33v 140 x 78/82 mm.; f. 34r 136 x 76 mm.; f. 34v 139 x 74/78 mm.; f. 35r 142 x 74 mm.; f. 35v 139 x 73 mm.; f. 36r 139 x 80 mm.; f. 36v 141 x 79/80 mm.; f. 37r 140 x 74/76 mm.; f. 37v 142 x 77/80 mm.; Booklet D 138/142 x 76/77 mm., but f .64 (= Quire IX, leaf 3, a half-sheet) is 142 x 74 mm.; Booklet E no written space. Modem foliation in pencil. Pagination beginning at f. 1 in red ochre crayon (probably by Matthew Parker) on the recto pages on ff. 10-30 (pp. 1-41), 38-53 (pp. 43-73), 54-74 (pp. 77-109), i.e., before the addition of the 16c supply leaves. Binding of white alum-tawed pigskin on oak boards from the workshop of Desmond Shaw of Cambridge, 1991.
Booklet A (16c supply leaves): In Quire I (ff. 2-9) no pricking is visible. There is a frame rule in crayon on ff. 2r-4v, 24 lines on f. 2r, 22 on f. 2v, 23 on f. 3r, 21 on f. 3v, 22 on f. 4r, 13 on f. 4v; apparently the lines were ruled as the scribe proceeded, and there is no ruling on ff. 5-9, which are blank except for a narrow vertical column ruled in red ochre on f. 9v. FHFH.
Booklet B: In Quire II (ff. 10-15) some prickmarks for the vertical single frame rule are visible at the bottom, e.g., on ff. 10-11, and prickmarks for the 26 horizontal ruled long lines are visible at the outer edge of leaves, all being visible, e.g., on f. 13. The ruling is in hardpoint, with the top, third, antepenultimate, and bottom horizontal lines ruled to the outer edge of the leaf, and the top three and bottom three horizontal lines ruled to the inner edge of the leaf. Written space 142 x 76 mm. (?)HFH.
In Quire III (ff. 16-22) some prickmarks for the vertical single frame rule are visible at the top and bottom, e.g., on ff. 16-17, and prickmarks for the 26 horizontal ruled long lines are visible at the outer edge of leaves, all being visible, e.g., on f. 19 (even though the bottom outer comer is cut off). The ruling is in hardpoint, with the top, third, antepenultimate, and bottom horizontal lines ruled to the outer edge of the leaf, and the top three and bottom three horizontal lines ruled to the inner edge of the leaf, except that on
f. 16 the bottom three horizontal lines are all continued to the outer edge of the leaf. On f. 18v the pricking for horizontal lines on the outer edge bends round at the bottom to coincide with the pricking for the outer vertical line, but some additional prickmarks occur in otiose horizontal sequence. Written space 141 x 75/77 mm. HFHF.
In Quire IV (ff. 23-30) some prickmarks for the vertical single frame rule are visible at the bottom, e.g., on f. 25, and some prickmarks for the 26 horizontal ruled long lines are visible at the outer edge of leaves, most on f. 30. The ruling is in hardpoint, with the first and third horizontal lines ruled to the outer edge, also the antepenultimate and bottom lines on the inner sheets, but the outer sheet (ff. 23/30) has the bottom two lines so ruled. The top and bottom three lines are ruled to the inner edge of the leaf throughout. Written space 139 x 75 mm. HFHF.
Booklet C (16c supply leaves): In Quire V (ff. 31-37) no pricking is visible. F. 31 blank. Ff. 32-37 have a frame rule in crayon. HHFHF.
Booklet D: In Quire VI (ff. 38-45) some prickmarks for the vertical single frame rule are visible at the bottom (occasionally, e.g., towards the outer edge on ff. 38,39) and top (all folios): usually two stabs at the top ones can be seen. Prickmarks for the 26 horizontal ruled long lines are all visible on ff. 41-45. The ruling is in hardpoint, with the first, third, antepenultimate, and bottom lines ruled to the outer and inner edges. HFHF.
In Quire VII (ff. 46-53) some prickmarks for the vertical single frame rule are visible at the top and occasionally the bottom (f. 53). Prickmarks for the 26 horizontal ruled long lines are visible in part,or wholly on ff. 49-53. The ruling is in hardpoint, with the first,third, antepenultimate, and bottom horizontal lines ruled to the inner and outer edges. HFHF.
In Quire VIII (ff. 54--61) prickmarks for the vertical single frame rule are mostly visible at the top and bottom. Prickmarks for the 26 horizontal ruled long lines are visible on all leaves. The ruling is in hardpoint, with the first, third, antepenultimate, and bottom lines ruled to the outer and inner edges. HFHF.
In Quire IX (ff. 62-69) occasional prickmarks for the vertical single frame rule are visible at the bottom (f. 62) and rarely at the top (f. 62 outer). Prickmarks for the 26 horizontal ruled long lines are visible on all leaves. The ruling is in hardpoint,with the first,third,antepenultimate,and bottom lines ruled to the outer and inner edges. HFHF.
Booklet E (16c supply leaves): In Quire X (ff. 70-72) there are no prickmarks, no ruling, and no text. FH.
Headings and capitals in red throughout Booklets B and D in the main hand; in Booklet B headings are often added in the margin;so presumably they were added after the text was written.

COLLATION: F. 1 is a 16c flyleaf with a stub after f. 9 bound as a wrapper around Quire I. Booklet A (16c supply leaves): I⁸ (ff. 2-9); Booklet B (correct order of quires should be III,IV,II): II⁶ (ff. 10-15 = pp. 1-12) [one or more quires lost after II]; III⁸ wants 6 after f. 20 (ff. 16-22 = pp. 13-26),IV⁸ (ff. 23-30 = pp. 27-42); Booklet C (16c supply leaves): V¹⁰ wants 8, 9, 10 (ff. 31-37); Booklet D: Vl8 (ff. 38-45 = pp. 43-58),VII⁸ (ff. 46-53 = pp. 59-74), VIII⁸ 3 and 6 half-sheets (ff. 54--61 = pp. 77-92), IX⁸ 3 and 6 half-sheets (ff. 62-69 = pp. 93-108); Booklet E (16c supply leaves): X⁴ wants 4 (ff. 70-72 = pp. 109-14 [111,113 unnumbered]).
[Note: Binding strips have been used to help hold together Quires II, IV, VI, and VIII.]

CONTENTS:
[Note: Attached to f. iv' (= fourth membrane endleaf added with the 1991 binding [frame 2 on the fiche] there is a slip of membrane with a 16c list of contents with page references to the Parkerian pagination in red ochre crayon.]
Booklet A(16c supply leaves):
1. ff. 2r/1-4v/13 Transcript(16c) of ''Laws II Edgar" copied from London, BL, Harley 55 [260]: 'Ædgars lage | Ðis is seo gerædnes þe eadgar cyng' (as Liebermann 1903-1916: 194-206 [II Eg]) [ff. 5-9 blank].
Booklet B:
[Note: Quires are ordered in original order in the list of contents.]
2. [Quire III] ff. 16r/1-23r/5 ''Laws of Alfred": 'Oþres bisceopes. oððe ealdor mannes'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.51-86 [Af](MS sig. B). [Lacuna between ff. 20/21: f. 20v/26 ends 'scillingu<m>. Be boc |lande.'; f. 21r/1 resumes 'dagas to eastron'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.75; 78);
3. ff. 23r/5-30v/19 "Laws of lne": INES LAGE |'IC INE MID GODES GYFE WES SEXENA CYNING |mid geðeahte' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 89-123 [Ine(B)]).
4. f. 30v/20-26 (p. 42), [Quire II] f. lOr/1-6 (p. 1): BE MORÐslihtu<m> 'WE CWEDON BE ÐAM blaseru<m>' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.388: [Blas (B*)]).
5. ff. 10r/7-19 BE FORFENCGE 'Embe forfang witan habbað gerædd'; ends 'plihte begytan'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.388-90 [Forf(B)]).
6. ff. 10r/19-llr/9 "Hundredgemot" (?I Edgar): 'Ðis is seo geræd |nyss hu mon þ<æt> hundred haldan sceal'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.192-94 [Hu(B)]) ['þ<æt> ... sceal' written in right margin, with signe de renvoye].
7. ff. 1lr /10-12r/20 "Laws I Æthelred": 'ÆÐELREDES | LAGE 'Ðis is þa geræddnysse þe æþelred |cining'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.216-20 [I Atr(B)]) [f. 12r/21-6 has late-16c annotation].
8. f. 12v/1-26 ''Prologue to Laws of Alfred and Guthrum": ÆLFREDUS LAGA CYNINGES. | 'Ðis is þ<æt> frio oæt ælfred cyng 7 guðru<m> | cing'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.126-28: [A Gu (B2)]; cf. item 19, f. 57r/17-57v/23).
9. ff. 13r/1-14v/24 ''Laws of Alfred and Guthrum": EFT HIS 7 Guðru|mes. 7 eadwar | deS. 'AND ÐIS IS SEO GErædnyss. eac |ðe ælfred cyng. 7 guðru<m> cyng'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.128-34 [Egu(B)]).
10. ff. 14v/24-15v/26 ''Laws II Æthelstan": Be ðeofum. |'ÆREST ÐET MAN NE SPA 'rige' NANNE ÐEOF ÐE |æt hæbbendre hand'; ends imperfectly: '7 he his ætsacan'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.150-52 [II As (B)] ).
Booklet C (16c supply leaves):
f. 31 Blank.
11. ff. 32r/1-37v/25 Transcript(16c) of "Laws I Cnut" copied from London, BL, Harley 55 [260]: 'Leges canuti |Ðis is seo gerednes þe cnut cyning' (as Liebermann 1903-1916: 278-98[I Cn = I Cnut 1-17.1]).
Booklet D:
12. ff. 38r/1-40r/21"Laws I Cnut," beginning imperfectly: 'mæsse dæg. swa he beboden beo' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.294-306 [I Cn(B) = I Cnut 14.2 to end]).
13. ff. 40r/22-52v/1 "Laws II Cnut": 'ÐIS IS ÐONNE SEO WORVLdcyNDE GE |rædnysse ðe ic wille mid minan wite |nan ræde' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.308-70[II Cn(B)]; f. 52v/2-8 blank).
14. ff. 52v/9-53v/2 "Laws I Eadweard": 'EADWERD CYNINg byt ðam gerefum ealllum'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.138-40[I Ew(B)].
15. ff. 53v/3-54v/2"Laws II Eadweard": 'EADWEARD CYNING |mid[..] his witan ða hy æt exceastre wæ|ron' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.140-44[II Ew(B)]).
16. ff. 54v/4-55r/6 "Laws I Eadmund": 'EADMUND CYNING gesomnode micelne |sinoð'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.184-86 [I Em(B)]).
17. ff. 55r/7-56r/11"Laws II Eadmund": 'EADmund cyning cyð eallum folce geyl|drum gegingru<m>' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.186-90 [II Em (B)]).
18. ff. 56r/12-57r/14 "Formula for Swearing Oaths": Ðus man sceal |swerigean hyld |aðas. |'ON ðone drihten ðe ðæs halidom |is fore halig' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.396-98 [Swer (B*)]) [f. 57r/1-16 blank].
19. ff. 57r/17-57v/23 "Prologue to Laws Alfred and Guthrum" 'ÐIS IS ÐÆT FRIÐ ÐIET Ælfred cyninc 7 gy |ðrum cyning' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.126-28[A Gu(B)]; cf. item 8, f. 12v/1-26).
20. ff. 57v/23-58v/4"Marriage Law": hu man mæden weddian sceal. | 7 hwylce forewarde þær aghon |to beon |ne. 'Gif man mædan oððe wif weddian wille'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.442-44[Wif(B)]).
21. ff. 58v/5-59r/6 "Law for Compensation by Wergild": hu man sceal gyldan. twelf hyndes man. |'Twelf hyndes mannes wer is twelf hund scyll<inga>'(ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.392-94 [Wer(B)])[followed on the same line after an extended space by item 22].
22. f. 59r/6-20 "Charm": 'Gyf feoh sy under|numen' (ed. Cockayne 1864-1866: 3.286-88; Storms 1948: no.11B, from Maidstone, Kent Archives, DRC/R1[''Textus Roffensis," olim Rochester, Cathedral Library, A.3.5) [441], f. 95r/10-23, where it occurs in conjunction with similar law texts to those in the present manuscript).
23. f. 59r/21-59v/16 "Landright": 'Hit becwæð 7 becwæl se ðe hit | ahte' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.400 [Becwæð (B*)].
24. ff. 59v/17-62r/2 "Laws II Æthelred": 'ÐIS SYND(.) ÐA FRIÐmal 7 ða forword' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.220-26 [II Atr (B*)]).
25. ff. 62r/3-63r/26 "Agreement regarding Welsh Marches": 'ÐIS IS SEO GERAÆDNES ðe angelcynnes wi| tan 7 wealhðeode' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.374-78 [Duns (B*)]).
26. ff. 63v/1-66v/23 ÐEGENES LAGU | 'ÐEGENLAGV IS þ<æt> he sy his bocrihtes' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 444--53 [Rect (B)]).
27. ff. 66v/24-69r/14 "Law for Reeves": Be gesceadwisan gerefan. |'SE SCADwis gerefasceal ægðærwitan' (ed. Liebermann 1903-1916: 1.453-55 [Ger (B)]; Liebermann 1886: 259-65). Two items added in a hand of the first half of the 12c:
28. f. 69r/15-69v/2 "List of 'Shipmen' required for service from estates in Essex, Middlesex, and Surrey": '[S]cipmen. Of ticc .iiii. Of tillingaha<m> .ii.' (ed. Liebermann 1900: 23-24; Robertson 1939: no.72).
29. f. 69v/3-26 ''West Saxon Genealogy": '[þ]a wres agangen £ram cristes acennednesse'; ends imperfectly, 'þa feng centwine' (ed. Dickins 1952: 2-4; coll. Dumville 1986: 21-24; as Thorpe 1861: 1.232, ll. 1-15).
Booklet E (16c supply leaves):
ff. 70-72 Blank [not on film].

PHOTO NOTES: Parker's pagination is mostly legible but not the modem pencil foliation. Rubrics of nos. 7, 8, 9, 18, 26 not legible on film.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Cockayne, [Thomas] Oswald, ed. and trans. Leechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft of Early England. 3 vols. Rolls Series, 35. London: Longman, 1864-1866; repr. with introduction by Charles Singer, London: The Holland Press, 1961.
Dickins, Bruce. The Genealogical Preface to the Anglo- Saxon Chronicle: Four texts edited to supplement Earle-Plummer. Department of Anglo-Saxon Occasional Papers, 2. Cambridge: Department of Anglo-Saxon, University of Cambridge, 1952.
Dumville, David N. "The West Saxon Genealogical Regnal List: Manuscripts and Texts." Anglia 104 (1986): 1-32.
James, Montague R. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. 2 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1912. [2.230-31)
Liebermann, Felix. "Gerefa." Anglia 9 (1886): 251-66.
---. Die Gesetzen der Angelsachsen. 3 vols. Halle: Max Niemeyer, 1903-1916.
---. "Matrosenstellung aus Landgiitern der Kirche London, um 1000." Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen 104 (1900): 17-24.
Richards, Mary P. "The Manuscript Contexts of the Old English Laws: Traditions and Innovation." In Studies in Earlier Old English Prose, ed. Paul E. Szarmach, 171-92. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1986. [pp. 181-84)
Robertson, Agnes J. Anglo-Saxon Charters. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1939, rev. 1956.
Sawyer, Peter, ed. Textus Roffensis: Rochester Cathedral Library Manuscript A.3.5. 2 vols. Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile, 7, 11. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde and Bagger, 1957-1962.
Sisam, Kenneth. 'The Authenticity of Certain Texts in Lambard's Archaionomia 1568." In idem, Studies in the History of Old English Literature, 232-58. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1953.
Storms, Godfrid, ed. and trans. Anglo-Saxon Magic. The Hague: Nijhoff, 1948; repr. Folcroft: Folcroft Library Editions, 1975.
Thorpe, Benjamin, ed. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle According to the Several Original Authourities. 2 vols. Rolls Series, 23. London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1861.
Wormald, Patrick. "The Lambarde Problem: Eighty Years On." InÆfred the Wise: Studies in Honour of Janet Bately on the Occasion of Her Sixty-ftfth Birthday, ed. Jane Roberts and Janet L. Nelson, with Malcom Godden, 237-75. Woodbridge: D.S. Brewer, 1997.

P.J. L.