DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51195#0024
l6 CATALOGUE OF MANUSCRIPTS [9
Collation. is-58 ( + 5*), 68, 710, 8s, 94, ίο4, 112, 126, I38(wants 8), 148 (wants 8),
15s, II 16'4 (paper).
Contents : mainly a Register of the Corporation of New Romney in the reigns
of Edward III and Richard II.
In the Fourth Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission (1874), pp.
424-428, is an account of the contents of this MS by Η. T. Riley.
A former owner was Rob. Benet, whom I have seen described as Mayor of
Romney and of Dover. He owned several MSS at St John’s College, including
the famous Irish Psalter which belonged to Dover Priory.
The account is as follows :
In the Library of this College (Mark G. V 69) there is a small quarto volume,
in calf binding of the latter part of the sixteenth century, with the impress
thereon of three lions, the arms of New Romney, Kent, in gilt. It consists of
105 leaves of parchment, written on both sides, to which are added 15 leaves
of paper, the latter partly gnawed away by mice or rats. All the writing on the
parchment belongs to the reigns of Edward III and Richard II, that on the
paper, probably, to the reign of Edward IV. The parchment is in a perfect
state throughout: on the reverse of the last written leaf of paper are scribbled,
in very pale ink, the names of several members of a family called “Fyssche,”
John, Margaret, Henry, and others. So far as I am aware, the contents of this
book, which is mainly a Register of the Corporation of New Romney, in the
reigns of Edward III and Richard II, have hitherto never been described: the
following summary of its contents will therefore not be out of place. The entries,
which are mostly in a very faded ink, were made, as we learn, from the latter
part of the Register, by Daniel Rough, or Rowe, Common Clerk of New
Romney, in the reigns above-mentioned, the earliest of them belonging probably
to the 26th of Edward III, a.d. 1352. The first page of the parchment (from
the fact, probably, of the book having been left unbound for many generations)
is almost wholly illegible; though much of its writing probably might be
deciphered under a strong sunlight. It begins: “Ces [sount] les usages de
Rom., de temps [dount] memorie ne court, ilykis uses.—Inprimes, use est de
an en an eslire xii jures pour garder et governer la elite vile.” “These are the
usages of Rom., from time out of memory there used.—First, it is the usage
from year to year to elect twelve Jurats, to keep and govern the said town.”
In fol. 1 b, the first title is, “Forma acquietantiae super idem,” acquittance (in
Latin) of the chief ruler for the year by his “Combarons.” The title of the next
entry is, “Si ascun ne voile faire office de jure,” “If any one will not take the
office of jurat.” “Item, si ascune barone, apres la election de la dite comune,
ne voile estre obeisaunt a fere la dite offis de jure; le bailif, od tote la comune,
iront a sa meson, et le dit desobeisant, sa femme, et ces enfantz et autre mayne,
osteront de sa meson, et fermeront les fenestres; et ces us deyvont ils a seler et
sequestrer; et ci ils deyvont demurer, tankil se voile justizer a fere le dit office
de jure.” “Also, if any baron, after the election of the said community, will not
be obedient to do the said office of jurat; the bailiff, with all the community,
shall go to his house, and the said disobedient, his wife, and his children and
other household, shall turn out of his house, and shall shut the windows; and
his door they ought to seal and sequestrate; and so they ought to remain, until
he wish to set himself right by doing the said duty of jurat.”
Fol. 2 a. The penalties of sequestration. Power of distress by the jurats,
without the bailiff, upon all whom they shall deem rebels, touching the service of
our lord the king, and in all points touching the maintenance and profit of the
common franchise. The oath of the jurats. Their Common Clerk, and Serjeant.
Collation. is-58 ( + 5*), 68, 710, 8s, 94, ίο4, 112, 126, I38(wants 8), 148 (wants 8),
15s, II 16'4 (paper).
Contents : mainly a Register of the Corporation of New Romney in the reigns
of Edward III and Richard II.
In the Fourth Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission (1874), pp.
424-428, is an account of the contents of this MS by Η. T. Riley.
A former owner was Rob. Benet, whom I have seen described as Mayor of
Romney and of Dover. He owned several MSS at St John’s College, including
the famous Irish Psalter which belonged to Dover Priory.
The account is as follows :
In the Library of this College (Mark G. V 69) there is a small quarto volume,
in calf binding of the latter part of the sixteenth century, with the impress
thereon of three lions, the arms of New Romney, Kent, in gilt. It consists of
105 leaves of parchment, written on both sides, to which are added 15 leaves
of paper, the latter partly gnawed away by mice or rats. All the writing on the
parchment belongs to the reigns of Edward III and Richard II, that on the
paper, probably, to the reign of Edward IV. The parchment is in a perfect
state throughout: on the reverse of the last written leaf of paper are scribbled,
in very pale ink, the names of several members of a family called “Fyssche,”
John, Margaret, Henry, and others. So far as I am aware, the contents of this
book, which is mainly a Register of the Corporation of New Romney, in the
reigns of Edward III and Richard II, have hitherto never been described: the
following summary of its contents will therefore not be out of place. The entries,
which are mostly in a very faded ink, were made, as we learn, from the latter
part of the Register, by Daniel Rough, or Rowe, Common Clerk of New
Romney, in the reigns above-mentioned, the earliest of them belonging probably
to the 26th of Edward III, a.d. 1352. The first page of the parchment (from
the fact, probably, of the book having been left unbound for many generations)
is almost wholly illegible; though much of its writing probably might be
deciphered under a strong sunlight. It begins: “Ces [sount] les usages de
Rom., de temps [dount] memorie ne court, ilykis uses.—Inprimes, use est de
an en an eslire xii jures pour garder et governer la elite vile.” “These are the
usages of Rom., from time out of memory there used.—First, it is the usage
from year to year to elect twelve Jurats, to keep and govern the said town.”
In fol. 1 b, the first title is, “Forma acquietantiae super idem,” acquittance (in
Latin) of the chief ruler for the year by his “Combarons.” The title of the next
entry is, “Si ascun ne voile faire office de jure,” “If any one will not take the
office of jurat.” “Item, si ascune barone, apres la election de la dite comune,
ne voile estre obeisaunt a fere la dite offis de jure; le bailif, od tote la comune,
iront a sa meson, et le dit desobeisant, sa femme, et ces enfantz et autre mayne,
osteront de sa meson, et fermeront les fenestres; et ces us deyvont ils a seler et
sequestrer; et ci ils deyvont demurer, tankil se voile justizer a fere le dit office
de jure.” “Also, if any baron, after the election of the said community, will not
be obedient to do the said office of jurat; the bailiff, with all the community,
shall go to his house, and the said disobedient, his wife, and his children and
other household, shall turn out of his house, and shall shut the windows; and
his door they ought to seal and sequestrate; and so they ought to remain, until
he wish to set himself right by doing the said duty of jurat.”
Fol. 2 a. The penalties of sequestration. Power of distress by the jurats,
without the bailiff, upon all whom they shall deem rebels, touching the service of
our lord the king, and in all points touching the maintenance and profit of the
common franchise. The oath of the jurats. Their Common Clerk, and Serjeant.