Manuscript of the ‘Quoniam attachiamenta’, statutes, ‘Regiam Maiestatem’, forest laws, ‘De judicibus’, and other smaller legal texts, written soon after the middle of the 15th century, and belonging to the Charterhouse at Perth.
Scope and Contents
The contents of the manuscript are as follows:
(i) ‘Quoniam attachiamaenta’ (folio 1). Folios 7 verso and 8 are blank. ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 281-295.
(ii) `Modus seu processus breuium`, elsewhere the last chapters of the `Quoniam attachiamenta` (folio 10). Only the title of the last one is written on folio 12 recto.
Folio 12 verso blank.
(iii) `De exceptionibus` (folio 13).
(iv) `Modus procedendi in itinere Justiciarii` (folio 17).
(v) `Assise Regis David` in 43 chapters, with table at the beginning (folio 18). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 3-13.
(vi) `Statuta Willelmi Regis` in 12 chapters, with table at the beginning (folio 22 verso). See also section (xviii). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 47-61.
(vii) `Statuta Alexandri filii Willelmi Regis`, with table of 26 chapters at the beginning (folio 24). The text breaks off at the beginning of chapter 5. See also section (xix). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 65-74.
Folios 25 verso-27 recto blank.
(viii) `Statuta Regis Roberti de Bruys` in 29 chapters, with table (of only 23 chapters) at the beginning (folio 27 verso). See also section (xx). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 107-114.
(ix) `Processus super deforciatione recenti` (folio 31).
(x) `Leges Malcolmi Makynneth` in 15 chapters (numbered in a later hand) (folio 31 verso). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 345-348.
(xi) `Regiam Maiestatem` in preface and four books of respectively 45, 80, 30, and 58 chapters, with table before each book (folio 33). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 233-277.
(xii) `Expositiones quorundam vocabulorum` (folio 74). The lower halves of folios 75 recto and 76 recto are blank.
Folios 76 verso-77 blank.
(xiii) `Processus in itinere camerarii` in preface and 18 chapters, with table at the beginning (folio 78). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 329-338.
(xiv) `Assisa Regis David facta apud novum castrum super tynam de ponderibus et mensuris` (folio 80 verso). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 309-310.
(xv) `Leges et consuetudines quatuor burgorum` in 116 chapters (folio 83). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 17-44.
Folios 90-93 blank.
(xvi) A collection of 116 chapters without title (elsewhere called `De Judicibus` from the first chapter; numbering in a later hand), with an incomplete table at the beginning (folio 95). ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 83*-86*.
(xvii) `Leges forestarum` (untitled) in 18 chapters (numbering modern) (folio 123 verso ) . ‘Acts of the Scottish Parliament’, i, pages 323-328.
Folio 125 verso blank.
(xviii) `Leges Willelmi Regis`, another copy of section (vi), with an incomplete table at the beginning (folio 126).
(xix) `Leges Alexandri Regis filii Willelmi Regis`, another copy of section (vii), in 29 chapters (numbering modern), with table at the beginning (folio 128).
(xx) Laws of Robert I, another copy of section (viii), with table at the beginning (folio 132). The text breaks off at the beginning of chapter 2.
Initials, headings, and paragraph marks are in red. There are some glosses by the text-hand and a later hand.
Dates
- Creation: 14th century-3rd quarter of 15th century.
Extent
0.00 Linear metres (iii + 132 + iii folios.)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Collation: 1⁸, 2¹², 3-4¹⁰, 5-8⁸, 9⁶ (-5), 10⁸, 11¹⁰ (-1, 7), 12¹⁰ (-2, 8), 13-14⁸, 15¹⁰ (-3, 10), 16⁸ (-8). No signatures. Catchwords in the lower inner margin of the last verso of gatherings 4-8 and 10. Ruling in ink. 2 columns. 44-46 lines. Ruled area 180 x 135 millimetres. Binding of full leather, with Advocates` Library stamp (rebacked, 1937).
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Paper (gatherings 1-15: ox-head with eyes and nostrils and cross above, very similar to Piccard ii VII 151, Köln, 1458; gathering 16: letter G).
Custodial History
On folio 1 is the inscription of the Charterhouse at Perth (`Liber domus Vallis uirtutis ordinis cartusiensis in Scocia`) and its pressmark (H.vi.; in blue and red). On folio iii verso is a note by the 1st Earl of Cromartie, in which he says the manuscript belonged to Beauly Priory (this is apparently an error, due to confusion with Adv.MS.3.1.12), that he owned it for over 30 years and had it bound, and that he presents it to the Advocates` Library; this note is undated, but being signed `Cromertie` must be 1703x1714. It appears however that this gift was not executed, for the manuscript (along with Adv.MS.3.1.12) was in the sale of the books of Sir James Mackenzie, Lord Royston (Cromartie`s youngest son) on 12 December 1746, when it was claimed for the Advocates` Library by John Gordon, advocate. On folio iii is a note of Cromartie`s gift and its confirmation in 1747 by Sir John Stewart of Farnese, his great-grandson. Former pressmark: A.7.26.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.
Bibliography
- Title
- National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
- Author
- National Library of Scotland
- Date
- 29 05 2015
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Prepared Using Local Descriptive Rules
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk