Beinecke MS 60                                                      England, s. XIV^^1
Registrum brevium; Novae narrationes

     1. ff. i-x (unfoliated)    List of chapters for Registrum brevium
     (follows approximately the order given in W. S. Holdsworth, A History
     of English Law, v. 2 [London, 1923] pp. 617-32). Concludes with:
     Sequuntur capitula breuium de ingressu.

     2. ff. 1r-138r    Registrum brevium. The first chapter Breue de recto
     patens (in margin) begins with a writ of King Edward (Edwardus dei
     gracia...balliuis suis Ebor' salutem...); ends with a paragraph
     labelled De annua pensione. ff. 138v-144v blank, except for
     miscellaneous scribblings and mathematical calculations

          The text starts in a manner similar to Register R in Early
     Registers of Writs edited by E. de Haas and G. D. G. Hall in Seldon
     Society, v. 87 (London, 1970) pp. 108-18, but differs considerably
     after section 43.

     3. ff. 145r-204v    Novae narrationes. The manuscript follows primarily
     Text C (with numerous variations) edited by E. Shanks, Seldon Society,
     v. 80 (London, 1963) pp. 144-305; it breaks off in C. 286: et exil en
     le maner et les tenemenz auantditz s. abatu vn sale pris de xl, vn
     chambre pris de v,// ff. 205r-209v random notes, signatures, etc.

     4. f. 210r    Part of an article of indenture (13 lines; 18th-century
     hand), in English, concerning William Jenninges of Birmingham. f. 210v
     mathematical calculations

          Parchment, ff. ii (contemporary parchment) + 214 (no foliation for
     table; medieval foliation for text, 1-204: leaf between 134 and 135
     unnumbered, -101. The same person who foliated the text added the
     appropriate folio numbers to the table in the margins.) + vi
     (contemporary parchment; modern foliation, 205-10), 120 x 80 (81 x 49)
     mm. Written in 27 long lines; single inner, double outer vertical
     bounding lines, with additional ruling in outer margins; double
     horizontal bounding lines (sometimes full across). Ruled in lead or
     ink; remains of prickings in lower and outer margins.
          I^^12 (unfoliated table; -11, 12, no loss of text), II-XI^^12,
     XII^^12 (-5, f. 126), XIII-XVIII^^12. Catchwords along lower edge, near
     gutter.
          Written in small, cramped anglicana by one scribe.
          Twelve illuminated initials (crudely drawn and much rubbed), in
     dark red, blue, gold, green, and orange, with simple borders extending
     the length of the folio (cf. Paecht and Alexander, v. 3, fig. 545).
     Paragraph marks in blue or gold throughout.
          Lower half of ff. 33, 78 torn; large portions of text stained and
     illegible.
          Binding: s. xv-xvi. Original sewing on four double, tawed cords
     laced into flush wooden boards. The covering extends over the endbands
     and is sewn around them. Traces of a secondary embroidery. Spine lined
     with tawed skin extending to outside of boards. Covered with tawed,
     cream-colored skin. A brass catch on the lower cover and traces of a
     clasp attachment on the first few leaves. Lower board detached, upper
     board and most of the spine covering wanting, probably for some time.

          Written in England in the first half of the 14th century; the
     codex bears evidence of extensive use. Owners of the 18th [?] century:
     Thomas Cowper (signatures: ff. ix verso, x recto, 140v); Ambrose
     Davenporte (note on f. 141r: "Ambrose Davenporte is a good boye"); John
     Knighte (note on f. 205v; perhaps of the 17th century?). Belonged to
     Mrs. Doctor James of New Hartford, New York (newspaper clipping [n.d.]
     inside cover). Signatures of "Theo. H. Bradish, Utica, N.Y. 1856" on f.
     209v and on clipping; "James P. Bradish, Philadelphia, 1857" on f.
     209v; "George G. Kennedy, Roxbury Mass., Sept. 16 1857" on f. 206v.
     Purchased from Malcolm Kennedy with the anonymous gift of a Yale
     undergraduate in 1932.

     secundo folio: Rex et

     Bibliography: De Ricci, v. 2, p. 2253, no. 60.

     Barbara A. Shailor