Cambridge University Archives : Proctor's indenture accounting for the contents of the Chest at the annual transfer of office

Cambridge University Archives

<p style='text-align: justify;'>This is the earliest surviving of the University accounts. Thomas de Byngham and John de Kent list money to the value of £32 12s 3 ¾d; an alabaster cup placed as a pledge; four books of canon law and one of Peter Lombard’s <i>Sentences</i>, the standard text-book of theological teaching drawn up in the mid-twelfth century; vestments and silk cloths; and muniments, including 33 royal charters, the University’s defence against any threat to its rights and privileges.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The portion of the indenture relating to books has been edited and published as part of the Corpus of British Medieval Library Catalogues series. The texts listed therein have been identified, however there is insufficient evidence available to establish with certainty whether the manuscripts survive among the collections of the University Library or elsewhere.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>This and other early book-lists, inventories and catalogues of Cambridge University Library are described in further detail in a Subject Guide published on the University Library website: <a target='_blank' class='externalLink' href='http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/departments/manuscripts-university-archives/subject-guides/medieval-manuscripts/early'>Early catalogues of manuscripts, up to c. 1600</a></p><p style='text-align: justify;'> Jacqueline Cox, Keeper of the University Archives </p>