Christ's College : Christ’s College Statutes, the ‘Treasury’ copy, 1506

Christ's College

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>The full Latin text of the Statutes with facing-page English translation is given in the edition by Harris Rackham, <i>Early Statutes of Christ’s College Cambridge</i> (Cambridge, 1927). The text of the manuscript is in a beautiful hand and there are abundant marginal illustrations – some of these personal motifs of the Foundress, but also quaint and intriguing imagery of a more fantastical nature. It is unusual for an official document of this character to be so lavishly decorated, and the presence of Lady Margaret’s own hand on the first written page (which is <a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(13);return false;'>page 13</a> of the digitised document) adds to its interest. The text of the statutes is followed by the instrument of the Notary public recording acceptance of Lady Margaret’s Statutes by the Master John Siclyng and Fellows, who signed it on 3rd October 1506. Their signatures are on <a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(53);return false;'>page 53 (folio 22 recto)</a>. On <a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(56);return false;'>page 56 (folio 23 verso)</a> is found a copy of an instrument accepting from John Fisher an endowment for his commemoration in the form of a feast. This deed was executed by the Master and Fellows of Christ’s on 2nd February 1525: they undertake to keep the anniversary of the death of Dr John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, as being, after Lady Margaret, the author of the foundation.</p><p>The digitisation of this manuscript has been made possible by the generous legacy of Laurence and Betty Martin</p></p>