Trinity Hall : The Master’s Statute Book

Trinity Hall

<p style='text-align: justify;'> The ‘Master’s Statute Book’ is actually comprised of several documents, which date from the 14th to the 18th century. It includes previously separate manuscripts, which have been bound together.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The first section (<a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(5);return false;'>Text A</a>) begins with an account of the death and burial of the founder of Trinity Hall, William Bateman (c1298-1355), the Bishop of Norwich. </p><p style='text-align: justify;'> The next section (<a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(7);return false;'>Text B</a>) contains Bateman’s founding statutes , the <i>Exemplar Statutorum</i>, describing the rules for Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and was sealed in June 1352. They provided typical provisions for the election of a Master and Fellows and the proper management of College properties. Instructions were provided for the management of the library such as the chaining of books. A <a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(21);return false;'>list of books</a> that Bateman donated to the library is appended to the statutes.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'><a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(35);return false;'>Texts C-G </a> list the benefactions to the College (this has annotations that indicate that it was used to check the books and plate during the 14th and 15th centuries); a list of the clerical Fellows; a list of regulations confirmed by the Archbishop of Canterbury Simon Sudbury (c. 1316-1381); the Commemoration and Benefaction of Dr Thomas Eden, (Master 1626 – d. 1645), together with a copy of his will; a copy of the will and codicil of Dr Walter Hewke (Master 1512 – d. 1517); and finally a list of endowed Fellowships and their incumbents, dated 28 May 1727.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The original Master’s Statute Book was almost certainly written by the same scribe as Trinity Hall Muniments no. 73, (77) the <i>Exemplar Statutorum</i>, comprises <a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(7);return false;'>text C</a>, (pp. 1 – 28) with texts A and E being the original flyleaves. <a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(47);return false;'>Text D</a> (pp. 41 – 52) would appear to be the "old vellum book with green strings" referred to by Dr Warren and cited in Dale 1911; this is supported by the contents, and by the footnote appended to the Pedigree on <a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(48);return false;'>p. 42</a>. It may be suggested that texts F and G were once part of the "old vellum booklet" referred to by Dr Warren and cited in Dale 1911, although some leaves may have been lost from this original volume.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Another copy of the Trinity Hall Statutes and lists of books and plate was written at the same time but by a different scribe, and is now Cambridge, CUL Archives, Luard 39. This was most likely the copy kept in Norwich for consultation by the Bishop and cathedral priory. </p>