Trinity Hall : The Master’s Statute Book

Trinity Hall

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.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. The next section (<a href='' onclick='store.loadPage(7);return false;'>Text B</a>) contains Bateman’s founding statutes , the Exemplar Statutorum, 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.<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.The original Master’s Statute Book was almost certainly written by the same scribe as Trinity Hall Muniments no. 73, (77) the Exemplar Statutorum, 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.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.