Henry I’s coronation charter (Hn cor)
This coronation charter, published on 5 August 1100 and likely circulated to every shire, announced that Henry I had been crowned, but also listed a number of ameliorations of the law. The standard affirmed is that of the law under Edward the Confessor (1041-1065), while the laws amended are those that were in force under Henry’s father, William I (1066-1087), and brother, William II (1087-1100).
Digital edition
Edited by Richard Sharpe
Print editions
- Felix Liebermann, ed., Die Gesetze der Angelsachsen, 3 vols (Halle, 1903–1916), vol. 1, pp. 521–23.
- William Stubbs, ed., Select Charters and Other Illustrations of English Constitutional History, 9th edn, rev. by H. W. C. Davis (Oxford, 1921), pp. 117–19.
- A new edition being prepared for the Henry I Acta project by Richard Sharpe will be contributed to Early English Laws.
Manuscripts
- Bq: London, British Library, MS Additional 47214, fos. 42v-43r
transcription & translation - Cc: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 139, fos. 37v-38v
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation - Co: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MSS 70 + 258, pp. 76-77
transcription & translation - Dm: London, British Library, MS Cotton Domitian VIII, f. 118r
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation - Es: Edinburgh, Scottish Catholic Archives, MS JB/1/3, f. XXVr
transcription & translation - Hl: London, British Library, MS Harley 458, f. 3r
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation - J: Paris, Archives nationales, J.655, no. 34, f.
transcription & translation - Lg: London, Lambeth Palace Library, MS 1212, fos. 97v-98r
transcription & translation - M: Manchester, John Rylands University Library, MS Lat. 420, fos. 81r-82v
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation - Or: Oxford, Oriel College, MS 46, f. 39v
transcription & translation - Rb: London, The National Archives, MS E 164/2, f. 36r
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation - Rb: London, The National Archives, MS E 164/2, f. 266r
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation - Rl: Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson C. 641, fos. 43r-44r
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation - Rs: Manchester, John Rylands University Library, MS Lat. 155, fos. 76v-78r
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation - S: London, British Library, MS Harley 746, fos. 59r-59v
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation - T: London, British Library, MS Cotton Titus A.XXVII, fos. 153r-154v
description & facsimiles – transcription & facsimiles – transcription & translation
Other versions of this law
Introduction
by Richard Sharpe
Coronation Charter, notifying the shires of England that King Henry has been crowned, and that unjust exactions shall be removed and the law of King Edward and King William I restored. 5 August 1100
A print publication of this edition is in preparation, and it will contain editions of all of the known versions. Early English Laws provides the edited text, which will also appear in that edition of the acta of Henry I. The print publication will also include editions of all of the individual versions of the coronation charter, which are identifiable with the manuscript families preserving it. What follows is a list of the different versions of the coronation charter, the sigla representing these in the apparatus, and the manuscript witnesses belonging to each.
Sigla Witnesses
Hertfordshire text.
Herts Dl: Roger of Wendover, Flores historiarum, s.a. 1100.
Vx: BL MS Cotton Vitellius A. xx (s. xiiimed).
Interpolated version.
Interp Lg: London, Lambeth Palace Library, MS 1212, fol. 79v–80r (s. xiii).
Hl: London, Lambeth Palace Library, MS 1212, fol. ijr–v.
S: London, BL, MS Harley 746 (s. xiiiex).
Vx: London, BL, MS Cotton Vitellius A. xx (s. xiiimed).
Dm: London, BL, MS Cotton Domitian A. viii fols. 111–119 (s. xii2).
Es: Edinburgh, Scottish Catholic Archives, MS JB/1/3.
London version
Lond
Rs: Manchester, John Rylands University Library, Lat. 155 (s.xiiiin).
Cl: BL MS Cotton Claudius D. ii (s. xivin).
Co: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 70 + 258 (s. xiv1).
Or: Oxford, Oriel College, MS 46 (s. xiv1).
Quadripartitus and Leges Henrici version.
Quadripartitus version.
Quadr M: Manchester, John Rylands University Library MS Lat. 420 (s. xiimed).
Hk: London, BL, MS Additional 49366 (s. xii3/4).
T: London, BL, MS Cotton Titus, A. xxvii (s. xii/xiii).
Bq: London, BL, MS 47214 (s. xivmed).
Leges Henrici version.
Hn Rb: King’s Remembrancer, Miscellaneous Books, E164/2, Red Book of the Exchequer
(s. xiii1).
Hg: London, BL, MS Hargrave 313 (s. xiii).
J: Paris, Archives Nationales, J. 655, no. 34 (s. xiiiin).
QuadrHn Represents the agreement of Quadr and Hn
Rochester version.
Roff H: Strood, Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre, MS DRc/R1, Textus Roffensis
(formerly Rochester Cathedral, MS A. 3. 5) (s. xii1).
Rl: Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson C. 641.
Treasury text.
Hexh Cu: Richard of Hexham, De gestis regis Stephani et de bello standardii.
Worcesterchire text.
Worcs Rb: King’s Remembrancer, Miscellaneous Books, E164/2, Red Book of the Exchequer (s. xiii1).
Hg: London, BL, MS Hargrave 313 (s. xiii).
Cl: London, BL, MS Cotton Claudius D. ii (s. xivin).