"Paxbred or Oak Book"

SC 2/1/1

"Paxbred or Oak Book"

14th-16th century

Bound between oak boards, front 11" x 7½", back 15" x 7¾" with hole 5" x ½" cut in the portion which projects below the pages of the text, presumably for ease of holding or carrying. Front board pierced on right hand side perhaps for thonging to hold the cover. There is a possibility (unlikely now fo. 61 has been identified) these boards were originally attached in the reverse order, with the extension at the head of the book. The text, on parchment 8 7/8" by 6¼", paginated 1-60 by E. Smirke, Recorder of Southampton towards the end of 1858, sections stitched on to leather thongs secured to the boards by wooden pegs, four out of a possible 10 of which survive. One is, however, of more recent origin than the others, spine covered by white leather held by star headed sprigs.

The sections comprising the book are as follows :

I p.p. 1 - 8

II p.p. 9 - 20

III p.p. 21 - 28

IV p.p. 29 - 33 [three folios are cut out, 33a to c]

V p.p. 34 - 43

VI p.p. 44 - 54 [but one folio is cut out, 49a]

VII p.p. 55 - 60

Sections II - VI inclusive may have formed a separate book at one time, the remaining, and on the whole later sections being added at the time of binding.

p.1r This side appears to have been pasted at one time to the back board as p.60v was to the front.

p.1v To the notes printed in P. Studer, 'The Oak Book' Vol. I (1910) p.2 add after Sutht:

"In most Humble wise"

"Si mea penna valet"

"Jesu"

"Jesus marya my grasya"

"When"

p.2r Add before "et sugre "Sapon? blanche et nigre" and after 'sugre' delete the whole entry and read "panere? et pot et tot autre maner spycerye par valu? a iijd le C.li. j kas de sucre, valu Cs, xv(d). pontage de j kas sugre jd., pontage de un bal ser[ ], jd., pontage de jd poke de lane, ob. pontage de dim? pak de drap, jd, pontage de un pece de stayn, qa. pontage de un pece de plum, ob. pontage de chescun ballet de [a word crossed out] alym et wod, qa. pontage de tot? autre choses et de le pois de un ton de. vyn, jd. un ton? de Wyne?, jd. keyage. de tot autre chose que? ...... un ton de wyne jd quervage de j fardell canevas en cres. ob.

p.3r for ijs. 1d. read m[emoran]d[um] q[uo]d

pp.3v-4v blank

p.5r for "dicte" read "dat[a]"

p.5v-8r list of boroughs free of toll n.d. late 14th c. possibly early 15th c.

p.8v. blank

pp.9r 10-20 r Orders for governing the Gild and the town n.d. early 14th c.

pp.20r-22v Table of customs. n.d. in same hand as the orders, early 14th century.

pp. 23-24v. Copy of agreement between Salisbury and Southampton concerning Petty customs 25 July 1329 n.d. mid 14th c.

Two versions of the original survive each bearing the seal of Salisbury [SC 3/ ]

A further copy appears in the Remembrance Book fol. 112v-113r [SC 2/1/2]

pp.25-32v pp.34-36r Tables for reckoning the assize of bread, in a similar hand, mid 14th c.

pp.33r blank, except for "Item seo un om que aschaut Navier ou Batewe doit payer de set vij li sterling ou autre merchundises iiijd". n.d. early 15th c.

p. 33v. blank

pp.36v-39v Copies of documents in a dispute with the Bishop of Winchester concerning payment of tolls in Southampton 1268 and 1312-1316. n.d. 14th c.

pp.40-45v Copy of the laws of Oleron n.d. mid 14th c. except for extract from the Statute of Westminster 1275, which is added in another hand of late 14th c.

pp.46-47v Copy of charter of Edward III to the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, 10 February 1327/8, and similar to that of entry on p.48v, n.d. mid to late 14th c.

p.48r blank except for the words "hic est"

p.48v copy of letters patent of Edward III granting a murage. 28 June 1355, n.d. mid to late 14th c.

p.49 Copy of a writ from the King to John of Winchester and his fellows, county justices appointed to determine causes under the Statute of Labourers, to restrain them from infringing borough liberties and to exclude the town from their jurisdiction 12 October 1452 or 1357.

p.50-53r blank, except for "Amen dico vobis".

p.54r Notes in French of sums of money owing by various people. For Beniche read Benithe, for Chanfoleure read Chaufoleure, for Geyere read Deyere. n.d. late 14th or early 15th c.

p.54v Note of election of town officers, 24 Edward III 1350-1 hand mid to late 14th c.

There is a name or word erased after "Thomas le Clerk electus est Maior et juratus".

pp.55-56 Copy of an agreement between Southampton and Portsmouth 1 November 1239. n.d. late 14th c. or early 15th c.

pp.59v-60r Various notes as printed in Studer, 'The Oak Book' Vol. II p. 142. 16th c. hand except note re Bishop of Salisbury which maybe 15th c.

Printed: P. Studer 'The Oak Book' of Southampton' Vols I and II and Supplement (Southampton Record Society 1910-11).

pp. 61 Identified from SC 15

English