It's surprisingly small -- about 15 x 18 inches. It's closely written in a fair hand, maybe 42 lines of script. The ink is brown -- probably turned brown over time. It's been a long time, almost 800 years. It's in Latin. Of course it would be.
This particular manuscript had never been out of England before. It was brought over from Oxford to be part of a special event for the university and was -- yes, really -- grounded by the Icelandic ash crisis. So the university called the library and offered it for display while new arrangements are made to return it to the Bodleian. It will be at the Morgan until May 30th. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and give thanks.
Welcome to America, keystone document of democracy. And thank you.
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3 comments:
Wouldn't it be good if the politicians currently scrapping for office in England took another look at this?
Not just in England, my friend, not just in England.
I remember seeing the Lincoln "engrossment" of the Magna Carta
apparently it's quite well traveled and was kept at Fort Knox during WWII for safe keeping :0)
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