Collection of William of Malmesbury

Selected Canon Law Collections, ca. 500–1234
Title Collection of William of Malmesbury
Key ?
Century saec. XII
European region of origin England
Author Christof Rolker
No. of manuscripts one


Oxford, Oriel College, 42, the late Quesnelliana copy used by Quesnel for his edition, additionally contains on fol. 91r–140v (and fol. 213r-216v) a substantial collection of 45 letters of Leo the Great and related texts which Hoskin dubbed the Collection of William of Malmesbury.

As Hoskin p. 370 stressed, bot the selection and the text of the letters is different from that of Leo's letters as found in the Quesnelliana. The collection in Oriel 42 instead shows some signs of being influenced by the C recension of the False Decretals. According to Hoskin, the collection may well have been compiled by William of Malmesbury from an array of sources; alternatively, William may have used a now lost exemplar.

Hoskin, Letters pp. 369-370.