Legal Definitions - magnus rotulus statutorum

The magnus rotulus statutorum, a Latin term meaning 'the great statute roll,' refers to a significant historical collection of early English laws. It represents the foundational compilation of statutes from the English monarchy, commencing with the landmark Magna Carta and concluding with legislation enacted during the reign of King Edward III. This roll served as a primary record of some of the earliest and most influential statutory laws in English legal history.

• Example 1: Legal History Research

  A legal historian specializing in medieval English law is researching the origins of specific legal protections for merchants. To understand the earliest statutory provisions that safeguarded commercial activities, the historian would consult the contents of the magnus rotulus statutorum. This collection would provide access to foundational laws enacted during the period it covers, offering insights into how early English monarchs and parliaments addressed trade and commerce.

• Example 2: Constitutional Law Study

  A constitutional law scholar is preparing a lecture on the historical development of due process rights in England. They would refer to documents contained within the magnus rotulus statutorum, particularly the clauses of Magna Carta and subsequent statutes from Edward I's or Edward III's reign, to illustrate how early legislative acts began to establish principles of fair legal proceedings and limitations on arbitrary power, forming the bedrock of modern constitutional protections.

• Example 3: Archival Preservation

  An archivist at a major national library is cataloging a newly acquired collection of ancient legal manuscripts. Among them is a large, meticulously inscribed parchment scroll containing several English statutes from the 13th and early 14th centuries. The archivist would recognize this scroll as a component or a contemporary copy of the type of document that constituted the magnus rotulus statutorum, understanding its immense historical value as a record of foundational English law.