A “copy” of the magna letter bought decades ago by the Harvard Law School for only $ 27.50 (about $ 156 at the current price) is now recognized as an extremely rare original of 1300, according to new research.
British historians were able to verify the true authenticity of the document after an academic came across the item while researching the Harvard Law School online.
“I was just working at home… looking for unofficial copies of Magna Carta and finding several of them,” David Carpenter, professor of medieval history at King’s College London, told CNN remembering the moment of discovery.
“I finally arrived at Harvard’s Law School Manuscript number 172, I clicked on it, waiting to see a statute book. And what I saw… It was an original from the 1300 letter,” Carpenter said.
Shocked by his discovery, the academic said that he quickly contacted Nicholas Vincent, professor of medieval history at East Anglia University and also a magna letter specialist.
“I said, ‘is that what I think is?’ And he said, ‘yes, I think it’s too’, ”Carpenter recalled.
A Magna Carta (Great Letter) It is often considered the first, credited to consecrate the rights of man in English law. According to the United Kingdom Parliament website, the letter was the first “to put in writing the principle that the king and his government were not above the law.”
Today, it is revered around the world as the document that established the principle that all – including the monarch – were subject to the rule of law.
“He (the king) could not simply say ‘cut his head to prison, I am confiscating his property.’ If he wanted to act against you, he had to do so for due process, ”Carpenter explained.
Academics believe that the Harvard document is one of only seven copies of the 1300 edition of the Magna Carta than they still survive.
Amanda Watson, assistant director of librarian services at the Harvard Law School, congratulated the work of British academics for their “fantastic discovery.” She added that the new research “exemplifies what happens when magnificent collections, such as the Harvard Law Library, are open to brilliant scholars.”
The Harvard Law Library bought the document in 1946 at a Sweet & Maxwell London Bookiers auction, according to its acquisition record. The auction catalog described the manuscript as a “copy… made in 1327… a little worn out and moisture,” a press release told the discovery.
London booksellers only had it for a short time, having bought it from the vice marechal of AR Maynard, a world war pilot, who inherited him from two important activists against slave trade.
“The origin of this document is simply fantastic,” Vincent said in the press release. “Given where it is, given current problems on freedoms, the meaning of constitutional tradition in America, you could not invent more wonderful origin than this.”
Several revealing signs initially denounced the authenticity of the document, Carpenter said, including the style of handwriting and the big “E” at the beginning of the first line – which means “Edwardus”.
The dimensions of the 48.9 centimeters by 47.3 centimeters were also consistent with those found in the six previously known original. Subsequently, ultraviolet images and other images provided by the Harvard Law School were used to “combine” the text of the new document with the other originals, Carpenter said.
Both academics are expected to visit Harvard in June for a celebration that will mark the discovery of the medieval document. After that, Carpenter believes he will be exposed to the public as “one of the Harvard’s collection” jewelry.
