The World of Matthew Paris, and the Documents Therein

The Chronica Majora by Matthew Paris is a valuable resource for historians because it provides a plethora of documents (official letters, memoranda, and laws) that inform the narrative of thirteenth century England. The majority of the primary sources deal with communications between the Pope, Kings and Emperors, and occasionally there are documents validating the financial standing of a citizen or institution, and even rarer still, is the documents that detail instructions from the King, Pope, or Emperors to the lower echelons of society.
Matthew Paris is very aware of the duality, or faults of sources, but he also describes them as containing a sense of finality. To explain, Matthew Paris describes the uses of documents in the case of a financial dispute; he states “the evident iniquity of the whole course of the proceedings is also shown by the causes which includes and...are defended by the incorruptible truth and by public documents.” (Matthew Paris, Vol. 2, 166). In this case documents are used to validate truths, but do not, in the eyes of Matthew Paris, solely constitute truth.
The first document provided in the Chronica Majora is a letter from the Pope to the prelates of England, reaffirming the virtues of the Church of England, and providing some level of financial instruction. Matthew Paris later explains that these letters back and forth were common, but not without “the expense of a large sum of money.” (17 - Matthew Paris AD 1244) Another curious note, is the political foresight, or awareness that the letter seems to contain; at the end of the letter, after all of the financial instruction/suggestion, the Pope explains, “He [the King] may more easily endure the burden of his expenses, and that, by doing so, you may be at a future time to claim for yourselves the favour and thanks of the said king (which you, without doubt, are in want of)....” (17 - Matthew Paris AD 1244), and continues to state that, later this will aid in Church promotion from the King. The bluntness of this message is striking because one would suspect that political motivation while a pragmatic reality, should not be so obviously voiced. One would expect an aura of benevolent compliance. The honesty portrayed in the letter from the Pope to his prelates suggests a certain level of honesty in the primary sources, however this in not entirely true of all documents included in Matthew Paris’ work.
However, before delving into the problematic nature of the documents included in Matthew Paris’ additional document appendix of the Chronica Majora another example should be discussed. In my opinion, one of the more intriguing pieces is a French translation of the King’s concern for peace and safety in his kingdom. The document inherits a mild paranoia when discussing the number of armed men that are to be placed in each town, the recruitment of other armed men (based on their cattle and land owning), and then a breakdown of material wealth in relation to service. (432. Matthew Paris, Vol. 3 “Additamenta”). The documents main points are summarized in six succinct, and at times not so succinct points.

"Done in the presence of the archbishop of York, at Westminster, the 20th day of May, in the thirty-sixth year of our reign, Henry, the son of John.

Articles.

1.That watch be kept in every town, as they have been wont to be kept, by good and able men.

2.That pursuit by hue and cry be made according to the ancient and proper form, in such way that the negligent what will not follow the cry may be taken as accomplices of the evil-doers, and be given up to the sheriff. Moreover, hi every town, four or six men, according to the number of the inhabitants, shall be appointed to make the true and cry with promptitude and perseverance, and to pursue evil-doers, if any should arise, and it should become necessary, with bows and arrows, and other light arms, which ought to be provided for the custody of the whole town, and which may always remain for the use of the aforesaid town. And beside the foregoing, there shall be provided, out of each hundred, two free and loyal men of most influence, to be over them, and to see that the watches be duly made as well as the pursuits aforesaid.

3.That no stranger be taken in to lodge, except in the daytime, and that he depart also in broad daylight.

4. That no stranger be received in country villages for more than one day, or two at the utmost; except in the time of harvest, unless his host will answer for him.

5. If any evil-doer, or other person about whom unfavourable suspicions are entertained, is taken by the watchmen, or by other loyal subjects of our lord the king, the sheriff or the bailiff of the hundred shall receive him without delay, and without any payment.

6.Orders shall be given to the mayor and bailiffs of every city and town, that if any trader or foreigner bring money.,, and, showing it to them, asks for a safe-conduct, they shall grant him a safe-conduct through the bad places and doubtful districts ; but if he loses anything, for want of safe-conduct, or under their safe-conduct, restitution shall be made to him out of the common funds of that town or city." (434 - 435, Matthew Paris, Vol. 3)

This document accurately summarizes the nature of the documents -- often they are curatorial, and concerned with policy, administration issues between the higher echelons of medieval society.
Matthew Paris projects a skeptical tone when discussing the sources he included in the Chronica Majora, and he even goes so far as to explain instances of documentation fraud. There is an instance where the Pope sent a letter to the King, made note of the redeeming or validating quality of a charter because it “had been attested by our own handwriting.” (33 - Matthew Paris AD, 1244). Admittedly, it is not Matthew Paris drawing attention to this concern, but it is mentioned by the author of the letter -- the Pope. This could inform the climate of documents in the year 1244, for they were not the sole, independent conveyors of truth, but they were simply written documents that could be moulded, shaped, manipulated and falsified at the whim of any temperer. A notable instance of documentation fraud occurs in the translation of Tartar letters, and the embellishing of pro-France facts. These pro-France facts falsely encouraged the readers to join the then French King, and offer some level of comfort to Christians who may have found the pro-French attitudes alarming. In short, there is the obvious two-faced, play-both-sides nature to the documents. Along with being aware of the duality of some letters and documents, Matthew Paris is also aware of the nature of documents that allow for ethically sketchy activities. On page 366 of Vol. 2 of Chronica Majora Matthew Paris describes an instance whereby, with aid of a papal documents, “Bernard de Nympha” “unjustly” collects a “large sum of money from the crusaders, for the use of Earl Richard.” According to Matthew Paris, this was more an act of robbery, instead of a lawful enforcement of protocol. Perhaps this is an instance where the reader gains a sense of Matthew’s volatile personality, and his disapproval of certain actions of the authorities; but maybe, and on a deeper level, this showcases Matthew’s awareness in the faults of documents. In short, documents do not align with the moral good however this is not unique to the times of Matthew Paris.
As stated before, The Chronica Majora is a valuable tool for historians because of the amount of primary documents that Matthew Paris weaves into his narrative. However, there is some level of consternation in the historical community centered around the insertion of a document involving the “account of King Henry III’s dispute with the barons and the clergy in 1244.” (213. The ‘Paper Constitution’ Preserved by Matthew Paris). This documents proposes a “series of startling, radical provisions for the control of executive and judicature” (Ibid) and according to historians, the documents placement in the narrative is anachronistic. The actions suggested by the document were not put into place in 1244, as Matthew Paris suggests. Mr. Denholm-Young, argues for the anachronistic nature for some of the material included in Matthew Paris’ Chronica Majora, and is a stark reminder of the nature of all documents -- they must be looked at it with a critical mind.