Thomas Erskine Holland

“ There is ample evidence that the civil law was soon once more a favourite study at Oxford, where we learn that, in 1100, two students from Friesland were wont to divide between them the hours of the night for the purpose of making a copy of the Liber pauperum. Whether or no Vacarius ever resumed his Oxford lectures after their interruption by Stephen we are not informed. ”

“ We next hear of Vacarius as lecturing at Oxford, in 1149, to “crowds of rich and poor,” and as preparing, for the use of the latter, a compendium, in nine books, of the Digest and Code of Justinian, “sufficient,” it was said, “if thoroughly mastered, to solve all legal questions commonly debated in the schools.” It became a leading text-book in the nascent university, and its popular description as the Liber pauperum gave rise to the nickname pauperistae applied to Oxford students of law. ”

“ The edict to this effect seems, however, not to have been in force after the death of its royal author in 1154 (“eo magis virtus legis invaluit quo eam amplius nitebatur impietas infirmare,” Joh. Sarisburiensis) . ”