DIALOGUS DE SCACCARIO

Dialogus   de   Scaccario   (dI-al-<<schwa>>-g<<schwa>>s   dee   sk<<schwa>>-kair-ee-oh),

n.[Law Latin “a dialogue of or about the Exchequer”] Hist. A treatise, written during the reign of

Henry II, on the Court of Exchequer, set up in imaginary dialogue form between a  master and a

disciple.  •  Although  some  originally  attributed  the  work  to Gervase  of  Tilbury,  it  was  probably

written by Richard Fitz Nigel, the bishop of London under Richard I, and the former Treasurer of

the Exchequer.

“The Dialogus de Scaccario is an anonymous book, but there can be little doubt that we are

right in ascribing it to Richard Fitz Neal: that is to say, to Richard the son of that Nigel, bishop of

Ely …. The book stands out as an unique book in the history of medieval England, perhaps in the

history  of  medieval  Europe.  A  high  officer  of  state,  the  trusted  counsellor  of  a  powerful  king,

undertakes to explain to all whom it may concern the machinery of government. He will not deal

in  generalities,  he  will  condescend  to  minute  details.  Perhaps  the  book  was  not  meant  for  the

general  public  so  much  as  for  the  numerous  clerks  who  were  learning  their  business  in  the

exchequer, but still that such a book should be written, is one of the wonderful things of Henry’s

wonderful  reign.”  1  Frederick  Pollock  &  Frederic  W.  Maitland,  The  History  of  English  Law

Before the Time of Edward I 161–62 (2d ed. 1898). [Blacks Law 8th]