Liber Niger
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The Black Book of the Ex- chequer, compiled by Gervase of Tilbury, in the reign of Henry II. It is a roll of the military tenants.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Liber Niger” mean?
The Black Book of the Ex- chequer, compiled by Gervase of Tilbury, in the reign of Henry II. It is a roll of the military tenants.
Is “Liber Niger” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.