47 letters and documents, on paper (one document on parchment) in various cursive scripts, produced in England between 1554 and 1706. Mostly from the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, they consist of claims for expenses, wages, and other benefits. They include an account of a banquet (15 November 1561), signed by the Marquis of Winchester and Sir Walter Mildmay; a Claim for Allowances (1563) by Sir Thomas Chaloner, Ambassador to Spain; L. S. (1578) by Lord Burgley about money to be sent to Ireland and mentioning Sir Philip Sidney; A. L. S. (1597) by George, Lord Hunsdon; A. K. S. (Chester, 11 Aug. 1601) by the antiquary and mathematician Edward Brerewood to the Privy Council. The documents also include signatures of other government officials and nobles and The documents derive from the papers of Robert Petre, Auditor for the Exchequer, and his colleague Vincent Skinner
Description:
In English. and Binding: Middle Hill boards, spine missing.
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain. and Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603., James I, King of England, 1566-1625., and Great Britain. Exchequer.
Manuscript, on parchment, in chancery script, produced in London at the beginning of the sixteenth century (during the reign of Henry VII)., The text is an affirmation by King Henry VII of the rights given to the city of London by previous kings, It includes a copy of the charter in Old English presented by William the Conqueror affirming the rights held by the citizens of London under Edward the Confessor, and It also includes a charter granting lands from William I to Deorman
Description:
In Latin and Old English., On the wrapper is written "Thomas Binkheued who sold it to Raph Wilbraham.", The manuscript was originally a roll, as can be seen by the sewing holes extending across the bottom of each page., and Binding: vellum wrapper.
Subject (Geographic):
England, London., England., Great Britain, and London (England)
Manuscript on paper of a collection of pseudo-Lullian alchemical writings, translated from the French and Catalan originals, with a little additional matter. The codex underwent a transformation in the early 16th century when considerable new matter was added by another English hand on different, thinner paper; leaves have been inserted throughout the original codex
Description:
In Latin., Watermarks: Original paper: 1) an extremely primitive-looking unicorn with very short horn and long tail somewhat like Briquet 9962 and 10176; 2) a less primitive unicorn rather similar to Briquet 9985; 3) bullshead with defined eyes and nostrils and with cross above, rather like Briquet 15054. Inserted leaves: a very elegant unicorn mark, more developed than Briquet 10104; and some leaves with a gothic "P" with cinquefoil above, rather like Briquet 8809., Script: The original portion written by a single English gothic cursive hand with heavy standard abbreviation. The inserted leaves (first 4 ff. now extant, ff. 88-96, 163-169, 268-274, and 307-319 [of which f. 167 is a blank and f. 315 is a parchment leaf]) written in another gothic cursive habitually employing writing of different sizes., Original text: Headings in red, rubricated. Some pages with diagrams or drawings. The illustrations include Lullian alphabets and tables in the form of wheels, an Arbor philosophorum, a group of flasks, and a good, large drawing of a furnace. Inserted leaves: Red headings, and capitals with slight decoration., and Binding: Eighteenth century, English. Dark calf, sides paneled in blind with a roll tool of vine pattern, leafy sprays at the corners, back with six plain compartments and five raised bands, probably original parchment label on second compartment from top bordered with ink rule and lettered in ink: "RAYM. LULLII | OPERA | MANUSCRIPTA". The binding considerably repaired and some leather renewed. Original plain edges, the top blackened.
Manuscript on paper of the writings of Christopher of Paris (pseudonym for a Venetian exile), including his major work, Lucidario, with its supplementary alphabet, plus three letters
Description:
In Italian and Latin., Script: Written by a single good italic hand, sometimes hasty toward the end of the codex., Rubricated, headings often in red., and Binding: Original plain parchment wrapper without ties, back with three raised bands, soiled and worn. Plain edges.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Christopher, of Paris.
Subject (Topic):
Alchemy, Alphabet books, Italian letters, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript, on paper, in cursive bookhand, produced in England and dated May 27, 1582
Description:
In English., A note on f. 18v reads: "A verry tratoroos Worke pretended to bee the answers of Peyres Plowman to the prynted interrogatores of alleageaunce. Butt in treuthe a Waye to instruct papists how to answer tratorooslye & defende the trators for Martyrs that dyed at Tyburne in August 1582.", and Binding: vellum wrapper, with front cover cut away.
Subject (Geographic):
England
Subject (Name):
Langland, William, 1330?-1400?
Subject (Topic):
Catholic Church and Tyburn gallows (London, England).
Manuscript, on parchment, in a single hand, of Chaucer's Treatise on the astrolabe
Description:
In Middle English., Layout: single columns, mostly of 28 lines., Script: English bookhand., Decoration: initials in blue with red penwork., Presentation inscription on verso of front flyleaf: Augustus W. Franks, the gift of Sir David Dundas., Ownership inscription on verso of front flyleaf: C. H. Read., Tipped in: autograph letter signed from D. D. to A. W. Franks, 1877 February 11., and Binding: nineteenth-century full calf; in case.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Chaucer, Geoffrey, -1400.
Subject (Topic):
Astrolabes, English literature, English prose literature, and Manuscripts, Medieval
