5 AUGUSTINUS, BARNARDUS, HIERONYMUS. Liber Epistolarum. (S. Augustini Epistolæ aliquot; S. Bernardi et S. Hieronymi Epistolæ nonnullæ; S. Bernardi ad Fratres de Monte Dei de Vita solitaria). 4to. or small folio, MS. ON VELLUM, 68 leaves, with rubricated initials; in its curious original binding (rebacked) of wooden boards covered with red leather which is stamped all over with little squares, roundels, oblongs and triangles, enclosing figures, and the words "Iste liber est Sancte Iustine de Padva ' (Padua) Rolandus Monachus, 1410 40 0 0 A very curious example of Italian stamped binding at the beginning of the fifteenth century. The stamped patterns are multiplied innumerably on both sides; the figures they enclose are an eagle and an Agnus Dei of different sizes, and a great quantity and variety of architectonic ornaments. 22. There are two inscriptions by the scribe, who was a monk in the Benedictine house of St. Justina at Padua. The fuller one is on leaf His handwriting is of French cursive character through the first half of the MS., but approximates to Italian cursive in the rest of the book. On the tenth and eleventh leaves is the short treatise De divina Sapientia, beginning "Theodorus Episcopus Toletanus," which gives an account of Origen as a fallen star, and describes one of his heresies as being "Ex nihilo nihil fit vel fieri potest et sic mundus ab eterno fuisse." 6 HEBREW BIBLE, with the two Masoras, small 4to. MS. BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN UPON THE MOST DELICATE VELLUM, in double columns, 30 lines to the column, the Masoras written at top and bottom, the Keri and Ketib indications between and outside the columns; in the original stamped red leather Italy, about 1480 36 0 0 A triumph of Hebrew calligraphy by an Italian hand. A note on the fly-leaf shews that the book belonged, in the early part of the sixteenth century, to Nehemia of Modena. The Megilloth are written at the end of the volume; not, as in most cases, immediately after the Pentateuch. 7 APOCALYPSE WITH GLOSSES. Page 1, beginning of text: A POCA | LIPSIS IHU XPI qua | dedit illi ds palam facere | seruis suis. . Beginning of Gloss: In pmis pon qsi prologù ad comdationě opis in q attentu auditorē 7 beniuolu redd 4to. MS. ON VELLUM, in which the first initial A is an elaborate work of white interlacement on a red ground; 48 leaves; in a very early binding of boards covered with a whitish leather About A.D. 1000-1025 32 0 0 The text occupies the middle of the page, in bold characters in black ink; the Glosses, which are very beautifully written in a minute round Caroline hand, are in a browner ink and occupy the margins on the right and left as well as the spaces between the lines of text. These are sixteen to every page. The last six leaves of the work were deficient in the fifteenth century, and were then supplied in a beautiful Italian hand nearly resembling the original calligraphy. Two final leaves are added by the Italian scribe giving a chronological exposition of the seals in the Apocalypse. 7*BIBLE._LIBER EZECHIEL, cum Glossa Origenis, folio, MS. ON VELLUM by an English hand, carefully written and corrected, 129 leaves, usually in treble columns, the text in a fine bold character occupying the middle column, the gloss in smaller letters on each side; in the original boards covered with a whitish skin About A.D. 1190-1200 12 00 There are in various places notes on the text and corrections in a hand of the thirteenth century. One of these on fol. 47 runs thus :-" Abhinc emendatus est liber sn biblioteca de Beuêstan." The last word is evidently Beverstane, but where Beverstane is or was, we do not know, but it may have been a branch house of some great monastic institution. However the annotator intended this inscription to be read in Latin, it is obvious what his meaning was.' He wanted to convey that he had compared the text of this MS. with that of the Beverstane Bible, and marked the variant On the first page is the signature of I. Thomkyns who was the owner of the MS. 8 BIBLE. JOSUE, JUDICES, RUTH, CUM GLOSSIS ADAMANTII. Folio, FINE MS. This is probably the second volume of a magnificent Latin Bible written in Paris 9 BIBLIA LATINA VULGATA. Small folio, FINE MS. ON VELLUM in minute characters, with large ornamental initials, 274 leaves, written in double columns, 57 lines to the column; bound in old rough calf : 24 0 0 Written probably in England about A.D. 1250 52 10 0 A triumph of minute calligraphy. The contents are as follows:Foll. 1-8 contain the list of chapters from which lessons were chosen for liturgical purposes, with catchwords, in triple columns. Foll. 9-52 the Pentateuch; 53-63 Joshua, Judges, Ruth; 64-101 four books of Kings, and two of Chronicles; 102-112, the book of Ezra-Nehemia, and Hester, Tobias, and Judith; 113-123a, Maccabees; 1236-145 Isaiah and Jeremiah; 146-174a Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Abdias, Jonas, Micheas, Nahum, Habbacuc, Zephania, Aggai, Zacharia, Malachi, and Job; 1746-186 Psalms; 187-204 Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Cantica, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus. Foll. 205-226 the Gospels; 227-236 Acts and Canonical Epistles; 237-249a Paul's Epistles; 2496-259, the Apocalypse. Foll. 260, 261 contain some acephalous annotations on the Apocalypse; 262-268 Jeronymi Epistola de omnibus divinis historie libris; 269-275 the Interpretations of Hebrew names, in quadruple columns, incomplete at end. 10 BIBLIA LATINA VULGATA. 12mo. PRETTY MS. ON 11 BIBLIA LATINA. Old Testament from Proverbs to Malachi (which is 12 0 0 15 15 0 13 BIBLIA LATINA VULGATA, cum interpretationibus nominum Hebraicorum. Small 8vo. BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN MS. ON THE FINEST AND MOST DELICATE VELLUM, WITH ABOUT 70 TINY MINIATURES enclosed within the first initials of the Biblical books, and about as many decorative letters for the initials of the Jeremian prologues; AN EXQUISITE BOOK in an old French blue morocco binding (Duseuil) About 1280-90 100 0 This is apparently French, not English, work, although it might with some show of correctness be attributed to an English artist. The minute illustrative designs are very effective and elaborate within their narrow frames, and the whole book is in such a condition that few examples of its kind can be placed in rivalry with it. The margins of the vellum are large and reduced but little from their original amplitude. The writing is in double columns, 46 lines to the column. Besides the book-initials, there are frequently incipient borders forming architectural patterns, and containing niches in which the figures of the illustrations are painted. 14 BOETHIUS. JOHN WALTON'S TRANSLATION, IN ENGLISH VERSE, OF THE CONSOLATIO. Page 4, line 1: Unsufficiaunce of conning and of wyt | Defaute of langage and of Eloquence This werke fro me shuld haue withholden zit | But that youre heeste hath done me violence |.. This dedication to Lady Elizabeth Berkeley ends on pa. 2 with the words In wille to do your seruice and pleasaunce . | Explicit prefacio Translatoris | Incipit prologus eiusdem sup librii Boicij. Page 3: The while yt Rome was regninge in his floures | Pa. 7. . Incipit liber.. · | · · | · · │ Allas I wretche that whilome was in welthe| And lustie songes vsid for to write.. Page 178, last two lines: And so it byndeth hym to a litill stounde | To haue a man' pdurablenesse. Small folio, ENGLISH MS. ON VELLUM, with illuminated John Walton, Canon of Oseney, was the best versifier of his time. The text was printed at the monastic press of Tavistock in 1525, From some scribbled notes, we learn that this MS. belonged to the In this MS. the secondary form of the letter r which usually resembles 2 is always so written as to appear more like a 3 than a 2. 14*CATHERINA DA SIENA. Incipit prologus in legendam pro predicatoribus singulariter abreviatam beate Katherine de Senis sororis ordinis de prima Sancti Dominici ordinis Predicatorum. . . Ego frater Thomas de Senis.. Small folio, MS. ON VELLUM by an Italian hand, written in double columns, 94 pp. the first 80 in Gothic letter, the other 14 in small Tuscany, about 1435 folio, MS. on paper, 110 leaves, 39 lines to the page; bds. Italy, about 1460 15*[CRANE (Ralph)] Certaine Carolls or Diuine Hymnes for Christmas Day. Together with diverse Devout Meditations Vpon our Saviors Passion and Resurrection (all in English verse with five pages of noted MUSIC). Small 8vo. MS. 56 pp. in a fine Italic hand; in the original limp vellum wrapper, gilt, and having the figure of an eagle stamped on the sides Aboat 1600 This curious MS. contains some excellent poetry, and is dedicated by T. S. to Susanna, Judith, and Hester Beckwith. The letters IHS surmount every page and lead to the inference that T. S. was a Catholic. He says, in his dedication, concerning the poems "which (not foolishly. . to appropriate to myselfe that which is not my owne) I have onely transcribed from a better Pen." As there is said to exist another MS. of the same contents, dedicated to Lord Baltimore, and entirely in the handwriting of Ralph Crane, the latter may be considered the author. The music, however, appears only in this T. S. manuscript. A stanza from the piece upon Easter: I got me flowers to strew thy way I got me boughs of many a tree, And broughtst thy sweets along with thee. 16 DRAWINGS OF MILITARY ENGINES and various useful Inventions, From allusions which occur in the text, the designer and writer of this book The text is addressed to "Your Honour" frequently, but the first leaf, which probably contained a dedication with the names, is lost. 17 ELY MONASTERY. Ten leaves from a Psalterium et Preces, 8vo. MS. ON VELLUM, in a fine bold Gothic hand; bound within the inlaid covers of an early stamped binding Ely, about 1370 This may be an only surviving fragment, or it may possibly be portion of some treasured MS. at Ely or Cambridge. The first five leaves contain an interesting calendar (January—October) written in red, blue, and black, which includes among its entries the following names: Jan. 9 Adrian, Feb. 1 Hermenilda, Feb. 23 Milburga, April 11 Guthlac, April 29 Translation of Ermenilda, June 8 Archbishop William, June 15 Edburga, July 6 Sexburga, July 7 Hedda, July 13th Mildreth, July 20th Wulmar and Hugh, Aug. 2 Ethelwold, Aug. 20 Philibert, Aug. 31 Aidan, Sept. 10 Transl. of Ethelwold, Oct. 11 Ethelburga, 12 Wilfrid, 17 Etheldreda, Oct. 19 Frideswida, 24 Feast of Relics. Additional entries made in the fourteenth and fifteenth century are obits of Thomas of Ocham, Sabina of Welle, Walter the Prior, Martin the Abbot, Richard of Enetone, Adam Abbat, Richard of Reynes, Alan Abbat, Barthol. Abbat, Peter of Winton, Bartram Abbat, John Abbat, Philip Godchep, Walter of Chabh and Sibilla his wife.-The five leaves of text (which are in double columns, 36 lines to the column) include the Symbolum, the Litany, the Office of St. Ermenilda, £ 8. d. 5 15 0 300 600 6 16 6 88 0 etc. Among the names of Virgins in the Litany, the first four after the old names The stamped designs on the binding are highly artistic. The main figures represent 18 ENGLISH POETRY of devout and philosophical character (like Crashaw's), small 4to. AUTOGRAPH MS. 325 pp., in old calf, from Sir Thomas Phillipps' collection 1643-52 This is the work of a man who was no poetaster. From internal evidence, he was born in 1615, placed in a University in 1630, married to a lady named Eliza 1649 or 1650, had a daughter Eliza who died in 1651. His religion smacks of Catholicity, but he was a Church of England man, and ordained in 1647. He visited his parents on 17 May 1652, but his poetry comes to a sudden end in June 1652. Much of it was written for music, and some pieces were set for voices and violin and published in his own time, by R. C., T. T., and R. M., but the greater part is unpublished. 19 THE FRENCH IN SCOTLAND. CHARLES IX'S TREASURY-ACCOUNT of the sums to be expended for the despatch of his agent to Scotland, with his SIGNED ORDER for the supply of the funds, 2 folio leaves; and the Agent's SIGNED statement of the outlay, on 4 folio leaves ;-2 parts bound together, folio, hf. morocco 66 1570 14 0 0 Page 1: Estat de la Despence que le Roy veult et entend estre faite. Par Me. Adrian Petremol son conseiller et Tresorier de 1 exre. de ses guerres Pour le Voiage que sa Maiesté a commandé fere au Sieur de Berac son vallet de chambre ordinaire allant resider son agent au Royaume dEscosse, Tant en lachapt d'un navire nommé Le Levrier, munitions de guerre que sadicte Maiesté veult estre envoiez audict royaume. Que pour lequippaige dun autre navire nomme Lirondelle. The details follow and the sum is made up on page 4 as 10,000 livres; beneath which is an order on the Treasurer, signed by the King Charles" and countersigned by a minister. This is dated June 30, 1570.-The second account begins on page 5 with the heading: Estat de la Despense faicte par Me. Adrian Petremol . . . en vertu des ordonnances de Jehan Nemond Sieur de Berac.. The detail follows and the summing up at 10,000 livres is found on page 10. Beneath it, and on page 11, there are two statements signed by Nesmond; in the second of which he certifies that the last item of expenditure was a sum of 1965 livres paid for the reparation of Dumbarton Castle to the Sieur de Flamin commanding there in the service of the Queen of Scotland.-On the reverse of the eighth leaf the document is endorsed with its description and the date 25 July 1570. A curious and interesting piece which must have been pillaged from the archives at the time of the French Revolution. 20 GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH. Page 1: Hic incipit prologus Galfridi Arturi Monemutensis de gestis regum Britannie insule. Cum mecum multa et de multis sepius animo reuoluens in historiam regum Britannie.. Line 29: Britannia insularum optima in occidentali oceano. Pa. 180: . Explicit liber de historiis regum Brittannie insule. | Hic incipiunt vaticinia Merlini Gall.. | En lestorie de bretaigne maior Dunt li | breton primes furent seignor Trouu escrit | quil la perdirent E par famine si la guerpi rent. Reis kadwaladres et tot li meillor Alerent en bretaigne menor . . Pa. 197.. Deu mette | Helys a bone fin Ki en romanz translata le Merlin | Explicit liber de vaticiniis merlini. Pp. 198, 199 contain a page in Latin beginning: Non me permittas Domine famulum tuum a te separari. Pa. 200 contains 33 lines of the prose romance of Tristan in French: Quant tristran vint dewaunt li rei kar ma ditis hou ē Branken . . de le ber ke ele duna a tristran dunt prins fusret si grand adham. . Small 4to. MS. ON VELLUM, written in a beautiful |