HLS MS 149 (Hollis No. 005513301)
A folio composite volume of political and legal tracts, in various professional hands, 107 leaves, in contemporary vellum boards.
Bookplates of Francis Wilkinson and of the Rt. Hon. George Rose (d.1818). From the library of Hugh Campbell, Earl of Marchmont.
Baker, No. 538 (pp. 111-12).
Last item
• CtR 124: Sir Robert Cotton, A Briefe Discovrse concerning the Power of the Peeres and Commons of Parliament in point of Judicature
Copy, as ‘written by Sr Robt Cotten to Sr Edward Mountague Anno: i621’, on eight leaves. c.1620s.
Tract, the full title sometimes given as A Brief discourse prouinge that the house of Comons hath Equall power with the Peeres in point of Judicature written by Sr Rob: Cotton to Sr Edward Mountague Ano Dni. 1621, beginning ‘Sir, To give you as short an accompt of your desire as I can...’. First published in London, 1640. Cottoni posthuma (1651), pp. [341]-351.
See also the Introduction.
HLS MS 1026, Vol. I (Hollis No. 003758283)
A large folio volume of tracts on Chancery, entirely in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’, 570 leaves (some misnumbered, plus loose inserts), in half-calf marbled boards. c.1630.
Inscribed (f. 1r) ‘J Trevor’, probably Sir John Trevor (1637-1717), Speaker of the House of Commons and Master of the Rolls. Later in the library of Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bt (1792-1872), manuscript and book collector: Phillipps MS 15141. The MS cited as ‘in the possession of Mr. Rooke’ in a four-page index added c.1839. Acquired from Sweet & Maxwell on 14 February 1950 together with MSS belonging to Thomas Powys (d.1671), Sergeant at Law. Formerly MS 1034.
Recorded in J. H. Baker, English Legal Manuscripts in the United States of America, Part II: 1558-1902 (London, 1990), pp. 117-19 (No. 559). Briefly described in Peter Beal, In Praise of Scribes: Manuscripts and their Makers (Oxford, 1998), pp. 219-21 (No. 13), with a facsimile of f. 32v on p. 100.
ff. 147r-55v
• BcF 382: Francis Bacon, Speech(es)
Copy of Bacon's inaugural speech as Lord Chancellor, 7 May 1617, in the professional secretary hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’.
Beal, In Praise of Scribes, p. 220 (No. 13.4).
ff. 156r-72r
• BcF 247.2: Francis Bacon, Ordinances in Chancery
Copy of 100 Ordinances, dated ‘the xxiij daye of January 1618’, followed (ff. 172v-4v) by fifteen Addiconall Rules, in the professional secretary hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’.
Beal, In Praise of Scribes, p. 220 (No. 13.5).
First published as Ordinances made by...Sir Francis Bacon Knight...being then Lord Chancellor For the better and more regular Administration of Iustice in the Chancery (London, 1642), beginning ‘No decree shall be reversed, altered, or explained, being once under the Great Seale...’. Spedding, VII, 755-74 (mentioning, on p. 757, having seen some ‘MSS and editions’ of this work but without specifying them or his copy-text).
ff. 490r-505v
• CtR 141: Sir Robert Cotton, The Courte of Chauncerye
Copy, in the professional secretary hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’.
Beal, In Praise of Scribes, p. 221 (No. 13.10).
Tract, in two parts, the first beginning ‘There is a Booke called the Myrror of Justices mentioned in Plowden's Commentaries...’, the second beginning ‘There be Two manner of Powers & Process...’.
HLS MS 1037 (Hollis No. 003701760)
A folio composite volume of tracts, in various professional hands, pages unnumbered, in contemporary reversed calf (rebacked).
Formerly MS 1052.
Baker
Item 2
• DaJ 234.5: Sir John Davies, Charge to the Jurors of the Grand Inquest at York [in 1619]
Copy, in a professional mixed hand, 47 leaves. c.1620s-30s.
Charge beginning ‘You my Masters that are sworn, I am to direct my Speech principally unto you...’. First published (from a MS owned by A. Cooper Ramgard, Barrister) in Grosart, III (1876), 243-81.
HLS MS 1039 (Hollis No. 003750674)
A folio composite volume of tracts on parliament, in various professional hands (including the ‘Feathery Scribe’), 262 leaves, in contemporary calf.
Inscribed in court hand by one ‘M: Bayley’. Later Phillipps MS 15141. Sold by James Tregaskis, 4 June 1902. Formerly MS 1054.
Described in Peter Beal, In Praise of Scribes: Manuscripts and their Makers in Seventeenth-Century England (Oxford, 1998), p. 221 (No. 14).
ff. [37r-9r]
• CtR 324: Sir Robert Cotton, Of the antiquity of motts and words, with Arms of Noblemen and Gentlemen of England
Copy, subscribed ‘Robte Cotton’.
Beal, In Praise of Scribes, p. 221 (No. 14.1).
Tract beginning ‘If I strait this question, to the common acceptance, my discourse must be...’. First published in Hearne (1720), pp. 182-5. Hearne (1771), I, 110-12.
ff. [44v-6v]
• CmW 82.8: William Camden, Of the Antiquity of Parliaments in England
Copy in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’, headed ‘The Antiquetye Off Parliamtes’, subscribed ‘Willm Camden’.
Beal, In Praise of Scribes, p. 221 (No. 14.4).
A tract beginning ‘That there were such like assemblies as parliaments now are, before the Romans arrival here...’. First published in Sir John Doddridge et al., The Several Opinions of Sundry Learned Antiquaries...touching...the High Court of Parliament in England (London, 1658). Hearne (1771), I, 303-6.
ff. [68r-84v]
• CtR 480: Sir Robert Cotton, That the Kings of England have been pleased usually to consult with their Peeres in the great Councell, and Commons in Parliament, of Marriage, Peace, and Warre. Written...Anno 1611
Copy, in a professional secretary hand.
Tract beginning ‘To search so high as the Norman Conquest...’. First published, as The Forme of Governement of the Kingdome of England collected out of the Fundamental Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome, London, 1642. Cottoni posthuma (1651), pp. [11]-39.
HLS MS 1121 (Hollis No. 003529219)
A folio volume of legal tracts relating to Chancery, in professional secretary hands, 89 leaves (including numerous blanks), in contemporary vellum. c.1620.
Formerly MS 1156.
Baker, p. 138.
ff. [67r-74r]
• BcF 247.4: Francis Bacon, Ordinances in Chancery
Copy of 101 Ordinances.
First published as Ordinances made by...Sir Francis Bacon Knight...being then Lord Chancellor For the better and more regular Administration of Iustice in the Chancery (London, 1642), beginning ‘No decree shall be reversed, altered, or explained, being once under the Great Seale...’. Spedding, VII, 755-74 (mentioning, on p. 757, having seen some ‘MSS and editions’ of this work but without specifying them or his copy-text).
HLS MS 1169 (Hollis No. 005905616)
A folio composite compilation of extracts from various works, in a single cursive hand, originally on folded and docketed pairs of conjugate leaves of differing sizes before being opened out and mounted, the pages unnumbered, in contemporary calf. Mid-late 17th century.
passim
• RaW 1051: Sir Walter Ralegh, The Cabinet-Council: containing the Chief Arts of Empire and Mysteries of State
Extracts.
A treatise beginning ‘A Commonwealth is a certain sovereign government of many families...’. First published, attributed to Sir Walter Ralegh in John Milton's preface ‘To the Reader’, as The Cabinet-Council [&c.] (London, 1658). Works (1829), VIII, 35-150.
Widely circulated in MSS as Observations Political and Civil. The various attributions include ‘T.B.’, for whom Thomas Bedingfield (early 1540s?-1613), translator of Machiavelli, is suggested in Ernest A. Strathmann, ‘A Note on the Ralegh Canon’, TLS (13 April 1956), p. 228, and in Lefranc (1968), p. 64.
passim
• BcF 206.8: Francis Bacon, Essays or Counsels Civil and Moral
Various extracts.
Ten Essayes first published in London, 1597. 38 Essaies published in London, 1612. 58 Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall published in London, 1625. Spedding, VI, 365-591. Edited by Michael Kiernan, The Oxford Francis Bacon, Vol. XV (Oxford, 2000).
ff. [3r-4v]
• CtR 269: Sir Robert Cotton, An Exact Abridgement of the Records in the Tower of London, from the reign of Edward the Second unto Richard the Third, of all the Parliaments holden in each King's reign
Extracts.
First published, as ‘Collected by Sr. R. Cotton’, in London, 1657. Probably collected rather by William and Robert Bowyer, Keepers of the Records in the Tower, and revised and edited by William Prynne.
HLS MS 1238 (Hollis No. 005085445)
A folio volume of two tracts, the first (ff. [1r-61r]) John Selden's Englandes Epiniomis, 89 leaves, in contemporary vellum. Largely in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’ (ff. [1r-72v, 85r-9r]).
Formerly MS 5035. Acquired from Sweet & Maxwell, 11 April 1949.
Baker, p. 183
ff. [63r-89r]
• CtR 294: Sir Robert Cotton, The Manner and Meanes how the Kings of England have from time to time Supported and Repaired their Estates. Written...1609.
Copy, ff. 73r-84v in another professional hand, headed ‘Extractes out off the Recordes wherein it maye bee Collected by whatt Meanes the kinges of England, haue, and maye Rayse monyes, Written by Sr Robte Cotton, Knight, and Barronett: &c’.
Tract beginning ‘The Kings of England have supported and repaired their Estates...’. First published, as An Abstract out of the Records of the Tower, touching the Kings Revenue: and how they have supported themselves, London, [1642]. Cottoni posthuma (1651), pp. [161]-‘200’[i.e. 202].
HLS MS 4107 (Hollis No. 004574888)
A quarto volume of legal tracts relating to Chancery, in a single professional secretary hand, 202 pages, including an index, in 19th-century half-calf. c.1627-35.
Formerly MS 4025.
Baker, p. 109.
pp. 1-33
• BcF 247.6: Francis Bacon, Ordinances in Chancery
Copy of 101 Ordinances, as ‘published in open Cort .23o Jann: i6i8’, followed (pp. 33-7) by fifteen ‘Additionall Rules’ as ‘published in open Court 31o October 1620.’
First published as Ordinances made by...Sir Francis Bacon Knight...being then Lord Chancellor For the better and more regular Administration of Iustice in the Chancery (London, 1642), beginning ‘No decree shall be reversed, altered, or explained, being once under the Great Seale...’. Spedding, VII, 755-74 (mentioning, on p. 757, having seen some ‘MSS and editions’ of this work but without specifying them or his copy-text).
pp. 83-6
• BcF 383: Francis Bacon, Speech(es)
Copy of Bacon's inaugural spech as Lord Chancellor, 7 May 1617.
HLS MS 4124 (Hollis No. 005349085)
A quarto volume of speeches in Parliament 1627-8, in a single professional secretary hand, 388 pages (plus numerous blanks), bound with a twenty-page printed pamphlet, in contemporary calf (repaired). c.1630.
pp. 43-4
• CtR 182: Sir Robert Cotton, The Danger wherein this Kingdome now Standeth, and the Remedy
Copy of the beginning only, headed ‘Sr: Robert Cottons speech to the Lords discoueringe of the Danger wherein the kingdome now stands & the remedies’, subscribed ‘The rest of this speech followes in the Printed Copie’.
Tract beginning ‘As soon as the house of Austria had incorporated it self into the house of Spaine...’. First published London, 1628. Cottoni posthuma (1651), pp. 308-20.
pp. 51-4
• RuB 19: Sir Benjamin Rudyerd, Speech in the House of Commons, c.20-22 March 1627/8
Copy, headed ‘Sr: Beniamins Rudyards speech 22o March, 1627o’.
Speech. Yale 1628, II, 58-60, two parallel versions: (1) beginning ‘This is the crisis of parliaments...’; (2) beginning ‘It is the goodness of God and the favour of the King...’; II, 68, third version, beginning ‘If we be thankful, all is well. By this we shall know whether parliaments will live or die...’; II, 73, fourth, brief reported version, beginning ‘We are not now upon the bene esse of our kingdom but the esse...’.
pp. 274-5
• HlJ 25.5: Joseph Hall, Episcopal Admonition, Sent in a Letter to the House of Commons, April 28, 1628
Copy, headed ‘The Byshopps of Excester Letter to the house of Commons’, subscribed ‘Josua Hall’.
See HlJ 17-30.
HLS Small Manuscript Collection / Cotton, Robert, Sir (Hollis No. 004879587)
Copy, as ‘Collected: By, Sr: Robte Cotton, Knight; and, Barronett, Att hir Maties: Comaundemte’, 15 folio leaves (plus two blanks), disbound. The first title-page in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’; the rest, including a second title-page, in the clear rounded hand of another professional scribe. c.1620s-30s.
CtR 88: Sir Robert Cotton, A Breife Abstract of the Question of Precedencie between England and Spaine: Occasioned by Sir Henry Nevill the Queen of Englands Ambassador, and the Ambassador of Spaine, at Calais Commissioners appointed by the French King...
Tract, relating to events in 1599/1600, beginning ‘To seek before the decay of the Roman Empire...’. First published in London, 1642. Cottoni posthuma (1651), pp. [73]-‘79’ [i.e. 89].
HLS Small Manuscript Collection / Trial of the Earle of Essex and Southampton ca. 1601 (Hollis 004792654)
Copy, in a professional secretary hand, i + thirteen folio leaves, disbound. Early 17th century.
EsR 239: Robert Devereux, second Earl of Essex, Essex's Arraignment, 19 February 1600/1
Formerly MS 5119.