Add MS 56488

CHARTULARY OF MUCHELNEY ABBEY: England, Benedictine Abbey of Muchelney, co. Som.; circa 1300, with later additions to 1445. Latin. Edited by E. H. Bates, Two Cartularies . . . of Muchelney and Athelney, Somerset Record Society, xiv (1899). The chartulary is preceded by eleven leaves from a mid-11th-cent. English antiphonal, used as pastedown and flyleaves (ff. i-iii, 1-5). The chartulary attributes the foundation of Muchelney to King Ine of Wessex in 693. It contains copies of Anglo-Saxon royal charters from 725 to the reign of Ethelred, all of which, except the last (now in Taunton Museum), are considered forgeries. In 1534 the Abbey was surrendered to the Protector Somerset and the charturlary was deposited at Savernake Park. Ownership inscription (f. 8) of Somerset's son, Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, 12 April 1570. On the extinction of the Seymours in the late 17th century, the chartulary passed to Elizabeth, wife of Thomas, Earl of Ailesbury. It passed through her descendants to Lord Piers Brudenell-Bruce. Purchased at Christie's, 16 Dec. 1970, lot 17.

Vellum; ff. vi+81. 240 x 170mm. Gatherings (9) of 12, except i2, v10, vii8, viii6 (lacks 5-6), ix4, plus the antiphonal flyleaves at front. Ruled (single bounding lines) in metal point for single columns of 26 lines. Written space 190 x 115mm. Script of the main text is a Gothic littera textualis rotunda; that of the antiphonal leaves is a late caroline minuscule with rubrics in rustic capitals; the later additions in various cursiva anglicana hands. Initials in alternating blue and red; those of the antiphonal leaves in alternating red and green. Original sheepskin chemise binding, with purple-stained turn-ins, over wooden boards. Single strap and pin (missing). Pastedowns etc. (see 1. below). Sewn on 3 split cords.

Contents:

1. ff. i-iii, 1-5. Leaves from a mid-11th-cent. English antiphonal, with neumatic notation, used as pastedown and flyleaves. Their text comprises the Office of Lauds for the five days preceding the third Sunday in Lent, and part of Matins for that Sunday. Principal lections from Genesis 31.

2. f. 6. Copies of deeds rel. to Estmore, 1266, and Berdham, 1277.

3. ff. 6v-7. Table of contents of the chartulary, including a lost copy of a charter of King Edgar.

4. f. 7v. Confirmation of a charter of Richard Rivel the elder.

5. ff. 8-70. The chartulary proper.

6. ff. 70v-81v. Later additions, to 1445.