Add MS 36991

PENNARUM Nitor: a calligraphic alphabet, etc., by Joseph Lawson, 1608; followed (f. 68) by a collection of arms, chiefly of Norfolk families (indexed, f. 66), and (f. 100) by a small collection of arms of Knights of the Garter and others of note. The alphabet consists of short verses and sentences, with large interlaced grotesque initials in colour, and interlaced pen-and-ink borders. The date 1608 is at the foot of f. 16, and in the letters M (f. 28), T (f. 35), and Y (f. 39). The royal and other arms pretixed (ff. 7-14) have the dates 1609 (f. 12) and 1610 (ff. 6, 7, 13, 14). On ff. 1, 2 are pen-and-ink drawings of Queen Elizabeth within the letter E; ff. 43-64 contain rough drawings of beasts, plants, etc. (ff. 44-47), various letters (ff. 48-55), figures, etc. Prefixed (f. 65) to the Norfolk arms is a drawing of the royal arms with the Tudor emblems. Appended (ff. 108-114) are two petitions, [1652-3] and 1654, written as if printed, with other specimens of calligraphy; followed by a leaf from an illuminated Legenda, written in England, late 14th cent. (f. 115), two leaves from an illuminated Missal, written in England, 15th cent. (IT. 116, 117), and a leaf from the Cantica, with commentary, 13th cent. (f. 118). The calligrapher was probably a Norfolk man, and may perhaps be identified with Joseph Lawson, who died rector of North Barsham, co. Norf., in 1643. Calligaphic titlepages were prefixed (ff. 3, 4) in 1782 by J. Bruton and John Rivell. Paper and vellum; ff. iii. + 118. The earliest name inseribed (f. 6) is that of James Calthorpe (of East Barsham, co. Norf., d. 1652) ; that of Sarah Mendham, 1760-1772, occurs on ff. 6, 14, 67b, 68, and that of Sarah Beck, 1773, on f. 110. Within the cover are the signature (1782) and bookplate of Sir John Fenn (see also notes by him, ff. 5, 41, 110), and the bookplate of his brother-in-law John Frere, of Roydon Hall, co. Norf., from whom the book passed to George Edward Frere, the late owner.

1 ft. 5 1/2 in. x 1 ft.