Add MS 38599

COMMONPLACE-BOOK of the Shann family of Methley, co. York; mainly in the hand of Richard Shann (1561-1627). The chief contents are : 1. Survey of the manor of Methley (then belonging to Henry, afterwards Sir Henry Savile), 1592. Copy made 1611. At the end (f. 20) is a note of the purchase of much of the land in the manor in 30-31 Eliz. [1587-1589] by Henry Farrer, Richard Shann and others. f. 2.

2. "Roumes in the church": a list of the seats and their occupants in Methley Church, 1596. The arrangement indicates a separation of the sexes subject to cortain exceptions. f. 22.

3. "Vewe of the payle and walls" of Methley churchyard with the graves allotted to each house, 1611. Each grave-owner is made responsible for a share in the repairs of the "paile" and wall f. 36.

4. Verdicts concerning common-rights, customs of the court, etc., extracted from the Court Rolls of Methley, 1517-1616. f. 39.

5. Record of events, chiefly local, 1617-1632; including the "Historie of a Wandringe Jewe, much spoken of this yeare. 1620," with the note that "This is drawne out of the printed Storie worde for worde." For licenses to print a similar prose tract in 1612 and a ballad in 1620, see Hazlitt, Bibliographical Collections, ser. ii, pp. 247, 316. f. 49.

6. Verses on the different months. In the principal series, January beg. "Downe with youre timber wood, youe that will thrive." f. 59.

7. "Of certain extraordinarie thinges chauncinge in my tyme and remembrance. Richard Shanne," 1586-1617, chiefly concerning the weather, with notice of a play acted in 1614 called "Cannimore and Lionley" and its cast, among whom were many of the Shanns. f. 66.

8. Pedigree of the Shann family from 1422. The latest entry is Anna Maria Cape (d. 1828). f. 83.

9. Christenings, Marriages, and Burials of the Shann family, 1544- 1633. f. 87.

10. Epistle of Publius Lentulus concerning Christ. Engl. The Latin original is printed in Fabricius, Codex Apocryphus Nov. Test., i, p. 301. f. 89.

11. Extracts from Camden's Britannia. f. 90.

12. Lists of Archbishops and Mayors of York, Mayors of Pontefract, Popes, General Councils, etc., and Kings of England. f. 105b.

13. "The alteringe of Leeds markett in anno dom. 1626." f. 120.

14. Extracts from M. Hanmer's Auncient Ecclesiasticall Histories (London, 1577), viz. : (a) "Dorotheus of the Prophets, Apostles, and seaventie Desciples" ; (b) "The Historie concerninge the prince of the Edessæans, the Epistle of Agbarus unto Christ, and the Epistle of Christ unto him againe," Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, i, ch. 13; (c) "How Constantinus the Emperour became a Christian," Socrates, Ecclesiastical History, i, ch. 2. f. 121.

15. List of sheriffs of co. York from 1 Hen. VII to 1659. f. 131.

16. "Certaine pretie songes hereafter followinge drawn together by Richard Shanne 1611," some with music, viz. : (a) "0 Christes crosse be my good speed." f. 133 ; (b) "Jerusalem, my happie home," entitled "The Queristers Song of Yorke in praise of heaven." The second part beg. "We that are heere in banishment." f. 133 b ; (c) "I loath that I did love, in youth that I thought sweete." f. 134 b; (d) "Come love we God of might is most", entitled "A Christmas Carroll, maid by Sir Richard Shanne priest, to be sounge at the same tyme." f. 135 b; (e) "We happie hirdesmen heere." f. 136 b; (f) "Venus that faire lovelie queene." f. 137 b; (g) "When as Troy towne for ten yeares space." f. 138 b; (h) "In the wanton seasoun." f. 139 b; (i) "Younge Palmus was a fery man." f. 140b; (k) "Judge and revenge my cause, 0 Lord" (Ps. xliii, Sternhold). f. 141 ; (l) "Two pretie songs of Landlordes and Tennantes," beg. "Behould the fall of almost all" and "Now almost all may weepe." f. 141b; (m) "A songe bewailinge the tyme of Christmas, so much decayed in Englande," beg. "Christmas is my name." f. 142; (n) "Times Alteration," beg. "When this ould Cap was newe." f. 143; (o) "As I lay musinge all alone." f. 145.

17. "The names of all the herbes growinge together at this date in my garden. Richard Shanne, 1615." f. 147.

18. "A coppie of the last will and testament of Robert Watterton," sometime Lord of the Manor of Methley, 1424. f. 149.

19. Alphabetical list of plants with their Engl. and Lat. names. Beg. imperf. with "Galingall." f. 153.

20. Complicated Latin acrostic of the name Iacobus. f. 154 b. Paper; ff. 154. Folio. Chiefly A.D. 1611-1632.