Add MS 45663

BLECHYNDEN PAPERS. Vol. LXXXVI. Antiquarian miscellany, with pen-and-ink and ink-and-wash drawings and prints, the main part of which, circ. 1720-1754, is in the hand of James Theobald (d. 1759), F.R.S., Secretary 1827, and Vice-President 1751, of the Society of Antiquaries. The chief contents are descriptions, sometimes with date of disco-,,ery and name of owner, of antiquities of:-(1) Egypt. ff. 3-3b;-(2) Scandinavia, including (f. 9b) a paper read by Theobald and (ff. 1O, 12, 12b) copies of pictures presented by him to the Society, 1727 (see Minute Book of J. Ames, Egerton MS. 1041, ff. 66b-67b). ff. 8b-15b;-(3) Roman Britain. ff. 16-17b;-(4) Great Britain, arranged according to counties. ff. 71-105. Also included are lists of:-(1) portraits of English sovereigns and other pictures. ff. 20-21;-(2) stained glass windows. f. 35;-(3) Roman coins. f. 64;-(4) engravers' marks. ff. 111-121. At ff. 43b-44 is a copy of a letter, 1717, from John Dennis, the critic, to Thomas Sergeant, printed in the former's Original Letters, Familiar, Moral and Critical, 1721, i, pp. 30-34. Antiquities found in 1730 at Chartham, co. Kent (cf. W. Camden, Britannia, ed. R. Gough, 1806, i, p. 354) are described at ff. 48-53, with coloured drawings and (inserted as ff. 54b-55) a plan. Interspersed are additional entries in a different hand (the last date mentioned, f. 91, is 1807) on other foreign countries (ff. 1-2b) and (ff. 71-105 passim) Great Britain. Throughout occur references to the minutes (from 1718 onwards) of the Society of Antiquaries, at whose meetings many of the items mentioned have been discussed. At the end (ff. 1210b-122) is an incomplete index in a later hand. Miscellaneous additions, which have been inserted or pasted down, include:-

(1) four drawings of Reformers, closely resembling portraits engraved by William Faithorne, senior, in The General History of the Reformation of the Church, translated from a work by Johannes Sleidanus, London, 1689, frontispiece, pp. i, 84, 127, viz.:-(a) Sleidanus. f. vi;-(b) Martin Luther. f. vii;-(c) Frederick III, Elector of Saxony. f. viii;-(d) Philip Melanchthon. f. ix;-(2) fragments of engravings from the Society of Antiquaries, Vetusta Monumenta, ii, viz.:-(a) plate xvii, 1756. ff. x-xiii;-(b) plate xviii, 1757. f. xiv;-(3) copy of an inscription on a pillar from Alexandria, which also occurs in Stowe MS. 1049, f. 20. f. 107. Paper; ff. xvii + 122. Circ. 1720-1807. Rough leather binding. Probably owned by James Theobald (d. 1802), uncle of R. Blechynden, and presumably a relative of the original compiler.

James Theobald, d 1759 FSA; FRS: Descriptions of antiquities, etc., mostly in his hand: circ.1720-1754.

Antiquities: Illustrated miscellany, by J. Theobald, etc.: circ. 1720-1807.

includes:

• f. ix Philipp Melanchthon: Portrait drawing: 18th cent.
• f. ix Art. Portraits: P. Melanchthon, d. 1560; pen-and-wash portrait: 18th cent.
• f. vi Johannes Sleidanus, d 1556 alias Philippson; German historian: Portrait: 18th cent.
• f. vi Art. Portraits: J. Sleidanus, d.1556; pen-and-wash portrait: 18th cent.
• f. vii Art. Portraits: M. Luther, d. 1546; pencil-and-wash portrait: 18th cent.
• f. vii Martin Luther: Portrait: 18th cent.
• f. viii Art. Portraits: Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, d. 1525; pencil-and-wash portrait: 18th cent.
• f. viii Saxony, Electors of. Frederick III: Portrait: 18th cent.
• ff. x-xiii George Vertue: Plates for 'Vetusta Monumenta' drawn and engr. by: 1756.: Fragms.
• ff. 3, 107 Egypt: Notes and drawings of antiquities: 18th cent.
• ff. 8b-15 Antiquities: Account, etc., of Scandinavian antiquities: 18th cent.
• ff. 9b, 13b-15 Peter Kinck, Norwegian clergyman: Letters to J. Theobald: 1726-1728.: Extracts.
• ff. 20-21 Art. Miscellaneous: List of portraits of English sovereigns: 18th cent.
• ff. 48-55 Chartham, Kent: Drawings, etc., of antiquities found at: 1730.
• ff. 54b, 55 Jazed Hill: Plan of barrows at Chartham, co. Kent: 1730.
• f. 109 City of Naples: Views of the catacombs: 18th cent.
• ff. 111-121 Art. Miscellaneous: Lists of engravers' marks: 18th cent.