Harley MS 791

This composite manuscript consists of at least eight parts that were produced at separate times in the 16th and 17th centuries, and were bound together at an unknown stage before reaching the Harleian Library. Only the first three parts date to the 16th century.

Contents:

Part 1:

ff. 1r-4v: 'Visitatio Collegij Beate Marie virginis de Eaton iuxta Winsor exercita in ecclesia collegiate ibidem per Reverendissimum in Christo Patrem et Dominum D. Mattheum permissione divina Cantuariensem Archiepiscopum tocius Anglie Primatem et Metropolitanum Ac Reverendum in Christo patrem dominum Robertum Horne permissione Divina Winton. Episcopum. Nec non Antonium Cooke Militem, acutoritate Elizabethe Regine 9 die mensis Septembris A.D. 1561'.

Part 2:

ff. 5r-17r: 'Instructyons devised by the Kyngs Highnes [King Henry VIII] by th'advysed of his Counsaille for Knowledge to be had of the hole, true and juste yerely Values of all the Possessions, Manours, Landes, Tenements, Here appareteynynge to any manner of Dignitie, Monasterye, Pryory, Churche-Collegiate, Churche-Vonventuall, Personage, Vicarege, Chauntry, Fre-Chapell, or other Dignitie, Office or Promocion Spirituall within this Realme, Walys, Caleis, Barewicke, and Merches of the same; as well in Places exempt, as not exempt'.

Part 3:

ff. 18r-34r: Instructions or articles of inquiry to be used for the visitation of monasteries and other religious institutions, beginning: 'Inquirenda circa Abbatem, Priorem, vel Presidentem'; also including articles of examination concerning Henry VIII's Act of Supremacy in 1534, entitled: 'Artycules towching the Kings Highnes to be proposed to every Relegiouse Persone'; 'ARticuli declarandi in Visitacione Collegiorum et Aularum in Universitatibus'; 'In collegio Sancti Johannis Evangeliste'; 'In Collegio sive Domo Sancti Petri Cantabrigiensis'; 'Articuli generals in omnibus Collegijs'; 'Articles of Inquisition touching the [Hospital of] Savoye'.

Part 4:

ff. 36r-39r: 'The Accompte of George Montaigne Doctour in Divinitie and Maister of the Hospitall of the Savoy of the foundacion of Kinge Henrye the Seaventh, Grandfather to Queene Marye late Queene of England from the feaste of St Michiell Tharchangell in the yeare of our Lord God [left blank] to the feast of St Michaell Tharchaungel next following Anno [left blank] for one whole yeare'; Dr George Montaigne was appointed in 1608.

Part 5:

f. 40r: Account of the baptism of Charles I, entitled: 'Att the Christening of th ePrince which was upon the 27th of June 1630'.

f. 41v: Notes on the history of the episcopacy, value of the 'Talent' and 'Shekel', and the Seven Orders in the Church of Rome.

f. 42r: 'The Tytles of the 39 Articles [of the Church of England]'.

f. 42v: 'The Catholicke Doctrine beleeved and professed in the Church of England as it was agreed upon and established in the year of our Lord 1562 and 1604'; imperfect at the end.

Part 6:

f. 43r: Poem 'to the Reader' beginning: 'IF wanton Lovers so delight to gaze / On mortall Beauties brittle little Blaze'.

ff. 43r-44r: ? William Austen (fl. 1662), Poem on the Passion, entitled: 'A Medoitation on our Saviours Passion'; beginning: 'O you that careless pass along this way / Have some regard look hitherwards and stay'.

f. 45r: John Milton (b. 1608, d. 1674), Hobson's Epitaph, entitled: 'Verses upon the Death of Old Hobson the Cambridge Carrier'; dated 1631.

Part 7:

ff. 46r-48r: A second copy of Dr George Montaigne's accounts for the Hospital of Savoy; imperfect.

Part 8:

f. 49r: Latin poems by 'Petrus Travers'.

f. 49r: Poems from the works of Walter Raleigh (b. c. 1522, d. 1618).

ff. 49v-50r: Sir Walter Raleigh, Speech on the Scaffold (b. c. 1522, d. 1618), entitled: 'The summe of that which Sir Walter Rawley Delivered at his Death'.

ff. 51r-52r: 'My Lord of Castlehaven his last speache which he made att his Execution, upon Satterday the 14th of May 1631'.

ff. 52v-53v: Explanation of Latin names of weights, measures, and other terms used by physicians and apothecaries.

ff. 54r-64v: Collection of English poems, including William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, 'Of a fair Gentlewoman scarce Marriageable' (f. 54v); John Donne, ‘Stay, O sweet, and do not rise’ (f. 55r); Richard Corbett, ‘Like to the thund'ring tone of unspoke speeches’ (f. 57r); Ben Jonson, Martial, Epigram 47, Book 10 (f. 59v); and John Grange, ‘Since every man I come among’ (f. 64r).

f. 65r: Charles Woolnoagh's letter to King James I about him being sued by Paul D'Ewes.

ff. 66r-67r: 'The humble Petition of the unpreachable Ministers of England'.

ff. 68r-68v: 'A Description of that wonderfull slaughter of People that was in Black-fryers, 1623'.

f. 69r: Francis Bacon, Upon the Death of the Duke of Richmond and Lennox, beginning: 'Are all diseases dead or will death say / he might not kill this Prince the Common way'.

The manuscript contains later additions:

f. 35r: Medical recipes for 'for Blister of the Lipes or Handes', 'inflammation in the face', 'Crampe', and 'to provoke etoiles'; written in the 17th century.

f. 41r: Medical recipe 'ffor the Goute'; written in the 17th century.