Harley MS 1989

Composite manuscript in several hands, on the subject of the antiquities of Chester from several authors and books.

Contents:

f. 1: Title cut from former back cover: ‘the Antiquity’s; the Earles, the Bishops, Maiors &c of the Citty of Chester’.

ff. 2-3: ‘Things of most note in this Booke. 1668’. Contents list by Randle Holme.

f. 4: Ownership inscription: ‘Randle Holme’.

ff. 5-10: ‘A Collection of the Maiors who have governed this Citie of Chester and the tyme when they governed’. Incomplete, consisting of a short account of the city and county, and its earls, with note by Randle Holme: ‘this was written by Mr Wm Higginson Sheriffe of Chester’.

ff. 11v-18: Latin notes by Randle Holme, headed ‘Notes out of Mr Bostocks manuscript made per Henrico Archidiacono ad Alexandrum Lincolniensem Ep[iscopu]m [1145], after contynued by Jo. Mathensi a monke of Delacrey [Dieulacres Abbey] to H 3 tyme’.

f. 18v: List of coroners of the city of Chester.

f. 19: ‘Tresurars of Chester as I have mett with them in record’.

f. 20r: ‘Articles touching a constables office out of Mr Knight’s booke. To be given every Constable at taking his Oath, in writinge’.

ff. 20v-31: Extracts on city business by Randle Holme out of the Black Book of Chester, from 10 July 33 Hen. VIII to 18 June 1624.

f. 32: List of English cities and towns with the suffix chester, caster or cester.

ff. 33-92: Historical notes on Chester, possibly from another draft of Mr Higginson’s book (ff. 5-10). Includes the following:

• ff. 33-43: Description and history of Chester.
• ff. 43v-63r: ‘The Succession of the Erles of Chester, collected out of sundrie authors by Mr Robert Rogers sometime Archdeacon of Chester and others’. Followed by list of constables, the steward and justices down to 1482.
• ff. 64v-65: Survey of the River Dee.
• f. 66: The toll payable at Dee-bridge for different goods.
• ff. 67-69: Wards, streets and lanes, under their names from the time of King Edward III.
• ff. 70-71: Foundation and building of the earliest Chester churches.
• ff. 72-76: Hospital of St John Baptist, without Chester North Gate.
• ff. 77-82: Bishops of Chester.
• ff. 83-84: ‘The Erection of a Monasterie in the Citie of Chester’.
• ff. 85-88: Abbots of St Werburgh’s Monastery, Chester. Followed by the award made in 1. Henry VIII between the abbot and monks and the Mayor of Chester on their dispute.
• ff. 89-90: Dissolution of the abbeys and the beginning of the cathedral.
• ff. 91v-92: Deans of Chester.

ff. 93-98: ‘The Names of the Maiors & Sheriffes of the Citie of Chester, since the xxiiiith yeare of the raigne of King Henrie the third, together with relation of sundry matters both forraigne and domesticall which happened since the same tyme’.