Harley MS 2266

Origin:

England.

Provenance:

An unknown English owner, 16th century: a (?) merchant mark on f. 41r (outer margin).

? ‘Hamond Person’, 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 11v (lower margin); the name ‘Person’ inscribed on f. 45v (upper margin); and 4 times in the outer margin of f. 36v (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? ‘Pearson Egham’, 16th century: inscribed his name in the outer margin of f. 36v (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 272, where his name is transcribed as ‘Pearson Pegham’).

William Athertoun, victualler to the Masters of the Queen's Mint in the Tower of London, and his wife Amye, owned in the reign of Elizabeth I: their names inscribed on f. 23r (lower margin): 'Willyam Athertoun and Amye his wife and frind being a vitteler to the masters of the Quenies maiesties mynt with in the Tower of London'; and her name inscribed on f. 23v (lower margin): ‘amye atherton’ (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 55).

? Alexander Chesnall, 16th century: his name inscribed on ff. 23r (outer margin): ‘Alexander chisnole’; f. 44r (upper margin): ‘Alexander Chessnall’; and f. 45v (outer margin): ‘Alexander Chysnall’; perhaps the same Alexander Chessnall who in the 3rd and 4th year of the reign of Philip and Mary was granted the manor of Emehouse, also known as Westacre Priory manor, in East Walton, Norfolk (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? William Tomlingson, 16th century: inscribed an English poem on f. 26v (inner margin): ‘by me William Toml[yngson]’ (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? Henry Tomlingson, 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 37v (upper margin); and his poems on f. 40v (lower margin): ‘by me henry Tomlingson’ and f. 41r (lower margin): ‘by me Henry Tomlingson huius est posesor your most noble [...] Elizabeth by the grace of [...]’. His family name also features on f. 39v (outer margin): ‘Tomlingson merchant and tailour yeman’ (f. 39v); and f. 44v (outer margin): ‘Tomlingson’ (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? Richard Tomlingson, 16th century: his name inscribed in the outer margin of f. 40v (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? Francis Bedingfield, 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 36v (upper margin): ‘Per me ffraunciscom [sic] Bedingf[ield]’; and 40r (outer margin): ‘ffrauncis Bedingfild dated the 24 day of marche - tailour’; and in the upper margin of f. 45v (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? Henry Bedingfield, 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 37v (upper margin): ‘Henry bedingfild’; f. 26r (outer margin): ‘Henry bedingfild merchaunt [...] unto [?S]herigh[...]’ and f. 41r (outer margin): ‘Henry Bedingfild’ (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? Edmund Bedingfield, 16th century: his name written on f. 48r: ‘Edmunde Bedingfild Merchaunt’; perhaps the same ‘Edmund Bedingfield’ who owned Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud Misc. 593 (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 69).

The 16th-century marginal inscriptions contain various names that do not appear to refer to owners, including f. 23r (outer margin): ‘hughe morall’; f. 24r (lower margin): ‘finis quod Jon (?) Gull of the Tower of London’; f. 17v: ‘for the Answer of Mr Shawes (?) bill [...]’; f. 34v (upper margin): ‘Servaunt unto the right worshipfull Sir Thomas medlocke Desember the 21 of January Anno 1568 – Desember Anno 1568’; f. 39v (outer margin): ‘his friende Jhon Tomlingson’; f. 39v (inner margin): ‘Sir Thomas Beneson merchant’; f. 54v (outer margin): ‘Lawrence myleton’; f. 52r (upper margin): ‘George – Pes et manus’; f. 54v (upper margin): ‘December 1567 unto your most valua[...] Champion unto my welbeloved frend Edward Adam’.

Robert Burscough (b. 1650/51, d. 1709), Prebendary of Exeter; Archdeacon of Barnstaple: perhaps purchased from Burscough’s widow together with his other manuscripts in 1715, but only endorsed by Wanley in 1724/5 (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 88).

The Harley Collection, formed by Robert Harley (b. 1661, d. 1724), 1st earl of Oxford and Mortimer, politician, and Edward Harley (b. 1689, d. 1741), 2nd earl of Oxford and Mortimer, book collector and patron of the arts, inscribed as usual by their librarian, Humfrey Wanley ‘17 die Maij, 1724/5’ (f. 1r).

Edward Harley bequeathed the library to his widow, Henrietta Cavendish, née Holles (b. 1694, d. 1755) during her lifetime and thereafter to their daughter, Margaret Cavendish Bentinck (b. 1715, d. 1785), duchess of Portland; the manuscripts were sold by the Countess and the Duchess in 1753 to the nation for £10,000 (a fraction of their contemporary value) under the Act of Parliament that also established the British Museum; the Harley manuscripts form one of the foundation collections of the British Library.