Harley MS 2432

Origin:

England.

Provenance:

? 'Robert', 16th or 17th century: his name inscribed on f. 2*recto: 'Teste per me Robertum […]'.

? 'John […]', 17th century: his name inscribed twice on f. 3*recto.

? 'John Edward', 17th century: his name inscribed on f. 3*verso.

? 'John Bafford', 17th century: his name inscribed on f. 3*verso: 'Testi Bafford' and 'John Bafford' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972).

John Lane, owned in the 17th century: his ownership inscription on f. 3*verso and f. 174r: 'John Lane his Booke'; his name inscribed on f. 4*verso and f. 174r; and his signature on f. 174r and f. 174v(see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 225).

? Robert Lane, 17th century: his name written on ff. 3*verso, 4*verso, and 5*recto; and an inscription in his hand on f. 5*verso: 'Per me Robertum scriptum Lane' (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 215).

? John Thomson of Brampton, Derbyshire: his name inscribed on f. 4*recto; and his name also in a draft letter on f. 174r (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 327).

? Thomas Bafford, 17th century: his name inscribed twice on f. 4*recto (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? John Underhill, owned in the 16th or 17th century: his name written on f. 5*recto (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 334).

? John Burrington, owned in the 17th century: his name inscribed on f. 5*recto: 'John Burringtoun'; and an inscription in (?) his hand on f. 122v: 'Per me Johannem [Burington] (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 64 ['Barrington']).

? Robert Burrington, 17th century: his name inscribed by Robert Lane on f. 5*verso: 'Nunc Robertus verus Burrington - Per me Robertum scriptum Lane' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972).

? 'Thomas', 16th or 17th century: his name inscribed on f. 123r.

? 'John [?F]ante', 16th or 17th century: his name inscribed on f. 135v.

? Richard Lane, 17th century: his name in a list of names written in the same hand, perhaps that of John Lane, on f. 174r (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? 'John Santtie', 17th century: his name in a list of names written in the same hand, perhaps that of John Lane, on f. 174r (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? William Bafford, 17thc century: his name in a list of names written in the same hand, perhaps that of John Lane, on f. 174r (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? 'Jeremie Brasebridge', 17th century: his name in a list of names written in the same hand, perhaps that of John Lane, on f. 174r (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? Richard Jackson, 17th century: his name in a list of names written in the same hand, perhaps that of John Lane, on f. 174r: 'Richard Jaxsone' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? Michael Askwith, 17th century: his name in a list of names written in the same hand, perhaps that of John Lane, on f. 174r: 'Michaell Askewithe' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Samuel Knott (b. 1661, d. 1668), rector of Combe Raleigh in Devon, antiquary and collector of manuscripts: notes in his hand throughout the manuscript (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 211).

Robert Burscough (b. 1650/51, d.1709), prebendary of Exeter in 1701, archdeacon of Barnstaple in 1703, rector of Cheriton Bishop in 1705: sold by his widow on 17 May 1715 to Robert Harley, along with other manuscripts (see Diary, ed. by Wright and Wright (1966)I, p. 11 n. 6; Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), pp. 87-88).

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 Maij 1715’ (f. 2*recto).

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.