Harley MS 4775

Origin:

Southern England (London).

Provenance:

Written by the professional scribe 'Richardus Franciscus': see Hamer, 'Spellings of the Fifteenth-Century Scribe Ricardus Franciscus' (1983), p. 69.

Harry [Henry] St John, 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 5r (lower margin): 'I Am Harry Seyn John that dyd ryt yn thys boke'; and his name inscribed on f. 263r (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 302).

John St John (b. c. 1465, d. before 1525) of Bletsoe, Bedfordshire, grandson of Margaret Beauchamp of Bletsoe, who married Margred ferch Morgan (b. c. 1462, d. c. 1524) and and whose children included Margaret St John, Oliver St John, and John St John [see below for these names]; or the latter John St John (b. before 1495, d. 1558) who married Margaret Waldegrave (b. 1498, d. 1565), and whose children included Margery St John (b. 1519, d. 1551), Oliver St John, 1st Baron St John of Bletso, Alice St John, and John St John [see below for these names], owned in the 16th century: his ownership inscription on f. 5r (lower margin): 'Johannis Seyn John me possedit'; his motto and name on f. 109v: 'Trothe shall tell that I am trwe John Seynt John as I fynde so I trust John Seynt J[ohn]'; and on f. 263v: 'As I fynde so I trust - John Seynt John' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972); see Carley, 'The Writings of Henry Parker' (2000), p. 39).

Alice Hastyng, 16th century: her name inscribed on f. 20r (outer margin): 'Alys ?Hastyng' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Margaret Denton, 16th century: her name inscribed on f. 66v (lower margin): 'Marg[er]et Denton' (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 129).

Anthony Hayland [Hyland], (?) 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 228v: 'Anthony Haylhaund' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

'William', 16th century: his name appears to be written in a crossed out inscription on f. 128r (outer margin): 'Wyll[iam] […] [knave]'.

'R. D.', 16th century: their initials inscribed with the motto: 'Cor vigilans vincit' at the top of f. 263r (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 122).

Thomas Barnes, 16th century: his first name twice and his full name once inscribed on f. 263r (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Henry Parker (b. 1480/81, d. 1556), 10th Baron Morley, early 16th century: his name ('Harry Morley') inscribed with the motto: 'Quis prohibet sperare meliora' on f. 263r; perhaps also owned a manuscript with The Master of Game (Harley MS 5086), which contains the 16th-century name inscription: 'henricus parker' (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 245; Carley, 'The Writings of Henry Parker' (2000), p. 39; Boffey and Edwards, 'Books Connected with Henry Parker' (2000), p. 72).

Richard Lumley, 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 263r: 'Reychard Lumley' (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 229).

'R. Pears' [Pearce], 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 263r: 'Mony makith myrthe quod Pears' [on this saying see Carley, 'Plutarch's Life of Agesilaus' (2000), pp. 167-168] and 'Remember the ende of thy faythfull frynde quod R. Pears' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Alice Gesop, 16th century: her name inscribed on f. 263r: 'your daughter Alys Gesop wych is and schall be yowrs' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Alice Morley [née Saint John] (b. c. 1487, d. 1553), daughter of John Saint John (b. c. 1465, d. before 1525) of Bletsoe, Bedfordshire, and wife to Henry Parker (b. 1480/81, d. 1556), 10th Baron Morley, 16th century: her name inscribed on f. 263r: 'Alys Morley' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)); perhaps also signed her name before her marriage as 'Alice St John' [see below]; also inherited a copy of Gower from Lady Margaret Beaufort (Carley, 'The Writings of Henry Parker' (2000), p. 60 n. 69).

Elizabeth Parker, daughter of Alice St John (b. c. 1487, d. 1553) and Henry Parker (b. 1480/81, d. 1556), 10th Baron Morley, 16th century: her name inscribed on f. 263r: 'Elyzabeth Parker' (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 267; and Carley, 'The Writings of Henry Parker' (2000), p. 39; Carley 'Parker, Henry, tenth Baron Morley' ODNB [online source]).

Francis Parker, : his name and motto inscribed on f. 263r: 'as I finde so I trost - Frauncis Parker' (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 267; and Carley, 'The Writings of Henry Parker' (2000), p. 39; Carley 'Parker, Henry, tenth Baron Morley' ODNB [online source]).

'Antony', 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 263r.

'William', 16th century: his name and motto inscribed on f. 263r: 'In welth walke wysly quoth wylliam'.

Margery Grey, 16th century: her name inscribed on f. 263r: 'Margere Grey' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Alice St John [? daughter of John Saint John (b. c. 1465, d. before 1525) of Bletsoe, Bedfordshire], 16th century: her name inscribed both on f. 263r and f. 263v: 'Alys Seynt John' (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 302); if the identification is correct, then she also signed her name after her marriage to Henry Parker (b. 1480/81, d. 1556), 10th Baron Morley, as Alice Morley [see above].

Margaret St John [? 'Margery', daughter of John Saint John (b. 1498, d. 1562) or 'Margeret', daughter of the latter's namesake son John St John (b. before 1495, d. 1558) of Bletsoe, Bedfordshire], 16th century: her name inscribed on f. 263r: 'Marget Seynt John' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Katherine Parker, 16th century: her name and motto inscribed on f. 263r: 'trothe shall tell that I am trewe - Katheryn Parker' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Oliver St John [? son of John Saint John (b. c. 1465, d. before 1525) or the latter's namesake son John St John (b. before 1495, d. 1558) of Bletsoe, Bedfordshire; in case of the latter, he was 1st Baron St John of Bletso], 16th century: his name and motto inscribed on f. 263r: 'As I fynd so I trust - Olyver Seynt John'; perhaps also owned a copy of William Caxton's The dictes and sayengis of the philosophres that contains 16th-century inscriptions of the name 'Olyver Seynt [John]' [British Library, C. 10 b. 2 (STC 6828)] (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972); see Boffey and Edwards, 'Books Connected with Henry Parker' (2000), p. 72).

William St John, 16th century: his name inscribed both on f. 263r and f. 263v: 'Wyllyam Seynt John'; and addressed in an inscription on f. 263v: 'Wyllyam seynt John have wel yn mynde wyfese be onsarten an chyldar be onkynde […] and take that the fynde quothe wyllyam seynte John' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

? 'E. B. S.', 16th century: their motto and monogram of their name on f. 263r: 'Not so well / as wyllyng - E.B.S [and another initial]'.

Margaret Grey, 16th century: her name inscribed on f. 263r: 'Margret Grey' (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 172).

'Radclyffe', 16th century: his name inscribed below an inscription on f. 263v: 'In our loving maner we commende us unto you / Trustinge ye be in good helthe and all / Radclyffe' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Thomas Symons, 16th century: his name inscribed twice on f. 263v (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

George Mordaunt, 16th century: his name twice inscribed on f. 263v, once in the inscription: 'George Mordaunt ys a knave' (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 243); perhaps the son of John Mordaunt, 2nd Baron Mordaunt, and brother of Lewis Mordaunt [see below].

Alexander Radclyffe, 16th century: his name inscribed in a draft indenture on f. 263v: 'Sciant presentes et futuri quod ego Alexander radclyff Nuper de Ciricie in Com. Bedford dedi concessi et hac presenti carta mea confirmavi Johanni Wanneman' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

William Mordaunt, 16th century: addressed in an inscription on f. 263v: 'To the right worshippfull and his Singuler good Mr William mordaunt' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Thomas Langton, 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 263v (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Thomas Saund, 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 263v (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Thomas Lathun and Anthony Young, 16th century: their names in an inscription on f. 263v: 'Thomas Lathunne and Anthonie Yonge [Sir Antonye] Being present when Lewes Tanmer [Tanner] knight' (not in Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972)).

Lewes [Lewis] Mordaunt, 16th century: his name inscribed on f. 263v (see Wright, Fontes Harleiani (1972), p. 243); perhaps Lewis Mordaunt (b. 1538, d. 1601), 3rd Baron Mordaunt and MP for and High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, brother of George Mordaunt [see above]; perhaps the same Lewes Mordaunt who, together with Oliver St John, were Commissioners of Musters for Bedfordshire in 1569.

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.

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.