Harley MS 7567

This composite manuscript consists of fragments, copies and originals of medieval and early modern texts that were produced separately and may have been kept together as a loose collection in the Harleian Library. The manuscript contains at least 38 separate sections ranging from the late 12th century to the first half of the 18th century.

Among the collection is a hitherto unknown fragment of a 15th-century chronicle of England (Cronica de Anglia) that was previously believed to survive only in Cotton MS Vitellius C VIII, ff. 6v-21v (see Hayward, ‘The “Cronica de Anglia” in London, British Library, Cotton MS Vitellius C.VIII, fols. 6v-21v' (2015), 159-236).

Contents:

Part 1:

ff. 1r-2r: Old English edicts of Æthelberht, king of Kent (r. 589-616), made on St Augustine's Day; copied in the 17th century.

ff. 3r-3v: Old English laws of Æthelred [III Æthelred], with a marginal note:, 'Desunt hae leges in Archaeonomia Lamberti, habentur autem Latine in chronico Joh. Brunton. Hist. Angl. Scrip. x. fol. 895'; copied in the 17th century.

ff. 9r-13v: Lists of pre-Conquest archbishops of London and bishops of Rochester, London, Selsey, Winchester, Salisbury, Wiltshire, Bath, Exeter, Worcester, Hereford, Lincoln, Norwich, York, Hexham, Lindisfarne; f. 13 is a duplicate of f. 9; copied in the 17th century.

Part 2:

ff. 14r-15v: Notes on saints in England, beginning: 'Sancta vero Ermenilda in Burgo Eliensi requiescit una cum matertera et sancta Ætheldridæ' Sana et 'Narratio de Sanctis Dei qui in Anglia requiescunt' [Catalogus sanctorum qui in Anglia requiescunt]; copied in the 17th century.

Part 3:

f. 16r: A memorandum recording that Leofwine, brother of Leofflæd, has purchased from Eadric, son of Ufic, a half hide at Mansell, Herefordshire, for half a mark of gold, a pound of silver and two ores, Old English; 1043 x 1046 [Sawyer no. 1469]; copied in the 17th century.

Part 4:

ff. 17r-17v: Law notes in Latin; copied in the 17th century.

Part 5:

f. 19r: An English Protestant tract on the Papal ceremony of the Agnus Dei; copied in the 16th century.

Part 6:

ff. 20r-20v: Fragment of the Decretum Gratiani [end of the section 'Quot sint sectae hereticorum'], followed by the beginning of a tract entitled: 'Privilegium fratrum minorum concessum super confessionibus audiendis'; copied in the 15th century.

Part 7:

ff. 21r-21v: Comments on legal documents, including the 'Bulla [Bonefacii] Domini papæ de remissione peccatorum et poenitentiæ'; copied in the 17th century.

Part 8:

ff. 22r-29v: Cronica de Anglia, Latin, imperfect, comprising the beginning of the work; the only other surviving copy of the work is now Cotton MS Vitellius C VIII, ff. 6v-21v; copied in the 15th century.

Part 9:

ff. 30r-33v: Notes on ecclesiastical history; copied in the 17th century.

Part 10:

ff. 34r-37v: Fragment of William of St Alban's Passio St Albani; copied in the 4th quarter of the 12th century or 1st quarter of the 13th century.

Part 11:

ff. 38r-39v: Extracts from Papal decretals; copied in the 12th century.

Part 12:

ff. 40r-40v: An English tract entitled: 'Chiefe poyntes to be handled with his Holines 1601'.

Part 13:

f. 42r: A list English Protestant publications, entitled 'the Contents', beginning with: 'The Fabulous Foundation of the Popedom, shewing that it cannot be proved that Peter was ever at Rome - Oxford 1619'.

Part 14:

ff. 43r-43v: A document, entitled: 'De privilegio archiepiscopi primae Justinianae Novel[la constitutio XI]'; beginning: 'Idem A. Catelliano viro beatissimo archiepiscopo Primae Iustinanae'; copied in the 16th century.

Part 15:

f. 44r: A title inscription: 'Tabula ad Chronica Johanne Beveri et Chronicarum Anonynum qui Martinum Polanum continuavit'; almost certainly a former flyleaf of Harley MS 641, which contains the Tractatus de Bruto abbreviato of the Westminster monk Johannes Beverus [John of London, John Le Bever] (d. c. 1311), and Martin of Troppau's Cronica pontificum et imperatorum; the title inscription dates to the 17th century.

f. 44v: A crossed out text from an account book, beginning: 'diverse and soundrye places here ix Acres of smale woodde about xxx yeares groweth [etc.]'; copied in the (?) 16th century.

Part 16:

ff. 45r-46v: Description of Durham in Latin with an (interlinear) Old English version, beginning: 'Est haec urbs celebris per Britannici regni itinera fundata lapides circa mire crescenter ubi circumfluunt fluminum'; copied in the 17th century.

Part 17:

ff. 47r-52v: Extract from the 'Liber Bauduck [Baldock]' for the year 1321-1337; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 53r-54v: Lists of vicarages in Essex, entitled: 'Vicarie in Com. Essex […] registro in primo libro […] Baldock et Gravesend'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 55v-56r: List of churches in Essex 'Ecclesiae ex Banduck'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 57r-59r: 'Tabula ex Registro Institutionum' of Thomas Kempe, Bishop of London; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 60r-64v: 'Tabula ex Registro Institutionum' of Thomas Kempe, Bishop of London; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 65r-65v: A letter by Thomas Kempe, entitled: 'Unio ecclesiarum omnium sanctorum et sancti Petri de Maldon'; dated Wickham, Hampshire, 13 December 14[??]; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 66r-73v: 'Tabula ex Registro Institutionum' of Thomas Kempe, Bishop of London; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 74r-78r: 'Tabula Registrorum' of subsequent bishops of London: Richard Hill, Thomas Savage, William Warham, and William Barons; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

Part 18:

f. 79r: A note on grant of Lakenham Manor to Robert and Thomas Spring on 27 September 1545; copied in the 17th century.

Part 19:

f. 80r: Description of the register of the Corpus Christi Guild, Boston [now Harley MS 4795], beginning: 'A Register of the Gild or Fraternity of Corpus Christi at Boston founded by Gilbert Alylaunde merchant A. D. 1445 containing the names of the Brothers and Sisters of it at the first foundation and of those admitted afterwards by the Alderman and Confraters to the year 1443 - Secondly a Kalendar in which are noted the Obits of the members and other Benefactors to the Gild'; written in the 17th century.

Part 20:

f. 81r: A note on an agreement between the abbot of Bury St Edmunds and feoffees of Stowlangoft in 1430, beginning: 'In the 9th yeare of H. 6 the first day of December Anno Domini 1430 ther was an agreement made betweene the Abbot of Burie and certaine feoffees of the mannour of Stowlangtoft touching the right of common betweene the farmers of the mannour of Malkinshall and the inhabitants of the towne of Stowlangtoft'; copied in the 17th century.

Part 21:

ff. 82r: Copy of an indenture of the Letters Patent of the Prior of Christ Church, Canterbury, concerning lands in Bekesbourne, Patrixsbourne, 'Somerfeld', and closer to Canterbury; dated 10 November 1443; copied in the (?) 15th century.

Part 22:

ff. 83v-84v: 'The Copye of the Deed of gift that the Archdeacon made to the Lord Cromwell of Hackington Place'; copied in the 16th or 17th century.

ff. 85v-87r: 'The Confirmacion of the same deed made by the Archbishop of Canterbury'; copied in the 16th or 17th century.

Part 23:

ff. 88r-98r: Copies of (?) court registers of Melford, Kentwell, Newsham Hall, in Latin and English, dated to 1581-1584.

f. 99r: A leaf with a title inscription, beginning: 'This booke Contayneth diverse Copies of ke[ntwell] woodhouse and Me[d]ford […]; added in the 17th century'.

Part 24:

f. 100r: Copy of an indenture regarding payments made by John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury, to St Stephen's College, Westminster College, concerning a quitrent for land in St Mary and All Hallows Staining, 1498-1500; copied in the 16th century.

Part 25:

ff. 101r-111v: Collection of Latin and English excerpts from an Account of Escheats, entitled: 'Excerpta quaedam ex Rotulis Escaetoribus de Temp. Eliz. in Archivis regiis vulgo Capella Rotulor vocat quae ad Familiarum Stemmatumque enuncleandas series etiamque ad Topographiam Comit. Suff. apprime conducunt'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

Part 26:

ff. 112r-112v: Deed concerning the vicarage of Hackington, Kent, signed by John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Redman, Roger Manwood, dated 1588; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

f. 113r: Conclusion of a deed by John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury, and William Redman, Archdeacon, with a note, dated 14 October 1615, that it was confirmed by the dean and chapter of Christ Church on 31 December 1594, from the '[?J] Drayton Register of Christchurch'.

f. 113r: Table of contents for the papers on ff. 114r-144r; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 114r-115r: 'The Earle of Essex Apollogy for the Cales Journy'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

f. 115v: Rules for conduct during Christmas for a school or other house, with the added title: 'Order for Christmas Gaming'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

f. 116r: 'Foraigne auxilliary soldiers their peticion for reliefe and answer' [1588]; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

f. 116v: 'Sir Roger Marwoods Patent for a Judge in the King's Bench' [1572]; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

f. 117r: Sir Roger Marwood's 'Patent for cheefe Baron of the Exchequer' [1578]; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

f. 117v: 'Some notes out of the History of Hungary'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

f. 118r: 'The names of the confederate princes of the faction of Rome'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 119r-119v: 'The Jesuits preparative for murdering of Kings and Princes' with the further title: 'The discoverye of the secret order used by the Jesuits in the preparinge and resolvinge of such as they imploy about the murtheringe of Kings and Princes - Translated out of the French into Lowe dutch and printed at Dordreck [Dordrecht] and englished out of the dutch copie'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 120r-122v: A poem in English, entitled: 'A Conference held at Castello Sta Angelo betweene the Pope, the Emperour, and the Kinge of Spaine'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 122r-125r: Decrees and Statutes concerning Northgate Hospitall in Canterbury; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 125v-134v: The patent and statutes for the College of the Poor of Queen Elizabeth in East Greenwich; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 135r-138r: 'Rules and Ordinances made ffor the new College of Cobham in the Countie of Kent, founded by virtue of the last will of the Right honorable, the Late Sir William Brooke Lord Cobham for the pertetuall releife of the poore there [etc.]'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 138v-144r: 'Statutes, constitutions and ordinances devised by me John Whitguift Archbishop of Canterburye founder of the hospitall of the holye Trinitye in Croyden in the County of Surrye and given unto them of the said hospital for the order goverment and direction touching the lande and goverment of the said hospitall and all the members therof'; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

ff. 145r-145v: A thanksgiving from the children of Christ's Hospital, London, to Queen Elizabeth 'A prayer and thankes giving to[? Queen Elizabeth by the] Children of Christes Hospital in the Easter […] St Marye Spittell for their benefac[tion] 1581'; followed by numbers of children in Christ's Hospital (540), poor pensioners in London (1122), sick persons in St Bartholomew's Hospital (120), and sick person in St Thomas's Hospital (134); numbers of burials in St Bartholomew's Hospital (442) and St Thomas's Hospital (400); and an account of the visitation of Christ's Hospital; copied in the late 16th or early 17th century.

Part 27:

f. 146r: Account in English of the grant of the parsonage of Morden in Kent by Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury (r. 1559–1575), to John Whitney; copied in the late 16th century.

Part 28:

ff. 147v-148r: Copy of a Latin charter of Richard Engaigne, Sheriff of Northamptonshire (1190-1191), with a note 'Comparat die 26o Mart. Anno Domini 1639'; made in 1639.

Part 29:

ff. 149r-173v: Copy of a Deed concerning the foundation of the so-called 'Hospital of King James' at the London by King Charles in 1627; copied in the 17th century.

Part 30:

ff. 174r-174v: A note on fasting, entitled: 'Proofes that fasting is onlie (either according to scripture or good authoritie) in a manes own private person or by publike authoritie'; written in the 17th-century.

Part 31:

ff. 175r-180v: A record of 'The value of the Livings with the Names of Incumbents of Durham and Northumberland Taken from a MS of Robert Shaftoes, which were taken anno 1630 or 1636'.

Part 32:

f. 181r: A print of an engraved portrait of Jean Aymon (b. 1661, d. 1734), a French priest who stole manuscripts from the Royal Library, Paris, in 1707 and fled to The Hague. This print is likely to have been taken from one of his manuscripts that were acquired by Robert Harley, as another one survives in Harley MS 3479, f. 2r.

Part 33:

f. 182r: An engraving of the national synod of Montpellier in 1598 by Gysbert Schouten, entitled: 'Synodes Nationaux Des Eglises Réformées De France'; printed 'a la Haye chez Charles Delo 1710'.

Part 34:

f. 183r: A testimonial concerning the baptism of Thomas Crosse on 8 April 1546 signed by witnesses on 8 July 1581, 'Be it knowen unto all Christian people that we the Parties under namyd doe singnyfie unto you that one Thomas crosse the sonne of John Crosse was Christenide the viijth daye of Aprill in the yeare of the rainge of Kinge Henry the viijth xxxviijti In witness therof we have made this Testimonyall the viijth day of Julij In the xxiijth yeare of the Raygne of our Soverayne Ladye Quene Elizabethe'; with three wax seals under paper.

Part 35:

f. 184r: Epitaph of John Knight (d. 1704), Vicar of Banbury.

Part 36:

f. 185r: Note concerning the burials of Joan and Richard Symonds in 1610 and 1611 respectively, beginning: 'Concerning the burial of Mrs Joane Symondes thus I find it regestred as followeth and alsoe of Richard Symondes Esquire'; signed by John Pytt, vicar of St Andrews (c. 1630-1640), Chardstock.

Part 37:

ff. 186r-187r: Copies of epitaphs in Orton Longueville [now Orton, Peterborough], Holy Trinity church, entitled: 'In long orton church in Huntingdonshire the North side rather a small chappel distinguished by a rail from the church'; the inscriptions are identical to those that were made by Robert Smyth of Woodstone in 1734 and published in Royston, 'Orton Longueville Church' (1845), 97-105 (p. 102).

Part 38:

ff. 188r-189v: A 'Testimoniall touching the age of Thomasine Organ daughter of Edward Organ'; recording her baptism on 23 May 1619, entitled: 'St Dionis Backchurch London'; and signed by various witnesses.

The composite manuscript contains a later addition:

Unfoliated paper stub between f. 17 and f. 18: A note by Sir Frederic Madden (b. 1801, d. 1873), Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum: 'Memorandum: fol. 18 is now restored to MS. Harl. 6400, to which it belonged. F. M. 12 June 1860'.

Decoration:

Part 8: Large and small plain red initials. Paraphs in red. Underlining in red.

Part 9: Large and small plain initials in red and green.

Part 10: Large and small blue and red initials with penwork decoration in the opposite colour inside the letters.

Part 25: Rubrics in red.

Part 29: A full-page facsimile of a medieval indenture with a green seal.

No decoration in the parts that are not mentioned.