Hard-coded id of currently selected item: . JSON version of its record is available from Blacklight on e.g. ??

Metadata associated with selected item should appear here...

Add MS 35290

Record Id:

040-002088765

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

032-002088757

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100000001490.0x00012e

LARK:

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Add MS 35290

Title:

York Mystery Plays

Scope & Content:

The York Plays, a cycle of religious dramas on biblical subjects staged and performed by craft guilds in the city of York during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

This copy contains most of the cycle, and was originally the property of the city council, likely being stored with other civic books and documents in the Council Chamber on Ouse Bridge, under the supervision of the Common Clerk.

The crafts and the parts of the play they performed are as follows:

(ff. 1-3 are parchment endleaves).

ff. 4r-7r: The Barkers (The Fall of the Angels).

ff. 7v-9r: The Plasterers (The Creation).

ff. 9v-13r (f. 11v is blank): The Cardmakers (The Creation of Adam and Eve).

ff. 13v-14v: The Fullers (Adam and Eve in Eden).

(ff. 15r-16r: blank).

ff. 16v-18v: The Cowpers (The Fall of Man).

(f. 19r: blank).

ff. 19v-21r: The Armourers (The Expulsion).

(f. 21v: blank).

ff. 22r-23v: The Glovers ('Sacrificium Cayne et Abell').

(f. 24r: blank).

ff. 24v-26v: The Shipwrights (The Building of the Ark).

(ff. 26*r-26*v: blank).

ff. 27r-31v: The Fishers and Mariners (The Flood).

(ff. 31*r-31*v: blank).

ff. 32r-37v: The Parchmeners and Bookbinders (Abraham and Isaac).

(ff. 37*r-37*v: blank).

ff. 38r-43r: The Hosiers (Moses and Pharoah).

(f. 43v: blank).

ff. 44r-47v: The Spicers (The Annunciation and the Visitation).

ff. 48r-52r: The Pewterers and Founders (Joseph's Trouble About Mary).

(ff. 52v-52*v: blank).

ff. 53r-55r: The Tile-thatchers (The Nativity).

(ff. 55v-55**v: blank).

ff. 56r-58r: The Chandlers (The Shepherds).

(ff. 58v-59r: blank).

ff. 59v-63r: The Masons (Herod).

(ff. 63v-63*v: blank).

ff. 64r-69v: The Goldsmiths (The Magi).

f. 70r: note by John Clerke on the order of the pageant. The Purification of the Virgin, which follows on ff. 212v-217r, should take place at this point.

(f. 70v: blank).

ff. 71r-74v: The Marshals (The Flight into Egypt).

(f. 75r: blank, with cancelled running title for the 'Mylners')

f. 75v: note by John Clerke.

ff. 76r-80v: The Girdlers and Nailers (The Slaughter of the Innocents).

(ff. 81r-81v: blank).

ff. 82r-86v: The Spurriers (Spurmakers) and Lorimers (makers of metal mountings on bridles) (Christ and the Doctors).

ff. 86*r-86*v: blank.

ff. 87r-89r: The Barbers (The Baptism).

(f. 89v: blank).

ff. 90r-92r: The Smiths (The Temptation).

f. 92v: The Vintners (The Marriage at Cana): heading and opening lines only, noted by John Clerke.

(ff. 93r-95v: blank; running titles on ff. 93v-94r).

ff. 96r-100r: The Curriers (The Transfiguration).

ff. 100v-101r: The Ironmongers (Jesus in the House of Simon the Leper): no text; running titles by main scribe, with note (now erased but still visible) by John Clerke.

(ff. 101*r-101***v: blank).

ff. 102r-105v: The Capmakers (The Woman Taken in Adultery and the Raising of Lazarus).

(f. 106r: blank).

ff. 106v-112v: The Skinners (The Entry into Jerusalem).

(ff. 112*r-112*v: blank).

ff. 113r-120r: The Cutlers (The Conspiracy).

(ff. 120v-121r: blank).

ff. 121v-124v: The Baxters (The Last Supper).

(ff. 124*r-124*v: blank).

ff. 125r-131v: The Cordwainers (The Agony in the Garden and the Betrayal).

(ff. 131*r-131*v: blank).

ff. 132r-139r: The Bowers and Fletchers (Christ before Annas and Caiaphas).

(ff. 139v-140r: blank).

ff. 140v-151r: The Tapiters and Couchers (Christ before Pilate I: The Dream of Pilate's Wife).

(f. 151v: blank).

ff. 152r-159v: The Listers (Christ before Herod).

(f. 160r: blank).

ff. 160v-166v: The Cooks and Waterleaders (The Remorse of Judas).

(ff. 166*r-166*v: blank).

ff. 167r-174v: The Tilemakers (cancelled, with 'Mylneys' written alongside some headers) (Christ before Pilate 2: The Judgement).

(ff. 174*r-174*v: blank).

ff. 175r-180r: The Shearmen (The Road to Calvary).

(f. 180v: blank).

ff. 181r-186r: The Pinners ('and paynters' written alongside some headers) ('Crucifixio Christi').

(f. 186v: blank).

ff. 187r-192r: The Butchers ('Mortificacio Christi').

(f. 193r: blank).

ff. 193v-199v: The Saddlers (The Harrowing of Hell).

(ff. 199*r-199*v: blank).

ff. 200r-205r: The Carpenters (The Resurrection).

(ff. 205v-206r: blank).

ff. 206v-212v: The Winedrawers (some headers cancelled, with 'Sledmen' written alongside) (Christ's Appearance to Mary Magdalene).

ff. 212v-217r: The Hatmakers, Masons and Labourers (The Purification of the Virgin).

(f. 217v: blank).

ff. 218r-220r: The Scriveners (The Incredulity of Thomas).

(ff. 220v-221r: blank).

ff. 221v-225v: The Tailors ('Potters' written alongside opening header and cancelled) (The Ascension).

ff. 226r-229v: The Potters (Pentecost).

(f. 230r: blank).

ff. 230v-233r: The Drapers (The Death of the Virgin).

(f. 233v: blank).

ff. 234r-241v: 'The Wefferes,’ i.e. Weavers, (The Assumption of the Virgin). The principal characters are thirteen Angels, the Virgin, and the five leading Disciples. Music for 2 voices, in quasi-score, is given to the words ‘Surge, propera, Columba mea‘ (f. 235v), ‘Veni de libano, sponsa‘ (f. 236), and ‘Veni, electa mea‘ (f. 238); and at ff. 241r, 241v, there are alternative settings of the two former, in parts. The notes, black and occasionally red, are either diamond-shaped or square in form, written on a stave of 5 red lines.

ff. 242r-244v: The Ostlers (The Coronation of the Virgin).

(ff. 245r-245v: blank).

ff. 246r-251v: The Mercers (Doomsday).

ff. 252r-252v: The Innholders (later fragment) (The Coronation of the Virgin).

Collection Area:

Western Manuscripts

Project / Collection:

Additional Manuscripts

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-002088757
040-002088765

Is part of:

Add MS 35283-35298 : Belonged to the collection of MSS. formed by Bertram Ashburnham, fourth Earl of Ashburnham (ob. 1878), being comprised in…

Add MS 35290 : York Mystery Plays

Hierarchy:

032-002088757[0008]/040-002088765

Container:

View / search within Archive / Collection: Add MS 35283-35298

Record Type (Level):

File

Extent:

Parchment codex

Digitised Content:

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Add_MS_35290 (digital images currently unavailable)

Thumbnail:

Languages:

English, Middle
Latin

Scripts:

Latin

Start Date:

1460

End Date:

1599

Date Range:

Late 15th century-16th century

Era:

Access:

Restrictions to access apply please consult British Library staff

Please request the physical items you need using the online collection item request form.

Digitised items can be viewed online by clicking the thumbnail image or digitised content link.

Readers who have registered or renewed their pass since 21 March 2024 can request physical items prior to visiting the Library by completing
this request form.
Please enter the Reference (shelfmark) above on the request form.

If your Reader Pass was issued before this date, you will need to visit the Library in London or Yorkshire to renew it before you can request items online. All manuscripts and archives must be consulted at the Library in London.

This catalogue record may describe a collection of items which cannot all be requested together. Please use the hierarchy viewer to navigate to individual items. Some items may be in use or restricted for other reasons. If you would like to check the availability, contact our Reference Services team, quoting the Reference (shelfmark) above.

User Conditions:

Letter of introduction required to view this manuscript

Physical Characteristics:

Materials: parchment.

Dimensions: 280 x 205 mm (text space: 185/205 x 75/150 mm).

Foliation: ff. 254 + 26*, 31*, 37*, 52*, 55*, 55**, 63*, 86*, 94*, 101*, 101**, 101***, 112*, 124*, 131*, 166*, 174*, 199* + xi (plus three unfoliated modern paper endleaves: two at the beginning, one at the end). The volume opens with an unfoliated modern paper leaf, followed by f. 1 (formerly the front pastedown), another unfoliated modern paper leaf, and then f. 2. Folios [i-iv], all unfoliated parchment leaves, then follow. At the rear of the volume, ff. 253 and 254 are separated by ff. [v-x], six unfoliated parchment leaves. Folio 254 is followed by f. [xi], an unfoliated parchment leaf (formerly the rear pastedown). A single unfoliated modern paper endleaf then follows.

Note: the foliation as described here follows the pencil numbering in the volume. In The York Play: A Facsimile of British Library MS Additional 35290 (1983) and The York Plays: A Critical Edition, ed. by Richard Beadle, 2 vols (2009-13), the parchment leaves are numbered 1-268 from the beginning and including all the blank leaves.

Collation: i-ii⁸ (ff. 4-19), iii^8-2 (ff. 20-25; 4th and 5th leaves missing after f. 22), iv⁸ (ff. 26-31*, incl. ff. 26* and 31*), v⁸ (ff. 32-38, incl. f. 37*) vi⁸⁺¹ (ff. 39-47; 9th leaf inserted, f. 47), vii⁸ (ff. 48-54, incl. 52*), viii^8-2 (ff. 55-58, incl. 55*, 55**; 3rd and 6th leaves cancelled after ff. 55* and 56), ix⁸ (ff. 59-65, incl. f. 63*), x⁸ (ff. 66-73), xi⁸ (ff. 74-81), xii⁸ (ff. 82-88, incl. 86*), xiii⁸ (ff. 89-95, incl. f. 94*), xiv⁸ (ff. 96-101**, incl. ff. 101* and 101**), xv^8-2 (ff. 101***-106, incl. f. 101***; 3rd and 6th leaves missing after ff. 102 and 104), xvi⁸ (ff. 107-113, incl. 112*), xvii⁸ (ff. 114-121), xviii^8-2 (ff. 122-126, incl. f. 124*; 2nd and 7th leaves missing after ff. 122 and 125), xix⁸ (ff. 127-133, incl. f. 131*), xx-xxiii⁸ (ff. 134-165), xxiv⁸(ff. 166-172, incl. f. 166*), xxv^8-2 (ff. 173-177, incl. f. 174*; 2nd and 7th leaves missing after ff. 173 and 176), xxvi⁸ (ff. 178-185), xxvii⁸ (ff. 186-193), xxviii^8-1+1 (ff. 194-200, incl. f. 199*; 1st leaf cancelled and a single leaf pasted onto stub before f. 195), xxix⁸ (ff. 201-208), xxx⁸ (ff. 209-216), xxxi^8-1+2 (ff. 217-225; 1st leaf cancelled and two leaves pasted in before f. 219), xxxii⁸ (ff. 226-233), xxxiii⁸ (ff. 234-241), xxxiv⁸ (ff. 242-249), xxxv⁴ (ff. 250-253), xxxvi⁸ (ff. v-x, 254 and pastedown).

Note: the collation provided in The York Plays: A Critical Edition, ed. by Richard Beadle, 2 vols (2009-13), I, p. xxiv uses the contemporary quire signatures to number each quire. The concordance below provides the quire numbers as written here followed by their equivalents as given by Beadle:

- i = [A*].

- ii = [A].

- iii-x = B-I.

- (no quire J).

- xi-xx = K-T.

- (no quire U).

- xxi = V.

- (no quire W).

- xxii-xxiii = X-Y.

- xxiv = Ȝ.

- xxv = &.

- xxvi = 9 (con or us mark of abbreviation).

- xxvii = xxvi.

- xxviii = xxvii.

- xxix = xxviii.

- xxx = xxix.

- xxxi = xxx.

- xxxii = xxxi.

- xxxiii = xxxii.

- xxxiv = xxxiii.

- xxxv = xxxiv.

- xxxvi = (no number assigned by Beadle).

Script: Gothic hybrid (Bastard secretary).

Binding: Pre-1600. '[A]n early and perhaps the original binding of leather covered oak boards...the backing is modern' (The York Plays: A Critical Edition, ed. by Beadle (2009-13), I, p. xxiii). The binding once had two clasps, and two bosses on the front and back; these are no longer present.

Custodial History:

The Corporation of York: probably kept in the Council Chamber, among other records kept by the Common Clerk; sometimes referred to as the 'Register' in later documents (The York Plays: A Critical Edition, ed. by Beadle (2009-13), I, pp. xii, xix-xxii).

Various names inscribed during the sixteenth/seventeenth centuries: Thomas Cutler (ff. 1v, 2r, ?89r, 253r, 254v), Richard Nandicke (ff. 1v, ?92r, 253r), John Wilson (f. 253v), William Pennell (f. 253v).

Henry Fairfax (d. 1708), second son of Henry, 4th Baron Fairfax: inscribed 'H. Fairfax's Book 1695' (f. 3r).

Ralph Thoresby (b. 1658, d. 1725), antiquary and topographer: Fairfax gave the manuscript to Thoresby at some point between 1695 and Fairfax's death in 1708; Thoresby recorded the gift with the inscription 'Donum Hon:^mi Hen: Fairfax Arm: Rad.^o Thoresby' (f. 3v). The manuscript is recorded in Thoresby's catalogue in Ducatus Leodiensis (1715), p. 517; his sale, 5 March 1764.

Horace Walpole (b. 1717, d. 1797), fourth earl of Orford: purchased at the sale of Thoresby's books for £1 1s., and kept at Strawberry Hill; his bookplate (f. 3v); his sale, 25 April 1842, lot 92.

Benjamin Heywood Bright (d. 1843): purchased on his behalf by Thomas Rodd the Younger (b. 1796, d. 1849), bookseller, at the sale of Walpole's books for £220 10s. Rodd sold the manuscript to Bright for £235; his sale, [date] 1844.

?Reverend Thomas Russell (formerly Cloutt) (b. c. 1781, d. 1846), Congregational minister: note by Sir Frederic Madden in Sotheby's sale catalogue (P.R.2 A.12, p. 34) that the manuscript was sold to 'Thorpe for Rev Thomas Russell. Afterwards sold to Lord Ashburnham'. Thomas Thorpe (b. 1791, d. 1851) was a bookseller. (For doubts as to Russell's ownership, see: Cawley, 'Thoresby and Later Owners', Leeds Studies in English, n.s. 11 (1980), pp. 77-79).

Reverend Joseph Hunter (b. 1783, d. 1861), antiquary and record scholar, Assistant Keeper of the Public Records, saw the manuscript at some point between 1842 and 1848 (Add MS 24480, ff. 159r-161v).

Bertram Ashburnham (b. 1797, d. 1878), 4th Earl of Ashburnham, manuscript collector: purchased the manuscript from Reverend Thomas Russell in 1847 for £350 (according to pencilled footnote in Madden's journal, 18 June 1844, p. 155 (Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Eng. hist. c.157): for a transcription, see Cawley, 'Thoresby and Later Owners', Leeds Studies in English, n.s. 11 (1980), p. 84).

Bertram Ashburnham (b. 1840, d. 1913), 5th Earl of Ashburnham: bookplate on second paper endleaf at the front of the volume, dated May 1897: 'Appendix no. CXXXVII / 400'; his sale, 1 May 1899, lot 85.

Purchased by the British Museum at Ashburnham sale; inscription on first paper endleaf at the front of the volume.

Information About Copies:

The York Play: A Facsimile of British Library MS Additional 35290, together with a Facsimile of the 'Ordo Paginarum' Section of the A/Y Memorandum Book, intro. by Richard Beadle and Peter Meredith, and a note on the music by Richard Rastall, Leeds Texts and Monographs, Medieval Drama Facsimiles, 7 (Leeds: University of Leeds School of English, 1983).

Full digital coverage available for this manuscript, see Digitised Manuscripts http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/.

Publications:

Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the Years 1894-1899 (London: by order of the Trustees, 1901), pp. 236-38.

York Plays: The Plays Performed by the Crafts or Mysteries of York on the Day of Corpus Christi in the 14th, 15th, and 16th Centuries, ed. by L.T. Smith (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1885; repr. New York: Russell and Russell, 1963) [on the text].

A.N.L. Munby, Connoisseurs and Medieval Miniatures 1750-1850 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972), p. 125.

A.G. Petti, English Literary Hands from Chaucer to Dryden (London: E. Arnold, 1977), pl. 12.

A.C. Cawley, 'Thoresby and Later Owners of the Manuscript of the York Plays (BL Additional MS 35290)', Leeds Studies in English, New Series, 11 (1980), 74-89.

Richard Beadle and P.M. King, York Mystery Plays: A Selection in Modern Spelling (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984) [on the text].

James H. Morey, 'Peter Comestor, Biblical Paraphrase, and the Medieval Popular Bible', Speculum, 68 (1993), 6-43 (p. 30).

Jane Roberts, Guide to Scripts used in English Writings up to 1500 (London: British Library, 2005), no. 53; p. 237.

The York Plays: A Critical Edition of the York Corpus Christi Play as Recorded in British Library, Additional MS 35290, ed. by Richard Beadle, Early English Text Society, Second Series, 23-24, 2 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009-13) [on the text].

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)

Names:

Bright, Benjamin, antiquary, 1787-1843
Cutler, Thomas, c 1600
Fairfax, Henry, High Sheriff of Yorkshire; son of Henry, 4th Baron Fairfax, 1659-1708
Nandicke, Richard, c 1600
Pennell, William, of Add MS 35290, 17th century
Thoresby, Ralph, antiquary and topographer, 1658-1725
Walpole, Horatio, 4th Earl of Orford, author, politician, and patron of the arts, 1717-1797,
see also http://isni.org/isni/0000000054064246
Willson, John, 17th century

Subjects:

Miracle-plays

Places:

York, Yorkshire

Related Material:

For an analysis of the contents of the MS. in the hand of Joseph Hunter, see Add MS 24480, ff. 159-161b.

From the Catalogue of Additions (1901), pp. 236-38:

'YORK MYSTERY PLAYS: the unique MS. of forty-nine plays, forming a series from the Creation and the Fall of Lucifer to the Last Judgment and the Coronation of Our Lady (the last an addition), performed on Corpus Christi Day by the crafts of York. Edited by Miss L. T. Smith, York Mystery Plays (Oxford, 1885). Its contents are as follows:-(1) "The Barkers." f 4;-(2) "Playsterers." f. 7 b;-(3) "Cardinakers"; in duplicate. ff. 9 b, 12;-(4) "The regynall of the Fullers pagyant," in a 16th cent. hand. f. 13 b;-(5) "The Coupers." f. 16 b;-(6) "The Origenall perteynyng to þe Crafte of Armouryers." f. 19 b;-(7) "The Originall perteyng to the Craft of gloueres." Two leaves cut out after f. 22, and some of the missing lines supplied, 16th cent., on ff. 23, 23 b (see Smith, as above, p. 37). f. 22;-(8) "The Shipwrites." f. 24 b;-(9) "The Fysshers and Marynars." f. 27;-(10) "The Parebemyners and bokebynders." f. 32;-

(11) "The Hoseers." f 38;-(12) "Th[e] Spicers," with a 16th cent. note at the beginning, "Doctour, this matter is newly mayde whereof we have no Coppy." f. 44;-(13) "The Pewteres and Foundours." f. 48;-(14) "The Tille thekers." f. 53;-(15) "The channdelers." f. 56;-(16) "The Masonns" ("Mynstrells" added, 16th cent., see Smith, pp. 123, 125). f 59 b;-(17) "Golde Smythis"; followed (f. 70) by a 16th cent. note respecting the Hatmakers', Masons' and Labourers' play (below, No. 41, and Smith, p. 433). f 64;-(18) "The Marchallis." f. 71;-(19) "The Gyrdillers and naylers." Note at beginning (16th cent.): This matter of the gyrdlers agreyth not with the Coucher in no poynt, it begyunyth Lysten Lordes vnto my Lawe" (cf. Smith, p. 146). f 76;-(20) "The Sporiers and lorimers." f. 82;-(21) "The Barbours." Note at foot of f. 87 b: "Her wantes a pece newely mayd for saynt John Baptiste." At the end, "Hic caret fine. This matter is newly inayd and devysed wherof we have no coppy Regystred," and (later, circ. 1600) "The Shavors. T[homas ?] C[utler?]." f. 87;-(22) "The Smythis" (altered to Lokksmythis "). At the end (circ. 1600), "The Smythes. R[ichard?] N[andicke?]." f 90. Following this are some blank pages with the running title "The vinteners," having the opening words "Loo this is a yoyfull day," etc., on f 92 b (ib. p. xv.);-

(23) "The Coriours." f 96. Followed by several blank pages, the first two of which have the title "The Ironmongers" (ib. p. xv.);-(24) "The Cappemakers, etc." (and hatmakers" added). Wanting two leaves, after ff. 102, 104 (ib. pp. 195, 199). f. 102;-

(25) The Skynners." f 106 b;-(26) "The Cuttelores." f. 113;-

(27) The Baxsteres." Wanting a leaf after f. 122 (ib. p. 236). f 121 b;-(28) "The Cordewaneres." Wanting a leaf after f. 125 (ib. p. 242). f 125;-(29) "The Bowers and Flecchers." f 132;-

(30) "The Tapiteres and Couchers." f. 140 b;-(31) "The Lytsteres." f. 152;-(32) "The Cokis and Watirlederes." f. 160 b;-(33) "The Tyllemakers" ("Mylners" substituted, 16th cent.). Wanting a leaf after f. 173 (ib. p. 335). f 167 (34) "The Shermen." Wanting a leaf after f. 176 (ib. p. 341). f.175;-(35) "The Pynneres" ("and paynters" added). f. 181;-

(36) "The Bocheres." f.187;-(37) "The Sadilleres." f. 193b;-

(38) "The Carpenteres." f. 200;-(39) "The Wynedrawers." Title erased on first page, and replaced by the note "Wevers assygnyd in anno Domini M^lD.liij^ti. William Cowplande then maior"; this too has been struck out, and "Sledmen" and "Palmers" written by different hands (ib. p. 421). f. 206 b;-

(40) "The Sledmen" (substituted for the original title "Wynedraweres": see preceding no.). f. 209;-(41) "Hatmakers Masons and laborers," a 16th cent. insertion (see above, No. 17 212 b;-(42) "The Escreueneres." f. 218;-(43) "The Tailoures." f. 221 b;-(44) "The Potteres." f. 226;-(45) "The Draperes." f. 230 b;-(46) "The Wefferes"; music on ff. 235 b-6, 238, 241, 241 b (ib. pp. 517-528, and plates i.-iii.). f. 234;-(47) "The Osteleres" ("alias Inholders" added). f. 242;-(48) "The Merceres." f. 246;-(49) "The Inholders," a later fragment. f. 252. Vellum; ff. 254 (fly-leaves mouse-eaten). Late XVth and XVIth centt. Bound in oak boards covered with skin, now repaired and rebacked. On f. 253 is the inscription (circ. 1600) "Corpus Christi playe (repeated). Thomas Cutler, Richarde Nandicke." These two names also occur repeatedly on ff. 1 and 2 (see too Nos. 21, 22 above). On f. 254 b are the names William Pennell, John Willson. On f. 3, "H. Fairfax's Book, 1695" [Henry, 2nd son of Henry, 4th Baron Fairfax]. On f. 3 b, in Thoresby's hand, "Donum Hon^mi Hen: Fairfax Arm: Rad^o Thoresby" (No. 17 in the 1715 catalogue of Thoresby's MSS., Ducatus Leodiensis, p. 517, not in the earlier catalogue, Catalogi Librorum MSS. Angliæ, 1697, vol. ii. p. 229). In 1764 (Thoresby's sale-cat., lot 41) it was bought by Horace Walpole (book-plate, f. 3 b, see Letters of H. Walpole, vol. ix., 1891, p. 525, Strawberry Hill sale-cat., 1842, 6th day, lot 92), in 1842 by Benjamin Heywood Bright (see his sale-cat., 1844, lot 277), and afterwards by the Earl of Ashburnham (MS. Appendix 137, salepat. 1899, lot 85). For further details as to the history of the MS., see the introduction to Miss L. T. Smith's edition. 11 X 8 in.'

City of York: York mystery -plays: 15th-16th centt.

Drama: York mystery plays: 15th-16th cent.

Bookplates: Walpole (Horatio), Earl of Orford: [1791].

includes:

ff. 1, 2, 89 (?), 253, 254 b Thomas Cutler: Name inscribed: circ. 1600.
ff. 1, 92(?), 253 Richard Nandicke: Name (as custodian?): circ. 1600.
f. 3 b Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford 1791: Book-plates: [1764] n.d.
ff. 235 b, 236, 238, 241, 241 b Music: Sequences, etc.: late 15th cent.
f. 253 b John Willson: Name inscribed: 17th cent.
f.253 b William Pennell: Name inscribed: 17th cent.