Armorial : manuscript written and decorated in England, 1597 or later.

Record ID:

104260

Accession number:

MA 960

Credit:

Purchased by J.P. Morgan Jr., 1919.

Description:

1 item (124 p.), bound ; 31.8 cm

Notes:

Formerly identified in the Morgan's catalog as The Baron Book (i.e., Robert Cooke's Armorie of nobiliti).
With two notes on armory on the front flyleaf (first note is from Guillim's Display of Heraldrie) and a quote from Ovid on the back flyleaf.
Written primarily in secretary hand with blazons in a later italic hand.

Summary:

Emblazoned arms of British rulers and nobles, in chronological order, beginning with a noble who "came to England w[i]th w[illia]m Conquerer" through one created Earl "sondaye the 23th [sic] of october in the yeare of our Lord god 1597." Each entry features a shield painted with arms; a short account of the bearer's entry into England, notable achievements, famous ancestors/descendants, and investiture into peerage (secretary hand in dark brown ink); and a blazon (later italic hand in black ink). Monarchs' arms represented larger than others,' and centered on page, without descriptions.

Housed in:

Blue cloth drop-spine box (33.7 cm)

Binding:

Modern vellum by Deborah Evetts; formerly 19th-century half calf, possibly by Bretherton (one board retained with item); original vellum wrapper also retained with item.

Provenance:

"Mounsier Guillim" written on front flyleaf; thought by Sir Thomas Phillipps to have been owned by the antiquarian Sir John Mohun ("Mohuns [illegible]" written below full-page arms on p. 2); "John Hunt [illegible] 1795" written front flyleaf and John Hunt (in another hand) written on the original vellum wrapper; Sir Thomas Phillipps (his MS 11934); purchased by J.P. Morgan Jr. from the London dealer Quaritch in 1919.

Catalog Link:

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Department:

Literary and Historical Manuscripts