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Book of Hours, in French with Latin cues. Illuminated manuscript on vellum [France, Normandy (probably Fécamp or perhaps Rouen), early(?) 15th century], ii + 87 + ii leaves, 86 x 67 mm, ff. 27v, 86v blank; apparently COMPLETE with a cancelled blank at the end, mainly in quires of 6 leaves (f. 27 apparently a single leaf inserted to supply a missed passage of text, linked to the appropriate place on f. 28r with a red cross), the binding too tight for completely confident collation, but there are no obvious gaps in the text, and there is no evidence that anything ever followed the final leaf, which has a blank verso; ruled in ink for 13 lines per page (16 in the calendar), the ruled space 70 × 50 mm; written in gothic textura script (slightly larger and more formal for the Latin, slightly smaller and more rounded for the French), 2-line initials alternately blue with red flourishing or vice versa, each hour except Lauds with BLUE AND GOLD PUZZLE INITIALS with red and blue flourishing, the first text page with an illuminated border, 2-line initials alternately blue with red flourishing or vice versa; the margins rather closely cropped, occasionally affecting the border and extremities of the flourished decoration, some offsetting, general thumbing and wear but overall in sound condition and fully legible, marbled endpapers, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey, gilt-gauffered edges, sewn on three bands and bound in 19th-century limp brown leather, blind-tooled with a lattice pattern, housed in a filigree openwork hinged book-box ornamented with 31 polished or cut coloured stonesQTY: (2)NOTE:Provenance:Probably produced for use at Fécamp, on the coast of Normany about 40 miles / 60km north-west of Rouen: the calendar includes ‘la dedicace de fescamp’ (15 June), and the rare ‘laurens de eu’ (14 November; i.e. Lawrence, archbishop of Dublin, who died and was buried in 1180 at Eu, also on the Normandy coast, about 50 miles / 80km north-east of Fécamp), as well as several Rouen feasts, including the translation of the relics (3 December), ‘goudart’ (i.e. Gildard) (8 June), the translation of Romanus (17 June), Evodius (7 July, 8 October), Ouen (24 August), and Mellonius (22 October).The first flyleaf has an added 15th-century prayer in Latin, preceded by instructions in French (‘L’en doit avant que l’en die l’oroison ensuivant faire une croix devant sa poitrine …’), signed “Th. Th.” (f. 1v)W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate); perhaps acquired in the 1940s, as there is a newspaper clipping dated 1945 loosely inserted.Text:Calendar (f. 2r); Hours of the Virgin, in French, each text with a brief incipit in Latin, with Matins (f. 14r), Lauds (f. 31r), Prime (f. 49v), Terce (f. 57v), Sext (f. 62v), None (f. 66r), Vespers (f. 72v), and Compline (f. 80r). The liturgical Use is similar to, but not the same as, that of Paris. The antiphon and capitulum at Prime and None, (by which many Uses can be distinguished from one another), are: Benedicta tu; Felix namque; Post Partum; and Gaude Maria.Books of Hours in French are extremely rare. Virginia Reinburg (French Books of Hours, Cambridge, 2012, p. 96), knew of only six, all except one of them in an institutional collection: (i) Paris, Bibliothèque Mazarine, MS 509; (ii) Huntington Library, HM 1129; (iii) Houghton Library, MS Richardson 7; (iv and v) Paris, BnF, MS fr. 1874 and fr. 13167; and (vi) offered by Les Enluminures in their Catalogue 2, 1993, no. 10. To these can be added British Library, Harley MS 2952. No others are recorded in the Schoenberg database.

* Sidney (Philip, 1554-1586). English poet, courtier, scholar and soldier. 'The Coppye of a Letter wrytten by Sr: Phillipp Sidnye to Queene Elizabeth, Touchinge hir Marryage wth Mounsieur’, [c. 1580], manuscript copy, c. 1620, [28] pages including final blank leaf, written in a very neat secretarial hand, some light soiling throughout, extracted from a larger work with evidence of original spine stitching, disbound, folio (265 x 190 mm), preserved in an early 20th-century gilt-titled red quarter morocco over cloth chemise, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedownQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate). This letter was written by Sir Philip Sidney to Queen Elizabeth just before or just after the beginning of the year 1580. In it he states his reasons for opposing her proposed marriage with the Duke of Anjou. This manuscript, (written in the same hand as the following two lots), differs from the partial transcript given by H. R. Fox Bourne, A Memoir of Sir Philip Sidney, 1862, pp. 253-9. The following is a transcript of the first paragraph of this manuscript, indicating where it differs from Fox Bourne's text:- ‘Most ffeared and Beloved, most sweete and gratious Soveraigne; to seeke out excuses of this my bouldnesse, and to arme the acknoweledginge of a ffaulte, wth Reasons ffor it, might better shewe I knowe I did amysse then any whitt (F.B.'way') dminishe the attempte, especiallye in yor Judgmte whoe is (F.B. 'being') able lyvelie to discerne (F.B. 'to discern lively) into the nature of the thinge done, Itt were ffollye to hope with (F.B.'by') layenge on better Coullors to make it more acceptable Thereffore, carryenge none (F.B.‘no') other Olyve Braunche of Intercession, then the layenge my selfe att yor ffeete, nor, noe other insinu- acon, eyther ffor attencon, or Pardon, Butt the true vowed sacriffyce of unffaigned Love I will in simple and (F.B. omits 'and') dyrecte tearmes (as hopeinge they shall come (F.B.'they shall only come') to your mercyffull eyes) sett downe the over-ffloweinge of my mynde in this most (F.B. omits 'most') important matter, importinge (as I thinck) the Contynuance of your saffetye and as I knowe, the Joyes of my lyfe.' See Arthur Collins, Letters and Memorials of State ('Sydney Papers'), 1746, volume I, pp. 287-92.

Normandy Cartulary. Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de St. Georges de Boscherville, [transcribed by De Witt], mid 19th century, 239 leaves, manuscript on paper ruled in pencil, foliated throughout with original foliation marked in the margins, index at rear, some scattered minor spotting, 'Phillipps MS 17354' inscribed at foot of first page, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, 20th-century half vellum over buckram, minor soiling, folio (305 x 195 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Thomas Phillipps (Phillipps MS 17354 inscription); W.A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).The Abbey of Saint-Georges, Boscherville is a former Benedictine abbey in the Normandy region of northern France. This cartulary contains charters of William the Conqueror, Henry I, Matilda, Henry II, King John, Richard I and numerous other benefactors.

Suckling (Sir John). Fragmenta Aurea. A Collection of all the incomparable peeces written by Sir John Suckling and published by a Friend to perpetuate his memory. Printed by his owne Copies. London: Printed for Humphrey Moseley, 1648, engraved frontispiece portrait of the author by William Marshall, neat 19th century ownership signature to head of title of H. Downman, seven additional part-titles, a few marks, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, and bookplate of Christopher Rowe, 19th-century diced calf gilt, later reback, rubbed, 8voQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: The Library of Christopher Rowe (1949-2015), bookplate; sold Dominic Winter Auctioneers, Printed Books, 14 September 2016, lot 485; Christopher Foyle (W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey bookplate).Wing S6127; Pforzheimer 997.One of the best-known of the so-called 'Cavalier' poets, Sir John Suckling (1609 - 1642) made his mark as a poet, playwright, and belletrist, though he is equally famous for his wit, gambling and amorous adventures. His works circulated widely in manuscript during his lifetime and, published posthumously by Humphrey Moseley, were bought in large numbers and read with eagerness and admiration during the Interregnum and after. Editions of Fragmenta Aurea, the best and most important collection, were published in 1646, 1648, and 1658.

Scriptores Historiae Augustae. [Part Two only:] Aelii Spartiani. De Vita Hadriani imperatoris ad Dioclitianum Augustum, Venice: Giovanni Rosso da Vercelli, 15 July 1490, 106 leaves (A8, B-Q6, R8) in roman type with blank spaces for capitals, contemporary annotations to margins in brown ink to 22 leaves (noting historical figures, prodigies, filling in several capital letters, and adding several further comments), first leaf with blank margins replaced with later laid paper (minimal loss to extreme upper right corner of the first two lines of title, with loss of two letters), some minor marks elsewhere, single wormhole to lower centre of the text throughout, not affecting legibility (with old repair to the holes in signature A), gilt edges with old manuscript title in brown ink to fore-margin, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, gilt inner dentelles, late 19th or early 20th-century brown levant full morocco by David, folioQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate). Hain-Copinger 14563; Polain 3474. Proctor 5127. BMC V, 417. Goff S 342. Walsh 2214.The second part (of two) of one of the earliest printed editions of the Scriptores Historiae Augustae, the lives of the Roman emperors taken from various authors, including Suetonius, Aelius Spartianus, Julius Capitolinus, Flavius Vopiscus, Paulus Diaconus and others, compiled around the 4th century A.D. The first part, Suetonius' Vitae XII Caesarum, (66 leaves, a-c8, d-k6) not present here, was also published separately. The second part includes Aelius Spartianus, De vita Hadriani; Julius Capitolinus, Vulcatius Gallicanus, Aelius Lampridius, Trabellius Pollio and Flavius Vopiscus: De regum ac imperatorum Romanorum vita; and Eutropius and Paulus Diaconus, Historia Romana. Despite the uncertain authorship of the original text, it is the only continuous account in Latin for much of its period and remains a valuable primary source for historians.

Order of the Garter, in English. Illuminated manuscript on vellum, [England: ?Windsor, between 1558 and 1562], iv + 30 + II (vellum) + iv leaves, COMPLETE, collation: 1–26, 3–62, 76, 8–102, the last two blank, ruled in ink for 23 lines per page, written in a very fine calligraphic script in black ink with contemporary marginal summaries in red ink, each paragraph introduced by a gold or silver initial on a coloured rectangular ground; slight thumbing throughout, but generally in fine condition, marbled endpapers, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey, all edges gilt, contemporary polished calf, both covers gilt-stamped in the centre with the badge of the Order of the Garter surmounted by a crown (the arms of Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland (1558–1603), flanked by her initials “E R”, and encircled by a garter with the legend ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense’), late 18th-century reback with a red title-label ‘Order of the Garter’, somewhat stained and some edge wear, 4to (230 × 155 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance:Apparently written no later than the 4th year of Queen Elizabeth’s reign (i.e. before November 1562).‘S. Denny’, 17th(?)-century (signed at the beginning and end of the text).Charles Joseph Harford, of Stapleton, Bristol: his gift on the first day of 1824 (as recorded on the last front flyleaf) to:Sir George Nayler (1764–1831), Garter King of Arms (large bookplate).Evelyn Philip Shirley (1812–1882), British politician, antiquary and genealogist (bookplate, rear pastedown).‘J. S. Hall & Amicorum’ (book label).W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).‘The statutes and ordinaunces of the most noble order of St George named the Gartier, reformed, explayned, declared & renewed by the most highe most excellent and most puissant Prince Henrie the eight … shall be from henceforth always accomted eligible and may be chosen to be one of the companions of this Order’ (ff. 1r–30r).The text is essentially that as established in Henry VIII’s reign (the main text assumes that the monarch is male, mentioning, for example, ‘the Souvereigne or his Deputie’, f. 22v), but with some minor revisions very early in Elizabeth’s reign. A marginal note reads, ‘This is altered Anno primo Elizabethae Reginae …’ (f. 19v), and the very last item in the volume begins ‘It was farther ordered also the same day by her Ma(jes)tie …’. The latter is datable from other copies to the first year of Elizabeth’s reign, and as the manuscript does not include the statutes added in the 4th (or any subsequent) year of her reign, it shows that the text was written before the end of 1562 (see The Statutes of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, London, 1814, pp. 49–50).It may eventually be possible to deduce for whom the manuscript was made, as a limited number of Knights of the Garter were invested during the relevant period; they include Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk (condemned for high treason and beheaded); Sir Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester; and George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury (who had the custody of Mary Queen of Scots for 17 years and witnessed her execution).

* Kent Inn Licence. A Crown licence (letters patent) to keep an inn, 26 January 1619, manuscript vellum deed, The Crown to William Mills of Temple Ewell in Kent, innkeeper, his son John Mills and grandson John Mills and the survivor of them to keep an inn or common hostelry at his present dwelling house in Temple Ewell, at a rent of 10s 0d, ‘and to continue for a sign there the sign of the George’, by warrant of the commissioners, Yonge and Pye, endorsed: entered by Henry Cooke, deputy registrar, 25 April 1620, 19 x 39.5 cm, together with another Kent vellum deed:Exemplification of common recovery with double voucher, 21 May 1610, Robert Ladde v John Johnson, gentleman and Jeremy Gaye, 5 messuages, 1 dovehouse, 8 gardens, 220 acres of land and 20 acres of pasture in St Laurence and St Peter Thanet, Kent, first vouchee: Robert Spraclynge, esquire; second vouchee: Edward Howse, Court of common pleas, Easter term 1610 rotulet 26, witness: Edward Coke [chief justice of Common Pleas]; authorized by [Thomas] Waller [third protonotary of the court of common pleas], 31 x 61 cm, lacking sealQTY: (2)NOTE:‘In 1616 Sir Giles Mompesson (1583/4-1651x63), speculator and projector, promoted the creation of a special commission for the purpose of granting licences to keepers of inns, whereby the pockets of the special commissioners and the king’s impoverished exchequer might both benefit. The scheme began in March 1617, fees which the commissioners were allowed to charge for the grants being practically left to their discretion, although it was stipulated that four-fifths of the sums received were to be paid into the exchequer. To increase his dignity in his new office, Mompesson was knighted by James I at Newmarket on 18 November 1616. Mompesson performed his duties with reckless audacity...' (ODNB)For two volumes of Mompesson’s accounts for money derived from innkeepers’ licences, 1617-1620, see British Library Add Mss 74241-2; for a bundle of papers and accounts relating to wine licences, including a list of innkeepers licensed in the various counties of England and Wales, yearly rents paid for the licence, grants of farms of wine licences, compositions and fines for selling without licence, declared accounts of the receivers of rents, etc, chiefly 1614-1627, see TNA E 163/17/22.

Cartulary of Garendon Abbey in Leicestershire. Manuscript on vellum, circa 1450, 27 leaves, contemporary foliation 1-29, lacking folios 6 and 7, paginated 1-27 in modern red chalk, written in book-hand, the initial capitals left blank (for illumination) within a square box, the majority with a small lower-case guide letter at the centre, some marginal comments of circa 1540, somewhat soiled, damp-wrinkled and stained without loss of legibility, the final three folios damaged by damp without any significant loss of text, manuscript note to front flyleaf initialled by H.C.M. Phillipps, indicating that it was purchased at the Craven Orde sale in June 1829 by Evans of Pall Mall and acquired by him from them, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, old book auction description (lot 78a) loosely inserted, 18th-century half calf over marbled boards with gilt-titled contrasting spine label, gilt floral motifs and manuscript shelf sticker ('555') to spine, heavily rubbed, 4to (335 x 260 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Purchased at the Craven Ord sale, 25 June 1829, Lot 555, by Evans of Pall Mall; acquired by H.C.M. Phillipps, Torquay; W.A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).The text begins with the foundation charter by Robert de Beaumont (1104-1168), second earl of Leicester, and the first 13 folios in the modern foliation are occupied by the full texts of 34 donations and royal and episcopal confirmations, including final concords levied in the honor courts of Sayer de Quincy (d1219), earl of Winchester, and his son Roger de Quincy in 1252-53. Folios 13-17 in the modern foliation contain summaries of 89 gifts, four of which are English translations from what must have been Latin originals. Many charters are accompanied by marginal comments of circa 1540.Elements of two further cartularies are at British Library, MS Lansdowne 415; most of that cartulary and an abstract of the present one are printed in John Nichols, The History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester 3 (2) (1804), pp. 805-30, 834-8. This volume is described in GRC Davis (ed., revised by Claire Breay, Julian Harrison and David M. Smith). Medieval cartularies of Great Britain and Ireland (London: British Library, 2010) Item 432.'Robert [Robert de Beaumont], second earl of Leicester (1104–1168), magnate and justiciar, was perhaps the most distinguished aristocrat of his day, educated to a high standard and a consummate politician and man of action. The curia regis seems to have been the place where he was happiest. He was a founder of two abbeys—Garendon (1133), a foundation which shows him to have been one of the earliest patrons of the Cistercian order in England, and Leicester (1138–9)—and of several hospitals and priories. His abbey foundations were, however, economical, employing the lands of other people, as at Garendon, or, in the case of Leicester, lands already given by his father to the church.' (ODNB)'Garendon Abbey, a Cistercian house, was founded in 1133 by Robert, Earl of Leicester. It was in all probability a daughter house of Waverley, the earliest Cistercian monastery to be established in England. The founder endowed the abbey with 5 carucates and 3 virgates of land at Garendon, a burgage tenement at Leicester, and other lands at Dishley, Shepshed, and Ringolthorp. During the 12th century various benefactors granted to the abbey lands at Eastwell, Ibstock, Welby, Burton on the Wolds, and Stanton under Bardon in Leicestershire, at Costock in Nottinghamshire and at Heathcote in Derbyshire. The wild country of Charnwood Forest, in which Garendon lay, gave the monks opportunities for agricultural development of the type accomplished by many other Cistercian houses. Before the end of the 12th century granges had been established in the vicinity of the abbey at Garendon itself, Stanton, Dishley, and Ibstock, and farther afield at Burton on the Wolds, Ringolthorp, Goadby, and Welby in eastern Leicestershire, the Peak and at Costock and Rempstone in Nottinghamshire. The abbey seems to have carried on sheep farming on a considerable scale; in 1225 the abbot obtained permission to export wool to Flanders or elsewhere, and there are references to sheep-folds at the granges. In 1341 the abbey was granted the royal chapel or hermitage of Cripplegate, at London, and in 1343 had licence to acquire four messuages in London. The advowson of Dishley was obtained in 1458, and the church was appropriated in the same year.Two daughter houses were founded from Garendon—Bordesley (1138) and Bittlesden (1147). There are indications, however, that in the late 12th century the Cistercians of Garendon failed to live up to the highest standards of their Order. One of the abbots, Geoffrey, seems to have been a married man, and one of the monks is said to have become a Jew. The resignation of Abbot William in 1195 was perhaps due to the displeasure of the general chapter of the Order at the Garendon lay brothers’ habit of drinking beer. A serious incident occurred in 1196, when the new abbot, Reynold, was attacked in the infirmary, and gravely wounded, by a lay brother. In consequence the general chapter of Citeaux ordered all the abbey's lay brothers to be dispersed. The command was not carried out at once, and in 1197 the abbots of two other Cistercian houses were instructed to proceed to Garendon and enforce the will of the general chapter. The abbey continued to contain lay brothers after this incident. In 1219 the conventual church was dedicated by the Bishop of St Asaph. At the end of the 13th century the finances of the house seem to have been in an unsound condition; in 1295 the king, at the request of the abbot and convent, appointed a special keeper to apply the revenues of the abbey to the relief of its debts, providing reasonable maintenance for the abbot and monks meanwhile, and two years later the abbot acknowledged that the house owed debts totalling £160. The depredations of a powerful neighbour, John Cornyn, Earl of Buchan, may have contributed to the abbey's difficulties at this period.' (Victoria County History of Leicestershire 2 (1954), pp. 5-7, written without the benefit of this volume.)

Augustine (Saint, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.). Soliloquia animae ad deum, Italian, 15th century, manuscript in brown and red ink on vellum, 67 leaves (plus 2 vellum end leaves at both front and rear), COMPLETE, collation, 1–610, 710-3 (last 3 cancelled); written in an Italian rotunda script of the 15th century, single column with 22 lines per page, 36 two-line (the first being four-line) floriated initials in alternate red and blue, and blue and red, a ten-line illuminated letter ‘O’ in gold and colours laid in (from a different manuscript) to first leaf of text, and with illuminated border decoration of foliate motifs, stars and a shield at foot, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to recto of first blank vellum leaf, and a folded page of typewritten description of the manuscript in German tipped in, late 19th or early 20th-century Italian full brown morocco with elaborate and rich impressed decoration in green, dark brown and light brown, the upper inside cover with large impressed stamp of Ernesto Pagnoni of Milan, and his initials in shields forming an outer frame, separated from binding along front inner hinge, short splits to head of upper and lower joints, 8vo (178 x 125 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: It may be possible to determine the original patron of the book: above the first rubric is an erasure that appears to begin ‘Iste liber’ and include the name ‘Raimundi’(?); in the lower margin a shield of arms has been overpainted with gesso and gold, but traces of a blue ground survive, and from the back of the leaf a diagonal (bend) can be discerned; Ernesto Pagnoni, Vaprio d’Adda, near Milan. Though his dates of birth and death are unknown, Pagnoni was active as a collector of manuscripts at the beginning of the twentieth century. Part of his collection was sold in Amsterdam by the famous dealer R. W. P. de Vries on the 2nd and 3rd of December 1908. His bookplate was designed by Sigmund Lipinsky in 1912. Other manuscripts once part of Pagnoni’s collection include Yale University, Beinecke Library, Marston MS 235, Lectura super libros sententiarum by Alfonso de Vargas y Toledo, and University of Pennsylvania, MS Codex 717, Ascetic miscellany, 1470-1499. Many manuscripts owned by Pagnoni are housed in modern bindings signed by C. Glingler, bookbinder in Rome; W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate). This text contains the Soliloquies of Saint Augustine of Hippo, an inner dialogue on the matter of the soul, thought in the Middle Ages and Renaissance to be by Saint Augustine, but now doubted. Folio 65 verso and folios 66 and 67 at the end of the volume have additional texts added in several different hands, beginning on folio 65 verso with the Hymn to Saint Michael 'Christiane vir fidelis, qui regnare vis in coelis', (Chevalier, Repertorium Hymnologicum III (1904), 24515) and the Hymn to Saint Christopher 'martir Christoforo pro Salvatoris honore' (Chevalier, Repertorium Hymnologicum III (1904), 29471), followed by other various prayers.

* James VI and the Union of the Crowns. 'Kinge James his Speeche in Parliamte concerninge the Unyon Betwixt England, and Scotland’, [31 March 1607], manuscript copy, c. 1620, [24] pages including cover title and final blank leaf, written in a very neat secretarial hand, cover title ‘King James, his Declaracon, concerninge the Unytinge, of England, and, Scotland’, contemporary inverted notes and name of Thomas Blagdon to final leaf blank verso, later manuscript arithmetic notes to final blank verso, some light soiling throughout, marginal tears without text loss to cover title and final text leaf, extracted from a larger work with evidence of original spine stitching, disbound, folio (265 x 190 mm), preserved in an early 20th-century gilt-titled red quarter morocco over cloth chemise, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedownQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate). This speech was delivered (according to James I's Workes, 1616, p. 509) to both Houses of Parliament 'in the Great Chamber at White-Hall' on 'the last day of March, 1607'. The speech, as printed in the Workes differs materially from this reasonably contemporary manuscript version. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth I who had died unmarried and childless, the English crown passed to the next available heir, her cousin James VI, King of Scotland. England and Scotland now shared the same monarch under what was known as a union of the crowns. A commission of English and Scottish MPs was set up in October 1604 to consider how a perfect union might be created. Modest steps were taken over the next few years. The commissioners' recommendations were debated long and hard at Westminster between November 1606 and July 1607. Although there was agreement on the repeal of hostile laws against the Scots, there was none on union. In 1606 James gave orders for a British flag to be created which bore the combined crosses of St George and of St Andrew. The result was the Union Jack, Jack being a shortening of Jacobus, the Latin version of James.

Capell (Arthur, 1st Earl of Essex, 1631-1683). Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1672-77, and 1st Lord of the Treasury, 1679. The severall depositions concerning the death of the late Earle of Essex, Manuscript, c. 1700, 87 pp., drop-head title, written in a neat hand within red-printed ruled borders on laid paper, engraved armorial bookplate dated 1701 of Algernon Capell, Earl of Essex and Viscount Maldon to front pastedown, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to facing modern endpaper, contemporary speckled calf, some edge wear, old gilt-titled calf reback, rubbed with a little fraying at foot of spine, folio (290 x 185 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Algernon Capell (bookplate); W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).Arthur Capell (or Capel), 1st Earl of Essex of the second creation, 1631-83. He died in the Tower of London on 13 July 1683, having been convicted of participation in the Rye House Plot against the King and his brother. He was found with his throat cut while awaiting execution for treason, though whether by suicide or assassination has never been established. Algernon Capell, 2nd Earl of Essex (1670-1710) was an English peer, military officer and courtier. He was the son of Arthur Capell and his wife Elizabeth, becoming the 2nd Earl of Essex after his father's death.

Johnes (Thomas). The Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, a gentleman formerly resident at Cambray in Cambresis; containing an account of the cruel civil wars between the houses of Orleans and Burgundy; of the possession of Paris and Normandy by the English, their expulsion thence, and of other memorable events that happened in the kingdom of France as well as in other countries. A history of fair example and of great profit to the French, beginning at the year MCCCC where that of Sir John Froissart finishes and ending at the year MCCCLXVII and continued by others to the year MDXVI, translated by Thomas Johnes, 5 volumes, Hafod: At the Hafod Press, by James Henderson, 1809, copper engraved vignette to each title by Britton and Angus 51 line engraved plates bound in the final volume, including one double-page engraving, together withGrafton (Richard). Grafton's Chronicle; or, History of England. Too which is added his table of the bailiffs, sheriffs, and mayors, of the City of London. From the year 1189 to 1558, inclusive, 2 volumes, London: printed for J. Johnson; F. C. and J. Rivington; T Payne; Wilkie and Robinson; Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orm; Cadell and Davies; and J. Mawman, 1809, plusFroissart (Sir John). Sir John Froissart's Chronicles of England, France, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Brittany, Flanders, and the adjoining countries; translated from the original French, at the Command of King Henry Eighth, by John Bourchier, Lord Berners. Reprinted from Pynson's edition of 1523, and 1525; with the names of places and persons carefully corrected. To which are added, a memoir of the translator, and a copious index to the work, 2 volumes, London: printed for F. C. and J. Rivington; T Payne; Wilkie and Robinson; Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orm, and Brown; Cadell and Davies; J. Murray: R H Evans; J. Mawman; and R. Baldwin, 1812, and five other similar reprints fo early chronicles: Hall's Chronicle; containing the history of England, during the reign of Henry Fourth, and the succeeding monarchs, to the end of the reign of Henry Eighth...carefully collated the editions of 1548 and 1550, London: printed for J. Johnson... 1809, The Customs of London, otherwise called Arnold's Chronicle; containing, among divers others matters, the original of the celebrated poem of The Nut-Brown maid, reprinted from the first edition, with the additions included in second, London: printed for F. C. and J. Rivington, 1811, The Pastime of People, or the chronicles of divers realms; and most especially of the realm of England. Briefly compiled, and imprinted in Cheapside, by John Rastell, [A. D. 1529], now first reprinted, and systematically arranged, with facsimile wood-cuts of the portraits of Popes, Emperors, & c., and the Kings of England, London: printed for F. C. and J. Rivington..., 1811, The New Chronicles of England and France, in two parts; by Robert Fabyan. Named by himself the Concordance of Histories. Reprinted from Pyson's edition of 1516, the first part collated with the editions of 1533, 1542, and 1559; and the second with a manuscript of the author's own time, as well as the subsequent editions: including the different continuations, to which are added biographical and literary preface, and an index, by Henry Ellis, London: printed for F. C. and J. Rivington..., 1811, and The Chronicle of John Hardyng containing an account for public transactions for the earliest period of English history to the beginning of the reign of King Edward Fourth. Together with the continuation by Richard Grafton, to the thirty-fourth year of King Henry Eighth, the former part collated with two manuscripts of the author's own time; the last with Grafton's duplicate edition, to which are added a biographical and literary preface, and an index by Henry Ellis, London: printed for F. C. and J. Rivington..., 1812, wide margins, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, fine contemporary near-uniform full polished speckled calf gilt, inside dentels gilt, covers with floral and crown corner ornaments, spines elaborately gilt-decorated in compartments between five raised bands, light brown title labels, the first nine volumes with additional volume spine label in dark brown morocco, a few minor marks (generally in excellent condition), large 4to (binding measures 30.5 x 24 cm, 12 x 9 1/2 ins)QTY: (14)NOTE:Londes III, p. 1586; Cave, private press, pp 67-68 (monstrelet); Coxiii p. 380; Londes II, p. 924 (Grafton); Cox iii p. 375; Londes II, p. 843 (Froissart); Cox 3, p. 378; Londes II p.984 (Hall); Cox, 3 p. 374; Londes I, p. 72 (Arnold); Cox 3, p. 377; Londes IV, p. 2051 (Rastell); Cox3, p. 375; Londes II, pp. 773-774 (Fabyan); Cox 3, p. 378; Londes II, p. 994 (Hardyng).

Gibbon (Edward). The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 6 volumes, 1st edition (except volume one, 2nd edition), London: printed for W Strahan; and T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1776, 1781 & 1788, half-title to each volume, engraved portrait frontispiece to second volume, folding engraved map to second volume (A Map of the Eastern Part of the Roman Empire), and single-page engraved map (Map of the Parts of Europe and Asia, adjacent to Constantinople), folding engraved map to third volume (A Map of the Western Part of the Roman Empire), each volume with contemporary ink signature of D. Gell to title or adjacent leaf, and late 18th century bookplate of Philip Gell Hopton to front pastedown and title verso of first volume, all volumes untrimmed (wide margins), a few leaves with minor marginal spotting or other marks (generally in clean condition), errata leaf at rear of second, third and sixth volumes, as called for, contemporary near-uniform plain boards (volumes one to three in grey boards, volume four to six in pale blue boards), spines titled in manuscript in brown ink, rubbed, first three volumes with repairs to head and foot of spines, large 4to QTY: (6)

Xenophon. The Historie of Xenophon containing The Ascent of Cyrus into the Higher Countries. Wherein is described the admiral journey of ten thousand Grecians from Asia the lesse into the territories of Babylon and their retrait from thence into Greece, not withstanding the opposition of all their enemies. Whereunto is added a comparison of the Roman manner of warres with this of our time, out of Justus Lipsius. Translated by Joh. Bingham, 1st edition, London: Printed by John Haviland for Raphe Mabb, 1623, verso of title with engraved bookplate of Rt. Hon. Algernon Capell, 2nd Earl of Essex, Viscount Maldon and Baron Capell of Hadham (1670-1710), with engraved date 1701, woodcut initials, head-and tail-pieces, without initial and final blank leaves ([A]1 and X4), burgundy morocco bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to upper pastedown, pastedown also bearing earlier manuscript shelf number 'C:5: 12', contemporary gilt panelled calf, gilt-decorated spine, morocco title label and crest label of George Capell-Coningsby, 5th Earl of Essex (1757-1839), folio (267 x 176 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Algernon Capell, 2nd Earl of Essex (1670-1710); George Capell-Coningsby, 5th Earl of Essex (1757-1839); W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).ESTC S118779; STC 26064.Fine copy with early provenance. A translation by John Bingham of Xenophon's Anabasis, an account of the march of the mercenary army of 10,000 Greeks led by Cyrus, prince of Persia, to attack his brother Artaxerxes II and seize the Persian throne.

Stow (John). The Annales, or Generall Chronicle of England... and after him continued and augmented with matters forreyne and domestique, auncient and moderne unto the ende of this present yeere 1614, by Edmond Howes, London: for Thomas Adams, 1615, title within elaborate woodcut border, soiled and sometime reattached, few edge tears and small chips (some tears neatly repaired), small early ink annotation to imprint, and another to lower margin, woodcut initials and head-pieces, main text in black letter in double column, with colophon leaf, early ink manuscript annotations, underlining and marginalia throughout, some toning and spotting (mainly towards front and rear), occasional marks, stains and finger-soiling, few leaves with losses to blank margins sometime infilled (slightly cropping headline on one page), final leaf of preface with crude watercolour image to blank portion of verso, but striking through to recto, bound with [Godwin, Francis], Rerum Anglicarum Henrico VIII, Edwardo VI, et Maria regnantibus annales, 1st edition, London?: Ioan. Bill, 1616, title with woodcut vignette and early ink manuscript annotation, toned and spotted, woodcut head- and tail-pieces, final leaf edge frayed and sometime reattached with infills, crude early ink sketch to blank verso, endpapers renewed, front pastedown with armorial bookplate of Robert Masters (1713-1798), contemporary calf, lightly scuffed, rebacked and edges refurbished, spine with raised bands and red morocco gilt lettering piece, folioQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance (Godwin): Robert Masters (1713-1798), clergyman and academic, author of The History of the College of Corpus Christi, Cambridge (1753-55).ESTC S117596 & S121233.

* Barkstead (John, died 1662). Major-General and regicide. Document Signed, 'Jo Barkstead', 25 May 1653, being a manuscript receipt, 'Recd. by mee Collonell John Barkstead Lieut. of the Tower of London of Thomas Fauconberg Esqre. Rec[eiv]er Generall of the publique Revenue' the sum of £410.2s.4d., for himself and the gentlemen porters, the yeoman warders, the gentleman gaoler, physician, etc., written in brown ink on laid paper, heavy spotting and some dust-soiling and light creasing, 1 page, folio, tipped along fore-edge on to a blank sheet of paper in a 20th-century calf gilt document folder with burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, rubbed, limp leather spine partly perished and upper cover detached, folioQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).Barkstead was appointed to be governor of the Tower of London in 1652, gaining praise by Cromwell for his vigilance. At the Restoration he was outlawed and fled to Germany. He was later arrested in Holland and brought to England for trial, and executed on 19 April 1662. Barkstead was one of the 59 commissioners who signed the death warrant for King Charles I, being the 36th to sign. Rare.

Powell (Thomas). Direction for Search of Records remaining in the Chancerie, Tower, Exchequer, with the Limnes thereof : viz. The Kings Remembrancer. Lord Treasurers Remembrancer. Clarke of the Extreats. Pipe. Auditors. The First Fruits. Augmentation of the Reuenue. Kings Bench. Common Pleas. Records of Courts Christian. For the clearing of all such titles, and questions, as the same may concerne. With the accustomed fees of search: and diuerse necessarie obseruations, London: B[ernard] A[lsop] for Paul Man, 1622, 78 pp., lacks first and last blanks, manuscript contents leaf inserted at rear (soiled), some spotting and slight staining at rear, minor worm tracing to upper outer corners of initial leaves away from text, old ownership name inscriptions of John Hughes (to title), Joseph Green, rector of Welford, Gloucestershire, and John Hughes to four additional note leaves tipped in at front, inscribed in pencil 'Hopkins 1847' [by Thomas Phillipps] above Green's name and inscription, contemporary gilt-panelled limp vellum, heavily rubbed and soiled, lacking ties, slim 8voQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: John Hughes, Joseph Green [Thomas Phillipps] and John Hughes (inscriptions).STC 20166. Only edition. Thomas Powell was a notable poet, man of letters and legal antiquarian. In this work, the author offers guidance to lawyers concerning the location and use of records, an important aspect of early English legal education.

Drayton (Michael). Poly Olbion. or A Chorographical Description of the Tracts, Rivers, Mountaines, Forests and other Parts of this renowned Isle of Great Britaine, With intermixture of the most Remarquable Stories, Antiquities, Wonders, Rarityes, Pleasures and Commodities of the Same; Digested in a poem, London: Printed by H. L. for Mathew Lownes, J. Browne, J. Hulme and J. Busbie, 1613, title-page with a near contemporary manuscript signature crossed through, woodcut printer's device, one short closed tear affecting the printed image, additional decorative allegorical half-title engraved by W. Hole, facing a page of descriptive text 'Upon the Frontispice', dedication to and portrait of Prince Henry, four leaves of 'The Table', fourth leaf repaired to upper margin, 18 double-page engraved allegorical maps (complete), occasional contemporary ink marginalia, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front blank, additional bookplate of Earl Manvers, Thoresby Park Notts to front pastedown, hinges cracked, contemporary full calf with 19th century reback, gilt morocco label to spine, bumped and slight wear to extremities, folio QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Charles Philip Medows (1737-1816), created Earl Manvers in 1806, Thoresby Park, Nottinghamshire (bookplate); W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).Chubb XXXIV; STC 7226; ESTC S121632. A reissue of the 1612 edition, with added letterpress, title page and index. In this issue, the plates have page numbers and the portrait of Henry Frederick has his name. Large Paper copy.

Jonson (Ben). Works, 1st collected edition, 3 volumes: The Workes of Beniamin Jonson, London: Imprinted at London by Will Stansby, 1616, The Workes of Benjamin Jonson, London: Printed by Richard Bishop, and are to be sold by Andrew Crooke in St. Paules Church-yard, 1640, & The Workes of Benjamin Johnson, The second Volume. Containing these playes, viz. 1 Bartholomew Fayre. 2 The Staple of Newes. 3 The Divell is an Asse. London: Printed for Richard Meighen, 1631– 1640 [i.e., 1641], The Workes of Benjamin Jonson, London: Printed by Richard Bishop, and are to be sold by Andrew Crooke in St. Paules Church-yard, 1640, volume 1: [12], 1015 pp. (¶6, A-Pppp6, Qqqq4), engraved allegorical title by William Hole (a good strong impression), with engraved armorial bookplate of Sir Richard Newdigate of Arbery in the County of Warwick Baronet (dated 1709) pasted to verso, woodcut title for Every Man out of his Humour at page 73 in first state, woodcut initials, E6 (page 59-60) thinned with small vertical hairline tears without loss, Xx6 (page 527-528) with minor loss to lower outer blank corner, not affecting text, Yy2 (page 531-532) with loss to lower outer blank corner, not affecting text, contemporary marginal annotation in brown ink to Mmm4 (page 692) and numerous early marginal marks in brown ink (some in pencil) between pages 683 and 760 (the text of Catiline), front and rear pastedowns from an Latin incunable text, contemporary ink ownership signature of John Newdigate to front endpaper, with annotation adjacent 'Trin Coll' and numeral '359,6', engraved armorial bokplate of Sr Roger Newdigate Bart to front pastedown, and adjacent later printed bookplate of Lillian Barbour Bennett, all edges red with manuscript library shelfmark to fore-edge 'B : I : PL : 359', contemporary blind-panelled and blind-decorated full calf, with remains of original ties, rubbed and some wear to edges, volume 2: general printed title with woodcut printer's device (McKerrow 339), the individual plays each with separate printed title, except Christmas His Masque with drop-title, the printed titles to three plays listed on the main title (Bartholomew Fayre, The Staple of Newes, The Divell is an Asse) with woodcut printer's device (McKerrow 374), woodcut initials and headpieces, a few minor marks, front endpaper loose, early (late 17th or early 18th century) ownership signature to front pastedown 'J Perfect's Book', volume 3: engraved portrait of the author [A1], engraved titlepage bearing the imprint of Richard Bishop and Andrew Crooke, a few marks and minor dampstains, volumes 2 and 3 bound in matching late 17th or early 18th century blind-panelled full calf, rubbed and some wear to edges, outer corners renewed, all three volumes with later (20th century) antique-style uniform calf gilt reback, folio QTY: (3)NOTE:Provenance (volume one): John Newdigate (1600 – 29 November 1642), English politician and poet, second child and eldest son of Sir John Newdigate of Arbury Hall, Chilvers Coton, Warwickshire and his wife Anne. He matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford on 6 November 1618, aged 18 and was a student of Gray's Inn and of the Inner Temple in 1620 (ownership signature to first volume); Sir Richard Newdigate (1644-1710), of Arbery in the county of Warwick, 2nd Baronet (engraved bookplate dated 1709 to verso of title to first volume); Sir Roger Newdigate (1719-1806), 5th baronet of Harefield (in Middlesex) and Arbury (in Warwickshire), English antiquary, and founder of the Newdigate Prize at Oxford University (bookplate to front pastedown of first volume).STC 14751 & 14754; ESTC S126501 & S111824; Greg III, pp. 1070 & 1076; Grolier/English 35; Pforzheimer 559 & 560.The first collected edition of Jonson's plays, masques, entertainments and non-dramatic poetry, second in importance only to Shakespeare’s folios in 17th century English drama. The publication of a collected "Workes" in folio, its title-page adorned with classical motifs, was a typically audacious move by Jonson, especially because he included in it nine plays written for the commercial theatre. In his first folio Jonson presents his stage plays as serious works of literature, a crucial step in establishing the literary credentials of the public theatre, often dismissed as ephemeral at the time; one contemporary responded to the publication with a distich: "Pray tell me Ben, where does the mystery lurk/What others call a play, you call a work?" Jonson's 1616 folio stood as a precedent for other play collections that followed—notably the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays in 1623, and the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio in 1647. When Heminges and Condell came to prepare the Shakespeare First Folio, Jonson himself provided commendatory verses. Shakespeare's name appears twice in Jonson's folio, listed among the principal players for Every Man in his Humour and Sejanus.Two further folio collections of Jonson's works were issued in 1640-41. The first, printed by Richard Bishop for Andrew Crooke, was a 1640 reprint of the 1616 folio with corrections and emendations; it has thus sometimes been termed the second edition of the first folio. The second volume was edited by Jonson's literary executor Sir Kenelm Digby, and published by Richard Meighen, in co-operation with Chetwinde. That volume contained later works, most of them unpublished or uncollected previously—seven plays (including the three printed in 1631), two of them incomplete, and fifteen masques, plus miscellaneous pieces. In the Digby/Meighen volume—identified on its title page as the 'Second Volume' of Jonson's works—the varying dates (1631, 1640, 1641) in some of the texts, and what has been called "irregularity in contents and arrangement in different copies," have caused significant confusion.

Index of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). Catena aurea in quatuor Evangelia, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum, [France, 14th century], ii + 42 + xi leaves, with original foliation in ink Roman numerals from ‘viiij’ to ‘cc’, collation: 18-6 (the outer bifolium of a quire, ff. 9 and 16), 28 (ff. 25–32), 3–48 (ff. 97–112), 58 (ff. 137–144), 68 (ff. 193–200), ornamented catchwords; ruled in ink for two columns of 44 lines, the ruled space approximately 220 × 120 mm, written in gothic script, with frequent calligraphic flourishes on the top and bottom lines, cadels sometimes enclosing human faces, the first head-word of each letter of the alphabet decorated with a flourished three-line puzzle initial in red and blue (M, f. 104; U, 197), each subsequent head-word with a two-line initial alternately blue or red with flourishing in the other colour, the entries under each headword usually labelled in the margins with consecutive large and calligraphic letters of the alphabet, often ornamented with leaves; some mild water-staining in the upper margin, not affecting legibility, marbled endpapers, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey on the front pastedown and old (?Sotheby’s) auction catalogue description tipped onto first flyleaf, 19th-century English dark purple half calf over cloth, spine titled in gilt capitals ‘Index Evangelicus M.S. Saec. XIV’, minor rubbing, some edge wear, folio (305 × 205 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate). The text opens mid-sentence at ‘aliquis commutare animam vero perdens …’ (Thomas Aquinas, Catena aurea in Marcum); the first full paragraph begins ‘Si de civitate in civitatem transeuntes …’ (Catena aurea in Lucam), and the first head-word is ‘Anima Christi’, which begins ‘Absit a fidelibus ista suspicio …’ (Catena aurea in Mattheum); the following text has many gaps, and ends mid-sentence with a catchword at ‘ … Quia enim falli volunt et fallere’ (Catena aurea in Ioannem). The surviving parts include head-words beginning A–B, C, I–M, P, and T–U. The Catena Aurea (Golden Chain) is a commentary on the four Gospels compiled from the writings of the Church Fathers and other patristic authors, including Origen, Cyril of Alexandria, and Bede. It treats each gospel in turn, in the order of their chapters and verses, so the value of an index combining key concepts and words of all four gospels is plain. We have not been able to identify another such index.

Book of Hours, Use of Rouen, in Latin. Illuminated manuscript on vellum, [Northern France: Rouen, c. 1450], 108 leaves, incomplete, written in a gothic textura script, single column, (foliated 1-108 in modern pencil), the majority double-sided and ruled in red for 16 lines per page (c. 100 x 62 mm), initial 12 leaves comprising calendar, folio 13 begins mid-sentence 'mundus perip[u]m factus', numerous one-line initials and line fillers in gilt and colours throughout, three pages with larger initials and foliate decoration to gutter margin and also to upper and lower margins, one other page with foliate decoration to gutter margin, evidence of leaf removal between folios numbered 53 & 54 and folios 55 & 56, few minor worm holes to first and last few leaves, occasional light dust-soiling and minor marks, two blank leaves at front and rear (rear two ruled and one laid down to lower board, initial blank vellum free endpaper with early ownership inscription 'Ces matines appartienent a maistre francois phellippe bourgeois dargen', front pastedown with burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey applied to a piece of vellum overlaying bookplate bearing initials G. R., 17th-century(?) vellum, joints split, 8vo (190 x 135 mm), contained in modern half calf solander box, gilt decorated spine to box and titled 'Horae B. V. M., fifteenth century'QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Francois Phellippe, burgess, either of Strasburg, or of the several Argenteuils (inscription); 'G. R.' (bookplate); W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).

* Ecton (John, died 1730). Ecclesiastical administrator. Two vellum deeds with great seals of George I and George II, 1717 & 1727, the first an Appointment (letters patent) of John Ecton, esquire, as collector or receiver of the tenths on behalf of the Governors of Queen Anne’s Bounty, 6 December 1717, at the request of the governors of Queen Anne’s Bounty at a salary of £300 a year; recites an Act of Parliament establishing the post (3 Geo. I c10), 1716, steel-engraved border incorporating the royal arms and a portrait of George I in armour, subscribed: entered in the office of the auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer by [George Montagu, first earl of] Halifax, 17 February 1718; enrolled in the office of the Clerk of the Pells by Thomas Sadler, deputy Clerk of the Pells, 21 February 1718; enrolled in the office of Edward Harley [joint] auditor [of the Imprests] by Jeremiah Oackeley, deputy auditor, 15 March 1718; enrolled in the office of T[homas] Foley, esquire, [joint] auditor [of the Imprests] by Duke Parsons, deputy auditor, 10 April 1718, 57 x 73 cm, substantial fragments of the great seal appended, together with: Revocation and re-grant of the above grant, which is recited, 15 September 1727, steel-engraved border incorporating the royal arms and a portrait of George II in robes, subscribed: entered in the office of the auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer by [George Montagu, first earl of] Halifax, 8 November 1727; enrolled in the office of the Clerk of the Pells by Thomas Sadler, deputy Clerk of the Pells, 7 December 1727; enrolled in the office of Thomas Foley, esquire, [joint] auditor [of the Imprests] by Duke Parsons, deputy auditor, 23 January 1728; enrolled in the office of Edward Harley [joint] auditor [of the Imprests] by Edward Bansham, deputy auditor, 16 January 1730, 59.5 x 80 cm, entire great seal of George II n yellow wax in a tin skippet QTY: (2)NOTE:'John Ecton (d. 1730), ecclesiastical administrator, was a native of Winchester. By 1711 he was deputy remembrancer of first fruits in the office of Queen Anne's Bounty when he published Liber valorum et decimarum; being an account of the valuations and yearly tenths of all such ecclesiastical benefices in England and Wales as now stand chargeable with the payment of first-fruits and tenths. ... A good antiquary and musician, Ecton was elected FSA on 29 March 1723 and was admitted in November 1723. He died at Turnham Green, Middlesex, on 20 August 1730. His will, dated 7 July 1730, in which he asked to be buried in Winchester Cathedral, was proved at London on 8 September 1730 by his widow, Dorothea Ecton. He appears to have left no surviving children and he bequeathed all his ‘manuscript bookes, papers, and collections’ to his wife and Dr Edward Butler, vice-chancellor of Oxford University, with the request that those likely to prove useful might be published. He left his collection of music and musical instruments to James Kent, the church composer. His library was sold in 1735' (ODNB).

Feuillet (Raoul-Auger). The Art of Dancing, demonstrated by Characters and Figures, Done from the French ... by P. Siris, London: for the Author, 1706, 41 numbered engraved plates (26 double-sided), slightly toned, some light spotting (mainly affecting text), plate 8 with early ink manuscript letters (A to F) neatly added, top edge gilt, 20th-century green moroccowith wide gilt decorated turn-ins by Zaehnsdorf, somewhat faded and rubbed, with small loss and tear at head of spine, 4toQTY: (1)NOTE:ESTC T133602.

Premonstratensian Order. Annales Canonici et Candidi Ordinis Premonstratensis et Vita Sancti Norberti, cum Calendario continente fundatores, Abbates, et Viri Illustres Ordinis Praemonstratensis, 17th century, 153 leaves, manuscript on paper, written in a small French hand, with some coats of arms in trick, ruled in red throughout, large initial ‘I’ in red on first page, a few other large initial spaces left blank, calendar at rear (largely left blank), pp. 7-8 detached, very occasional browning and old water stains, Phillipps MS 8269 inscribed to first blank page recto, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, contemporary doeskin, upper cover stained, some soiling and wear, spine deficient and joints weak, folio (285 x 190 mm), preserved in a 20th-century green pigskin slipcase lettered in gilt and housed in a gilt-titled green morocco-backed cloth book box, rubbed, 32.5 x 23.5 cmQTY: (1)NOTE:Phillipps MS 8269 (inscription); W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).A rare and important manuscript chronicle of the origins of the Premonstratensian Order, covering 1120-155, with the history of the foundation of the different monasteries in England, France, Germany, and a life of Saint Norbert.The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons, is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church founded in Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert of Xanten (c. 1075-1134), who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg. Beeleigh Abbey was constructed for the Order in 1180.

[Devereux, Robert, second Earl of Essex, 1566-1601]. Manuscript volume containing a variety of copies of earlier documents by and about the Earl of Essex, circa 1620-30, including contemporary reports of parliamentary affairs, 'The Earle of Essex, his appearance… at the Lord Keepers House, 1600 (16pp.), 'The Arraignments of ye Earle of Essex and Southampton in Westminster Hall ye 19th day of February 1600' (22pp.), Advise to his Sonne' (17 pp.), ‘A description of the arraignment of the Duke of Norff.’ (10pp.), a poem beginning 'All that have eyes now wake and weepe’, copies of personal letters from Sir Charles Cornwallis, etc., a total of 139 pages written in more than one neat hand, the pieces with varying numbers of blanks between pieces and sections, a total of 225 blank pages, the hands all legible except 15 pages in thicker ink with loss of legibility due to bleeding and smudging, armorial bookplate of the Wodehouse family (‘frappe forte’) to front pastedown with old ink inscription ‘Wodehouse, Kimberley, 1838’ written on the bookplate, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front flyleaf recto and two quotations from the cleric Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) to verso in an 18th-century hand, 19th-century calf with gilt-titled spine, original calf covers relaid with gilt-tooled lozenge design to centre of both covers, rubbed, small 4to (195 x 137 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Wodehouse family, earls of Kimberley (bookplate); W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).A very rare collection of pieces, in particular a highly important series of documents recording the offences of Essex which led to his arraignment and the culmination of his close relationship with the queen culminating in her signing his death warrant. After his return from Ireland in 1599 Essex was brought before a specially constituted court which preferred three specific charges against him. All material relating to his arrest and trial is of special interest on account of the paucity of the material available.‘No full report of these proceedings is extant. Bacon drew up an apparently complete account, but only a fragment dealing with the first charge (the journey into Munster) survives. The rest has to be gathered chiefly from Fynes Morison's ‘History of Ireland' and paroled accounts of Essex's Irish action published officially after his death. The gist of the accusations lay in the negotiations with Tyrone, and no authentic record of these is accessible’ (ODNB). The accounts as given in the present manuscript volume include speeches by Essex and by Bacon and references to Tyrone.Although most of the volume appears to have been written in the 1620s several of the pieces appear to be copies originally penned at an earlier date. Bacon, for instance, is never 'Lord Verulam’ but always 'Mr. Bacon’. Francis Bacon was created Baron Verulam of Verulam in 1618.Towards the end of the volume the collection includes several letters from the English courtier and diplomat Charles Cornwallis (died 1629) which are personal, one, presumably to his first wife, Elizabeth, ending ‘Faythfull and affectionate husbande’ (22 July 1614). This letter would have been written one month after he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Cornwallis had been suspected of fanning the parliamentary opposition to the king. John Hoskins, who had made himself conspicuous in the House of Commons of England by his denunciation of Scots and Scottish institutions, declared when arrested that he was Cornwallis's agent. Cornwallis disclaimed all knowledge of Hoskins, but admitted that he had procured the election of another member of parliament, and had supplied him with notes for a speech against recusants and Scotchmen. The privy council placed Cornwallis under arrest in June 1614, and he was imprisoned in the Tower of London for a year, with Hoskins and Leonel Sharp.The untitled poem is a known epitaph (or perhaps two) on King James, and so originally written after his death in 1625. The poem is now ascribed to George Morley (1598-1684): [An Epitaph upon King James], beginning ‘All that have eyes now wake and weep’, 22 lines; and another of 10 lines, running on with no separate heading, beginning ‘For two and twenty yeares, long care’. They were published consecutively as two separate pieces with minor text variations in William Camden's Remaines (London, 1637), pp. 398-99. The Catalogue of English Literary Manuscripts 1450-1700 online refers to it as 22 lines and notes: ‘Attributed to Edward Fairfax in The Fairfax Correspondence, ed. George Johnson (1848), … [but] The poem is generally ascribed to George Morley’. All 32 lines are published as one piece and attributed to Edward Fairfax in William Grainge, Daemonologia: A Discourse on Witchcraft… (Harrogate, 1882), pp. 18-19.

Fore-edge paintings. The Oeconomy of Human Life. Translated from an Indian Manuscript, written by an ancient Bramin. To which is Prefixed an Account of the Manner in which the said Manuscript was Discovered. In a Letter from an English Gentleman now Residing in China to the Earl of E****, [by Robert Dodsley], London: S. & E. Harding, 1795, half-title, and advertisement leaf in preliminaries, stipple-engraved illustrations throughout, old water staining and some spotting throughout, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W.A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, all edges gilt with double fore-edge paintings to each edge (six in total), contemporary gilt-decorated black morocco, rubbed, joints tender, slightly frayed at head and foot of spine, 8voQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: W.A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).A rare example of a book with each edge having a double fore-edge painting. The principal paintings on the fore-edge show the outskirts of a village with two figures by a bridge over a river and a windmill, the opposing painting a river scene with a fisherman on a boat and a church with a spire in the distant background. The top and bottom edges show more indistinct fore-edges of generic countryside.

Collier (John Payne). Trilogy. Conversations between Three Friends on the emendations of Shakespeare's text contained in Mr. Collier's Corrected Folio, 1632, and employed by recent editors of the poet's works, printed for private circulation only, London: T. Richards, [1874], three parts in one volume (comedies, histories, and tragedies), top edge gilt, inside gilt dentells, bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, near-contemporary gilt-decorated dark blue crushed full morocco (unsigned), some abrasions to lower board edges (generally in excellent condition), small 4toQTY: (1)NOTE:Limited to 25 copies printed for private circulation. Collier's Trilogy offers further defense of the spurious contemporary annotations to the so-called Perkins 1632 folio edition of Shakespeare, to show how many of its manuscript readings have been adopted by significant editors of Shakespeare such as Dice. Collier's annotated 1632 folio was however unmasked as a fabrication, and his literary pretensions as a consequence, significantly demoted. See Arthur and Janet Freeman, John Payne Collier, Scholarship and Forgery in the Nineteenth Century (Yale University Press, 2004).Rare. No copy at auction since 1964.On 31 January 1852, John Payne Collier announced in the Athenaeum that he had discovered in a copy of the Second Folio of Shakespeare a large number of emendations 17th-century hand. The original is now in the Huntington Library.

[Noble, Charles Frederick]. A Voyage to the East Indies in 1747 and 1748. Containing an account of the Islands of St. Helena and Java. Of the City of Batavia. Of the government and political conduct of the Dutch. Of the Empire of China, with a particular description of Canton, and of the religious ceremonies, manners and customs of the inhabitants. Interspersed with many useful and curious observations and anecdotes, 1st edition, London: printed for T. Becket, P.A. Dehondt & T. Durham, 1762, 11 engraved plates, including a folding view of Batavia, 'Directions to the Binder' leaf at end, some light offsetting and spotting, Mission House Library label to front pastedown, manuscript shelf number to front endpaper, contemporary calf gilt, rebacked in lighter modern calf, residue from label removal at base of spine, covers with some corner wear and stains, 8voQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: W. A, Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey.ESTC T145010; Lowendahl 623; Lust 348.

Codrington (Robert). [The Life and Death, of the illustrious Robert Earl of Essex, & c.conatining at large the wars he managed, and the commands he had in Holland, the Palatinate, and in England. Together with some wonderfull observations both of himselfe, and his predecessors, and many most remarkable passages from his infancie, unto the day of his death, London: F. Leach, for L. Chapman, 1646], additional engraved title ('A Mournefull Cloud over vaylinge the face of England for the sorrowfull death of his Exelence Robert Devourux Earle of Essex... Lord General of all the Parlaments forces & c and died ye 24 of September 1646'), lacks A1-2 (printed title and dedication to Walter Devereux), 50 pp. of text (B-G4, H1), lacks final blank (H2), a few leaves close-trimmed to upper or lower margin, occasionally touching page number at head or catch-word at foot, a few contemporary marginal annotations in brown ink, including inscription to verso of engraved title 'To Mr. John Tempest aboard of the marlin friggot', which is repeated and followed by 'Dunkirke, ye Mr Chr. Hutchinson's master of Thomas Hutchinson', disbound without covers, small 4to, together with:[Sibbald, Robert]. The Liberty and Independency of the Kingdom and Church of Scotland, Asserted from Ancient Records. To which is added a Speech at the Proclamation of K. James concerning the Succession to the Crown of England, 1st edition, Edinburgh: Andrew Symson for Henry Knox, David Freebairn and John Vallange, [1702], title and dedication torn with losses and laid down (title partly completed in manuscript), bound with two other related works, the first beginning on A2 with drop-head title 'The true copies of a speache made with F. H. Esquier, the abstract wherof was delivered on Wednesdaie the 30 of March after the Proclamation of the Kings most excellent Majesty in the County of Essex', the second work 'Defence of the Independency of the Church of Scotland, the second Part', Edinburgh, 1703, some soiling and spotting, later marbled boards with calf label to spine, manuscript labels to upper cover, a little rubbed, small 4toQTY: (2)NOTE:Provenance (first work): Probably John Tempest of Stella Hall, Blaydon, county Durham, a staunch royalist and Roman Catholic (1623-1697), only son of Sir Thomas Tempest (1594-circa 1652). During the English Civil War, John Tempest commanded a Regiment of Foot in the Marquess of Newcastle's army, and fought at the Battle of Marston Moor. He was Governor of Skipton Castle when it surrendered to Parliament on 21 December 1645. W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).First work: Wing C4877; Thomason E358[7]; second work, first title ESTC T083147.

Arms of Essex. An incomplete manuscript volume of arms and pedigrees of Essex families from the Visitation of Essex, 1634, [6], 51 leaves, manuscript on paper, numerous coats-of-arms in trick, title and index leaves at front, contemporary foliation, lacking folios 52-65 [as inferred from the Index at front], manuscript heading at top of folio 1, 'These desents following were taken in the last visitacon made for the county of Essex by George Owen als Yorke Herauld and Hen:Lilly Rouge Rose A[nn]o 1634', some soiling and old damp staining, some bluish ink staining to upper margins of folios 35-42, not affecting legibility of text, minor marginal chipping and fraying with a few old discreet repairs, armorial bookplate of Evelyn Philip Shirley (1812-1882) and burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, the Shirley bookplate with 'no. 127' written at foot, late 19th-century vellum gilt, folio (315 x 212 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Evelyn Philip Shirley (bookplate); W.A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).Henry Lilly (died 1638), Rouge-dragon pursuivant was employed with George Owen, York herald, in 1634, to visit Essex and Worcestershire for Sir Richard St. George, Clarenciux, and Sir John Borough, Norroy. The Essex visitation was printed in volume 13 of the 'Publications of the Harleian Society'.Catalogue amendment: Please note that the Index refers to names on folios 52-65. These leaves are not present, the text ending with folio 51v.

Manuscript History of France. Histoire de France [so titled to upper cover], manuscript on vellum, French, circa 1470s, 117 leaves, 238 x 163 mm (9 3/8 x 6 1/2 ins), manuscript text in French in dark brown ink, the first leaf illuminated in gold and colours, with blason of the Comtes de Vermandois held aloft by two monkeys (one on either side), surrounded by elaborate foliate decoration incorporating flowers and strawberries, a bird and snail to right margin, small dragon to lower margin and large decorative initial in red, blue and gold, two further large decorative initials to folio 8 recto and folio 20 verso, numerous small initals in red and gold, and blue and gold throughout, contemporary miniscule annotations to margins in light brown ink, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to verso of front cover, and additionally marked in pencil above 'De Froyle' and '6926 Ph' (in two different hands), old limp vellum ((probably 17th century) with yapp fore-edges, decorative gilt lozenge to centre of each cover, upper cover with manuscript title in brown ink 'Histoire de France', modern black morocco labels to spine 'Histoire de France' and '14 Cent.', 4to (245 x 170 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Comte de Vermandois, ancient noble French family in northern France to the east of Amiens, straddling the present-day départements of the Oise and Aisne; Sir Thomas Philipps (1792-1872), his pencil inscription to inside front cover '6926Ph'; W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).Munby Phillipps Manuscripts 6926: 'Histoire de la Creation du Monde ad an.1314. 1st page illum. with a Coat Chequy O. et Az. the shield held by two monkeys n. fol. V. S. XV'.Rare, possibly unique text. A fine manuscript history of France, written in French, beginning with the foundation of the Roman empire, taken from the text of the 4th century A.D. historian Orosius, and continued up to 1314. The text begins: 'De la creation du monde iusques a la fondacion de romme selon orose eut quatre mille quatre cens quatres vingts et quatre ans...'. The penultimate leaf 116 reads in part (approximate transcription): 'L'an mil iii. viii. le tour saint benoist abbe. led. pape fift publier a carpentras ou la court pour lois estoit lesd. constitucione quil avoit fait faux et avoit ordonne qui sen fust fait ung livre qui voulloit nomer le vii decretalles. Mais il comenca destue ma ladif dont il morut apres qui ceust tem le siege viii. ans v. mois. xv. jos au chasteau de la roche maur a la fine du Rosne de la partie du royaulme et fut son corps porte a carpentras la ou la court estoit. Et apres en gascoigne en ung lieu ma dame de vierte ou il avoit fonde ung collige de chanoines seculiers ou diocesse de busars et y avoit choisie la sepulture lieuasses sterile et vaste. Et ne peut envoyer le livre aux universitee et estudes generaulx aux escolliers come il est de coustume. Mais Jhan xxii. son sucesseur. le fift et la noma clementines au nom de son predecesseur come il est contenu au dit livre. L'an mil. iii. Xiiii veille saint andre morut phe. roy de France a ung chasteau nome defront la ou il estoit ne en cestuy monde et luy succeda au roy de France. Loys son ainsne fils qui aussy estoit roy de navarra. Ladite annemesmee au darnier jour davril qui fut veille de lascencion. En geuraud de marinhe chlr. de normendie a cause de maintes accusations contre luy faictes. fut juge a pendre et executer. qui au temps de Phe. avoit tant de gouvernemant q ceulx qui voulloit estoient princes...'The history ends with the death of Philip IV in 1314, and the accession of Louis X of France 'the Quarrelsome'.

Book of Hours, Unidentified Use, in Latin. Illuminated manuscript on vellum, [France: Angers, c. 1460s], i + 155 + i leaves, with catchwords, lacking the calendar and other leaves with illumination, perhaps including miniatures, some leaves bound out of place; part of f. 96 excised; 13 lines per page written in a fine gothic textura script (c. 50 × 35 mm); illuminated throughout with one- and two-line initials, and with LARGE ILLUMINATED INITIALS CONTAINING FLOWERS ACCOMPANIED BY A BORDER (ff. 1r, 52r, 56v, 61r, 70r, 143v); some smudging of pigments, the vellum generally slightly cockled and thumbed, with a few small holes and a few stains from rusted paper clips, a few leaves becoming loose, decorated gilt endpapers, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey, 16th-century red velvet, each cover with gilt metal corner- and centre-pieces, the spine with a pierced metal panel and the fore-edge with intact clasp, the velvet worn and the metal tarnished, but sound overall, small 8vo (108 × 78 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance:Doubtless made at Angers, to judge by the style of illumination and a prayer that includes the names of at least five bishop-saints of Angers (f. 152v): Maurilius, Renatus, Albinus, Licinius, and Magnobod; others are Maurice (to whom Angers Cathedral is dedicated) and the rare Serenedus (venerated at Angers); the litany includes most of the same saints. Despite this, neither the Hours of the Virgin nor the Office of the Dead seem to be the normal texts for the Use of Angers, which suggests that the book may have been made for a nearby town that followed a different liturgy.Sold at Sotheby’s, 16 May 1955, lot 92 (lot 90 in the same sale was also in the Foyle collection and is now at the Bodleian Library, Oxford).W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).Hours of the Virgin (f. 1r), Lauds followed by suffrages to Sts Michael, Peter & Paul, Sebastian, Nicholas, Mary Magdalene, and Catherine; Hours of the Cross (f. 47r) and of the Spirit intermixed; Seven Penitential Psalms (f. 78r); Litany (f. 92v); Office of the Dead (f. 101r); Obsecro te (f. 143v); the usual extract from St John’s Gospel (f. 148v); prayers (f. 151r), including one mentioning Angers saints, one to St Barbara in rhyming verse, and another to St Martin.Although defective, this is a substantially complete medieval illuminated Book of Hours, in an unusual binding and with some unusual texts, whose very incompleteness makes it ideal for study and research.

Bury (T. T.). Six Coloured Views on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, with a Plate of the Coaches, Machines &c. from Drawings made on the Spot..., published and sold by R. Ackermann, 1831 [1833], printed title, seven aquatint plates by H. Pyall after T. T. Bury, all with bright contemporary hand colouring, one plate (number 4) with slight staining to the margins, bound with two additional folding plates with bright contemporary hand-colouring, viz. 'Travelling on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway - A Train of the First Class of Carriages with the Mail..., [and] A Train of Waggons and Goods &c. &c.', both engraved by S. G. Hughes after J. Shaw and both dated 1833, with two pen and ink profiles of carriages tipped in at rear, each drawing with manuscript details of the scale below the image and signed J. Croall, each approximately 150 x 220 mm, slight damp staining to endpapers, pastedowns and title page, contemporary half calf gilt, worn and bumped at extremities, slim 4toQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance W. A. Foyle. Belleigh Abbey. Tooley 120. Abbey Life 400.

Mathematics Notebook. A manuscript maths and commonplace notebook, seemingly compiled by Robert Parker, of Elwick, County Durham, mid 18th century, the first part of the book comprising exercises in arithmetic, geometry, algebra, etc., a total of approximately 120 pages plus some blanks, the final 60 pages completed in larger script and including copy letters of R. Parker including one to his brother Sir Thomas Parker, some spotting throughout, ink notes and partial index at front and rear, written by A.J. Ellison, Lincoln's Inn, 1904, armorial bookplate of Henry Bell, Newcastle upon Tyne to front free endpaper, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W.A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, 19th-century vellum by C. & C. McLeish, gilt-titled spine, partly rubbed and soiled, small 4to (200 x 155 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Henry Bell (bookplate); A.J. Ellison (inscriptions); W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).Dr Robert Parker (1703-1776) became rector of Elwick, Co. Durham in 1741. He was the brother of Sir Thomas Parker (c. 1695-1784), Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

* Privy Council Warrant. A manuscript Privy Council warrant to Lord Buckhurst, Lord High Treasurer of England, 26 May 1601, authorising payment of conduct money and the conditioning of 20 soldiers to the county of Monmouth, signed by 7 members of the Privy Council, John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury ('Jo:Cant'), Thomas Egerton, Baron Ellesmere & Viscount Brackley, Lord High Chancellor of England ('Tho. Egerton'), Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset ('T. Buckhurst'), Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury ('Ro: Cecyll'), Sir John Fortescue ('Fortescu'), Sir John Popham, Chief Justice of the King's Bench ('J. Popham'), and J. Herbert, initialled note by Lord Buckhurst at foot, 'Mr Skinner make an order', some spotting and soiling, two careful long, closed tear repairs (one long tear through all of text and one shorter tear touching 'Popham', but neither with loss of text), 1 page with integral address and docket leaf (soiled and seal tear), folio (305 x 202 mm), tipped into a folder and presented as a book with typed title-page in red and black and typed biographies of the first 6 signers on rectos of 9 leaves, tipped-in engraved portrait frontispiece of Queen Elizabeth by P. Vanderbanck after E. Lutterell (heavy spotting), plus later portraits of John Whitgift, Thomas Egerton, Thomas Sackville and Robert Cecil, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, 20th-century blue quarter morocco over cloth with gilt-titled spine, a little rubbed, folio (39 x 25 cm) QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).An important state paper relating to the unrest caused by the Essex Rebellion, for which the Earl of Essex was beheaded that same year. The document refers to the levy of twenty soldiers in Monmouth for service at Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland, and the charges disbursed by Monmouth county for them.

Book of Hours, Use of Rome, in Latin. Illuminated manuscript on vellum [Southern Netherlands, probably Bruges, c. 1460], ii + 74 + ii leaves, lacking a calendar and an uncertain number of other leaves, probably including miniatures, foliated in 19th-century red ink; ruled in purple-red ink for 19 lines per page, the ruled space 103 × 60 mm, written in a gothic textura script, with some very calligraphic flourishes (e.g. f. 1v), ILLUMINATED WITH ONE FULL-PAGE MINIATURE, LARGE FOLIATE INITIALS AND FULL BORDERS at the main textual divisions (ff. 1r, 3r, 6r, 49r), and with two-sided borders at the seven individual hours, plus the two prayers at the end; hundreds of one- and two-line illuminated initials throughout. marbled endpapers, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey, all edges gilt, early 19th-century Italian red leather, the covers with a wide gilt frame of palmettes, the front cover with ‘Anna. Bays.’ and the spine with ‘Uffizio’ in gilt capitals, 8vo (174 x 122 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance:Anna Bays (name on front cover).? Count Carlo Francesco Giacinto Caissotti di Chiusano (1754–1831): bought by ‘Caissotti di Chiusano’ for 24 lire in 1827 (inscription on front flyleaf).W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).Text:Hours of the Cross (f. 1r), and of the Holy Spirit (f. 3r); Mass of the Virgin (f. 6r); Hours of the Virgin (f. 14r), with Lauds (f. 21r), Prime (f. 29v), Terce (f. 32v), Sext (f. 35r), None (f. 37r), Vespers (f. 39v), and Compline (f. 44v); full-page miniature (f. 48v) and Seven Penitential Psalms (f. 49r), followed (f. 57r) by a Litany of saints; Office of the Dead (f. 60r); prayers ‘Obsecro te’ (f. 70v) and ‘O intemerata’ (f. 73v), both using masculine forms.Illumination:The decoration of this manuscript is typical of the mid-level works produced in large numbers in 15th-century Bruges both for locals and for visitors to the major trading town. The style of the surviving full-page miniature is related to that of the so-called Master of the Beady Eyes, which, with that of Willem Vrelant, was dominant in Bruges in the third quarter of the 15th century. An unusual feature of the present book is that the miniature is part of an integral bifolium, ruled for text, rather than a single leaf, blank on the back, as would be expected in Flanders at this date. This suggests that the book was produced by a stationer to sell ‘off-the-peg’, rather than to be customised with the insertion of miniatures according to the customer’s taste and pocket. The image shows the Last Judgement: Christ sits on an arc blessing, displaying his wounds, with a lily and a sword at his mouth, praised by the Virgin and John the Baptist, while souls rise from their graves.

Beaumont (Francis and Fletcher, John). Comedies and Tragedies written by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher Gentlemen. Never printed before, and now published by the Authours Originall Copies, 1st edition, London: Printed for Humphrey Robinson at the three Pidgeons, and for Humphrey Moseley at the Princes Armes in St Pauls Church-yard, 1647, engraved portrait frontispiece of John Fletcher by Berkenhead after William Marshall, woodcut head- and tail-pieces, woodcut initials, text in double column, a tall copy with good margins, all edges gilt, bookplate of Annie Winifred Ellerman (known as Bryher) to front pastedown, inside gilt dentelles, fine crimson levant full morocco extra by Riviere, spine richly gilt, folio QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Annie Winifred Ellerman, known as Bryher (1894-1983), novelist and poet; Chas. J. Sawyer, Catalogue 257, 1961, item 10 (original printed catalogue description loosely inserted); W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).An independently wealthy philanthropist with literary aspirations, Bryher lived in Lowndes Square, London with the American poet Hilda Doolittle (H.D.) and her husband Kenneth Macpherson. She played an important backstage hand in the publication of Joyce's Ulysses, supporting Joyce and his family with a monthly allowance as well as providing much needed financial backing to Sylvia Beach's Shakespeare & Co.Wing B1581; ESTC R22900; Pforzheimer 53; Greg III,1013; Grolier/English 28.First edition of the collected plays of Beaumont and Fletcher—the third great folio collection of Elizabethan drama after those of Ben Jonson (1616) and William Shakespeare (1623), and 'almost equal in importance in English literature to the First Folio of Shakespeare' (Rosenbach 25: 7). The playwrights Beaumont and Fletcher were regarded in their time as two men so closely in harmony as to constitute one mind: 'Beaumont bringing the ballast of judgement, Fletcher the sail of phantasy… He who has not perused Beaumont and Fletcher can have no complete idea of the riches of English poetry' (Allibone I, 150-151).This first collected edition of Beaumont and Fletcher’s plays was, like that of Shakespeare, published posthumously and dedicated by ten actors (including John Lowin and Richard Robinson) to Philip, Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, and with an Address to the Reader by James Shirley (the Dramatist) who is generally regarded as the editor of the work. 'This edition, which is said to have been edited by Shirley though the amount of revision he did is not known, contains all of the hitherto unpublished plays by Beaumont and Fletcher except the Wild-Goose Chase, the manuscript of this last having been lost' (Pforzheimer 53). With an astonishing twenty-two leaves devoted to poetic encomia of the authors, including first printings of poems by Jonson, Herrick, Milton Lovelace, Shirley and Waller, the publication of the Comedies and Tragedies occupied eight printers.

Beaumont and Fletcher (Francis and John). The Works of Beaumont and Fletcher, in fourteen volumes: with an introduction and explanatory notes, by Henry Weber, Esq, 14 volumes, Edinburgh: Printed by James Ballantyne and Company, 1812, half-titles, armorial bookplate of Baldwin J P Bastard to front pastedown, edges marbled, late 19th-century green half morocco gilt, 8voQTY: (14)NOTE:Provenance: Baldwin John Pollexfen Bastard (1830-1905), of Buckland Court, Ashburton, Devon.This edition includes, for the first time from manuscript, Fletcher's tragicomedy The Faithful Friends. Never printed in its own century, it is one of the most disputed works in English Renaissance drama.

James I. The Essayes of a Prentise, in the Divine Art of Poesie. With a prefatory Memoir by R[obert]. P[earse]. Gillies, Edinburgh: Printed by James Ballantyne and Co., 1814, reprint of 1584 edition, advertisement slip before title with annotation 'This I purchased at the sale at Lee Priory in Augt. 1834 - 10/6 - BM', pencil annotation to upper margin of title 'I bought this at Lee Priory at the sale of Sir Egerton Bridges Library in 1834 - 10/6', few manuscript notes and annotations throughout and two leaves of manuscript notes at rear, verso of front free endpaper inscribed F. William Cock M.D. 1903 10/6 and with manuscript note 'This was Sir S. E. Brydges own copy and the notes throughout and at the end are in his handwriting, except the notes at end by J. L. Williams Curate of Barson [alias Barfrestone] who mentions Wm. Wordsworth being at the home S. E. B. was very partial to Wordsworth & his poems. Mentions him repeatedly in his works. S.E.B. died Sep 1837 in his 75th year', bookplate of F. William Cock M.D. F.S.A. of Appledore, Kent to front free blank dated 1903, gilt red morocco bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown, top edge gilt, remainder untrimmed, 19th-century brown half morocco, slim 4toQTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Sir Samuel Egerton Brydges, 1st Baronet (1762-1837), bibliographer, genealogist and also M.P. for Maidstone from 1812 to 1818. He was educated at Maidstone Grammar School and The King's School, Canterbury. He was admitted to Queens' College, Cambridge in 1780, though he didn't take a degree and was later called to the bar at Middle Temple in 1787. A founding member of the Roxburghe Club he also founded a weekly magazine called The Literary Magnet, with his son Egerton Anthony Brydges under the joint pseudonym Tobias Merton. He wrote novels and poems and produced several bibliographical publications which were printed at his private press at Lee Priory, in Littlebourne, Kent. The press was established in 1813 and ceased printing in 1823. It was known for producing high-quality printings of unusual and rare tracts. Lee Priory was originally built during the reign of James I and later remodelled. Due to troubled financial affairs, the contents of the property were sold in 1834 on the death of Thomas Brydges Barrett. The auction catalogue advertised the sale of Lee Priory's "Extensive and Valuable Library, containing upwards of 5000 volumes of Books." Many of the books printed at Lee Priory were illustrated with intricate woodcuts created especially for the press, which were also sold in the 1834 auction. The Priory was demolished in 1953. Egerton Brydges' second daughter Jemima married the poet Edward Quillinan (1791-1851) in 1817. She died in 1822 from the tragic effects of burns. Edward Quillinan was a great defender of the works of William Wordsworth and subsequently married Wordsworth's daughter Dora in 1841.Pencil note to verso of front free endpaper stating only 92 copies printed.

Book of Hours, Use of Rouen, in Latin and French. Illuminated manuscript on vellum, [France: Rouen, c. 1480], ii + 160 + iii leaves, COMPLETE, collation: 112; 2–38, 42; 5–108, 114; 12–138, 144; 158; 16–218; tissue interleaves face the large miniatures; ff. 30r–v and 160v ruled, otherwise blank; ruled in red ink for 14 lines per page (16 in the calendar), the ruled space c. 90 × 60 mm, written in a fine gothic textura script, the calendar with major feasts in burnished gold, the others alternately red or blue, EVERY TEXT PAGE ILLUMINATED WITH AT LEAST ONE PANEL BORDER of semi-naturalistic flowers and plants on a gold ground, and blue and gold stylised acanthus on a plain parchment ground; the calendar with 24 SMALL SQUARE MINIATURES SET INTO PANEL BORDERS; the major divisions of the text marked by TWELVE LARGE MINIATURES above three or four lines of text and surrounded by full borders, SOME CONTAINING SUBSIDIARY MINIATURES, some containing animals, birds, or fantastic hybrid figures; TWO HISTORIATED INITIALS; a few prayers with 4-line initials; hundreds of two-line illuminated foliate initials, one-line initials, and line-fillers throughout; with a few minor blemishes (e.g. slight pigment loss in the lower right corner of the miniature on f. 31r, and slight water-staining in the lower left corner) but generally in fine, clean condition throughout, with ample margins, marbled endpapers, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey, all edges gilt, sewn on five bands and bound in 18th-century French red diced calf over pasteboards, the covers framed with gilt ornament, the spine gilt and with title ‘L’Office de l’eglise’ in capitals, upper cover stained, the upper fore-edge turn-in lifting, 8vo (180 x 128 mm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance:The style of illumination and liturgical Use point to Rouen as the place of production; the sparse calendar includes St Romanus in gold (23 October), as well as St Evodius (8 October) and Mellonus (22 October), all three were bishops of Rouen; Romanus and Mellonus also appear in the Litany. Prayers are written for the use of a female supplicant, and a conventional portrait of the original owner appears in the final miniature.An erased 17th(?)-century ownership(?) note begins ‘Mon dieu qui …’ (f. 2r, lower margin); the same owner may have been responsible for lightly disguising the nudity that occurs in some marginal scenes: Aquarius (f. 1v), Gemini (f. 5v) and Bathsheba (f. 83r).‘From Robinsons, 25/8/49’ (in pencil, front flyleaf), presumably referring to W. H. Robinson, of Pall Mall.W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate).Text:Calendar, in French (f. 1r); Gospel extracts (f. 13r); prayers ‘Obsecro te’ and ‘O intemerata’, using feminine forms (f. 20v); Hours of the Virgin (f. 31r), Lauds followed by suffrages to the Holy Spirit, Nicholas, and Katherine; Seven Penitential Psalms (f. 83r) followed (f. 98r) by a Litany of saints (Clement, Fabian, and Sebastian, at the bottom of f. 100r, are mistakenly repeated at the top of the verso); Hours of the Cross (f. 105) and of the Spirit (f. 109r); Office of the Dead (f. 113r); ‘Les quinze joies nostre dame’ (f. 151r) and ‘Les sept requestes’ of the Lord (f. 157r), both in French.Illumination:(ff. 1r–12v) The calendar has Occupations of the months on rectos, and zodiac signs on versos:January: Feasting; AquariusFebruary: Warming at a hearth; PiscesMarch: Pollarding; AriesApril: Half-length man in a garden; TaurusMay: Man and woman on horseback, hawking; Gemini: a naked man and woman embracingJune: Scything; CancerJuly: Reaping; LeoAugust: Threshing; VirgoSeptember: Treading grapes; LibraOctober: Sowing seed; ScorpioNovember: Knocking acorns from trees to feed pigs; SagittariusDecember: Killing a pig; CapricornThe major texts are each introduced by a large miniature, including the individual Hours of the Virgin, except Vespers and Compline which have historiated initials:1. (f. 13r) The Four Evangelists, in a four-part miniature characteristic of Rouen 2. (f. 31r) The Annunciation, surrounded by a border composed of nine smaller compartments: three with angels, the other six with scenes from the life of the Virgin: Gabriel appearing to Joachim; Meeting at the Golden Gate; Nativity of the Virgin; Presentation of the Virgin; Virgin at the Loom; and Marriage of the Virgin to Joseph3. (f. 44v) The Visitation4. (f. 59r) The Nativity5. (f. 65v) The Annunciation to the Shepherds6. (f. 69v) The Adoration of the Magi7. (f. 73r) The Presentation in the Temple; the infant has his arms outspread, visually prefiguring his Crucifixion8. (f. 76v) The Flight into Egypt (historiated initial)9. (f. 78r) The Coronation of the Virgin (historiated initial)10. (f. 83r) King David in Penitence; the border with smaller miniatures depicting David and Goliath, and David Spying on Bathsheba11. (f. 105r) The Crucifixion; the border with smaller miniatures depicting the Flagellation, and Christ carrying the Cross12. (f. 109r) Pentecost13. (f. 113r) A Funeral Service; the border with smaller miniatures depicting Death in the form of a cadaver killing a man, and a priest officiating at a burial14. (f. 151r) The Virgin and Child enthroned, adored by an angel and a female patronThe style is typical of Rouen illumination in the late 15th century; characteristic features are the profuse use of gold highlights on draperies and hillsides, often cross-hatched; cross-hatching of grassy areas in landscapes; a palette predominantly based on pink, blue, brown and green, and the use of grey for the modelling of facial features, men having rather swarthy flesh, and women very pale skin; the rather peremptory manner of painting hands; the grey-blue acanthus on flat gold backgrounds for borders.

Dikenman (R.) Voyage en Suisse par Dikenman peintre, manuscript title within double rule border, 80 fine hand-coloured aquatint plates by Dikenman, heightened with gum arabic, lower hinge separating, later red morocco, gilt, g.e., [Bobins 1686],oblong 8vo, Zurich, [c.1830].⁂ A stunning series of Swiss views covering the lakes, mountains and major cities, presumably compiled by a tourist.

Heath (Henry) Heath's Oddities, lithographic title and 38 lithographic plates, all with contemporary hand-colouring, extra-illustrated with three original watercolours for plates 14, 32 and 35 (facing plates on an inserted leaf, each with manuscript caption), green morocco gilt by Riviere and Son, inner dentelles richly gilt, toned and sunned, joints rubbed, modern slipcase, [Bobins IV, 1340; Schwerdt I, 236 (another copy)], 4to, W. Spooner, [c.1830]⁂ The Schwerdt copy of this scare series with three of the original watercolours by Heath. The satirical plates depict both social and sporting scenes.Provenance: C.F.G.R. Schwerdt (bookplate; Sotheby's London, 10th July 1939, lot 1515) and Joel Spitz (bookplate; Christies, 27th May 2015, lot 59).

Havell, Junior (Robert) Costa Scena, or a Cruise along the Southern Coast of Kent, hand-coloured aquatint panorama with engraved title at beginning and 62 numbered scenes, c.80 x 5650mm., on conjoined sheets forming continuous strip, title and very beginning of strip a little browned, small tear to lower edge of first scene at Greenwich (repaired without loss), torn across at scene 31 between Kingsgate and Broadstairs but neatly repaired, overall an excellent clean and bright copy on roller housed in original boxwood drum covered in glazed orange & black aquatint label depicting Britannia and Neptune, drum c.125mm. tall, a little worn and wormed, [Abbey, Life 490; Bobins1601], Robert Havell & Son (imprint supplied in contemporary ink manuscript on title), 1823.⁂ Rare panorama depicting George IV beginning his "Northern Excursion" in 1822, a state visit to Scotland organised by Sir Walter Scott. The strip shows his embarkation at Greenwich in the Royal George and then follows the Kent coast past Margate, Ramsgate, the white cliffs of Dover, across the Channel in rough weather, and finishing at Calais..

Meulen (P.H.L. van der, engraver) Maaskamps Diorama van Amsterdam, hand-coloured aquatint panorama, c.125 x 2285 mm., on conjoined sheets forming continuous strip, with one engraved caption 'Ingang tot s'Rijks Scheeps Timmerwerf' towards end, otherwise annotated in contemporary ink manuscript to upper and lower margins, a little soiled, a few stains, mostly to joins, small tears at beginning and end slightly affecting image and occasional fraying to edges (all repaired), on roller housed in original paper-covered wooden drum with gilt bands and narrow engraved orange label at head, drum c.195mm. tall, rubbed, edge of top lacking portion and top of finial chipped, with ?original glazed orange paper-covered card cylinder box, a little rubbed and marked, new base, [Abbey, Life 481, incorrectly identifying engraver; Bobins 1604], Amsterdam, E.Maaskamp, [c.1825].⁂ Rare panorama of the Amsterdam waterfront.

Hess (Carl Aolf Heinrich) Reitschule oder Darstellung des natürlichen und künstlichen Ganges des Campagnepferdes, 7 hand-coloured engraved plates, title supplied in manuscript, taken from upper wrapper (not present), contemporary tree calf, contemporary tree calf, neatly and sympathetically rebacked, preserved in custom folding chemise, [Bobins 1398; Nissen, ZBI 1926], 4to, Leipzig, Theodore Seeger, 1802.⁂ A rare and charming series of horse portraits.

[Schmitz (Matthew S.)] The Sure Water Cure, lithographed throughout with Preface and 12 hand-coloured lithographed full-page illustrations with facing text, on thick leaves, mounted on stubs, text foxed and with some offsetting from plates and small water-stain to lower outer corner, plates generally clean, later polished tan calf, gilt, by Rivière & Son, g.e., with original lithographed pictorial wrappers bound in (upper cover marked "Cold." in ink manuscript, rubbed), binding a little rubbed, light staining to lower cover, rebacked preserving old gilt spine, [Bobins 896], oblong 8vo, [Fores], [c.1845].⁂ Satirical work on the popular practice of hydropathy or hydrotherapy, depicting various different treatments as well as a procession of healthy-looking customers going to the baths and the same returning from them looking decidedly less fit and healthy.

Perkois (J.), J.H.Prins & Mattheus Sallieth. Verzameling van Verschillende Gekleede Mans- en Vrouwen-Standen..., first collected edition, engraved title-vignette by H.Kobell and 33 finely hand-coloured plates by Sallieth after Jakob Perkois and Johannes Huibert Prins, most stipple-engraved, one or two with aquatint, contemporary ink manuscript note of acquisition "acheté 20fr. le 28 Juillet [?]1825" to rear pastedown, a superb clean copy in contemporary glazed blue boards with decorative gilt roll border, slightly rubbed and marked, rebacked, small tear to spine, preserved in modern cloth drop-back box, morocco label to spine, [Bobins 429; Colas 2311; Landwehr, Dutch Books with Coloured Plates 389], folio, Rotterdam, J.Immerzeel, Jr., 1818.⁂ Rare coloured first edition of this artist's manual depicting street vendors and other workers, by Perkois (1756-1804), a teacher from the Drawing Academy in Middleburg, and Prins (1757-1806), secretary of the art society Pictura in The Hague. The engraver, Sallieth (1749-91), from Rotterdam, is known mostly for his maritime views. A few copies have appeared at auction but mostly of the later 1833 edition and all uncoloured, as is the only copy listed on Library Hub (V & A).

Valentini (Francesco) Trattato su la Commedia dell'Arte, ossia improvvisa. Maschere Italiane, ed alcune scene del Carnevale di Roma, text in German and Italian, 20 plates after Johann Heinrich Stürmer, all with fine contemporary hand colouring, upper hinge starting, original boards with paper labels to spine, repair to spine foot, a little spotted and bumped, gilt edges, housed within modern cloth wrapper, [Bobins 1265], 4to, Berlin, Ludwig Wilhelm Wittich, 1826.⁂ A delightfully illustrated treatise on both the famous cast of characters from the Commedia dell'Arte, for example 'Arlechino' and 'Pantalone', as well as those indigenous to Carnival in Rome, such as 'Quacquero', 'Bajaccio', 'Scopette', 'Villano' and 'Pulcinella'. Provenance: Ludwig Wilhelm Wittich publisher; manuscript note dated 1936 to front endpaper].

Great Britain 1831 - EL dated 20 Sept 1831, posted to Holborn, manuscript 2 framed 2 line T.P. New band cancel. Oval red 1831/20.SP/Night cancel

Great Britain 1818 - EL dated 29th Dec 1818 posted to Teignmouth, manuscript 5 - Red Exeter/29DE20/8/176 cancel

Great Britain 1828 - EL dated December 23/28 posted to Islington, manuscript Post Paid partial 2 line red? 3py Post Paid red oval - 18. Paid 28/23DE/7Night7

Great Britain 1832 - EL dated 13 July 1832 London posted to Edinburgh manuscript 2 and 1/3 boxed 1/2 stamp, cancelled 4, times on reverse

Great Britain 1840 - Wrapper posted to Quarndan manuscript pre-paid with red double line tombstone cancel D/PAID/17Au17/1840 block, double ring more to Pay cancel with manuscript 2

Great Britain 1829 - EL in the form of A4 sheet written on both sides in 2 directions 90o to each other, posted to Oswestry, manuscript two partial red boxed cancels, framed black 1826/J2.JUJ/night cancel, 2-ring JU/O(2)/1826 cancel

Great Britain 1830 - EL dated 22 March 1830 North Walsham posted to Norwich, manuscript 4, North Walsham 131 cancel

Great Britain 1940 Peal and Co., London, commercial envelope posted to Sir Lindros Leslie 1st East Riding Yeomanry B.E.F complete with paid invoice cancelled 15.5.40 with London meter cancel, stamped undelivered with manuscript missing, stamped on reverse addressee reported missing Army Post Office

Great Britain 1836 - EL dated 22 June 1836 posted within Edinburg, manuscript 1. Cancelled Hun/23m/1836 and 8AM/23 Jun/1836

Great Britain 1837 - Wrapper posted to Overseer of the poor Walsall. Manuscript 2-2 line framed T.P/Wool…. Cancel 2x black single ring cancels 12.No.12/AP24/1837 G/AP24/1837

Great Britain 1834 - EL dated 7 Aug 1834 Norwich posted to Norwich manuscript, 9 Wells 4/Aug 1834 cancel

Great Britain 1815 - EL dated 2nd Jan 1815 posted to Hatton Garden, manuscript 2, blue oval Two Py Post Unpaid Grenville St, (partial red?) Possibly 7 o'clock/2JA/1815E