CATALOGUE OF A SELECTION FROM THE STOWE MANUSCRIPTS EXHIBITED IN THE KING'S LIBRARY IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES 1883 Price Sixpence ; Illustrated with fifteen Autotype Facsimiles, 3s. 6d. THE Stowe collection of MSS. was formed by the Marquess of Buckingham at the beginning of the present century, and derives its name from Stowe, his country seat, where it was kept. In 1804 were acquired the MSS. of Thomas Astle, Keeper of the Records in the Tower, who by his will directed that they should be offered to the Marquess of Buckingham. In the event of his refusal, the British Museum would have had the option of purchase. Astle's MSS. comprised the Anglo-Saxon charters, the early English historical MSS., the chartularies, the Hanover Papers and other state-papers and correspondence, the heraldic and other collections of John Anstis, Garter, etc., which now form so large a part of the Stowe library. The next important addition was the collection of early Irish MSS. which had belonged to Charles O'Conor, of Belanagare, whose grandson, Dr. Charles O'Conor, became the librarian at Stowe and drew up the catalogue which was privately printed in 1818-1819. Soon afterwards were purchased the papers of Arthur Capel, 1st Earl of Essex, who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the reign of Charles the Second. In this collection are included the Earl's correspondence and various papers connected with his office. Among the miscellaneous additions made from time to time were: the ancient Irish missal with a metal case, and some early volumes in the Irish language; the correspondence of Sir Thomas Edmondes, ambassador in France and the Netherlands in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I.; the correspondence of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough with Secretary Craggs in the reign of Queen Anne; and other valuable historical papers. The Stowe MSS. amounted in all to 996 numbers. In April, 1849, they were offered to the Trustees of the British Museum, but the negotiations for the purchase failed; and the collection was eventually sold to the late Earl of Ashburnham. In 1879 the present Earl of Ashburnham offered the whole of his library to the Trustees of the British Museum; and early in the present year negotiations for the purchase of his collections of MSS. were re-opened. The purchase of the Stowe MSS., apart from Lord Ashburnham's other collections, was sanctioned by Parliament at the close of last Session. By order of the Government, the collection has been deposited in the British Museum, with the exception of the MSS. in the Irish language and certain other volumes specially relating to Ireland, which have been transferred to the library of the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. The selection which is exhibited comprises some of the most interesting charters, volumes, and historical and literary documents and autographs. E. MAUNDE THOMPSON. DEPT. OF MSS. 19th November, 1883. EXHIBITION OF A SELECTION FROM THE STOWE MANUSCRIPTS. CHARTERS. (Table-case 1.) 1. GRANT from UIHTRED, King of Kent, to the church of Liming [Lyminge, co. Kent], of land of four ploughs called Wieghelmestun,* within the boundaries of Bereueg, Meguinespaed, and Stretleg. Witnessed by Berichtuald, Archbishop, Queen Aedilburg, and others [A.D. 697]. Latin. In nomine domini dei nostri Iesu Christi Ego Uihtredus rex Cantuariorum prouidens mihi in futuro decreui dare aliquid omnia mihi donant et consilio accepto bonum uisum est. conferre bassilicae beatae Mariae genitricis dei quae sita est in loco qui dicitur Limingae terram . iiii. aratrorum quae dicitur Wieghelmes. tun. cum omnibus ad eandem terram pertinentibus iuxta notissimos terminos id est Bereucg. et Meguines paed et Stretleg. quam donationem meam uolo firmam esse inperpetuum ut nec ego seu heredes mei aliquid minuere praesumant. Quod si aliter temptatum fuerit á qualibet persona sub anathematis interdictione sciat sé praeuaricari ad cuius confirmationem pro ignorantia litterarum signum sanctae crucis expressi et testes idoneos ut subscriberent rogaui id est Berichtualdum archiepiscopum uirum uenerabilem. + Ego Berichtualdus episcopus rogatus consensi et subscribsi + + Signum manus Uihtredi regis Originally written in the charter Pleghelmestun, the Pl having been partially erased and altered to Wi. See a copy in Cotton MS., Augustus II. 88. B |