18. An English astrological Calendar, in six divisions, folded for the pocket; written in the latter half of the fourteenth century.

Extremely curious; contains prognostications of the weather, fatality of the seasons, &c., accompanied with innumerable figures of saints, ill.u.s.trations of prognostics, the symbols found on the Runic Clog-Almanacks, the occupations of the several months, the signs of the Zodiac, and two quaint figures respectively labelled 'Harry ye Haywarde' with his dog 'Talbat,' and 'Peris ye Pyndare.' Formerly kept in a tin box. It contains the following note by T. Hearne: 'Oct. 17, 1719. This strange odd book (upon which I set a very great value, having never seen the like) was given me by the Rt. Reverend Father in G.o.d William [Fleetwood] Lord Bishop of Ely, to whom I am oblig'd upon many other accounts.'

19. An _Historical Roll_, upwards of thirteen feet long, showing the descent of the English Kings, from the expedition of Jason in search of the Golden Fleece to the accession of Edward I (1272). Formerly belonging to the Abbey of St. Mary at York.

Ill.u.s.trated with representations of various scenes up to the landing of Brute in the Isle of Wight, and thenceforward with portraits of the monarchs.

20. _Map of the Holy Land_, on a paper roll, nearly seven feet long; written, apparently, in the first half of the fifteenth century.

In the Douce collection. Engraved in facsimile during the past year, 1867, for the Roxburghe Club, to ill.u.s.trate the Itineraries of William Wey, which were edited by Rev. G. Williams, B.D., for the same Club, from Bodl. MS. 565, in 1857. The Map in many points agrees very closely with the latter, but contains also some discrepancies, and is somewhat earlier in date.

21. A _Psalter_, with the usual Canticles, Litany, &c; written about the middle of the fourteenth century.

This magnificent volume was given by Robert de Ormesby, a monk of Norwich, to the choir of the Cathedral Church, 'ad jacendum coram Suppriore qui pro tempore fuerit inperpetuum.' It is ill.u.s.trated with illuminations most beautifully executed, but, at the same time, containing the most grotesque and profanely inappropriate figures, resembling those sometimes found on the _Misereres_ of collegiate churches. It is bound in a large covering of sheepskin, which by overlapping the volume has no doubt greatly contributed to preserve its freshness and beauty of condition. A facsimile from one page is to be found in Shaw's _Illuminated Ornaments_, 1833, with a description by Sir F. Madden. It belongs to the Douce collection.

In a separate gla.s.s case adjoining the preceding (in which was formerly exhibited a fine specimen of the typography of the Royal Press at Berlin, in a German Bible given by the King of Prussia) is now displayed a fine Bible printed at Glasgow in 1862, in two folio volumes, and ill.u.s.trated with very beautiful photographs by Frith, which was called the Queen's Bible from its being dedicated by permission to Her Majesty.

In a gla.s.s case in the adjoining window is a German Bible, printed in 1541, with texts on the fly-leaves in the handwriting of Luther and Melanchthon, whose signatures, although much defaced by some possessor, are still very legible. See p. 245.

IN A GLa.s.s CASE, WEST END OF THE LIBRARY.

1. _Plinii Historia Naturalis_; in folio. Printed 1476.

From the Douce collection. See p. 250.

2. _Breviary_ and Psalter according to the use of the Carthusian Order; written about 1480.

A specimen of Italian art, from the Canonici collection.

3. _Horae B. M. Virg._ 12mo. An exquisite MS., of the school of Albert Durer, executed for Bona Sforza. See p. 249.

4. _Psalter_, on purple vellum, written about the close of the ninth century. From the old library of the kings of France. See p. 249.

A MS. of the _Horae_, written on purple vellum, about 1500, is among the Canonici MSS.

5. _Boccaccio's Il Filocalo_; in folio, of the fifteenth century.

A beautiful MS., with five exquisite miniatures, and interlaced arabesque borders of the richest character. A facsimile, with a notice of the book, will be found in Shaw's _Illuminated Ornaments_.

From the Canonici collection.

6. _Horae_, quarto; fourteenth century. A beautiful book.

From the Douce collection.

7. _Horae_, small quarto; end of the fifteenth century. The illuminations possess exquisite softness and delicacy.

Also from the Douce collection.

8. _The Miracles of the B. Virgin_, in French. A Douce MS., in folio, executed about 1460, for Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, and enriched with most beautiful paintings of the tint called '_Camaieu gris_'.

9. _Horae_, in quarto. A beautiful Douce book, the work of a French scribe in and about the year 1407.

10. _Horae_, in duodecimo. Another gem from the Douce collection, executed about the year 1500, for the Emperor Maximilian and Mary of Burgundy his wife.

The margins are adorned with charming figures of birds, and in one instance a border is filled with representations of pottery and gla.s.s.

11. _Horae_, in quarto, of the commencement of the sixteenth century; from the Douce collection. An exquisite specimen of Flemish art. It belonged to Mary de Medici.

12. _Horae_, in small folio. A most sumptuous volume, executed about 1410. The illuminations are of the school of Van Eyck.

The borders of birds, b.u.t.terflies, flowers, landscapes, &c., are marvels of nature in art; and many of the initials are distinguished by the utmost delicacy in design and finish in execution. Also from the Douce collection.

13. _Quatuor Evangelia_; commencement of the seventh century. See p. 24.

14. _Letters of Queen Henrietta Maria_ to Charles I before their marriage; in French.

The volume forms part of the Clarendon State Papers, and contains fifteen of the Queen's letters, besides some from the King, and other doc.u.ments.

15. _Latin Translation by Queen Elizabeth_, while Princess, of an Italian sermon by Bern. Ochini, _De Christo_; written entirely by herself, and sent as a New-year's gift to her brother Edward VI[383].

It forms a small 8vo. volume of thirty-six pages, on vellum, and was given to the Library by J. Bowle, of Idmerston, Aug. 15, 1765. The following dedication (hitherto unprinted) is prefixed by the Princess:--

'Augustissimo et serenissimo Regi Edvardo s.e.xto. Si aliquid hoc tempore haberem (Serenissime Rex) quod mihi ad dandum esset accommodatum, & Maiestati tuae congruens ad accipiendum, equidem de hac re vehementer laetarer. Tua Maiestas res magnas & excellentes meretur, et mea facultas exigua tantum suppeditare potest, sed quamvis facultate possim minima, tamen animo tibi maxima prestare cupio, & quum ab aliis opibus superer, a nemine amore & benevolentia vincor. Ita iubet natura, authoritas tua commouet, & bonitas me hortatur, ut c.u.m princeps meus sis te officio obseruem, & c.u.m frater meus sis vnicus & amantissimus, intimo amore afficiam. Ecce autem pro huius noui anni felici auspicio, & observantiae meae testimonio, offero M. T. breuem istam Bernardi Ochini orationem, ab eo Italice primum scriptam, & a me in latinum sermonem conuersum. Argumentum quum de Christo sit, bene conuenire tibi potest, qui quotidie Christum discis, & post eum in terris proximum loc.u.m & dignitatem habes. Tractatio ita pia est & docta, ut lectio non possit non esse vtilis et fructuosa. Et si nihil aliud commendaret opus, authoritas scriptoris ornaret satis, qui propter religionem et Christum patria expulsus, cogitur in locis peregrinis & inter ignotos homines vitam traducere. Si quicquam in eo mediocre sit, mea translatio est, quae profecto talis non est qualis esse debet, sed qualis a me effici posset. At istarum rerum omnium M. tua inter legendum iudex sit, cui ego hunc meum laborem commendo, & vna meipsam etiam dedico, Deumque precor vt M. tua multos nouos & felices annos videat & lucris ac pietate perpetuo crescat. Enfeldiae, 30 Decembris.

'Maiestatis tuae, 'humill. soror, '& serua, 'Elizabeta.'

16. A Persian treatise, in prose and verse, on ethics and education, ent.i.tled, _Beharistan, or, The Season of Spring_; by Nurruddin Abdurrahman, surnamed Djami.

The MS. was written at Lah.o.r.e, for the Emperor of Hindustan, A.D.

1575, by Muhammed Hussein, a famous scribe, who was called the _Pen of Gold_; and ill.u.s.trated by sixteen painters. Its modern velvet binding is adorned with gold corners and bosses; and a bag in which it was kept lies beside it. From the collection of Sir Gore Ouseley.

17. _Evangeliarium_, MS. in folio; of the tenth century.

A fine MS., which formerly belonged to the abbey of St. Faron, near Meaux; bought at the sale of M. Abel-Remusat's library in 1833, by Mr. Payne, and sold to Douce, apparently for the sum of 31 10_s._On the cover is an ivory diptych; in the centre, a figure of our Blessed Lord treading on 'the lion and adder, the young lion and dragon;' around, twelve scenes from His life and miracles.

18. Ivory triptych eleven inches high; North Italian work, of the fifteenth century.

In the centre the Blessed Virgin and Child between St. Leonard and another saint; on the wings, St. John the Evangelist and St.

Lawrence[384].

19. _Evangelia, secundum Matt. et Marc._ A fine Douce MS. of the eleventh century, bound in thick boards, overlaid on one side with a bra.s.s plate, whereon are engraved the four Evangelists, with angels; in the centre, an ivory carving of our Lord, with the Evangelistic symbols.

20. Metal-Work.

i. Crucifix; enamelled.