Shelfmark
MS 264
Main entry--corporate name
Title
Book of office for Sir Charles Somerset. manuscript.
Varying form of title
Other title: Court ceremonial.
Publication, distribution, etc.
London? England, between 1501 and 1509.
Physical description
1 volume (82 leaves) : parchment ; 23 x 17 cm.
Note
Devised title.
Note
Title designated by M.R. James in the interleaved James catalogue (Eton MS 932): Court ceremonial.
Note
A book of office documenting various rituals performed at court and the parts of various officials, including funerals and christenings for members of the royal family, processions, eating, etc. M.R. James notes that F. Wormald associated fols. 1-50 with BL Add MS 38174 and BL Add MS 4712, whilst fols. 51-75 are similar to BL Add MS 21116.
Note
Dates of production inferred from Charles Somerset's biography, in that he did not become vice-chamberlain until 1501. He was appointed lord chamberlain in 1509, and the inscription beneath his arms on fol. [6]v describing him as 'chamberllan du roy henry le viie.' is clearly a later addition.
Note
The leaves of the main text have been foliated in pencil, 1-75.
Note
Main text is written in a professional hand with red initials and chapter headings.
Note
Table of contents on fols. 4v and 5r.
Note
Illuminated coat of arms of Sir Charles Somerset on fol. 6v, within a garter ribband. Banner drawn beneath containing his titles: Charles de Somerset. cheuallyer. seigneur de harbert et de gower. chamberllan du roy henry le viie.
Note
Illuminated initial on fol. 51v with a Welsh dragon and a Tudor rose.
Note
The outer leaves bear several recipes and some verses in a late sixteenth century cursive secretary hand.
Note
Inscription in sixteenth century roman hand on fol. 81r: Liber Ronulphi Mainwaringi de Penor 1580. Possibly Sir Randall (or Randle) Mainwaring (d. 1612) of Over Peover, Cheshire.
Note
Inscription on fol. 4r in late 17th or 18th century hand: Ph: Mainwaringe pre: 1l. 2s.
Note
Inscription in pencil on front pastedown: 13932 Ph. According to the James interleaved catalogue, Eton MS 932, the manuscript was bought by Sir Thomas Phillipps in around 1837.
Note
Booklabel of John Hely-Hutchinson of Chippenham Lodge, Ely on front flyleaf. According to the James interleaved catalogue, Eton MS 932, purchased by Hely-Hutchinson from W.J. Robinson Ltd in July 1947 and presented to Eton College Library in June 1954. The printed bookplate records that it was bequeathed to Eton College in December 1947, possibly in error.
Note
Binding described by J.B. Oldham as the only flap binding known to be by John Reynes (or Jan Rijns), and the only example of his using three panels on one binding.
Citation/references note
Oldham, Blind Panels of English Binders, AN.20, BIB.17, ST.9.
Binding
Contemporary dark brown calf flap binding by John Reynes (d. 1545); blind stamped on both boards with panel stamps BIB.17 (the Baptism of Christ) and ST.9 (St George); blind stamped on the flap with AN.20 (animals within vine roundels); doublure on rear board with blind tooled quadruple fillet and roses within knotwork frame; cord marks on spine; four raised bands. Stored in solander box covered in blue cloth.
Subject
Subject
Henry, 1457 - 1509 VII, King of England,
Subject
England Courts and courtiers.
Subject
England Kings and rulers.
Added entry--name
Mainwaring, Randall, ? - 1612 Sir, former owner.
Added entry--name
Phillipps, Thomas, 1792 - 1872 Sir, former owner.
Added entry--name
Hely-Hutchinson, J. W., 1882 - 1955 former owner.
Added entry--place
England London
Language code
eng
Identifier
B46693