THOMAS WILSON, BISHOP OF SODOR AND MAN

Writings of Thomas Wilson (1663-1755), Bishop of Sodor and Man. Mainly autograph. Included are four manuscripts of Wilson's 'Sacra privata', his personal prayers and meditations with numerous autobiographical notes. Occasional notes to the printer are found in the hand the Bishop's son Thomas Wilson D.D. (1703-1784) for the edition by his friend Clement Cruttwell: 'The works of the Right Reverend father in God Thomas Wilson ... : With his life compiled from authentic papers, by the Revd. C. Cruttwell' (Bath: printed by R. Cruttwell; and sold by C. Dilly, London, 1782). These volumes were also used by John Keble for his fuller edition of Wilson's works: John Keble, ed., 'The works of the Right Reverend Father in God, Thomas Wilson, D.D., Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man', 7 vols. in 8 (Oxford, 1847-63). Four volumes (Sion L40.2/E37/1-4) were collated by Keble for his edition of Wilson's 'Sacra privata'; two volumes (Sion L40.2/E37/5-6) were used for his edition of Wilson's 'Maxims of Piety and Morality', and 8 volumes (Sion L40.2/E37/7-14) for his edition of Wilson's sermons. Sion L40.2/E37/1. 'Sacra privata'. Original calf binding, tooled in gold, 205 x 137 mm. Paper leaves. 275 pp. This is the first of four manuscripts collated by Keble for his edition of Wilson's 'Sacra privata', published in vol 5 of 'The works'. For Keble's description of this manuscript [which he referred to as MS i], see vol 5, pp. iii-iv. It is the most complete text and was used as the basis of Keble's edition. It is the latest in date of the four manuscripts, recording ordinations by Wilson up to 1752. The sometimes wayward pagination in pencil (as cited by Keble) has been retained to facilitate reference to Keble's edition. Sion L40.2/E37/2. 'Sacra privata'. Original leather binding, blind tooled, 160 x 105 mm. Paper leaves. 87 ff. Volume numbered by Dr.Thomas Wilson 'No. 2'. This is the second of four manuscripts collated by Keble for his edition of Wilson's 'Sacra privata', published in vol 5 of 'The works'. For Keble's description of this manuscript [which he referred to as MS ii], see vol 5, p. iv. Keble records this as the second earliest of the four manuscripts, recording ordinations by Wilson up to 1713. Sion L40.2/E37/3. 'Sacra privata'. Original leather binding, blind tooled, 175 x 108 mm. Paper leaves. 253 pp. Volume numbered by Dr.Thomas Wilson 'No. 3'. This is the third of four manuscripts collated by Keble for his edition of Wilson's 'Sacra privata', published in vol 5 of 'The works'. For Keble's description of this manuscript [which he referred to as MS iii], see vol 5, pp. iv-v. Keble states that a good part of this manuscript was written during Wilson's imprisonment [in 1722]; it records ordinations by Wilson up to 1726. Sion L40.2/E37/4. 'Sacra privata'. Original leather binding, blind tooled, 151 x 92 mm., with brass clasps. Paper leaves. 84 ff. (ff. 32-84 written from the back of the volume). Volume numbered by Dr.Thomas Wilson 'No. 1'. This is the fourth of four manuscripts collated by Keble for his edition of Wilson's 'Sacra privata', published in vol 5 of 'The works'. For Keble's description of this manuscript [which he referred to as M. H.], see vol 5, p. v. This is the earliest of the four manuscripts. The book was given to Wilson on his ordination as a deacon in 1686 by his friend Archdeacon Michael Hewetson (d. 1709), a prebendary of St. Patrick's Cathedral. It records ordinations by Wilson up to 1706. Included (ff. 2r-5r) are 'Mich. Hewetson's memorandums concerning the consecration of the church of Kildare and the ordination of his dear friend Tho. Wilson, with some advices thereupon', in another hand, presumably that of Michael Hewetson. Sion L40.2/E37/5. 'Maxims of piety and morality'. Original leather binding, blind tooled, 126 x 75 mm. 85 ff. Volume numbered by Dr.Thomas Wilson 'Book 5'. Used by Keble for his edition of the 'Maxims', published in vol 5 of 'The works'. Sion L40.2/E37/6. 'Maxims of piety and morality'. Continues the text from Sion L40.2/E37/5. Original leather binding, blind tooled, 133 x 80 mm. 81 ff. Volume numbered by Dr.Thomas Wilson 'Book 6'. Used by Keble for his edition of the 'Maxims', published in vol 5 of 'The works'. Sion L40.2/E37/7-14. Sermons. The sermons, originally separate fascicules, are bound in vellum. Each vol. approx. 180 x 115 mm. Paper leaves. Edited by John Keble in 'The works of ... Thomas Wilson', vols 2-3. The sermons are numbered here according to the numeration in Keble's edition. Sermons 39, 56-57, 73, 77, 88 as published by Keble are not present. The sermons are often annotated with the dates and places where they were preached. These are omitted in Keble's edition. The dates range from 1698 to 1749. Sion L40.2/E37/7. Sermons vol 1. Sermons 1-12. Sion L40.2/E37/8. Sermons vol 2. Sermons 13-25. Sion L40.2/E37/9. Sermons vol 3. Sermons 26-38. Sion L40.2/E37/10. Sermons vol 4. Sermons 40-50. Sion L40.2/E37/11. Sermons vol 5. Sermons 51-55, 58-63. Sion L40.2/E37/12. Sermons vol 6. Sermons 64-72, 74-76. Sion L40.2/E37/13. Sermons vol 7. Sermons 79, 78, 80-87. Sion L40.2/E37/14. Sermons vol 8. Sermons 89-99.

John Keble referred to a further two volumes of Thomas Wilson papers in the possession of Sion College which he used in his edition (see 'The works...' vol 5, pp. vi-vii). These are now in the Library of the Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man. They are: MS 1216A: containing 'Supplement to Maxims', 'Addenda to Sermons', 'Collectanea' etc., see 'The works...', vol. 5, 505 for details. MS 1217A: appears to be Wilson MS book 10, which is included in 'Supplement to Sacra Privata' (Works, vol. 5, 364-371). These manuscripts are said to have been part of a run of books given by Lord Halifax, though the Museum's catalogue gives the donor as James Denton Thompson, Bishop of Sodor and Man (1856-1924), possibly related to William Denton (1816-88), another editor of some of Wilson's works, including 'Maxims'. Papers collected by Keble for his biography and edition, including diaries and correspondence of Dr. Thomas Wilson, the Bishop's son, are in Keble College, Oxford. Further Wilson correspondence and papers are recorded in the National Register of Archives and the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

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