MISCELLANY

A miscellany of texts brought together in Sion College Library. All were acquired by the Library prior to the Fire of London of 1666. A number of items (ff. 1-116, 215-234) are from the manuscripts bequeathed to Sion College by the mathematician Nathaniel Torporley (1564-1632), a resident of the College. ff. i-iv, 1r -34v. [Nathaniel Torporley, Congestor analyticus]. A compilation by Nathaniel Torporley from the papers on algebra by Thomas Harriot (c.1560-1621). In his will Harriot named Torporley as 'overseer of my mathematical writings', with a view to publishing their content. ff. i-iv are flyleaves, blank except for Sion College shelfmarks. Part of the bequest to Sion College of Nathaniel Torporley, recorded in the Sion College Book of Benefactors under the year 1633 (Sion L40.2/E64, p. 25): 'Congestor analiticus cui accessit conjector ad tetragonismi...'. Recorded in John Spencer's catalogue of books which survived the fire of London (Sion L40.2/E58/2 f. 31v) as 'Nat. Torporlaei analitica mathematica', with pre-fire shelfmark V7.18. This shelfmark is partly visible at f i beneath a later paper label. Cf. R. C. H. Tanner, "Nathaniel Torporley's 'Congestor analyticus' and Thomas Harriot's 'De triangulis laterum rationalium'", 'Annals of Science' 34:4 (1977), pp. 393-428. ff. 35r-54v. [Thomas Harriot, Treatise on equations]. A copy, in the hand of Nathaniel Torporley, of the treatise on equations by Thomas Harriot (c.1560-1621). Recorded in John Spencer's catalogue of books which survived the fire of London (Sion L40.2/E58/2 f. 31v) as 'Operationes logisticae in notis', with pre-fire shelfmark V9.3. This title appears in Torporley's hand at f. 35r. A part of the treatise was published in Thomas Harriot, 'Artis analyticae praxis', 1631. On the relation between the printed work, the Sion College manuscript, and the text in the Harriot manuscripts (British Library Add. MSS. 6782-6784) see the article by Jacqueline A. Stedall, "Rob'd of glories: the posthumous misfortunes of Thomas Harriot and his algebra", in 'Archive for History of Exact Sciences', 54, 2000, pp. 455-497 [copy in the Library at Z664.L2 7.04]. f. 55r. A scrap of paper with notes in the hand of Nathaniel Torporley. Begins: 'Diversu. habet situ. quadrant hoc in loco...'. It appears to relate to the tables at ff. 56-116. ff. 56r-116r. Mathematical tables and calculations in the hand of Nathaniel Torporley. The tables concern longitude and trigonometry, and relate to (but are not identical with) the astronomical tables in Nathaniel Torporley, 'Diclides coelometricae seu valvae astronomicae universales' (London, 1602). The text at ff. 57-58 is written on the blank spaces of a letter to Torporley signed 'Oliff Stapilton' and dated at Lacock 17 March, no year. ff. 117r-160v. 'The usurer reformed, or a treatise tending to the restraint of immoderate interest iontly with the inconveniencies thereupon depending, most humbly presented to the kings most excellent maiestie'. ff. 117, 158-160 are blank flyleaves. Purchased in 1629 with money bequeathed by Thomas Adison, Ostiary of Sion College Library (Sion L40.2/E64, p. 6). Recorded in John Spencer's catalogue of books which survived the Fire of London (Sion L40.2/E58/2 f. 32r) as 'The usurer reformed, or a treatise concerning the restraynt of immoderate interest etc presented to King James'. A treatise with the same title, written by 1607, is amongst the Ellesmere manuscripts in the Huntington Library (MS EL 2468). Authorship of this is attributable to Sir Thomas Chaloner (1563/4-1615). See ML Robertson, 'Guide to British manuscripts in the Huntington Library', 1982, p. 38 and James S. Cockburn, 'The spoils of law: the trial of Sir John Hele, 1604', in De Lloyd J. Guth and John W. McKenna, eds., 'Tudor rule and revolution' (Cambridge University Press, 1982), pp. 309-344, and especially on Chaloner pp. 339-40. ff. 161r-183v. 'An examination of those Popish descriptions of usury which are justified and defended by Dr. Fenton and some others'. An anonymous response to 'A treatise of usurie' by Roger Fenton (1565-1616), published in 1611. Ethel Seaton identified this work as a draft of a treatise against Fenton by Sir Robert Filmer (1588?-1653), written in the late 1620s but first published in 1653 with the title 'Questio quodlibetica, or, a discourse whether it may be lawful to take use of money'. See Ethel Seaton, 'Venus and Anchises (Brittain's Ida) and other poems by Phineas Fletcher' (London, 1926), p. xii. Purchased in 1629 with money bequeathed by Thomas Adison, Ostiary of Sion College Library (Sion L40.2/E64, p. 6). Recorded in John Spencer's catalogue of books which survived the Fire of London (Sion L40.2/E58/2 f. 32r) with the pre-Fire shelfmark V7.11. This shelfmark is present at f. 161r. ff. 184r-214v. [John Lightfoot (1602-1675)], 'The harmony of the foure evangelists among themselves and with the Old Testament'. Autograph. John Lightfoot studied at Sion College Library from its outset around 1629. He published 'The harmony of the four evangelists among themselves, and with the Old Testament, with an explanation of the chiefest difficulties both in language and sense: part I. From the beginning of the Gospels to the baptism of our Saviour' in 1644. The present manuscript, which is incomplete, is an earlier draft, with substantial differences from the published text. Evidence of the draft status of the text is present at ff. 186v-188r which contain two versions of the same text, with some duplication of the original pagination. Recorded by John Spencer in his catalogue of the Sion manuscripts begun in 1650 (Sion L40.2/E92, f. 22r): 'John Lightfoote, a fragment of the harmony of the foure evangelists', with shelfmark V7.12. ff. 215r-234r. 'Johannis Bulkeley Monensis Anglocambri in circuli quadraturam excogitatio'. A treatise on the quadrature of the circle, by John Bulkeley, of Anglesey. At f. 231r is a dedication to Thomas Harriot (c.1560-1621): 'Erudito viro Thoma Harrioto amico suo Johannes Bulkeleus', dated from Anglesey, pridie kal. martii 1591[February 1591]. Part of the bequest to Sion College of Nathaniel Torporley, recorded in the Sion College Book of Benefactors under the year 1633 (Sion L40.2/E64, p. 25): 'De quadratura circuli excogitatio per Joh. Bulkleium Cambro-Britannicum'. In his will Thomas Harriot named Torporley as 'overseer of my mathematical writings', with a view to publishing their content. Recorded in John Spencer's catalogue of books which survived the Fire of London (Sion L40.2/E58/2 f. 31v) with pre-Fire shelfmark V7.22. This shelfmark is present at f. 215r. ff. 235r-267v. Poems by Phineas Fletcher (1582-1650), comprising 'Venus and Anchises' and other poems. In English. Copies, written in a single secretary hand. The poems were edited from this manuscript by Ethel Seaton, 'Venus and Anchises (Brittain's Ida) and other poems by Phineas Fletcher' (London, 1926). Seaton (p. xli) dated the manuscript to c.1616-c.1628. Cf. 'Index of English Literary Manuscripts, vol 1, 1450-1625, part 2: Douglas-Wyatt', compiled by Peter Beale (London, 1980) pp. 83-85. ff. 235r-242v. 'Venus and Anchises' by Phineas Fletcher. Seaton, pp. 1-20. ff. 243r-247r. 'Epithalium', by Phineas Fletcher. Seaton, pp. 21-9. ff. 247v-248v. Blank. ff. 249r-250r. ['To Mr. Jo. Tomkins' ('Thomalin my lief, thy musick strains to heare'), by Phineas Fletcher]. The text here has the heading 'Non invisa cano'. Seaton, pp. 30-2. f. 250v. Blank. ff. 251r-254v. ['Piscatorie Eclogues' by Phineas Fletcher, IV]. The text here has the heading 'Ecloga Thelgon Chronis' and begins 'Chromis my joy...'. Seaton, pp. 33-41. ff. 255r-259r. ['Piscatorie Eclogues' by Phineas Fletcher, VI]. The text here has the heading 'Ecloga Thomalin Thirsill' and begins 'A gentle boy...'. Seaton, pp. 42-54. f. 259v. Blank. ff. 260r-263r. ['Piscatorie Eclogues' by Phineas Fletcher, II]. The text here has the heading 'Ecloga Thomalin Thirsill' and begins 'Thirsil what wicked...'. Seaton, pp. 55-64. f, 263v. Blank. ff. 264r-267r. ['Piscatorie Eclogues' by Phineas Fletcher, V]. The text here has the heading 'Ecloga Algon Daphnis Nicaea' and begins 'The well knowne fisher boy...'. Seaton, pp. 65-76. f. 267v. Blank. Recorded by John Spencer in his catalogue of the Sion manuscripts begun in 1650 (Sion L40.2/E92, f.38r): 'Venus and Anchises cum aliis' with shelfmark V7.16. This shelfmark is present at f. 235r, but is partly covered by a later paper label.

For manuscripts by, or owned by, Nathaniel Torporley, see Sion L40.2/E6, E7, E10, L30, L40.

Open