MSS. Ash. Rolls

MSS. Ashmole Rolls

The descriptions of MSS. Ashmole Rolls were incorporated under different numbers in the single numerical sequence of manuscripts and printed books given in W. H. Black's catalogue of 1845 (= Quarto Catalogue X). Cross-references are given below under 'Catalogue Reference'.

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 1
Summary Catalogue no.	8454
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1779
Summary of contents	Letters patent of inspeximus by Henry VIII, 1510, with Great Seal (imperfect), of grants of Henry VII to the Fraternity of St. Anne of Corscombe, Somerset, 1489 and 1496 (cf. MS. Ash. Rolls 7).
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	1510
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 4
Summary Catalogue no.	7074
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 15a
Summary of contents	Coats of arms of sovereigns of Europe and English nobility. Treatise on heraldry. Etc.
Language	English and French
Origin	English
Date	14th century, end or 15th century, beginning
Material	parchment

Decoration
Coats of arms.

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 6
Summary Catalogue no.	6658
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 9
Summary of contents	Imperfect set of calendarial and astronomical tables, including parts of a calendar for 1451.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	15th century, second half
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 7
Summary Catalogue no.	8454
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1780
Summary of contents	Letters patent of Henry VII, in favour of the Fraternity of St. Anne, Corscombe, Somerset (cf. MS. Ash. Rolls 1).
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	1489
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 11
Summary Catalogue no.	8451
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1777
Summary of contents	Letters patent of Henry VI, with Great Seal, granting a pardon to John Hywysshe of Lodehywysshe.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	1425
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 12
Summary Catalogue no.	8465iii
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1544B
Summary of contents	Concession of a property in New Windsor by the executors of Henry Blount (commonly known as Warner) to the College of St. George, Windsor Castle, with remains of seals.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	1371
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 14
Summary Catalogue no.	8449
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1775
Summary of contents	Letters patent of inspeximus of Edward IV, 1461 (seal lost), of a grant by Edward I, 1296, of lands to Nicholas and Alice Malemeyns.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	1461
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 16
Summary Catalogue no.	8452
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1778
Summary of contents	Letters patent of Edward IV (seal lost), licensing the foundation of the Fraternity of St. Anne, Corscombe, Somerset.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	1482
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 19
Summary Catalogue no.	7082
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 32
Summary of contents	Sixty coloured coats of arms of Welsh families.
Language	Welsh
Origin	Welsh
Date	15th century, late - 16th century, first half
Material	parchment

Decoration
Coats of arms.

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 21
Summary Catalogue no.	7081
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 25
Summary of contents	Genealogy of the Kings of England from William I to Henry VI, illustrated with verses and medallions.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	15th century, middle
Material	parchment

Decoration
Miniatures (coloured drawings). (P&A iii. 983)
Fifteen medallions with ink and wash portraits of the kings of England, starting with William the Conqueror and ending with Henry VI.

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 22
Summary Catalogue no.	7415
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 26
Summary of contents	Genealogy of Christ from Adam, with historical notes and biblical references.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	15th century, middle
Material	parchment

Decoration
Good initials. (P&A iii. 984)

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 26
Summary Catalogue no.	7083
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 27
Summary of contents	Genealogies of Christ and the Kings of England (to Edward IV with four of his children), with extracts from John of Bridlington's Vaticinia (text and commentary).
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	c. 1470-1472
Material	parchment

Decoration
Diagrams. (P&A iii. 1074)

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 33
Summary Catalogue no.	7866
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1160
Summary of contents	Articles of agreement between Henry VI and Richard, Duke of York, concerning the latter's claim to the throne [1460]. Letters missive of George, Duke of Clarence and others, 12 July 1469, against the Woodville faction. Transcript of briefs of Henry VI.
Language	Latin and English
Origin	English
Date	15th century
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 35
Summary Catalogue no.	7414
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 21
Summary of contents	Act for the Attainder of Henry VI, 1461.
Language	English
Origin	English
Date	c. 1461
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 36
Summary Catalogue no.	8181
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 22
Summary of contents	Inventory of books, vestments, relics, etc., of the chapel of Windsor castle (11 Henry IV, 1409-1410)
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	1409-1410
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 38
Summary Catalogue no.	7079
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 23
Summary of contents	Illustrated genealogy of the Kings of England to Edward II (later continued to Richard II).
Language	French
Origin	English
Date	c. 1310 and later
Material	parchment

Decoration
Good miniatures (coloured drawings), borders. (P&A iii. 535)
Miniature of King Edward I on the throne (damaged). Circular diagram showing the kingdoms of Heptarchy. Borders, framing the roll on either side, are illustrated with portraits and scenes from the lives of various rulers, kings and queens, begining with Brutus and Cormeus, and ending with Edward I and Edward II. Pen drawings of grotesques and folliage fill larger spaces between the lines of text.

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 39
Summary Catalogue no.	7072
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 12
Summary of contents	Genealogy of the Kings of England to Henry V (later continued to Edward V), with historical and prophetic notes.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	15th century
Material	parchment

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 49
Summary Catalogue no.	8166
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1166
Summary of contents	Articles exhibited by the Poor Knights of Windsor, impugning the 'Declaration' of the Canons.
Language	English
Origin	English
Date	15th century, late - 16th century, early
Material	paper

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 50
Summary Catalogue no.	8465sss
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1773
Summary of contents	Illustrated genealogy of the Kings of England to Edward I.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	c. 1300
Material	parchment

Decoration
Fine miniatures (coloured drawings). Incomplete. (P&A iii. 519, pl. XLIX)
Seven medallions (first torn away, second damaged) illustrating the story of Brutus. Seven rows, each containing 14 small medallions with portraits of kings. Seven columns, each filled with small medallions containing portraits of the Anglo-Saxon kings of the Heptarchy. Two rows, each containing 14 small medallions with portraits of kings from Aethelwulf to Edward I. Family tree, illustrated with small medallions containing portraits of the ancestors of Edward I.

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 52
Summary Catalogue no.	7662
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1535
Summary of contents	George Ripley, Alchemical roll.
Language	English and Latin
Origin	English
Date	16th century, end
Material	paper

Decoration
Good miniatures (coloured drawings), copies of a MS. of 15th century. (P&A iii. 1209)
The process for preparing the philosopher's stone in four scenes:
(1) alchemist with hermetic vessel with eight roundels depicting stages in the alchemical process;
(2) 'philosophical tree' and grape vine planted in the centre of a heptagonal basin; the basin is surmounted by parapets upon which seven human figures examine contents of beakers which they hold; this is supported by a column rising from a lower square pool, the front of which is decorated with a toad-spewing griffin; nude male and female figures ascend and descend the 'tree' or simply stand in water;
(3) two lions flanking the mouth of a furnace; sun; bird with the head of an old man crowned and bearded, standing on a globe;
(4) sunburst design with three linked coloured circles; crescent moon, held in the jaws of a dragon, perched on a winged globe; the dragon's blood descending to three circles at the bottom of the globe; text flanked by two human figures, a king and a commoner, with staffs.

Shelfmark	MS. Ash. Rolls 54
Summary Catalogue no.	8447
Quarto Catalogue	Quarto Catalogue X, no 1771
Summary of contents	George Ripley, Alchemical roll.
Language	Latin
Origin	English
Date	16th century, second half
Material	paper

Decoration
Miniatures (drawings added to one composition in woodcut). (P&A iii. 1213)
The process for preparing the philosopher's stone in four scenes (brown ink):
(1) hands of an alchemist, holding a hermetic vessel with eight roundels depicting stages in the alchemical process (originally there may have been another membrane showing the head and shoulders of the alchemist);
(2) 'philosophical tree' and grape vine planted in the centre of a heptagonal basin; the basin is surmounted by parapets upon which seven human figures examine contents of beakers which they hold; nude male and female figures ascend and descend the ‘tree’ or simply stand in water; this is supported by a column rising from a lower square pool, the front of which is decorated with a toad-spewing griffin; the columns at the corners of the pool are surmounted with beakers, containing the four elements (?): flames (?), water with fish, clouds and birds, landscape with a castle; nude male figure is preparing to climb the column; two nude female figures, one with wings, stand in water;
(3) two lions flanking the mouth of a furnace; sun with a face beneath a cloud; bird with the head of an old man crowned and bearded, standing on a globe;
(4) two scrolls left blank; sunburst design with three linked circles; crescent moon, held in the jaws of a dragon, perched on a winged globe; the dragon's blood descending to three circles at the bottom of the globe; frame for a text, left blank, flanked by two human figures, a king (defaced) and a commoner, with staffs.

LwM 30 June 2011