Barbara McCormack - Treasures of the St Canice’s Cathedral Collection

Treasures of theSt. Canice’s

Cathedral Collection

Barbara McCormack 1st April 2017

Meeting of The Church of IrelandHistorical Society

Armagh Public Library

Introduction• About the Collection• Subjects, languages, imprints etc.

Bishops Thomas Otway & Edward Maurice• Biographical details• Bequests• Examples

Printed works and manuscripts• Incunabula• Manuscript fragments• Religious works• Other works

Evidence of previous owners

Current progress

Barbara McCormack, Maynooth University Library

Introduction• Collection was recently transferred from

St. Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny to Maynooth University Library on a long- term loan from the Representative Church Body of Ireland.

• Housed in an environmentally controlledstate-of-the-art storage facility.

• Significant work was carried out by Hugh Campbell in the 1990s which culminated in a comprehensive catalogue listing and report ‘St Canice’s Library: The Otway- Maurice Collection’ (October 1994) which was invaluable in terms of this paper.

The Collection at Maynooth University Library


COLLECTION OVERVIEW

Collection overview


• Approximately 3,300 works, including:– Four items of incunabula (pre-1500 printing)– Approximately 305 titles printed before 1600– Approximately 1,300 works printed in the 18th

century• Subject areas include: Religion, History, Classics,

Mathematics, and Geography.• Languages include: Latin, English, French,

Italian,and Greek.

• Other important works include several items by the Venetian printer Aldus, as well as several sixteenth century Parisian printings.

Imprints – some examples

Dublin85

London1200

Amsterdam455

Paris455

Cologne75


THOMAS OTWAY

Thomas Otway (1616-1693)


• Born in Wiltshire and educated at Winchester College. Graduated from Christ’s College, Cambridge in 1639 before studying at Trinity College, Dublin.

• Royalist sympathies during the civil war - banished to the West Indies. Later became chaplain to Lord Berkeley and eventually Bishop of Ossory in February 1680.

• Supported James II, becoming a member of Irish parliament in May 1689. In 1690 William attempted to suspend him from parliament – however he later became member of House of Lords in 1692.

• Died in March 1693 and buried in the Cathedral Church.

Otway’s bequest


• In 1693 Otway bequeathed ‘books – folios, quartos, and octavos and £200 in money – or more, if need should be– for the beginning of a Library for the Cathedral of St.Canice and for the use of the Clergy about it’.

• This bequest not only founded the Cathedral Library but provided for its management in the form of a library keeper to be paid £5 annually and coal for a weekly fire ‘to preserve the books’.

An example from Otway’s library

• Very few books in the collection bear the signature of Thomas Otway.

• One exception is on the title page of a theological work printed in Paris in 1532.

• Includes the motto: ‘Ne quidnimis’ [Nothing in excess].

Theological text printed in 1532


EDWARD MAURICE

Edward Maurice (c1694-1756)


• Enrolled in Trinity College, Dublin in 1709.• Consecrated Bishop of Ossory in 1754 at St Patrick’s

Cathedral, by the archbishop of Dublin.• Completed manuscript translations of Homer’s

Odysseyand Iliad into English.

• Andrew Sneddon suggests that Bishop Maurice was particularly concerned with “the continued security threat posed by the Catholic majority” evidenced in a sermon delivered in October 1755.

• According to Richard Mant he was “less known than he deserves to be” adding that Maurice delighted “in the unambitious and retiring enjoyments of rural life”.

Maurice’s bequest


• In 1756 Maurice bequeathed his ‘printed books to the Library … together with ten double cases of one form made of Dansick oak’.

• Maurice asked that ‘an oath be taken by the Librarian not to imbezzle or deface or lend any book out of the library but to give due attendance to such clergymen and gentlemen as may be disposed to study there from 6 o’clock in the morning to the tolling of the bell for morning prayer’.

Breakdown of Maurice’s Library

720

336

203

115th Century 16th Century 17th Century 18th Century

No. of Titles


INCUNABULA

Decades of History from the Deterioration of the Roman Empire

• Printed in Venice, 1483.• Italian humanist historian and early

archaeologist, Flavio Biondo (1392- 1463).

• A history of Europe in three books (text divided in three parts).

• Decorated initial letters in gold, blue, and red.

• Opening page has a decorated border with foliage – title page is missing.


Decades of History (initial letters)

Red and blue hand painted initial letters in the text


The Consolation of Philosophy

• Sixth century philosopher Boethius.• Printed in August 1497.• Very rare - only other copies existing

in the British Isles are in the British Library and Cambridge.

• Annotations from three centuries onthe title page alone:– 16th century: ‘Give me, Lord, a

quiet mind’ (translation)– 17th century: ‘I must keep the rule

given by James Mullens. 12th Feb, 1692/3’ (translation)

– 18th century: ‘Ed. Maurice’


Sarum Missal

• Printed in Westminster, 1498.• This was the first Sarum Missal

printed in England.• Produced by Julian Notary and

Jean Barbier for Fleet Street printer Wynkyn de Worde.

• Features liturgical type which was imported from France.

• Printers device of William Caxton.


Dialogues on the Ten Commandments

• Pynson’s edition of Dialogues on the Ten Commandments, printed in 1493.

• Extensively repaired.• Earliest complete work in

the English language in the collection.


Dialogues on the Ten Commandments(Fragments)


MANUSCRIPTS

Binder’s waste

• Parchment manuscript used toreinforce the spine of a printed book.

• Plainchant musical notation.• Parchment, being animal skin, was

tough and durable, and would not tear.

• It was common practice in the past to sew strips of disused parchment into the binding of a book to strengthen it.

• Many interesting texts have survived in this way.


Other examples (1)


Other examples (2)

Pen flourished initial letter ‘P’ in manuscript fragment. Note the

rubrication (red ink) and decorated folio numbers (red and

blue ink).

Manuscript pastedown removedfrom a printed book.


Other examples (3)


Other examples (4)

Parchment manuscript used as binders waste in a book printed in

Geneva in 1617.


Parchment manuscript used to support spine in a book printed in Basle in 1537.

Oldest known item in the collection

“Mandate for the Citation of John Bar ... To appear before Thomas (Bourchier) Papal Legate and Archbishop of Canterbury, given at Lambeth 6th February 1468.”


OTHER WORKS

Shakespearian Fourth Folio• William Shakespeare’s Comedies,

Histories, and Tragedies. Published according to true original copies. Unto which is added, seven plays, never before printed in Folio.

• Also known as the ‘Fourth Folio’.• Printed in 1685 for Herringman,

Brewster and Bentley of London.• Important in terms of

Shakespearian scholarship.• Maurice signed the title page of

this work. Portrait of William Shakespeare from the ‘Fourth Folio’


The Ship of Fools

• Sebastian Brandt’s The ship of Fools, printed in London in 1509.

• Alexander Barclay edition published in English.

• Original work first publishedin 1494.

• Consists of 112 satires, and an epilogue – all illustrated with woodcuts.


A Book of Christian Prayers• Also known as Queen Elizabeth’s Prayer

Book.• Original edition was printed in 1569, this

issued printed in 1608 in London.• Contains detailed woodcuts in the style

of Dürer and Holbein.

Woodcuts from Queen

Elizabeth’s Prayer Book


Book of Common Prayer (1552)• Second Book of Common

Prayer, printed in August 1552 during the reign of Edward VI by Richard Grafton.

• Revision of 1549 version.

• Developed by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury (1489-1556).

• Fine woodcuts throughout

• Woodcut border on title page with red and black text.

Woodcut historiated initial letter


Tillage and vegetation

• Jethro Tull’s The Horse-Hoeing Husbandry: or, An essay on the principles of tillage and vegetation.

• Printed in Dublin by the Dublin Society in 1733.

• Outlines ‘a Method of introducing a Sort of Vineyard-Culture into the Corn-Fields’.


Other farming works


Dictionary of Husbandry, Gardening & Commerce

• Printed in London, 1717.• Contains handwritten instructions on

the production of African cement which involves well sifted ashes, lime and sand.


A Book on exercise• Medicina Gymnastica: or a

Treatise concerning the Power of Exercise.

• Printed in London in 1728.


Voyage de l'Arabie Heureuse

• Jean de la Roque’s Voyage de l’Arabie Heureuse.

• Printed in Amsterdam in 1716.


RELIGIOUS WORKS

Roman Catholic authors


The collection features works by various Roman Catholic authors prominent in the 17th and early 18th century, including:• French mathematician, physicist, and Christian philosopher Blaise Pascal

(1623-1662), one of the first inventors of the mechanical calculator and author of religious literary work The Provincial Letters. Two editions of this title (1698 and 1712) are found in the collection, one of which is signed by Maurice.

• French Archbishop François Fénelon (1651-1715), author of The Adventures of Telemachus which was written for the Duke of Burgandy. Fénelon also wrote Dialogues of the Dead and Reflections on Rhetoric and Poetry. All of which are featured in the Collection.

• English poet and Catholic convert Richard Crashaw (c1613-1649), author of Poems and Epigrams. A work by George Herbert, one of Crashaw’s influences, is also in the collection as is a sermon by Crashaw’s father William, a devout Protestant clergyman and pamphleteer.

Protestant authors


The collection also features works by various Protestant authors prominent in the 17th and early 18th century, including:• Richard Baxter (1615-1691), English Puritan and author of A Treaty

of Episcopacy (London, 1681). George Morley, Anglican bishop of Worchester, and opponent of Baxter can also be found in the collection.

• Anglican author Edward Stillingfleet (1635-1699), author of A Rationale Account of the Grounds of Protestant Religion and A Discourse Concerning the Idolatry Practised in the Church of Rome, both of which included attacks on Catholicism and garnered defences from Catholic authors.

• English writer and Baptist John Bunyan (1628-1688), author of The Pilgrim’s Progress which he wrote during his imprisonment after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

PROVENANCE

John Hartstonge (1654-1717)• John Hartstonge (1654-1717) was

Bishop of Ossory from 1693-1714 when he became Bishop of Derry.

• Hartstonge had previously worked as chaplain to James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde.

• Seven titles in the Otway-Maurice collection were once in his possession including Francis Mason’s A Vindication of the Church of England (1638).

• These range in date from 1516-1639 and include works in Latin, English, French, and Italian. Bookplate of John (Hartstonge)

Lord Bishop of Ossory


Sir Thomas Vesey, 1st Baronet (1668?–1730)

• At least two works in the collection are associated with Sir ThomasVesey, Baronet of Abbeyleix and Bishop of Ossory from 1714-30.

• A note on the flyleaf of Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1651) which is possibly in the hand of Maurice reads: ‘given me by Sir John Denny Vesey Bar: 1730.’


Theodore Maurice (1670-1731)

• Theodore Maurice studied at Trinity College Dublin and was Archdeacon of Tuam from 1706-31.

• He once owned a significant amount of works in the Otway- Maurice collection (over sixty).

• Theodore was most likely a brother of Edward Maurice.

• His books include William Falkner’s Christian Loyalty…to the King (1679)


Bookplate of Theodore Maurice (1670-1731)

Wheeler family

Gilbert Wheeler 1724


Edward Wheeler 1732

Other provenance information

Elisabeth Baker


Ex libris: Nat. Foy(possibly Nathaniel Foy, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore)

Thomas WhiteHis booke and

god make him good.

Drelincourt family• At least 95 titles in the Otway-Maurice

collections are associated with the Drelincourt’s, 36 of these are in French.

• Pierre or Peter Drelincourt (1644-1722) was dean of Armagh and the son of French Protestant divine, Charles Drelincourt.

• Peter was born in Paris and educated in Geneva but emigrated to Ireland where he gained the support of James Butler, 1st duke of Ormond, before quickly rising to the higher tiers of the Irish Church. He later married the sister of Edward Maurice (Mary Drelincourt).

Bookplate of Mrs Ann Drelincourt


Drelincourt family - example• Peter’s brother Charles Drelincourt (1633-

1697) was a French physician. In 1659 he was appointed as a physician to King Louise XIV and later held the Chair of Medicine at Leiden University before becoming Rector.

• An inscription on the pastedown of a work relating to church history reads: ‘For my brother the Dean of Armagh, from your affectionate brother, Charles Drelincourt, Dean of the University of Leiden. 1692.’

• Titles include works by the 17th century French cartographer Nicolas Sanson, French philosopher Pierre Bayle, William King, and John Stearne.

Note from Charles to Peter Drelincourt


PROGRESS

Progress to date• Books have been frozen to eliminate pest

damage and subsequently cleaned.• Loose boards and spines have been secured

with archival ties and/or boxes.• A cataloguing project commenced in

Summer 2015 and the collection is now findable via the online catalogue with a provenance note indicating collection ownership.

• Material is housed in an environmentally controlled secure storage area with optimal temperature and humidity levels.

• Items requiring conservation work have been identified and will be repaired by an onsite conservation team.


References


• H. Campbell, St Canice’s Library: The Otway-Maurice Collection, 1994.• A. F. Pollard, ‘Otway, Thomas (1616–1693)’, rev. James McGuire, Oxford

Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20945, accessed 3 Oct 2015].

• R. Mant, History of the Church of Ireland, II, John W. Parker, 1840.• Andrew Sneddon, ‘Church of Ireland Missions to Roman Catholics, c.

1700-1800’ in The Oxford Handbook of the British Sermon 1689-1901 edited by K.A. Francis and W. Gibson, Oxford University Press, 2012, p. 538.

• Clerical and Parochial Records of Cork, Cloyne, and Ross…Volume3, edited by William Maziere Brady, London, 1864, p. 99.

• Painter, George et. al. (n.d.) Two missals printed for Wynkyn de Worde. Retrieved September 25, 2016 from http://www.bl.uk/eblj/1976articles/pdf/article14.pdf, p.160.

http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20945

http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20945

http://www.bl.uk/eblj/1976articles/pdf/article14.pdf

QUESTIONS?

Contact details


Barbara McCormackSpecial CollectionsJPII Library and Russell Library+353 1 708 3890/[email protected]

All images in this presentation © The Representative Body of the Church of Ireland from the collections of Maynooth University Library.

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Barbara McCormack - Treasures of the St Canice’s Cathedral Collection