Harley MS 2314 - Edward Beaver’s commonplace book

GEMMS Manuscript ID
GEMMS-MANUSCRIPT- 36
(old series: GEMMS-MANUSCRIPT-1158)
Title
Edward Beaver’s commonplace book
Shelfmark
Harley MS 2314
Creation Date
ca. 1674 - 1702
Repository
Contents Note

An octavo manuscript containing notes of sermons, memoranda, and accounts. The contents range from a description of the colours of the flags of different countries (ff. 7r–7v), anti-Catholic writing (f. 7v), ‘The Constellations as they stand in ye North Hemespheer of Heaven’ (with drawings; ff. 9v–15r), a short series of notes in Latin on ‘Dr Donne’, although it is not clear which works he has used (f. 32r). Edward Beaver was a keen auditor and attended a series of sermons delivered by extremely distinguished clergymen in Lent 1673.

Material Features

Octavo.

Acquisition

The Harleian Library was founded by Robert Harley, First Earl of Oxford (1661–1724). According to Cyril Ernest Wright, Robert Harley ‘was primarily interested in English historical and political material and in volumes of sermons and theological controversy, sharing in the latter the taste of his Harley ancestors’. See Cyril Ernest Wright, Fontes Harleiani (London, 1972), p. xxxiv.

Source of Data (Contributor name)

A Catalogue of the Harleian Manuscripts, in the British Museum (1808), Vol. II, p. 651; Cyril Ernest Wright, Fontes Harleiani (London, 1972); Hannah Yip.

GEMMS record created
June 24, 2019
GEMMS record last edited
July 15, 2024