A manuscript volume of sermons preached by Nicholas Felton, written up by an anonymous auditor in longhand in 1606. The sermons were preached primarily at St Antholin and St Mary le Bow in 1599-1606. Kenneth Fincham has observed that the sermons 'deal with uncontroversial Christian themes such as conscience, prayer, and charity', with an occasional reproachful comment aimed towards puritans and separatists (ODNB [Article: 9274]).
The title page of this manuscript is designed to imitate a printed one. On the verso of the title page, in a mixture of black-letter and cursive, is written 'The texts of the Sermons Contained in this Booke'; this page is signed off with a monogram ('SEARD').
The Carlton Shorthand Collection is one of the most comprehensive shorthand collections known, with an estimated 18,000 books, periodicals, and pamphlets on all aspects of stenography, many thought to be unique. The collection was largely put together by William J. Carlton (1886-1973), author of Charles Dickens, Shorthand Writer (London, 1926). The collection was primarily bequeathed by Carlton, with some later donations from the shorthand teacher, Peter Dorey. For the purchase of this particular manuscript by Carlton, see W. Matthews, 'A Postscript to 'Shorthand and the Bad Shakespeare Quartos'', The Modern Language Review, 28.1 (1933), pp. 81-83 (p. 83).
Hannah Yip; Carlton Shorthand Collection Catalogue; TNA Catalogue; AIM25 Catalogue
See Alexandra Walsham, Providence in Early Modern England (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999), p. 59 n. 248. Kenneth Fincham has speculated that the scribe was Edmund Willis, a pioneer in shorthand who dedicated his published manual, An Abbreviation of Writing by Character (London, 1618), to Felton. See ODNB (Article: 9274).
Sermon on Psalms 37:16 -- 14 leaves, unfoliated and unpaginated
Sermon on Psalms 145:17-18 -- 12 leaves, unfoliated and unpaginated
The Second Sermon preached vpo[n] St Ste[p]hens Day dec. 26. 1602 -- 12 leaves, unfoliated and unpaginated
The third Sermon -- 8 leaves, unfoliated and unpaginated
The fourth sermon -- 9 leaves, unfoliated and unpaginated
Sermon on Galatians 6:10 -- 7 leaves, unfoliated and unpaginated
The Second Sermon -- 9 leaves, unfoliated and unpaginated
The third sermon -- 14 leaves, unfoliated and unpaginated