The manuscript contains several theological treatises, including (f.1) under the heading of 1581, a homiletic discourse on various themes including "speaking against good men", "profiting by preaching" and "remembering of sermons"; (f.4) a discourse under the heading "1582"; (f.52) "The Acts and speeches of Mr G. [Richard Greenham, d. 1594]", 1584; (f.68) "A letter against hardness of hart"; (f.75) "The effect of an exhortation in private to two parties at their contracting before the witnesses, by Maister Hildersam"; (f.77) "A short treatise... about marriage", with the note that "this discourse was drawn by Mr Richard Sherwood at the request of the honorable lady Theodosia Dudly whom it concerned"; (f.96) Hildersham's "Concerning private reading of the word". Following this there are several directions for prayer and catechisms (f.103 and f.115). These works have been attributed to Arthur Hildersham and Thomas Cartwright, the theologian.
1 volume, 218 + viii folios. 235 x 172 mm. Bound in a later red vellum with leather spine and corners, and green marbled end papers. Written in a clear hand, with wide margins.
The volume has been associated with Hildersham, but a 1998 scholarly edition cast doubt on this thesis, as the extracts within the volume were "an early, well-established and widely circulated collection of sayings" (see "Other Note", below).
Bought from Mrs P. Hardisty in July 1930.
Catherine Evans; The John Rylands Catalogue.
Folios 1-72 have been published in K. L. Parker and E. J. Carlson (ed.), "Practical Divinity The Works and Life of Reverend Richard Greenham" (Aldershot: Ashgate, 1998). The manuscript has been catalogued in the "Hand-List of the Collection of English Manuscripts in the John Rylands Library, 1928-35".