St John's College H.9b (James 277)

Peter Barwick, Life of John Barwick. Latin, c. 1690

 

'Vita Ioannis Barwick [1612-64, Fellow of St Johns College] Eccles: Sti Pauli Lond: Decani: et Collegii S. Joh. Evang. apud Cantab. olim Socii. A Petro Barwick MD [of St John's College, 1621-1705], ejusdem etiam Collegii olim Alumno, Conscripta. In quâ non pauca arcana studia pro Regno Britannico motibus intestinis collapso, in pristinum statum restituendo, difficillimis temporibus impensa, in lucem proferuntur'. The Life was first edited from this MS and H.9a by Hilkiah Bedford [1663-1724, Fellow of St John's College], and printed by W. Bowyer, London, 1721 (SJC C.9.36). An English version followed in 1724 (SJC, C.9.35). The MS is bound with three autograph letters from Charles II to his 'affectionate frinde' [John Barwick]:

  1. From Brussels, 30 December 1658 (received 7 Feb. 1659)
  2. From Brussels, 2 June 1659 (received 31 May 1659 O.S.)
  3. From Brussels, 12 June 1659 (received 10 June 1659 O.S.)
  4. iv. Receipt: 'I do acknowledge to have receaved the summe of one hundred pounds by the derections of Mr B: Brusselles the first of April 1660. Charles R.'
Manuscript extra information

205x160 mm. 152+14+6 pp. College bookplate (eighteenth century) inside front cover.

A clean copy of H.9a, written 'by the author's Direction, as well as at his Charge' for St John's College. Bedford in the unpaginated preface to his English edition further admits that he had angered the Barwick family by having ventured to use both H.9a and H.9b in his original edition, the family considering the latter to be the only correct copy. Paper. Handsome presentation red turkey binding, with gold ornamentation and marbled end-papers.