St John's College H.42 (James 303)
Thomas Baker, History of St John's College. English, 1764
Thomas Baker, of St John's College (1656-1740): 'A Succint and Impartiall account of St John's House and St John's College, with some Occasional and Incidental account of the affairs of the University, and of such private Colleges, as held Communications or Intercourse with the old College or House: collected principally By a Member of the College. Ano. 1707' (p. xi), according to a note on the flyleaf 'transcribed from the original in the British Museum at the Expence of the Master, the Revd Dr Newcome, and by him given to the College-Library, January 5th 1765'. According to J. E. B. Mayor, who edited the published edition of Baker's History (Cambridge, 1869, Vol. 1, p. vi), the copyist was Antonio Ferrari. The MS has been edited for a printer.
330x200 mm. xii+442 pp. College bookplate (1792) inside front cover. Presented by John Newcome, 1765.
The hand of Antonio Ferrari throughout. Paper, with ruled margins. Handsome crimson morocco binding, with contemporary marbled end-papers, re-sewn, re-backed and repaired by the Cambridge Bookbinding Company, Apr. 1963.