St John's College N.15 (James 394)
John Sergeant, Autobiography. English, 1700
John Sergeant, of St John's College, later a priest of the English College at Lisbon (1622-1707): a literary autobiography of a Catholic controversialist, in the form of a letter to 'The Rt Honourable my Lord P...' [James Drummond (1648-1716), the Jacobite Duke of Perth], cataloguing his many books or pamphlets written in defence of the Roman Catholic faith. Dated Paris, 3 September 1700 at p. 153, in response to a letter from Perth to 'Mr Whitford' dated 17 July (see p. 1). The work was edited and published by John Kirk as The Literary Life of John Sergeant, written by himself in Paris, 1700, at the request of the Duke of Perth (London, 1816). With 'Extracts from ULC Mss.Gg.4.3 (by Sir J. Warner S.J.) relative to John Sergeant', a typescript transcript by T. A. C. Birrell of Downing College, July 1947. 5pp.
200x165 mm. 153 written pp, followed by many blanks. College bookplate inside front cover. Purchased from Henry Southeran & Co. May 1901 (extract from bookseller's catalogue inside front cover).
Two distinct hands, changing at p. 13. The first perhaps autograph, but the second clearly a clean copy, with a few copyist's corrections. Paper. Stamped leather (IHS and Cross) on boards, perhaps repaired by Henry Southeran c. 1900.