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This handsome fellow, drawn in red ink, is an example of a ‘drôlerie’, and is found in the Library’s copy Biblia Latina, printed in Venice in 1489. This was originally a four volume Bible, but our copy only includes this, the fourth volume. The book has a large number of red ink doodles (see below), as well as contemporary marginal notes. Drolleries such as this are commonly found in medieval manuscripts, and incunabula, books printed in the 15th century. They are often grotesque and bizarre figures.

Renae Satterley

Librarian

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Rohl v Parr: A blog post by Middle Temple Library Intern Natasha Southall.

For the past few months I have been transcribing and cataloguing MS17, ‘Cases at Nisi Prius’, containing nominate reports of cases at Nisi Prius. The manuscript belonged to Sir Vicary Gibbs (1751-1820), and may have been written by him. The cases date from the 1760s to 1810s and vary in nature, from libel charges and indictments of fraud, to actions of trover and bills of exchange. I came across several insurance claims for ships that had been damaged at sea. In most of these cases, the contents of the cargo were not specified. One which caught my attention was a case brought by the slaver named Rohl in 1796, where two significant details of the circumstances of the claim are provided: at one point during the voyage there was a slave insurrection, resulting in the death of eight enslaved Africans, and the ship was “destroyed by destructive worms that infest the River of Africa” (folios 128-129). Both factors were integral in determining the success of the insurance claim in court.

1. Rohl’s voyage from Saint Barthélemy to Cape Coast (original map from www.freeworldmaps.net)

On 1st September 1792, the Zumbee sailed from St Bartholomew (Saint Barthélemy) to the River Gombroon on the coast of Africa [1]. Here, it was reported, a slave insurrection resulted in the loss of eight slaves (seven were killed and one died from falling) out of a total of forty-nine. The report claimed that the ship then struggled to get to Cape Coast because the bottom had been “taken by the worm”, likely to be toredo worms/shipworms, which were a common cause of damage to wooden ships in this period. At Cape Coast, the ship was “condemned as irreparable” and sold.

2. Rohl v Parr, folio 128 with ‘worms’ in the margin

The insurance claim was predicated on the policy of damage due to ‘peril at sea’. However, Lord Kenyon and the special jury agreed that the destruction by shipworms, being “an animated substance moving to destroy [the ship]” rather than “an inanimate substance striking against the ship’s bottom”, did not meet the terms of the ‘peril at sea’ policy. Consequently, the counsel for the plaintiff tried instead to recover the partial loss of the enslaved cargo resulting from the slave insurrection. Luckily for Rohl this was granted, as the loss was calculated as more than 5% at the time when the slaves were killed.

3. Figure 2 Rohl v Parr, folio 129

The transatlantic slave trade witnessed the forced transportation of over twelve million enslaved African men, women and children from Africa across the Atlantic to the Americas. Portugal, Brazil, Britain, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Uruguay, the United States of America and Denmark were all involved. One way we are able to catch a glimpse of the mechanisms underpinning the transatlantic slave trade is through legal records like those in the Gibbs manuscript. The records documenting these horrific and treacherous voyages have been made accessible to the public by the SlaveVoyages initiative [2].

This case of Rohl and Parr does not shed much light on the lives of the individuals who were enslaved and travelled on board the Zumbee; the horrors they must have experienced can only be imagined. The case does make clear, however, the financial risks involved for slavers who embarked on the voyage across the Atlantic to Africa. The underlying threat of insurrection was always on the horizon. Yet it would be the workings of the ‘destructive worms’ that rendered slavers like Rohl defenceless both at sea and in the English courtroom.

Citations

[1] Rohl v Parr, Saturday, Feb. 27th 1796, 1ESP.444., Reports of Cases Argued and Ruled at Nisi Prius.

[2] Slave Voyages, https://www.slavevoyages.org/ (last accessed 26/03/2024).

Natasha Southall,

King’s College London

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Online Exhibition

Have you seen our exhibition on The Evolution of the Law Report yet?

See it online here!

Tip: click on the social media icon in the right-hand corner of the text cards to see the corresponding images.

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Provenance mysteries: A lively antithesis, or opposition, betweene the Church of Rome and the true church of God

This edition’s provenance mystery features Thomas Bedell’s A lively antithesis, or opposition, betweene the Church of Rome and the true church of God, printed in London by R. B[lower] for Roger Jackson in 1604. The author may be the Thomas Bedell who, according to the History of Parliament website, got into an argument with John Brudenell regarding the loyalty of Catholics, in relation to James VI and I’s Oath of Allegiance. The 1606 Oath of Allegiance was a response to the Gunpowder Plot, and required Catholics to swear allegiance to the King, not the Pope. The  Bedell/Brudenell argument led to a Star Chamber case (National Archives, STAC 8/11/23). This is a very rare book, with only two copies recorded in ESTC and USTC.

As can be seen on the title page, the book has been signed. Unfortunately, bookworm damage has obscured what is presumably the first name of the inscription completely. The surname of ‘Lugger’ is visible, however. Given the date of publication, the full name could be that of William Lugger/Luggar/d. William was a bookseller and publisher, who was active between 1597 and 1658 (the year of his death). He moved shop throughout his career, and was variously based at Holborn, Ludgate, and near the Tower of London.

The link to Lugger is potentially made more credible when examining the second photo, herein, which depicts the inside front binding of Daniel Mögling’s De chymiatria theses practica, 1595. The inscription reads ‘of Mr Lugger 1619 Aug 28,’ and is in Robert Ashley’s hand. This note suggests that Ashley purchased the book from Lugger who, in 1619, would have been based near Middle Temple, in Holborn. Ashley of course was the founder of Middle Temple Library.

As ever, if you recognise this hand or have further comments please get in touch: library@middletemple.org.uk.

Renae Satterley

Librarian

March 2024

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Provenance mysteries: Tre discorsi

The first provenance mystery of 2024 features Alessandro Farra’s Tre discorsi, printed in Padua in 1564. The book’s three discourses are: Discorso de’miracoli d’amore (of the miracle of love);  Discorso della divinita dell’huomo (of the divinity of man); Discorso dell’ufficio del capitano (of the captain’s office).

As can be seen on the title page, the book was possibly acquired from, or by, ‘Giaco. Casteluetri’ for 20d. That’s 20 pence in old money. The book is heavily annotated, in a very small, cramped hand, but contemporary to the book: sixteenth century. The marginalia seem to be mostly in English, but the handwriting is difficult to read, and the book was unfortunately trimmed when it was rebound. Two examples are included below.

The ‘tre discorsi’ that the book treats are love, human beings, and the command of troops. It is bound with a second book, by Torquato Tasso: an apology for his own Gierusalemme liberate, a ‘heroic poem’ that fictionalised ‘the vicissitudes of several leading historical figures from the First Crusade.’.

This sammelband volume forms part of the Robert Ashley bequest of 1641, and the owner/seller on the title page could be Giacomo Castelvetro (1546-1616). Castelvetro was an Italian exile in London, originally from Modena, who travelled extensively. Castelvetro had converted to Protestanism, and enjoyed the protection of Sir Francis Walsingham, Sir Chistopher Hatton, and Sir Philip Sidney. He taught Italian to notable students in the sixteenth-century. Castelvetro is perhaps best known for his book on Italian fruits and vegetables, The fruit, herbs, and vegetables of Italy (1614).

The handwriting on the title page is not that of Robert Ashley, but it is reasonable to suggest that the two men knew each another. Christopher Hatton’s nephew, Sir William Hatton, was a patron of Ashley’s. Additionally, Castelvetro worked with John Wolfe (d. 1601), the publisher of a variety of political works in the sixteenth-century, and the publisher of two of Robert Ashley’s own translations: A comparison of the English and Spanish nation (1589) and L’Uranie ou muse celeste de G. de Saluste Seigneur du Bartas (1589). Like Ashley, Castelvetro had an interest in books, and was known to have attended the famous Frankfurt bookfair in 1586. According to Trecanni, the Italian biographical dictionary, Castelvetro also met Orazio Pallavicino while there. Ashley had a connection to Pallavicino and was intended to succeed him in a diplomatic position in 1590. Dudley Carleton, whom Ashley also knew, assisted Castelvetro in 1611, when he fell foul of the Inquisition.

As ever, if you recognise this hand or have further comments please get in touch: library@middletemple.org.uk.

Renae Satterley

Librarian

January 2024

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This 19th-century artwork shows New York City and the city's docks. This view looks north-east up the East River from the bay of New York Harbour, USA. Manhattan (with Broadway) is at the left, while the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn on Long Island can be seen at the right. In the lower right the 11-pointed bastion of Fort Wood on the future Liberty Island, site of the Statute of Liberty is shown. Part of Ellis Island is at bottom left. Clinton Castle (round offshore fort, lower left) is not yet surrounded by Battery Park, and bridges are yet to be built over the East River. This lithograph comes from volume 6 (1878) of the 9-volume 'The Trial at Bar of Sir Roger C. D. Tichborne' (1875-1880).

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Jake Hearn and Fariha Sikondari explore the stories told in, and the process of curating, Middle Temple Library’s summer exhibition: Islam, Astronomy & Arabic Print. Read about it in this year's edition of the Middle Templar: https://loom.ly/EjfpYVE

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This engraved Artwork comes from a 1619 French edition of Schouten's account of his voyages ( Journal ou relation exacte du voyage de Guill. Schouten, dans les Indes). The artwork shows six explorers who circled the globe. In the upper left is Ferdinand Magellan (Portuguese, 1519-1522), with the ship Victoria from his fleet. At upper right is Willem Schouten (Dutch, 1615-1617), with his ship Eendraght. Down left: Francis Drake (English, 1577-1580) and Olivier van Noort (Dutch, 1598-1601). Down right: Thomas Cavendish (English, 1586-1588) and Joris van Spilbergen (Dutch, 1614-1617). The map shows the Schouten-Spilbergen route. 

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We hosted a special Halloween event at the Library today. The 17th century works on display covered a variety of topic including witchcraft, magic and demonology. The highlight was probably the Compendium maleficarum shown in the first photo. The text is an encyclopedic work on the study of witchcraft and demonology.

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This 17th century woodcut depicts a group of witches adoring the devil. The illustration comes from the Compendium Maleficarum (Collection of the Evil Deeds of Witchcraft) by Francesco Maria Guazzo. Guazzo was an Italian priest and exorcist from the order of Saint Barnaba and Saint Ambrose ad Nemus. This work which describes the practice and profession of witchcraft was first published in 1608.

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This 16th Century woodcut print of an bat was published in 'Histoire de la nature des oyseaux' by Pierre Belon (1555). Belon who was a naturalist, writer and diplomat wrote on a range of topics including botony, anatomy and Egyptology.

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This 17th century artwork shows a flying fish near a ship in stormy waters. This engraving is from 'An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperor of China', by the Dutch writer and explorer Johan Nieuhof (1618-1672). The book describes Nieuhof's travels to India and China. This artwork is from an English translation, published in 1669.

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Provenance mysteries: Diodori Siculi historiarum libri aliquot, qui extant, opera & studio Vincentii Obsopoei in lucem editi

The fourth provenance mystery of 2023 features Diodori Siculi historiarum libri aliquot, qui extant, opera & studio Vincentii Obsopoei in lucem editi, printed in Basel by Johann Oporinus in 1530.

This work of Greek history by Siculus Diodorus, the ancient Green historian, is in Greek with a preface and opening poem in Latin. According to an auction record, this was the first edition to appear in print of Diodorus’s history in its original Greek. This edition consists of books 16-20 of the original forty books of Greek history written by Diodorus. It was edited by Vincentius Opsopäus (d. 1539), who is best known for writing De arte bibendi, a guide to drinking.

As can be seen on the title page, the book has many contemporary inscriptions. The first reads: ‘Thomas [L?]enerus dono dedit Rodol[?]’ and the second ‘Guielmi Fulconis emptus a prope/hta Cantab’ followed by a price paid for the book; as per the inscription, the book was purchased in Cambridge. Although the first inscriber has not been identified, it is possible that the second inscription refers to William Fulke (1538-1589), a Puritan divine and the author of at least one work on mathematics.

The longer inscription, in Greek, is a transcription of a poem ascribed to Theocritus, the Greek bucolic poet, and it is from his Idylls, number IX, line 31. The inscription is signed ‘Broughton’, and the hand is very similar to the British Library’s Royal MS 1AIX, The book of Daniel translated into Greek by Hugh Broughton. Hugh Broughton (1549-1612) was an English Hebraist, preacher, and translator who wrote A concent of scripture in 1588; he was a fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge. 

While I think it is safe to declare that the Greek inscription is in Hugh Broughton’s hand, there still remains the mystery of positively identifying Fulke’s hand, and identifying the inscription at the top of the title page. I have not found any evidence of what books Fulke or Broughton may have had in their personal libraries, nor what happened to them.

The book is bound in a Cambridge binding, with Oldham roll (SW.b(3)), as identified for me by David Pearson in 2021. As can be seen here, it is heavily damaged and the book as a whole requires conservation. If you would like to sponsor its repair, please get in touch.

As this mystery is literally all Greek to me, I relied on my colleague Kostas Tsilikas to identify the Greek text.

As ever, if you recognise this hand or have further comments please get in touch: library@middletemple.org.uk.

Renae Satterley

Librarian

September 2023

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An article written to accompany the Library's current exhibition 'Islam, Astronomy & Arabic Print' was recently published on the Muslim Heritage website. You can access the full article here: https://muslimheritage.com/islam-astronomy-arabic-print-exhibition

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This 16th-century artwork shows a group of hunters attacking a 'thanacth'. This mythical creature was believed to live in the Calcutta region of India. This artwork comes from 'Cosmographie universelle' (1575) by the French explorer and writer Andre Thevet (1516-1590). The description of this creature resembles that of a tiger.

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Exhibition Video

Have you watched our exhibition video, answering the question what is the Quran?

See it on the first floor of the Library, or online here.

Tip: click on the social media icon in the right-hand corner of the text cards to see the corresponding images.

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The animal in this engraving is identified as a 'Mus Norvagicus, vulgo Leming' (Norwegian mouse, commonly lemming).The modern Norway lemming is , a common species found in northern Scandinavia and parts of Russia. This engraving comes from Old Worm's Museum Wormianum, published at Amsterdam in 1655.