Single Leaf Manuscripts

Legal Document. Indenture for a messuage between Robert Miller Forbes (first part) and Isaac Clementson (second part) and Henry Whitear (third part). On the recto, This Indenture, printed in large black ink letters, begins the document. Within the capital "T" is a seal in black ink which is topped by a crown and contains the words "Honi soit qui mal y pense." In the hook of the "T" is printed "Morris Parchment Dealer Bermondsey." Manuscript is cursive in brown ink. The phrase "and whereas" appears in slightly larger and bolder letters. The text is bounded by red ink lines. Left margin contains a tax stamp for 15 shillings and a small black ink stamp containing a crown and "S.D./ V./3:6." Bottom of the document is folded up and sealed with three red wax seals on top of green ribbon. The seals contain the portrait of a beardless, short-haired man facing left. The signatures of Forbes and Clementson appear by the left and middle seals. The verso contains signatures of witnesses and a summary of the document's contents. Prickings on left side of the page. Brown ink ruling. Top of document has a wavy edge.

Bible. 1 Macc. 5:16-45. Early Gothic minuscule. Dark brown ink. 2 columns. Writing on both sides. Recto has "Liber primus Machabeus" written at the top, two numerals ("XIIII, XV") in the margin, and 2 initials (one green and one red) beginning the first sentence after each numeral. Initials extend the length of one line plus the interlinear space above and below the line. Verso has a the numeral "XIII" and a blue initial.

Letter regarding tax collection. A manager reports that he has done his utmost to get the taxes. Cursive in black ink. Recto has a heading at the top, separated from the main text. Verso has four more lines of text followed by "Chao" and a signature. Below this is "Roma" and the date September 1769. Bottom right corner has two lines of text.

Bible. Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans I, 1-3. Early Gothic minuscule. Black ink. A decorative illustration appears before the principal text. A one-line, blue initial begins a sentence. There are two columns of commentary written in half the size of the principal text. The verso contains commentary only.

Music. Hymn. Illuminated manuscript with an illustration of the Dormition of the Virgin. Gothic textura quadrata. Black ink lyrics and musical notes with some letters and words in red ink. Music staff in red ink. The fragmentary page begins with a 1.5-line capital "O" (?) with red and green ink decorative elements. The second line contains a 1.5-line capital "M" with red and green ink decorative elements. A square, outlined in red and blue ink contains a large capital "V, within which is a detailed image of the Dormition of the Virgin. In the top panel is Jesus holding a child, and both Jesus and the child have halos in gold leaf. Below, and slightly larger than Jesus, are twelve figures (the Apostles) with gold leaf halos. They stand over the Virgin who is dressed in a blue shroud. Image also contains red, white, and brown ink. Faces of all figures have exquisite detail. Flowers in blue, white, and brown ink and gold leaf extend down to the right below the last line of text. Verso contains the last three lines of lyrics and a 2-line capital 'H' in green, red, black, and yellow ink. Trimmed at top.

Legal document. Land grant. Gothic bastard hand. Brown ink. Bottom margin of the document contains two horizontal slits for a seal that is no longer existent. Bottom left of document has a hole, but all of the text remains. Verso notes that this was Philips MS 32803.

15th century document: Charter of the Dowry of Beatrez Alfonso, daughter of Gomez Gonzalez of Anaya. Gothic bastard hand. Brown ink. First paragraph is followed by a penwork notarial seal (left hand side) with three horizontal lines that go all of the way across the page. Second paragraph comes after these lines and also contains a penwork notarial seal (centered) with three horizontal lines that go all of the way across the page. A signature of the attester (or the notary?) occurs to the right of each of the seals. Verso contains two (or three?) later descriptions of the document in Spanish in different hands. The document is sewn into a bifolio sheet of paper which contains an 18th(?) century description of the document in brown ink in Spanish. Only the first page of it contains writing.

Missal with Gospel readings. Gothic hand in black ink. Scratched out writing in top margin of recto. "Id. 10" is written at the top of the recto. On the verso, numerals are written in the interlinear area above the last line in a second hand. Blind ruling. Recto has 2 columns. Verso has 1 column. Blind ruling.

Liturgical text for the Feast of Saint Euphemia (?). Brown ink. 2-line red ink capitals in the left margins begin some sentences. Occasionally, numbers are indicated to the left of these capitals. Writing on both sides of every page. Blind Ruling.

Legal document. Indenture for the sale of a messuage (57 acres and 78 perches of land) in Honeybrook Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania to Daniel Graff by Jacob Graff and his wife Catherine for 1200 dollars. Recto: The top of the form reads "Printed and Sold by Manly & Orr, 43 Chestnut St." The blank portions of the printed document are filled in with cursive writing in black ink. The document contains a description of the exact location of the tract of land and mentions that Jacob and Catherine Graff received this land from Samuel Evans and his wife Christina and Samuel Semman(?) and his wife Sarah in April of 1844. Bottom of the recto contains four different sections. 1) A section that says that the document was sealed and delivered, signed by John Myers (Justice of the Peace of the County of Lancaster) and [?] Hayes. 2) A section bearing witness to the receipt of Daniel Graff's $1200 signed by Jacob Graff, John Myers, and Hayes. 3) A section saying that Catherine Graff independently agreed to the contract and was not forced to do so. 4) A section with the signatures of Jacob and Catherine Graff containing simplistic penwork seals containing the word "Seal." Bottom right of the verso contains a description of the document. The top left of the verso has a note that says the document was recovered in the recorder's office in Chester County in Books J.5 vol. 116, page 99 on April 1st 1853. The words "Witness the seal of my office in West Chester. Thos. Walter Rect." appear below this. The paper is embossed (from the verso) with a circular seal which contains text and a decorative image.