DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14722#0171
THE PRAYER BOOK OE MARY OF BURGUNDY.
My thanks are especially due to the Rev. J. Tobin for his kindness in permitting me to examine, describe,
and make drawings from tlie charming little volume above described; in addition to which, the gems of his
collection are,
The Prayer Book of Francis I. of Erance (of which a fac-simile of one of the miniatures is given by
Dibdin, Bibl. Decam., plate facing clxxix), purchased for 115/. from the collection of Sir Mark Sykes;
The Breviary of Queen Isabella of Spain (of which Dibdin has also given a fac-simile, pl. clxvii, from the
drawing of St. John in the island of Patmos), bought at the sale of the Hanrott Collection for 160/.; and, to
crown the whole,
The famous Bedford Missal, of which Gough published a long description, with copies of three of the
most interesting of the miniatures,1 and which cost Sir JohnTobin 1000/., thelateDuke of Marlborough having
previously paid 687/. 155. for it. Previous to this it was sold, with the rest of the Duchess of Portland's
collection, by auction, for 203 guineas.2 As these three volumes have already been illustrated, I have preferred
giving a fac-simile of the little volume above described.
1 Gough's own copy of this descriptive voluine, with the coloured
copies of the three miniatures, executed with care upon vellum, is
now in the British Museum Library.
2 An interesting- anecdote is recorded respecting- this sale hy
Mr. Dawson Turner. Previous to the sale taking- place, King- Georg'e
the Third sent for his bookseller, and expressed his intention to
become the purchaser. The bookseller ventured to submit to his
Majesty that the article in question was likely to fetch a hig'h price—
" How hig-h?"—" Probably two hundred guineas !"—" Two hundred
g-uineas for a Missal!" exclaimed the Queen, who was present, and
lifted up her hands with extreme astonishment.—"Well, well," said
his Majesty, " Pil still have it; but since the Queen thinks two
hundred guineas so enormous a sum for a Missal, I'U go no farther."
And at the sale Mr. Evans actually carried off the prize by a bidding-
of three pounds more than that sum. (Tour in Normandy, vol. i>
p. 213.) The good taste of King- Georg-e III., in endeavouring* to secure
this historically interesting work of art, led to the preservation and
subsequent appropriation to the nation (by gift to the British Museum)
of other scarcely less valuable MSS., amongst which is the Missal of
King Henry VIII., described in another article of this work.
2
My thanks are especially due to the Rev. J. Tobin for his kindness in permitting me to examine, describe,
and make drawings from tlie charming little volume above described; in addition to which, the gems of his
collection are,
The Prayer Book of Francis I. of Erance (of which a fac-simile of one of the miniatures is given by
Dibdin, Bibl. Decam., plate facing clxxix), purchased for 115/. from the collection of Sir Mark Sykes;
The Breviary of Queen Isabella of Spain (of which Dibdin has also given a fac-simile, pl. clxvii, from the
drawing of St. John in the island of Patmos), bought at the sale of the Hanrott Collection for 160/.; and, to
crown the whole,
The famous Bedford Missal, of which Gough published a long description, with copies of three of the
most interesting of the miniatures,1 and which cost Sir JohnTobin 1000/., thelateDuke of Marlborough having
previously paid 687/. 155. for it. Previous to this it was sold, with the rest of the Duchess of Portland's
collection, by auction, for 203 guineas.2 As these three volumes have already been illustrated, I have preferred
giving a fac-simile of the little volume above described.
1 Gough's own copy of this descriptive voluine, with the coloured
copies of the three miniatures, executed with care upon vellum, is
now in the British Museum Library.
2 An interesting- anecdote is recorded respecting- this sale hy
Mr. Dawson Turner. Previous to the sale taking- place, King- Georg'e
the Third sent for his bookseller, and expressed his intention to
become the purchaser. The bookseller ventured to submit to his
Majesty that the article in question was likely to fetch a hig'h price—
" How hig-h?"—" Probably two hundred guineas !"—" Two hundred
g-uineas for a Missal!" exclaimed the Queen, who was present, and
lifted up her hands with extreme astonishment.—"Well, well," said
his Majesty, " Pil still have it; but since the Queen thinks two
hundred guineas so enormous a sum for a Missal, I'U go no farther."
And at the sale Mr. Evans actually carried off the prize by a bidding-
of three pounds more than that sum. (Tour in Normandy, vol. i>
p. 213.) The good taste of King- Georg-e III., in endeavouring* to secure
this historically interesting work of art, led to the preservation and
subsequent appropriation to the nation (by gift to the British Museum)
of other scarcely less valuable MSS., amongst which is the Missal of
King Henry VIII., described in another article of this work.
2