On this page, you can learn more about the various historical and genealogical items in the St John’s western post-1500 manuscript collection. You may also be interested in the History and Genealogy section of our western medieval manuscripts collection.
MS 13
MS 13 is a fair copy of Thomas Hobbes’ Behemoth, a text about the English civil war. This manuscript was created in the late seventeenth century by James Wheldon (the author’s amanuensis and executor) and it contains some corrections and deletions by Hobbes.
Catalogue entry available
Full digital facsimile available
MS 174
MS 174 is a sixteenth century copy of the Siege of Caerlaverock, an Old French poem describing the siege of Caerlaverock Castle in Dumfriesshire in 1300. It includes an illustration of the castle and coats of arms.
MS 260
This book contains a printed edition of William Laud’s funeral sermon with a manuscript leaf inserted describing Laud’s execution, by someone signing themselves ‘S.F.’ (apparently Simon Foster, fl. 1645).
MS 264
MS 264 is a sixteenth-century genealogical table providing the pedigree for Peter Small (fl. 1596-1615), who was elected as a Founder’s Kin Fellow of St John’s College, Oxford, in 1597. In this blog post, you can read about conservation work on MS 264 undertaken in 2022.
MS 270
MS 270 is a chronological list of Fellows of St John’s College, Oxford, from 1555 until 1617. It was compiled from old manuscripts by Dr Richard Rawlinson, topographer and bishop to non-jurors (1690- 1755), and in his hand.
MS 271
MS 271 is a chronological list of Fellows of St John’s College, Oxford, from 1555 until 1745, with biographical notes and an index. It was compiled by Dr Richard Rawlinson, topographer and bishop to non-jurors (1690-1755), and in his hand.
MS 272
MS 272 is a collection of documents produced during the 17th and 18th centuries, and relating to the history of St John’s College, Oxford, compiled by Dr Richard Rawlinson, topographer and bishop to non-jurors (1690-1755).
MS 411
MS 411 is a copy of a journal of the negotiations and intrigues between Charles I and the Parliamentarians in 1647, kept by Sir John Berkley (1607-1678, Royalist army officer and courtier).