MS. Fairfax 38 (The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford)

Pasted note inside MS Fairfax 38, The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.

These pages make accessible for the first time material from MS Fairfax 38. More transcriptions will follow in due course.

The Bodleian's current catalogue entry for this work states that the transcriber "appears to be Henry Fairfax, 4th lord Fairfax [1631–1688], first cousin of the author", but that the monogram on fol. vi belongs to Charles Fairfax (1597–1673), Thomas Fairfax's antiquarian uncle, who compiled the Analecta Fairfaxiana held in the Brotherton Collection at the University of Leeds (MS Yks 1). Charles's monogram can be seen in the image provided for lot 489 (from the Analecta Fairfaxiana) in Sotheby's catalogue of the Fairfax Library and Archive sale of Tuesday 14th December 1993.

In this manuscript, Charles Fairfax, performs the role of amanuensis. In his notes at the front of the manuscript, he records that it is a transcription "Out of [Thomas Fairfax's] first Coppy, Since by him Revised (not Inlarged but) Corrected" (fol. v), and that his transcriptions have been "corrected by his Lo^p" (fol. vi). This suggests that MS Fairfax 38 postdates Add MS 11744 and MS Fairfax 40. As it was produced before Fairfax's death (corrected by him), the likely date of composition is sometime between 1660 and 1671.

Charles Fairfax remarks on the manner in which he received the poems. It is "disorderredly writt", he says, because it is written according to the order in which "the seuerall parcells came to my hands". This, he goes on, is "to be rectified by this Table [page] 539" (fol. v). In the New Transcript.

Charles Fairfax's comments also tell us the purpose of this transcription. It is to be used by a professional transcriber to produce a "New Transcript" (fol. v), which will be "permitted only to neare Relations" (fol. vi).

The links on the right (or below if using a phone or tablet) will take you to images from the manuscript, with accompanying transcriptions and modernised texts.

I am indebted to the Bodleian Libraries for permission to use images of this manuscript on these webpages. Please note that they must not be downloaded or used for any commercial use.

Charles Fairfax's instructions, fols v–xii
The Songe of Saloman, fols 1–18
- Chapter 1, fols 1–2
- Chapt 2, fols 3–4
- Chapt 3, fols 5–6
- Chapt 4, fols 6–9
- Chapt 5, fols 9–11
- Chapt 6, fols 11–14
- Chapt 7, fols 14–15
- Chapt 8, fols 15–18
Out of the Proverbs of Salomon, fols 19–28
Wisdom's Antiquity, fols 29–31
Moses his Songe / Exodus 15, fols 33–37
Moses his Songe / Deut: 32, fols 38–44
Hymnes, fols 45–71
- To the Soueraign God, fols 45–50
- A Hymne to Christ the Mesiah, fols 51–64
- A Hymne to ye Holy Ghost, fols 65–71
The Christian's Warefare, fols 72–76
A Songe of Prayse, fols 77–78
Of Life & Death / Compared together, fols 79–80
The Songe of Deborah & Barak. Judg: 5, fols 81–86
Hannah's Songe / 1 Sam: 2, fols 87–88
Dauid's Lamentatiõ for Saule & Jonathan, fols 89–91
Hezekiahs Songe / Isaiah 38, fols 91–94
Hony Dropps, fols 97–113
The Preface to the Psalmes, fol. 114
Psalme 1, fol. 115
Psalme 2, fols 116–117
Psalme 3, fols 117–118
Psalme 4, fols 119–120
Psalme 5, fols 120–123
Psalme 6, fols 124–125
Psalme 7, fols 125–128
Psalme 8, fols 128–129
Psalme 9, fols 130–132
Psalme 10, fols 132–135
Psalme 11, fols 135–137
Psalme 12, fol. 138
Psalme 13, fol. 139
Psalme 14, fol. 140
Psalme 15, fol. 141
Psalme 16, fol. 142
Psalme 17, fols 143–144
Psalme 18, fols 145–148
Psalme 19, fols 149–150
Psalme 20, fol. 151
Psalme 21, fol. 152
Psalme 22, fols 153–156
Psalme 23, fol. 157
Psalme 24, fols 158–159
Psalme 131, fol. 159
Psalme 25, fols 160–161
Psalme 26, fol. 162
Psalme 27, fols 163–164
Psalme 28, fol. 165
Psalme 29, fol. 166
Psalme 31, fols 167–169
Psalme 32, fols 169–170
Psalme 33, fols 171–172
Psalme 34, fols 172–173
Psalme 35, fols 174–175
Psalme 36, fol. 176
Psalme 30, fols 177–178
Psalme 37, fols 179–182
Psalme 42, fols 183–185
Psalme 77, fols 186–187
Psalme 84, fols 188–189
Psalme 103, fols 190–192
Psalme 137, fols 192–194
Psalme 38, fols 195–196
Psalme 39, fols 196–197
Psalme 40, fols 198–199
Psalme 41, fols 200–201
Psalme 43, fol. 201
Psalme 44, fols 202–203
Psalme 45, fols 204–205
Psalme 46, fol. 206
Psalme 47, fol. 207
Psalme 48, fols 207–208
Psalme 49, fols 209–210
Psalme 50, fols 211–212
Psalme 51, fols 213–215
Psalme 52, fol. 215
Psalme 53, fol. 216
Psalme 54, fol. 216
Psalme 55, fols 216–218
Psalme 56, fols 219–220
Psalme 57, fols 220–221
Psalme 58, fols 221–222
Psalme 59, fols 222–223
Psalme 60, fols 224–225
Psalme 61, fol. 225
Psalme 62, fols 226–227
Psalme 63, fols 227–228
Psalme 64, fols 228–229
Psalme 65, fols 229–230
Psalme 66, fols 230–232
Psalme 67, fol. 232
Psalme 68, fols 233–236
Psalme 69, fols 237–239
Psalme 70, fol. 240
Psalme 71, fols 240–242
Psalme 72, fols 243–244
Psalme 73, fols 245–246
Psalme 74, fols 247–248
Psalme 75, fol. 249
Psalme 76, fol. 250
Psalme 79, fols 251–252
Psalme 80, fols 252–253
Psalme 81, fols 254–255
Psalme 82, fols 255–256
Of Vertue, fols 257–258
Of Patience & Temperance, fols 259–260
Nature & Fortune, fol. 261
Shortness of Life, fol. 261
Of Anger, fols 262–263
Of Envy, fol. 264
On the Fatal day Jan: 30, fol. 265
On Impartial Fate, fol. 265
Epitaph on A. Va: dieng younge, fol. 266
Vpon the Dath of his deare Lady (by Lady Cary), fols 267–268
To the Lady Cary vpon her verses on my deare Wife, fols 269–270
Epitaph (by Thomas, First Lord Fairfax), fol. 272
Vpon Mr Stanley's Booke of Philosophers supposinge itt ye worke of his Tutor W Fa:, fol. 273
Vpon the Horse w^ch his Ma^ty / Rode vpon att his Coronation 1660, fol. 374
Epitaph Sur le Mort du Cardinal Mazarin, fol. 289
Vulgar Proverbs, fols 290–297
A Caracter of ye Romish church By Francisco Petrarca A^o 1320, fols 305–306
The Solitude, fols 307–314
Of a Faire Wife / To Coregio, fols 315–317
Vpon a Patch't Face, fol. 317
Of Beauty, fol. 318
Vpon an ill Husband, fol. 319
Vpon a younge Virago, fol. 319
Vpon a Fountain, fol. 320
Vpon the New built house / att Apleton, fol. 320
Lamuel's Instruction / From his Mother / Proverbs 31, fols 329–332
Psalme 78, fols 333–340
Psalme 83, fols 341–342
Psalme 85, fols 343–344
Psalme 86, fols 344–346
Psalme 87, fols 346–347
Psalme 88, fols 347–349
Psalme 89, fols 350–354
Psalme 90, fols 354–355
Psalme 91, fol. 356
Psalme 92, fols 357–358
Psalme 93, fol. 359
Psalme 94, fols 360–362
Psalme 95, fols 362–363
Psalme 96, fols 364–365
Psalme 97, fols 365–367
Psalme 98, fols 367–368
Psalme 99, fol. 369
Psalme 100, fol. 370
Psalme 101, fol. 371
Psalme 102, fols 372–375
Psalme 104 fols 376–379
Psalme 105, fols 380–383
Psalme 106, fols 384–389
Psalme 107, fols 390–393
Psalme 108, fols 393–394
Psalme 109, fols 395–397
Psalme 110, fols 398–399
Psalme 111, fols 399–400
Psalme 112, fols 400–401
Psalme 113, fol. 402
Psalme 114, fol. 403
Psalme 115, fols 404–405
Psalme 116, fols 405–408
Psalme 117, fol. 408
Psalme 118, fols 409–411
Psalme 119, fols 412–422
Psalme 120, fol. 423
Psalme 121, fol. 424
Psalme 122, fol. 425
Psalme 123, fol. 426
Psalme 124, fol. 427
Psalme 125, fol. 428
Psalme 126, fol. 429
Psalme 127, fols 430–431
Psalme 128, fols 431–432
Psalme 129, fols 432–433
Psalme 130, fols 433–434
Psalme 132, fols 434–436
Psalme 133, fol. 436
Psalme 134, fol. 437
Psalme 135, fols 437–438
Psalme 136, fols 439–440
Psalme 138, fol. 441
Psalme 139, fols 442–444
Psalme 140, fols 444–445
Psalme 141, fols 446–447
Psalme 142, fols 447–449
Psalme 143, fols 449–451
Psalme 144, fols 451–452
Psalme 145, fols 453–454
Psalme 146, fols 454–455
Psalme 147, fols 456– 457
Psalme 148, fols 458–459
Psalme 149, fol. 460
Psalme 150, fol. 461
Songes of the New Testament, fols 463–467
- Luke 1 / The Songe of Mary the Blessed Virgin, fols 463–464
- Zachariah's Songe / Luke 1, fols 465–466
- Simeon's Songe / Luk: 2, fol. 467
Appendix, fols 469–
- Remembrances of some of his Grandfath^es services, fols 469–472
- Treatises Composed by TF first L^d Fa:, fols 473–474
- Some few Psalms of many putt into Meetere by Ferdinando Lord Fairfax
  - Psalme 120, fols 475–476
  - Psalme 121, fols 477–478
  - Psalme 122, fols 478–479
  - Psalme 123, fols 480–481
  - Psalme 124, fols 482–483
  - Psalme 127, fols 484–485
- Here are inserted some of many Epitaphs, fols 486–493
  - On the most valiant Knight called Prudhom, fol. 486
  - De ma tres verteux Sœur Madam Marie de Fairfax, fol. 486
  - On the Lady Barbara Billassis, fol. 493
  - A liber in eadem, fol. 493
- Exeqviæ / In Capella apud Denton (relating to the Thomas, first Lord Fairfax, and his daughter, Dorothy), fols 495–496
- Inscription and details of effigies (relating to Thomas, first Lord Fairfax, and his first wife, Ellen), fol. 498
- Monvmentvm / In Ecclœsia Parochialli de Boulton (relating to Ferdinando Fairfax), fols 500–501
- Aliorsum Sic In Eundem (relating to Ferdinando Fairfax), fol. 501
- Aliter in Eundem F. Fairfax (relating to Ferdinando Fairfax), fols 502–504
- On his wife vpon y^e wall (relating to Ferdinando Fairfax's wife, Mary Fairfax), fols 504–505
- In y^e Dutch Church att Frankenthall (relating to William and John Fairfax, sons of Thomas, first Lord Fairfax), fol. 506
- To my Noble and Worthy Friends S^r TF att Denton (letter to Thomas, first Lord Fairfax, informing him of his sons' deaths), fols 507–508
- In Ecclia Parochiali de Ottley (relating to Anne, daughter of Thomas, first Lord Fairfax, who married George Wentworth of Woolley), fol. 509
- For Embleme (relating to Charles Fairfax, son of Thomas, first Lord Fairfax, and his wife Maria), fol. 510
- Infilium Natu (relating to Peregrine Fairfax, son of Thomas, first Lord Fairfax), fol. 511
Epiodium, fol. 602
Epitaph, fol. 603
Elogie, fol. 603
The Table of Soliloquies, fols 534–535
The Table to the Appendix, fol. 536

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MS. Fairfax 38 (The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford)

Contents