Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 490: Register of Books and Plate belonging to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

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Title:

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 490: Register of Books and Plate belonging to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

Alternate Title:

Register

Language:

Latin

Extent:

ff. 37

Dimensions:

300 Height (mm) and 210 Width (mm)

Approximate Date:

[ca. 1613]

Table of contents:

Show

• Register of Books in the libraries of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
• Register of Plate belonging to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

Description:

CCCC MS 490 was started in 1613, and contains a list of donations to the library of Corpus Christi College, almost all printed books. In 1648 the volume was turned upside-down and restarted from the back with a list of college plate. This is prefaced by the text of a college resolution that such a list should be kept, perhaps prompted by the political troubles in England during the Civil War, which made heavy inroads into the plate of many Oxbridge colleges; indeed the first 145 cups listed were all sold in 1648 and 1649 according to notes signed by the Master and Bursar, and this record seems to have been a way of commemorating these donations despite the college having sold the gifts themselves. Meanwhile the book donations list was kept going until 1660. The list of plate is decorated with many coats of arms of donors, and contains occasional further records of sales. The list was kept up until circa 1743.