Beschreibung:

BIRDWOOD OF DEVON Memorandum book begun by Revd. James Burdwood of West Alvington in the county of Devon, dated 1649, containing closely written entries in several hands, beginning with a note of Lieutenant Colonel Clarke's visit on his way to "Silly" [Scilly Isles] with "companies of foote" on 22 April 1651 "to have possestion off Mary's Island and all things therin", with following entries concerning the births and untimely deaths of his children ("our third sonne was borne and called Theophilus... on this day the 14 of Septemb. 1663 our first daughter was borne and named Dorothy the gift of God, and on the 11 of Aprill: 65 died..."); household inventories headed "Note of things in Cousin John Roops house in Dartmo. in a trunk..." and "at Andrew Helly his house and keeping at Ashburton"; "A Catalogue of my wife's books given to her children" including "The sinners Sanctuary by Mr Binning", "The mute Christian under the smarting rod", "Things worth thinking on by Mr Venning", and "Happy poverty", and "A catalogue of the books I have here at Bowden"; followed by entries written by his son Obidiah, Dorothy Burdwood and other members of the family, some entries reversed from the end, concerning more family history ("my whife dyed next with a child... both dyed together"), accounts ("28 December 1724... Bad debts I have lost in trade", "laid out for the child 1 shilling 10 pence for shoos...7 pence for a bonnet"), household remedies ("for a bruise", "for giddiness in the head") and biblical references ("Some proofs for Election or Predestination"), 172 pages, one leaf roughly torn out, contemporary calf, rebacked, worn, 12mo (120 x 74mm.), 1649-c.1850 Fußnoten 'A CATALOGUE OF MY WIFE'S BOOKS GIVEN TO HER CHILDREN.' In a note made in 1839, Thomas Burdwood testifies that "A portion of the writing is in the hand of my Great Grandfather, the Revd James Burdwood, Non-Conformist Minister, ejected from Dartmouth, and died in that place 21st August 1693". Not only was James Burdwood a dissenting minister in later life, during the Civil War his household at Preston in West Alvington was used as a stopping off point several times by Colonel John Clarke most notably on 22 April 1651 when he was returning from commanding nine companies of foot in the successful expedition against the last remaining Royalist stronghold of the Scilly Isles. Burdwood notes the force landed on 18 April with the Commonwealth finally taking possession on 2 June, "The 18 day we gained one stand, and the 2 day of June we were to have possestion". According to Calamy's Non-Conformist Memorial List of Evicted Ministers, Burdwood had 'good abilities from the pulpit and was a practical popular preacher' but he and his family also suffered 'much trouble and vexation', frequently fined for preaching, a victim of 'informers and plunderers' and forced to move from place to place. Of his seventeen children, only three survived him. The notebook is accompanied by a typed transcript by A.R. Birdwood, dated 1913, which includes his additional notes on the family and a note on provenance: 'The original note book, a small volume some three inches long, by two wide and ½ inch thick, came into my possession by purchase on behalf of my cousin W.R. Birdwood (Major-General Indian Army now April 22 1913, residing at Delhi, India) from James Burdwood a descendant also of the Revnd James in question, at Easter (March 23rd) 1913 at which date he was my guest at 18 Orchard Gardens. Teignmouth'. It has remained in family hands to this day.