Beschreibung:

Genealogical Chronicle Roll, in Middle English, illuminated manuscript on vellum 33 double-folded leaves (ie. a single-sided roll of 14 or 15 membranes folded concertina-style and rebound as a book; approximately 13,632 mm. long), each 'leaf' 350mm. by 213mm., complete, 3 columns, approximately 34 lines in dark brown ink of an accomplished English textura, paragraph marks and titles in red, numerous 2-line initials in burnished gold or blue with contrasting blue or red penwork, the generations of biblical descent framed in red, green or blue, historical kings and their supposed ancestors in red or blue circles topped with burnished gold crowns (255 in total), all joined by coloured lines of descent: burnished gold on blue ground for main biblical line, red or green for the others, five diagrams in blue, green and red ink inserted into text including: (a) 'TO' map (fol. 2r; 45mm diameter), (b) the various levels or "forme of the shippe [Noah's ark] after Joseph the Jue" (2v; 70mm. by 65mm.; see detail), (c) the 42 mansions of the people of Israel (4v; 106mm. by 100mm.), (d) the Tabernacle of Israel (5r; 100mm. by 100mm.), and (e) the Temple (17r; 75mm. diameter), one large 5-line initial in burnished gold on blue and pink ground touched with white penwork (fol. 1v), one 7-line initial in blue and pink with white penwork on burnished gold ground with elaborate floral infill, with foliate border extensions terminating in acanthus leaves, burnished gold ivy leaves and bezants filling the upper and right-hand margins (fol. 1v), one large illuminated roundel enclosing Adam and Eve naked and holding fig leaves either side of an apple tree in which a serpent with a human head and lion's front paws is coiled, framed in pink, white, burnished gold and blue concentric rings, in bright and fresh condition (fol. 1v; 77mm. diameter), single added leaf at end of text with late fifteenth- or early sixteenth-century additions, first two leaves slightly discoloured from having been open at some time and final leaves with some large smudges of ink, otherwise in outstanding condition, nineteenth-century brown leather binding over sturdy pasteboards, gilt-tooled around fore-edge and outer edge of the interior of both front and back boards, "M.S.S. Genealogy" gilt-tooled on spine, front board now detached and back board loose, else strong in binding