What: An antiphonary for Lent, arranged by week and ferial days

Where: The John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3EH

One of five manuscripts in Manchester University’s library identified as taken during Britain’s 1868 Abyssinian Expedition. It is is described a “bought by Lt-Colonel Henslowe from a priest in Addigrat” – a major stop on the force’s route on the campaign. The other four are described as taken from Maqdala. The library has a total of 42 Ethiopian manuscripts, and some of the remainder may also have come from the same expedition.

Stefan Strelcyn lists the antiphonary as No. 35 in his Catalogue of Ethiopic manuscripts in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester:

“This ms. was bought by Lt-Col. Henslowe from a priest in Addigrat during the British expedition in 1868 – see slip attached to the front cover and the note on f.70r.”