The Prince and the Plunder

A book on how Britain took one boy and piles of treasures from Ethiopia

Category: Manuscripts

Acts of Saints and Martyrs, with Homilies for various Festivals (OR 692)

Published February 26, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Acts of Saints and Martyrs, with Homilies for various Festivals. “On f. 83 b, in a more recent hand, we read the genealogy of Tankalai and Takla Yohannes.”

Where: The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB

Provenance: Listed as part of the “Magdala collection” in William Wright’s Catalogue of the Ethiopic manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since the year 1847

Does not appear in British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts

Posted In Acts & miracles of the saints | Manuscripts
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Gebrä Hemamat – A Lectionary of the Holy Week (OR 601)

Published February 26, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Gebrä Hemamat, starting with Palm Sunday, f. 4 ft; homily of Chrysostom. “Written in a fine hand, between A.D. 1721 and 1730.”

Where: The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB

Provenance: Listed as part of the “Magdala collection” in William Wright’s Catalogue of the Ethiopic manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since the year 1847

Does not appear in British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts

Posted In Manuscripts | Prayers, psalms, hymns, services
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An 18th century Atiphonary for Lent, bought in Adigrat (35) *

Published February 26, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

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.”

Posted In Manuscripts | Prayers, psalms, hymns, services
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The Gospels ‘procured’ from a church (MS.1894) *

Published February 26, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / 1 Comment on The Gospels ‘procured’ from a church (MS.1894) *

What: The Gospels, previously in the collection of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, that was “procured” at one of the British force’s stops on the way to Magdala

Where: The National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EW

The database entry describes it as “Four Gospels in the Ethiopic version, possibly seventeenth century”.

Its story, together with that of some smaller manuscripts currently in Edinburgh University’s Library, is told in Volume 8 (1868-70) of The Proceedings of the Antiquaries of Scotland.

This says: “The large book, believed to be the Priest’s Bible, or rather the one belonging to the church, and from which he explained to his people, was procured in a church between Adabagah and Dongalo, about thirty-two or thirty-three miles south of Adigrat. The smaller book and scrolls were mostly procured in the neighbourhood of Senafe, from churches and villages. One of the books was said to be the Psalms … Presented … by Captain Charles McInroy, Staff Service, Madras.”

Posted In Biblical books
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An 18th century manuscript with Sacredotals including the Faus Manfasawi (OR 788)

Published February 26, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: An 18th century manuscript with Sacredotals including the Faus Manfasawi, the Order of Unction of the Sick and the Consecration of an Altar

Where: The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB

Provenance: Listed as part of the “Magdala collection” in William Wright’s Catalogue of the Ethiopic manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since the year 1847

Does not appear in British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscript

Posted In Manuscripts | Prayers, psalms, hymns, services
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Sacredotals including the Faus Manfasawi, “badly written” (OR 789)

Published February 26, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Early 19th century manuscript, filed under “Sacredotals” in the catalogue, including the Faus Manfasawi, with index. Described as “badly written”

Where: The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB

Provenance: Listed as part of the “Magdala collection” in William Wright’s Catalogue of the Ethiopic manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since the year 1847

Does not appear in British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts

Posted In Manuscripts | Prayers, psalms, hymns, services
Tagged