| Description | This section consists of manuscript books belonging to Sir Peter Leicester, the first baronet. He was a typical seventeenth century scholar, deeply interested in history, literature, art, music, classics, astronomy, mathematics and theology, and all these interests are reflected in the manuscripts, which he drew up for his personal use. He published 'Historical Antiquities', so his antiquarian and historical work on Cheshire is perhaps the only aspect of his studies which has attracted the attention of scholars. Moreover, it seems that Ormerod, who revised and re-edited sir Peter's book, has received most of the recognition and credit due for the vast amount of laborious effort involved in ceaselessly transcribing and criticising original charters and deeds, drawn from all possible private archives in Cheshire. It was, however, Sir Peter who pursued this task throughout the Civil War and in the period of the Restoration until his death in 1676. He was in contact with and borrowed transcripts from all the great antiquaries and scholars of the age - Sir Simon D'Ewes, Camden, Dugdale, Dodsworth and Vernon, to mention only the most familiar names. He examined and copied assidously deeds and charters in the possession of his friends and acquaintances. The books of transcripts which are preserved at Tabley are models of research technique, and make it possible to form a just estimate of Sir Peter's abilities and achievement, which have been so long neglected or under-rated. The most outstanding of these books is Liber C (now Liber B3) which contains, in addition to transcripts or notices of several hundred interesting and important charters, drawings of seals and a few critical notes. This volume can be compared with Sir Christopher Hatton's Book of Seals, a contemporary work, constructed on similar lines.
The method adopted by the Historical Manuscripts Commission (HMC) in reporting on these books was to give a general summary of the contents first followed by a detailed analysis of the more important items, giving a calendar of all undated charters and dated charters up to 1250. This HMC report on the manuscript books forms the basis of this catalogue. |