24 ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



through the help of Dr. F. W. Dendy of Newcastle, this appeal 

 raised from fourteen donors a further £2,000, and the Trustees 

 provided the rest of the purchase-money. 



Another acquisition, of importance in itself and of great 

 interest irom. the circumstances of its presentation, is a volume 

 of Middle English religious verse written in the 15th century, 

 including several unique and unpublished pieces. It was selected 

 and purchased (by private arrangement with the owners) 

 from, the Phillipps collection at Cheltenham by Dr. Carleton 

 Brown, Professor of English in the University of Minnesota, 

 acting on behalf of a number of teachers of English in American 

 Colleges and Universities. These subscribers, to use their own 

 words, having " enjoyed the privilege of reading in the British 

 Museum, desire to convey to the authorities of the Museum our 

 grateful appreciation of the courtesies so generously accorded to 

 students from abroad," with the hope that this gift " may have 

 its influence in strengthening the cordial bonds which unite 

 British and American scholars." It is to be known as " The 

 American Testimonial MS." 



The Gospel-Book of Thorney Abbey, written, perhaps on the 

 Continent, in the 10th century, has been used as a " Liber Vitae," 

 to record long lists of benefactors and others whose names were 

 commemorated in the monks' prayers in the 11th and 12th cen- 

 turies. It was purchased at Lord Mostyn's sale. 



Other monastic records acquired are the Chartulary of Brid- 

 lington Priory, 13th-14th centuries ; a portion (D-J) of the large 

 15th century coucher-book of Fountains Abbey, of which two 

 other volumes were already in the Museum ; a rental and an 

 accompt-book of the same monastery ; and a 14th century chartu- 

 lary of the collegiate church or chantry of Shottesbrooke in 

 Berkshire. The last was purchased from the Farnhorough Fund. 

 Also an inventory and rental of Pershore Abbey, 1376, presented 

 hy R. Steele, Esq. 



A copy of the minor works of thei historian Ralph de Diceto, 

 purchased at Sir W. Ingilby's sale, is apparently the original 

 presentation-copv to William Longchamp, the Chancellor, about 

 A.D. 1195. 



A Spanish sacramentary of the early part of the 13th century- 

 is a notable addition to the representation of Spanish illumination 

 in the Museum. 



A 13th-century Latin Bible is valuable from its correctorium- 

 notes in the margin. 



A small roll-calendar of the late 13th century has English 

 illuminated ornament. 



A volume of French romances of the cycle of Fierabras, of the 

 middle of the 14th century, and a well-drawn armorial of English 

 nobility, about 1440, with some Flemish additions, were both 

 bought from, the Bridgeicater Fund. 



Other mrnnuscripts worthy of mention are : — 



Catullus, Tibullus and Propertius, 15th century. Purchased 

 froTTi the Farnhorough Fund. 



A small expense-roll of Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, 1294. 



