MS V.a.70
Autograph MS, with deletions and revisions, of Thomas Traherne's The Ceremonial Law.
A series of verses inspired by Genesis and Exodus, unfinished, iv + 52 duodecimo pages (plus blank pp. 53-163, 165-8 and a stub between pp. 12 and 13), in contemporary calf, with traces of metal clasps.
An inscription in another hand (p. [ir]) urges the author to finish the work (I like this mightily but I pray prosecute it…I would you would goe thorow ye whole Sacred story. God direct & Inspire you
), and notes in yet another hand (p. 164 rev.) refer to three books by R[ichard] B[urton] (i.e. Nathaniel Crouch) published in 1681-2.
Formerly MS Add. 167.
This MS volume identified by Laetitia Yeandle and announced by her and Julia Smith in Felicity Disguised in Fiery Words: Genesis and Exodus in a Newly Discovered Poem by Thomas Traherne, TLS, 7 November 1997, p. 17. Discussed, with extracts, in Julia Smith, The Ceremonial Law
: A New Work by Thomas Traherne (1637?-74), with Extracts from the Manuscript, PN Review, 25/2 (November-December 1998), 22-8.
Facsimile of the first page in Heather Wolfe, The Pen's Excellencie: Treasures from the Manuscript Collection of the Folger Shakespeare Library (Washington, DC, 2002), p. 144.
-
*TrT 236.5 pp. 1-2Autograph
Autograph, headed
The Ceremonial Law / The Introduction
.An Introduction, beginning
Two thousand yeers before my Savior came, In Hieroglyphick Laws I see His Name...
.Thomas Traherne, The Introduction [to The Ceremonial Law] -
*TrT 24.5 pp. 2-3Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Adams Fall ('The King of Glory, who on High') -
*TrT 1.8 pp. 3-4Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Abels Lamb ('How early do I see a Sacrifice') -
*TrT 181.5 pp. 4-6Autograph
Autograph.
Thomas Traherne, Noahs Rainbow ('from Earth we offer up a Sacrifice') -
*TrT 174.2 pp. 7-8Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Moses Call ('Shall I not serv & lov ye Dietie') -
*TrT 174.6 pp. 9-10Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Moses Rod (''Tis strange to see how fitly things conspire') -
*TrT 184.5 pp. 11-13Autograph
Autograph.
Thomas Traherne, Of Israels coming out of Egypt ('By Mighty seas Divided here I seem') -
*TrT 171.8 pp. 13-14Autograph
Autograph.
Thomas Traherne, Israel and Egypt ('One Lamb ye Shepherd out of many takes') -
*TrT 188.5 pp. 14-17Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, The Paschal Lamb ('The Lamb each Famelie doth take alone') -
*TrT 135.5 pp. 17-20Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Elim ('Hail Sacred Place! Thou fair & living Tower') -
*TrT 135.8 pp. 21-2Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Elim II ('This Sacred Plot of Beauties & Delights') -
*TrT 198.5 pp. 22-5Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, A Reflexion ('That we no fiction make, but see ye Thing') -
*TrT 172.2 pp. 25-6Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Manna ('The Staff of Life is gone, & nothing here') -
*TrT 172.4 pp. 27-9Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Manna II ('As in ye deepest Wells we better see') -
*TrT 172.6 pp. 30-2Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Manna III ('The Ordinance about ye Manna is') -
*TrT 172.8 pp. 32-3Autograph
Autograph.
Thomas Traherne, Manna IV ('But there's a Deeper Mystery yn this') -
*TrT 203.5 pp. 33-7Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, 'The Rock was Christ: from whence yt Water flows' -
*TrT 215.5 pp. 37-9Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, The Stone ('When Bloody Amalock an Inroad made') -
*TrT 174.8 pp. 40-2Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Mount Sinai ('Long time ye World had been wthout a Law') -
*TrT 216.5 pp. 42-5Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Unpublished?
Thomas Traherne, The 10. Comandmts ('The moral Law a Gospel did implie') -
*TrT 174.5 pp. 46-8Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Moses in ye Mount ('When God had thunderd these 10. Words aloud') -
*TrT 174.4 pp. 48-50Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, Moses face ('Instructed after forty days he came') -
*TrT 224.5 pp. 50-2Autograph
Autograph, with revisions.
Thomas Traherne, The Vail ('This vail of Moses yt conceald ye Light') -
*TrT 169.5 p. 52Autograph
Autograph, probably unfinished.
An unfinished poem of eleven lines.
Thomas Traherne, The Inside ('When God had spoke to ye ruder Croud')