Personal religious testament, 1666

Paper notebook containing the close written manuscript text of a spiritual work. The first page bears the title and explanation: 'The First Booke of An Erring Heart, wherein is shewed what an Erronious heart is and what harme it does both to its self and to others .... As alsoe how injurious and offensive it is to God & how little he likes it & less hee loves it. Togeather with a short discovery of the principles practises & tendances of every erronious heart... All written shortly and plainely...by the authour thereof. C.H. Began about the 6th of February 1665 & finisht about the 12th of May following.'

The first book is in 14 chapters, and 48 pages (original pagination). The second book, in 12 chapters and 50 pages (separate original pagination) follows immediately. It is entitled: 'The second Booke of The cure of an Erring heart, wherein is shewed what the heart is and how it is spoyled & made subject to Err; as alsoe how it is healed & restored and made true and sound againe.... Written by C. H. Began this 14th day of May 1666. And finisht June 29th [16]66'.

This anonymous work is ascribed on its first page to 'C.H.'. It is possible that this was Charles Harvey of Elston, who appears to be the subject of the fragmentary parchment indenture in which the paper notebook has been covered. The indenture apparently refers to lands in Kneeton, Nottinghamshire, but reference is also made to Elston, Nottinghamshire, where a Charles Harvey is recorded in the 1660s. (See the Papers of the Smith-Bromley family of East Stoke Nottinghamshire, also held at the University of Nottingham). The work was said to be written between 6 February and 12 May 1666. Other facts about its writing are unclear, although internal evidence might in time help to identify the circumstances of its creation.

No arrangement has been necessary

ACCESS: Accessible to all registered readers.

LANGUAGE: English

• This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright on the description belongs to the University of Nottingham.

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The custodial history of the manuscript is not known. It was given to the University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts in about 1949 by a Nottingham firm of solicitors, Messers Hunt Dickins and Willatt, formerly Hunt, Williams and Dickens. It is assumed that it formed part of a family collection handled by the firm.