Description | This manuscript is a transcript of John Aubrey's original work. It was transcribed by B G Cramer, Clerk to the Royal Society, at the behest of the Society in 1690-1691, for three pence per page. At page 67 is inserted a map of a navigable passage from Bristol to London, engraved by Thomas Jenner in 1668, with the arms of the borough. Six leaves of additional matter are inserted at page 276, and four more at page 304. |
AdminHistory | James Orchard Halliwell in his 'Catalogues of the Miscellaneous Manuscripts and of the Manuscript Letters in the possession of the Royal Society' (1840) states that 'This work is in the course of publication, under the able editorship of that munificent patron of antiquarian and historical literature, Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart, FRS of Middle Hill, Worcestershire'.
Belshazar Gotfried Cramer (or Kramer), was from Zerbst-Anhalt in Germany. He was educated at Frankfurt and Basel and took his doctorate in 1671. Cramer was appointed Clerk at the Royal Society on 27 November 1683 (with a salary of £30 a year), succeeding Michael Weeks (or Wicks), however the appointment was cancelled as it had to be approved by the whole fellowship and not just the Council, so instead he acted as scribe to the society including transcribing this manuscript. |