Penn in Hand: Selected Manuscripts

Bedingfield, Judeth.

[Recipe book] [manuscript].

[England], 1730-1744.

2 v. (78, 90 leaves) : paper ; 194 x 158 mm. bound to 200 x 158 mm. ; 188 x 158 mm. bound to194 x 158 mm.

Recipe book in 2 volumes, the first dated 1730, the second dated 1744. First volume contains cooking, wine, medical, and household cleaning recipes, the second is comprised mostly of recipes for cooking. Many recipes are attributed to members of the aristocracy, for example, Lady Newell (p. 201), Ladie Henett (p. 405) and the Earle Yarmouth (p. 406). Medicinal recipes in volume 1 include "the palsey water," "a collick water," "the plague water," and "the scorbutique water ... probatum est Sr. John Osten" (p. 400-403).

Ms. codex.

Title supplied by cataloger. Attribution and date for v. 1, J:Bedingfield Her Book 1730, inside lower cover; attribution and date for v. 2, Ju:Bedingfeld her book 1744 is on outside upper cover. Name Judeth Bedingfeld is inside upper cover, v. 1.

Foliation: V.1: Paper, 78; [iii, 1-75]; modern foliation in pencil, lower right recto. Irregular contemporary pagination; p. [iii], 27-35, [ii], 36-109, 200-209, 300-309, 400-409, 500-509, 600-608, 703-704, 706-709, 800-809, 900. Three detached folios laid in at the beginning, but no other apparent missing pages. V.2: Paper, 90; [1-90]; modern foliation in pencil, lower right recto.

Script: Written in a clear cursive script by a single hand, with a number of recipes, especially in v. 1, in a second hand, and some additions in two or more other hands.

Binding: Contemporary parchment, both volumes the same. Writing on the cover of v. 1 is no longer legible. Volume 1 is fragile with many stains on outer edges of the leaves, leaves are brittle. Volume 2 is in better condition, but in both the text is written to the outer edge of the margin and may crumble away.

Origin: Written in England, 1730-1744.

UPenn Ms. Codex 631.

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts University of Pennsylvania Ms. Codex 631