Collection for the Arms of Bishops

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 133 Eng MS 20
  • Dates of Creation
      1830-1863
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
      English
  • Physical Description
      vols 1-2: 320 x 215 mm; vols 3-4: 180 x 115 mm; vol. 5: 158 x 100 mm; vol. 6: 185 x 120 mm. 6 volumes; vols 3-6 enclosed within a drop-back box. Bindings: vols 1-2: full-bound in reversed calf; vols 3-4 and 6: leather-bonded card covers; vol. 5: marbled paper covers.

Scope and Content

Six volumes of papers produced by Madden during his research on the armorial bearings of bishops:

  • /1-2: Two volumes containing notes on the arms of individual bishops, taken from manuscripts in the British Museum (now the British Library) - Harley MSS 1042, 1048, 1159 and 1487, Lansdowne MSS 255, 872 and 874, and Add MS 4294 - and other authorities. The bishops are arranged in alphabetical order of their sees, and Madden provides their dates and arms (some are sketched in ink or pencil, others are painted, while some are represented by engravings pasted or loosely enclosed in the volume).
  • /3-4: Two small volumes of research notes on the arms of bishops, entitled Collections for the Armes of Bishops and of other dignitaries, viz., Deans, Archdeacons, Chancellors, Heads of Colleges etc., 1836-7.
  • /5: Small volume containing notes on shields of arms painted by Matthew Paris in the margins of various manuscripts, namely British Museum (now British Library), Royal MS 14 C VII; Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, MS 16 etc. The notebook is dated 1859-63 and may have been compiled in preparation for Madden's edition of Matthaei Parisiensis, monachi Sancti Albani, Historia Anglorum (London: Longmans, Green, 1866-9).
  • /6: Notebook listing chartularies, registers and rentals of religious houses, arranged in alphabetical order of place-name, dated 1830. Entitled List of Chartularies, Registers, Leiger Books, Rentals etc. etc. of the Religious Houses in England.