Tanner Manuscripts
Item
Country
GB
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BG
Contact information: phone number
0044 1865 277162 (reader services)
0044 (0)1865 277150 (special collections)
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
reader.services@bodleian.ox.ac.uk (reader services)
specialcollections.bookings@bodleian.ox.ac.uk (special collections)
Reference number
MSS. Tanner
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (official language of the state)
Tanner Manuscripts
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
Thomas Tanner
Date note
10th century/18th century
Language(s)
dut
eng
fra
gre
heb
ita
lat
por
rus
spa
Extent
56.87 linear metres (517 boxes)
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This collection comprises manuscripts gathered by Thomas Tanner (1674-1735) and later bequeathed to the Bodleian Library. Most of its holdings are related to the 17th-century Church, including correspondence of successive Archbishops of Canterbury, Gilbert Sheldon (1663-77) and William Sancroft (1677-90), and the Civil War and Interregnum period.
Among its manuscripts is a volume containing a collection of letters and papers from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (MS. Tanner 79), which includes a letter in cipher from Francis Walsingham (c. 1532-90), secretary to the Queen, to William Harborne (c.1542–1617), the English ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, on June 24, 1587, mentioning the Portuguese Jew Álvaro Mendes, Duke of Mytilene, who stood for the interests of England in Turkey (fols. 125, 127). In this letter, Walsingham recommends Mendes' intelligence services.
Among its manuscripts is a volume containing a collection of letters and papers from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (MS. Tanner 79), which includes a letter in cipher from Francis Walsingham (c. 1532-90), secretary to the Queen, to William Harborne (c.1542–1617), the English ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, on June 24, 1587, mentioning the Portuguese Jew Álvaro Mendes, Duke of Mytilene, who stood for the interests of England in Turkey (fols. 125, 127). In this letter, Walsingham recommends Mendes' intelligence services.
Archival history
By his will, Tanner's manuscripts passed to the Bodleian Library. They were received in 1736, about three months after his death.
Administrative / Biographical history
Thomas Tanner (1674-1735) was an English antiquary and prelate. He was born at Market Lavington in Wiltshire and matriculated at Queen's College, Oxford, in 1689, taking holy orders in 1694. In 1697, he became a fellow of All Souls College and, a few years later, private chaplain to John Moore (1646-1714), bishop of Norwich, and afterwards of Ely, who appointed him chancellor of the diocese of Norwich. From 1713 to 1723, Tanner was the prebendary of Ely. He became archdeacon of Norfolk in 1721, and canon of Christ Church in 1724. In 1732, he was made bishop of St. Asaph. He died in Oxford, where he had passed most of his life.
His chief work was Notitia Monastica (Oxford, 1695), a short account of all the religious houses in England and Wales. Tanner is also the author of Bibliotheca Britannico-Hibernica, a dictionary of English, Scottish and Irish authors prior to the 17th century, which was posthumously published, in 1748. Tanner's book and manuscript collection resulted from research for the composition of his works.
His chief work was Notitia Monastica (Oxford, 1695), a short account of all the religious houses in England and Wales. Tanner is also the author of Bibliotheca Britannico-Hibernica, a dictionary of English, Scottish and Irish authors prior to the 17th century, which was posthumously published, in 1748. Tanner's book and manuscript collection resulted from research for the composition of his works.
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Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2022
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|---|---|---|
| Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford | Collections (official language of the state) |