Helen Rawson, Head of Collections and Interpretation, writes: York Minster Library is the largest cathedral library in England. The collections have developed over many centuries, with the oldest item, the famous York Gospels, dating back around a thousand years. Library services are delivered through a collaboration agreement between the Chapter of York (the governing body of York Minster) and the University of York. I am hugely grateful to the York Minster Librarian, Sarah Griffin, who is also Rare Books Librarian at the University of York, for her expertise and work in securing this important volume.
Sarah Griffin explains: The Use of the Church of York was one of the religious rites practised in England before the Reformation. It had variations from the Uses of the Church of Salisbury, the Church of Hereford, and the Church of Bangor. Many of these York variations had their roots in the ways services were held in the Cathedral church of Rouen, where this book was printed. Jean Gachet, a publisher and bookseller in York, commissioned around eight Use of York books to be printed in France of which this is one. We know that Gachet was himself French, as in early York records he is referred to as ‘Frensheman’. His name does not appear on the Freemen’s registers in York meaning that he probably lived within the Cathedral precincts. The Manuale would have arrived in Yorkshire in 1530 in loose sheets. We know what happened to it next thanks to a note in the book. It was sent to Thomas Richardson, a stationer who had his shop on Petergate in the shadow of the Minster. Written on the back flyleaf is ‘Yf thes ii books be nott for you send them againe unto Thomas Rychardsonn and they shal be changed & they cost iiiis viiid one processioner and one manuell’. The binding Richardson produced for the book in 1530 is calf and has panels showing St Barbara and St Nicholas.
A Thomas Richardson was recorded as Head of the Bookbinders in York in 1554 and as a stationer in 1566. In this year he fell foul of the authorities being accused of holding banned works by Roman Catholic writers. He was found not guilty of the offence. It is likely that this is the same person as the binder of the 1530 Manuale or, at least, a member of the same family.
The book will go on display in the Minster and form part of our Use of York collection of manuscripts and early printed books.
The book has been in Yorkshire since it was first imported from France nearly 500 years ago. The Chapter of York is immensely grateful to the Friends of the National Libraries, the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and National Lottery for the support that enabled York Minster Library to purchase the volume and ensure that it stays in the county.
