Page 39 - Hindsight Issue 26 April 2020

BooKs
apparent: the font and style of writing were much older than “1865” and secondly the first page of text began with, “TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY MONARCH CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITTAINE (sic), FRANCE AND IRELAND, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH.”
the book entitled, “A Paraphrase Upon The Hard Texts Of The Whole Divine Scripture”, is a religious commentary of the author’s opinion of the King James Bible (first published in 1611). I worked my way through the book looking for confirmation of the author and the date of publication. It was not until I came to the new testament section of the book that I found the information I was seeking: written by Jos exon and printed in “Anno Dom. 1632”.
I visited Michael sumner of Harrowden
Books at Finedon. Michael examined
the book and declared, “This is the
oldest book I have ever seen outside
of an archive or museum”. He also
commented that it was in very good
condition for its age. Michael also
noticed a watermark on one of the pages, which was then found to be on every page of text.
Later, I came across an academic paper detailing 17th century english paper watermarks and discovered that this watermark, listed as a “Pot” watermark, was used during “the period between 1625 – 1655 on high quality small paper”. this confirmed the book fell within the range of years the watermark was used and is now 387 years old – from the time of King Charles I.
I contacted Dr Kaye McLelland, the Finedon Parish Church archivist and an expert in religious texts. Kaye has been very helpful on several research projects that Carolyn and I have undertaken in the past. Kaye informed me that Jos exon was in fact Joseph Hall, Bishop of exeter between 1627 and 1641.
A title page indicating that the book found in the Friends’ Meeting House was written in 1632 by Joseph Hall, Bishop of Exeter
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