The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, According to the Use of the Church of England: Together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches

Signatures: a?(±a8) A? b? B?(±B6) C?(±C2, C5) D-2E?(±2E6-8) 2F?(±2F1) (b4 blank). Imperfect: wanting leaves b1-4, N6-R4 and 2F2-8. 1 vols. 8vo. A lovely copy of the 1745 Oxford edition, beautifully bound by T. Barratt (embossed stamp on verso of first free endpaper), yet lacking several leaves at front and just prior to the Psalter. With a notable provenance, being that of Scrope Berdmore (1744-1814), an English clergyman who was elected Warden (head) of Merton College, Oxford, in 1790, an achievement noted in the dated bookplate on the first pastedown endpaper. He served in that post until 1810, and additionally acted as Vice-Chancellor of the university from 1796 until 1797. A prior dated (1769) ownership signature of Berdmore's is present on the title page, and, based on that handwriting sample, he appears to have also inscribed the two prayers on the recto of the first blank, to which he appended a further note at bottom: "These here prayers were given by C:C: to her son H:C:C: April 22d 1798." This is almost certainly in reference to Catherine Compton and Henry Combe Compton (1789-1866), the latter a future British Conservative politician for whose father Berdmore served as both a co-executor and -legatee of two St. Kitts estates, along with their enslaved inhabitants. (He received an additional £1,000 bequest, as well.) Henry matriculated at Merton in 1806, and according to a deed the following year, was acknowledged as a titular inheritor owed monies from the St. Kitts properties, then held in trust for him; by 1817 he owned the land outright with Sir William Pole, 7th Baronet. Compton's connection to his father's friend was such that he named one of his sons Berdmore. The additional holograph prayers on the endpapers are written in two other unknown hands. Provenance: armorial bookplate of Scrope Berdmore, S.T.P. Coll. Mert. Custos, 1790, with additional 1769 ownership signature on title page. ESTC, T127881; Griffiths, 1745, 11 Elaborately gilt-tooled black morocco. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers with ownership bookplate. Ownership signature on title page, plus autograph text on front and rear blanks. Small areas of professional restoration work to some interior pages Signatures: a?(±a8) A? b? B?(±B6) C?(±C2, C5) D-2E?(±2E6-8) 2F?(±2F1) (b4 blank). Imperfect: wanting leaves b1-4, N6-R4 and 2F2-8. 1 vols. 8vo. …