Persian MS 1001 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Persian Manuscripts

Summary of Contents: The first of three volumes of a Dīvān of Ḥāfiẓ (ca. 1315–1390), together with Persian MS 1002 and 1003. Orientalist William Francklin (1763–1839) acquired the manuscript in 1794. He notes ‘...the whole collated with upwards of 40 other MSS. by W^m Bruce of Lucknow’, which probably refers to William Bruce (d. 1783), who also sponsored other manuscripts. Subsequently purchased by Manchester's Chetham Library in circa 1800, then-librarian John Haddon Hindley references these volumes in his English translations of select ghazals.

Author: Ḥāfiẓ, 14th cent.;
Ḥāfiẓ Shīrāzī;
Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad Shīrāzī;
حافظ شيرازى

Title: Dīvān

Title: دیوان

Colophon:

Language(s): Persian

In his appendix to his translation, p. iii, Hindley explictly describes this manuscript as "purchased into the Chetham Library after these Papers were prepared for the Press..." provides a catalogue description on p. ix, then list the contents on pp. 1–28. One of ten copies of this work held in the Rylands, for others see Persian MS 14, 34, 50, 262, 263, 288, 563, 842, 945, and 946.

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Textblock of cross-grained, externally sized and polished, ivoury-coloured paper probably handmade in the Safavid Empire with ~9 laid lines per cm and no discernible chain lines. Interleaved with European paper.

Extent: Undetermined folios, 2 flyleaves (ff. i + 0 + i).

Dimensions (leaf): 222 × 168 mm.

Dimensions (written): 174 × 102 mm.

Layout

Written in 1 to 2 columns with 20 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.

Hand(s)

Written in clear black nasta‘līq.

Binding

Probably rebound in Britain for Chetham library in full sheepskin.

227 × 178 × 32 mm.

Handle binding with caution. In poor condition, with joints broken, headcaps torn, and exteriors worn.

History

Origin: Probably completed in Bengal before 1794 CE

Provenance and Acquisition

Subsequently obtained, possibly in Lucknow, in 1794 by Bengal Army officer, orientalist, and travel writer William Francklin (1763–1839), who spent over four decades serving in India. An early member of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, he would ultimately serve as its librarian sometime after his return to England until his death.

Evidently purchased, possibly from Francklin, by Chetham Library, Manchester in circa 1800.

Purchased from Chetham Library by the John Rylands Library, together with other oriental manuscripts for £2000 in 1981.

Record Sources

Bibliographical description derived from an unpublished hand-list of additional Persian manuscripts.

Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2023 .

Availability

To book an in-person or online appointment to consult the manuscript, visit Using the Special Collections Reading Rooms. For any other enquiries please email uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.

Bibliography

C. H. de Fouchécour, 'Ḥāfiẓ', Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE, (2018)

Ḥāfiẓ, Persian Lyrics or Scattered Poems from the Diwan-i-Hafiz: With Paraphrases in Verse and Prose a Catalogue of the Gazels As Arranged in a Manuscript of the Works of Hafiz in the Chetham Library at Manchester and Other Illustrations. Translated by John Haddon Hindley London: Printed at the Oriental Press by Wilson & Co, 1800.

Ḥāfiẓ, The Dīvān Translated by Col. W. H. Clarke, 2 Vols. Calcutta: Government of India Central Printing Office, 1891.

D. N. Marshall, Mughals in India: A Bibliographical Survey. Vol. 1. Manuscripts (Bombay: Asia Publishing House, 1962), p. 168, no. 561.

C. Rieu, Catalogue of the Persian manuscripts in the British Museum, Vol. II (London: British Museum, 1881), pp. 627–632 [British Library Add. 7759, &c].

E. Sachau and H. Ethé, Catalogue of the Persian, Turkish, Hindûstani, and Pushtû manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Vol. I (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1889), cols. 578–592, nos. 815–853 [Bodleian MS Ouseley 148, &c.].

E. Yarsharter et al, 'Hafez', Encyclopædia Iranica, Vol. XI, Fasc. 5 (2002), pp. 461–507.

Funding of Cataloguing

The John Rylands Research Institute and Library

The Soudavar Memorial Foundation

Subjects

Persian poetry--747-1500

Comments

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