Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

Persian MS 252 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Persian Manuscripts

Contents

Summary of Contents: A complete copy of Book Three of the Mas̲navī-i Ma‘navī (Spiritual Couplets) by Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī (1207–1273). Part of a six-volume set (Rylands Persian MS 250–255) completed for the eldest son of the Mughal ruler ‘Ālamgīr I, Prince Muḥammad Mu‘aẓẓam Bahādur Shāh, who would later rule as Shāh ‘Ālam Bahādur I (r. 1707–1712). Two scribes named Sirāj al-Dīn ibn Sayyid Bayāzīd Kūrahvī Rūdawlī and ‘Abd al-Karīm ibn Muḥammad Ḥasan completed the individual books in different locations between 1695 to 1699 CE. The former finished this volume on 9 Ẕī-al-Ḥijjah, '40th regnal year [of ‘Ālamgīr I]' (1108 AH, 29 June 1697 CE); however, he does not indicate where.
Scribe: Sīrāj al-Dīn ibn Sayyid Bāyāzīd Kūrahvī Rūdawlī
سراج الدین بن سید بایازید گورهوی رودولی
Incipit: (basmallah) برگ ۱پ (folio 1b): ای ضیاء الحق حسام الدین بیار
این سوم دفتر که سنت شد سه بار
Explicit: برگ ۷۷پ (folio 77b): گر تو خواهی باقی این گفت و گو
ای اخی در دفتر چارم بجو
Colophon: برگ ۷۷پ (folio 77b): تمت جلد ثلاثه من مثنوی مولاوی حضرت مولانا جلال الدین رومی قدس سره العزیز بوقت استو[ار] بتاریخ نهم ذی الحجه سنه ۴۰ بخط المذنب سراج الدین رودولی.
Colophon: Completed by Sirāj al-Dīn ibn Bayāzīd Kūrahvī Rūdawlī on 9 Ẕī-al-Ḥijjah, '40th regnal year [of the Mughal Emperor ‘Ālamgīr]' (1108 AH, 29 June 1697 CE).
Language(s): Persian

For other copies of this work held in the Rylands, see Persian MS 17, 21, 72, 213, 236, 795, 847, 848, 926, 983 (Book I), and 984, the last being the earliest, completed in 9 Muḥarram 758 AH (2 January 1357 CE), about 85 years after the author first composed it. For critical editions, see Isti‘lāmī and Furūzānfar. For a recent English translation of the first two books based on the former edition, see Williams. For earlier translations, see Arberry, Nicholson, and Whinfield.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Texblock comprised of a mixture of straight and cross-grained, externally sized and polished, cream-coloured paper mixed with folios tinted a golden hue (possibly with turmeric?), probably handmade in the Indian subcontinent, with 9 laid lines per cm and no discernible chain lines.
Extent: 77 folios, 7 flyleaves (ff. iii + 61 + iv).
Dimensions (leaf): 265 × 157 mm.
Dimensions (written): 209 × 115 mm.
Foliation: Foliation marked at top-right corners of the a sides in pencilled Arabic numerals by the cataloguer.

Collation

Primarily quaternions thoughout. 9IV+2(74)1I+1(77). Catchwords written at the lower-left margin by the gutter, or lower-left corners on the b sides throughout.

Condition

In fair condition, with extensive water and insect damage with many subsequent historical repairs throughout the volume. Small cut-out on folio 1 likely to remove the names of former owner Sir Gore Ouseley (1770–1844), with the name of another owner, Bengal indigo merchant John Harvey Danby (d. ca. 1830) blacked out at top on 1b.

Layout

Written in 1 to 2 columns, with 19 lines in the centres, primarily couplets, which then proceeds to the top of three-part margins which contain another 44 hemistichs, or 22 couplets. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.

Hand(s)

Written primarily in nasta‘līq script in black, with subheaders in red, by Sirāj al-Dīn ibn Bāyāzīd Kūrahvī Rudawlī..

Additions:
Inscriptions: The third right flyleaf b side (f. iiib) numbered ‘No. 84 Vol. 3’ at top, most probably in the hand of Sir Gore Ouseley (1770–1844), albeit with his signature evidently cut out by a subsequent owner, that nevertheless matches his inscriptions in other manuscripts.
Bookplates: Left doublure, ‘Bibliotheca Lindesiana’ with shelfmark ‘2/G’, and ‘Bland MSS No. 472’.

Binding

Textblock repaired and resewn after suffering significant water and insect damage, at two unsupported stations. Edges trimmed and coloured yellow. Twined chevron endbands worked at head and tail in silver and possibly indigo silk threads, with the one at the head largely abraded. Rebound with very thin pasteboardsin full, tight-backed smooth goatskin leather, originally maroon-coloured but due to prolonged exposure to moisture now appears a mottled medium-brown, but the original hue remains evident on the turn-ins. Internal doublures of the same goatskin leather, with the excess width put down as hinges attached to the first and last flyleaves, with a strip of paper adhered over top to disguise the join. Earlier flyleaves of thin-weight, cream-coloured, heavily flocked handmade paper, and a comparatively bright, ivory-coloured, medium-weight, sturdy paper, added when restored, both probably handmade in the Indian subcontinent with ~8 laid lines per cm and few discernible chain lines, the latter also added as flyleaves to other volumes in the set when restored.

Boards uniformly decorated together with the other volumes as a set, with recessed gilt paper onlays for the central scalloped mandorlas and detached pendants, but only the mandorla on the right board exterior remains. Paper label adhered to spine bears the Arabic letter nūn (ن), and the volume number also appears written on the right board exterior, both in gold nasta‘līq. When originally lined up on the shelf, all of the letters would read
‘مثنوی’
Mas̲navī

266 × 161 × 19 mm.

Handle with caution. In fair condition, with extensive staining, after exposure to prolonged moisture, especially at the spine and tail edge. Upper grain layer delaminated in areas. The moisture caused the interior pasteboards to swell and delaminate internally, which resulted in the boards bulging, hence they now feel soft and flexible.

History

Origin: Completed by Sirāj al-Dīn ibn Bayāzīd Kūrahvī Rūdawlī, possibly in Calcutta (Kolkata); 9 Ẕī-al-Ḥijjah, '40th regnal year [of the Mughal Emperor ‘Ālamgīr]' (1108 AH, 29 June 1697 CE).

Provenance and Acquisition

Previously owned or inspected by Faz̤l Allāh Shāh Muḥammad as per his black oval seal impressions in the first volume of the set, Persian MS 250, folios 1a and 8b.

Subsequently acquired by indigo merchant Jonathan Harvey Danby (1767–1830), of Honiton, Devon, who constructed a large factory in Shikarpur, Nadia District (now in West
 Bengal) in circa 1790 to 1795 (this firm later evolved into Messrs. Robert Watson & Co., the preeminent Victorian-era subcontinental dyeworks), as per his name imprinted above the header at the top of folio 1b, albeit blackened out by a later owner, but nevertheless still evident under raking light.

Later obtained by Sir Gore Ouseley (1770–1844) as per his as per his unsigned numbering on the third right flyleaf b side (f. iiib), his clipped-off signature at the top-right of folio 1b, further attested by an unsigned pencilled notation declaring his ownership underneath similar numbering in the first volume of the set, Persian MS 250, fifth right flyleaf b side (f. vb), probably by subsequent owner Samuel Hawtayne Lewin, as it comports with other inscriptions in his hand found in other Rylands volumes (e.g. Persian MS 287, folio 1a, top.

Evidently sold by Lewin's family after his death, then acquired by Persian scholar Nathaniel Bland (1803–1865), after whose death London antiquarian dealer Bernard Quaritch (1819–1899) sold his oriental manuscripts to Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) in 1866.

Purchased by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1901 from James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913).

Bequeathed by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1908 to the John Rylands Library.

Record Sources

Bibliographical description based on an index created by Reza Navabpour circa 1993, derived from a manuscript catalogue by Michael Kerney, circa 1890s and his Bibliotheca Lindesiana, Hand-list of Oriental Manuscripts: Arabic, Persian, Turkish, 1898.

Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2021 with reference to the volume.

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.

Digital Images

Manchester Digital Collections (full digital facsimile).

Bibliography

Funding of Cataloguing

Iran Heritage Foundation

The John Rylands Research Institute


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