William Burton, the historian of Leicestershire, gave the original MSS.
of Leland's _Itinerary_ (together with a transcript of some parts) and
of his _Collectanea_; the former filling seven volumes in quarto[91],
and the latter (including the book _De Scriptoribus Britannicis_) four
in folio. The _Collectanea_, after the death of Leland, had been in the
possession of Sir John Cheke, to whom Edward VI entrusted the custody of
Leland's papers; on his going into exile in the reign of Queen Mary, he
gave them to Humphrey Purefoy, Esq., whose son, Thomas Purefoy,
presented them to Burton in the year 1612. The _Itinerary_ was first
published by Hearne in 1710, in 9 vols.; the _Collectanea_ in 1715, in 6
vols.; the _De Scriptoribus_, by Ant. Hall, in 1709. The MS. of the
_Itinerary_ is much stained and injured by damp; but it is no longer in
the perishable condition described by Hearne. There are, besides, three
transcripts of it in the Library; one, of part of the book (Bodl. 470)
is a copy (mentioned above) which was made for Burton, and sent by him
to Rouse, with a letter dated 'Lindley, Leic. 17 July, 1632,' in which
he describes it as being 'written, though not with so fine a letter, yet
with a judicious hand.' He says that another part is 'now (as I heere)
in the hands of Doctor Burton, Archdeacon of Gloucester, which he
received by loane from a freind of mine, but never yet restored; the
which, I thinke, upon request he will impart unto you;' and adds, 'Some
more partes there were of this _Itinerary_, but through the negligence
of him to whom they were first lent, are embesiled and gone.' He
undertakes to send the three parts of the _Collectanea_ and the book _De
Scriptt. Angliæ_, according to promise, as soon as he has done using
them. Another copy, made by Burton himself in 1628, was given to Dr. W.
Stukeley by Thomas Allen, Esq., lord of Finchley, in June, 1758, and
finally came to the Library with Gough's collection. It is now numbered
Gough, General Topog. 2. It is injured by damp at the beginning, but has
been repaired by Stukeley. The third copy is a later transcript, also in
Gough's collection, and numbered General Topog. 1.
[91] An eighth volume of the _Itinerary_ was given by Charles King, M.A.
of Ch. Ch. some time subsequently, having been lent by Burton and not
recovered at the time of his own gift.