In this year Sir Kenelm Digby gave a collection of 238 MSS. (including
five rolls) all on vellum, uniformly bound, and stamped with his arms,
which still form a distinct series. They are, for the most part, of the
highest interest and importance, especially with reference to the early
history of science in England. Amongst them are works by Roger Bacon,
Grosteste, Will. Reade, John Eschyndon or Ashton, Roger of Hereford,
Richard Wallingford, Simon Bredon, Thomas of New-market, and many
others. They also comprise much relating to the general history of
England, and are almost entirely the work of English scribes. Many of
them had previously belonged to Thomas Allen, of Gloucester Hall, who
himself was a liberal donor to the Library. [_See_ p. 19.] Two
additional MSS., which formerly belonged to Digby, and which each
contain his inscription, 'Hic est liber publicæ Bibliothecæ academiæ
Oxoniensis, K.D.,' were purchased in 1825. One of these, _R. Baconis
opuscula_, was bought for £51; the other, a Latin translation, by W. de
Morbeck, of Proclus' Commentary on Plato, for £31 10_s._ They are
uniformly bound with the rest of the series, and are numbered 235 and
236 respectively.
The donor stipulated that his MSS. should not be strictly confined to
use within the walls of the Library. Archbishop Laud says, in the letter
in which, as Chancellor, he announced the gift to the University, 'hee
will not subiect these manuscripts to the strictnes of Sir Thomas
Bodley's statutes[92], but will haue libertie given for any man of
woorth, that wilbee at the paines and charge to print any of these
bookes, to haue them oute of the Librarye vpon good caution giuen; but
to that purpose and noe other[93].' But he afterwards left the
University at liberty to deal as it pleased with his MSS. in this
particular, as well as in all other questions that might arise
concerning his books. In a letter to Dr. Langbaine, dated Nov. 7, 1654,
he says: 'The absolute disposition of them in all occurrences dependeth
wholly and singly of the University; for she knoweth best what will be
most for her service and advantage, and she is absolute mistress to
dispose of them as she pleaseth[94].' He mentions in the same letter two
trunks of Arabic MSS. which he gave to Archbp. Laud to send to the
University or to St. John's College, but he never heard whether they
reached their destination or no. He promises also to send over some more
MSS. from France when he has returned thither; since, when the troubles
of the Rebellion drove him into exile, he had carried his library with
him. Upon the Restoration, however, and his own return to England, he
unfortunately left his books behind; and after his death they were
confiscated by the French King as belonging to an alien, and
subsequently sold. Doubtless the two MSS. acquired in 1825 were among
those to which his letter refers.
The first stone of the western end of the Library, with the Convocation
House beneath, was laid on May 13, 1634; it was fitted up with shelves
and ready for use by 1640. Selden's books were placed here in 1659. The
hideous great west window is a monument of the bad taste of the time; it
is much to be hoped that it may some day be replaced by a window more
worthy of its conspicuous position, and affording a less marked contrast
with its opposite neighbour, the noble east window erected by Bodley
himself.
[92] See under 1654-9.
[93] Reg. Conv. R. 24, 102. From MS. note by Dr. Bliss.
[94] [Walker's] _Letters by Eminent Persons, from the Bodl. and Ashm._,
1813, vol. i. pp. 2, 3.