'When Oxford was surrendered (24^o Junii, 1646) the first thing Generall
Fairfax did was to set a good guard of soldiers to preserve the
Bodleian Library. 'Tis said there was more hurt donne by the Cavaliers
(during their garrison) by way of embezzilling and cutting off chaines
of bookes then there was since. He was a lover of learning, and had he
not taken this special care, that noble library had been utterly
destroyed, for there were ignorant senators enough who would have been
contented to have had it so. This I doe assure you from an ocular
witnesse, E. W. esq[105].'
[105] Aubrey's _Lives_; in _Letters by Eminent Persons_, ii. 346.