Six volumes of Archbishop Usher's _Collectanea_, with two or three other
MSS. which had belonged to him, were given to the Library by James
Tyrrell, the historian, who was the archbishop's grandson. He had placed
them previously in the hands of Dr. Mill, for use by him in his edition
of the Greek Test., and it was about a week before Mill's death, June
21, 1707, that they were transferred, together with a gift from Mill of
various printed books, to the Library[167]. They are now placed among
the Rawlinson Miscellaneous MSS., 1065-1074, and one volume containing
various readings in the Gr. Test., is numbered Auct. T. v. 30. Other
volumes of his MSS. Collections in the Library are Barlow, 10 and 13; _e
Musæo_, 46 and 47; Rawl. Misc. 225, 280; Rawl. Letters, 89, and
Rawlinson C. 849, 850, which last were given to Hearne by Tyrrell.
Hearne has printed some extracts at the end of _Gul. Neubrig._ iii. 804.
Six Samaritan and other MSS. which belonged to Usher are now in the
class called _Bodl. Orient._
By the bequest of Dr. Humphrey Hody the Library acquired some 400 or 500
volumes, being all those in his own collection which were wanting here,
together with his MSS. _Collectanea_. These last, amounting to
twenty-three volumes, are now numbered Bodl. Addit. 1. D. 1-4, 2. B.
1-16, 2. C. 1-3.
Thomas, Archbishop of Gocthan, in Armenia, visited England on an errand
which seems to have justly excited great sympathy and attention.
Sensible of the low condition of his fellow-countrymen, through their
want of means of instruction, and being earnestly anxious to do
something towards their elevation, he had spent some forty years in
travels through Europe and Asia for the purpose of procuring books,
establishing printing-presses, educating young men, and obtaining help
for the furtherance of his Christian and patriotic projects. His first
printing establishment, at Marseilles, was ruined by the mismanagement
and fraud of those to whom it was entrusted. He then, for ten years,
carried on a press at Amsterdam, where he printed, in Armenian, the New
Testament, the Prayers and Hymns of the Church, a translation of Thomas
à Kempis, and several other theological works, together with some in
geography, history, and science. But troubles and trials again overtook
him; disputes and law-suits involved him in debt; one hundred books,
which he shipped for Armenia in 1698, were taken at sea, and so never
reached their destination. And so, poor and sorrowful, in extreme old
age, the Archbishop came to England to seek for help, recommended by Dr.
John Cockburn, the English Minister at Amsterdam. He was well received
by the Archbishops, and Sharp, of York, procured him an interview with
the Queen, who gave him some assistance. Then, recommended by Bishop
Compton[168], of London, he came to Oxford. What he received in the way
of the help which he most of all needed, deponent sayeth not; let us
hope it was not small. What he received in the way of honour, and what
he did to cause the introduction of his name in these _Annals_, Hearne
tells, in his own interesting way, in his _Diary_[169]:--
'May 24. Last night came to Oxon one of the Armenian Patriarchs. He
is Patriarch of the Holy Cross in Gogthan (near Mount Ararat) in
Greater Armenia. He subscribes himself in his speech to the Queen in
the last month, by translation, Thomas. The next day he was attended
to the publick Library by Dr. Charlett, Pro-Vice-Chancellor. At the
entrance, Dr. Hudson, the Keeper, made him a handsome complement in
Latin; but the Patriarch, being about 90 years of age, and
understanding no Latin, nor Greek, nor any European language but
Italian, took but little notice of any thing. He afterwards was
carried to Dr. Charlett's lodgings, where he was treated.
'May 29. This day was a Convocation in the Theatre, when the
Archbishop of the Holy Cross in Gocthan was created Doctor of
Divinity, and his nephew, Luke Nurigian, and Mr. Cockburn, son of
Dr. Cockburn, were created Masters of Arts. The day before, the
Archbishop presented to the publick Library several books in
Armenian which he has caused to be printed. Mr. Wyatt, the orator,
spoke a speech in his commendation, and presented him, the Queen
having been pleased to let us be without a Professor. During the
Convocation, several papers printed at the Theatre were given to the
Doctors, Noblemen, and some others, entitled, _Reverendissimi in
Christo Patris Thomæ, Archiepiscopi Sanctæ Crucis in Gocthan
Perso-Armeniæ, peregrinationis suæ in Europam, pietatis et literarum
promovendarum caussa susceptæ, brevis narratio; una cum dicti
Archiepiscopi ad serenissimam Magnæ Britanniæ Reginam oratiuncula
ejusque responso. Accedunt de eodem Archiepiscopo testimonia ampla
et præclara._ Printed upon two sheets, folio[170].'
In another volume of memoranda[171], Hearne adds the following notice of
one of the books given by the Archbishop: 'Amongst other books which he
gave to the Bodleian Library is a History, at the beginning of which the
Archbishop's nephew put the following memorandums: "_Historia Nationis
Armeniæ, a Moise Chorenensi grammatico, doctore Armeno_. Amst. 1695.
Maii 28, 1707, Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ dono dedit reverendiss. Thomas
Archiep. S. Crucis in Majori Armenia. Per manum ejusd. reverendiss.
nepotis, Lucæ Nurigianidis." Underneath which is written, at the motion
of Dr. Charlett, and by the direction of the said Archbishop's nephew:
"Auctorem istius libri floruisse traditur seculo quarto post Christum."'
The book is now numbered, 8^o V. 134 Th.
[167] Hearne's _MS. Diary_, xv. 24.
[168] And by the good Robert Nelson (_Letters by Eminent Persons_, i.
167, 9), who had also obtained ten guineas for him from the Christian
Knowledge Society (Secretan's _Life of Nelson_, pp. 113-4).
[169] Vol xiv. pp. 64, 68.
[170] A copy of this tract is in V. 1. 1. Jur.
[171] Rawlinson MS. C. 876. p. 44.