King James’s Bible of 1640, folio.
The Welch Bible, printed at London in 1588, folio; and in 1600; at Oxford
in 1723; and at London in 1746, 8vo. here claim a passing notice.
Of editions of the New Testaments in English it may suffice to allude
to those printed at London in 1706, 1708, 1711, 8vo.; and at Oxford in
1770, 8vo.; The Novum Testamentum Arabicum, 4to; the Novum Testamentum
Syriacum, per Leusden. Lugd. Bat. 1717; the Novum Testamentum Græcum,
per Fell, Oxonii, 1675, 8vo.; et Millii, Oxonii, 1707, folio; together
with Kipling’s facsimile of the Codex Bezæ, Cambridge, 1793, folio; and
the editions of Beza, Erasmus, Wetstein, and Stephens, 1549; the Coptic
Version of Wilkins; and several French translations by Beausobre and
others; Fulke’s New Testament, London, by the deputies of Chr. Barker,
1589; and the same, printed at London, by Augustine Matthews, 1633, both
in folio.
I may add to the above the Evangelia IV. Græcè Theophylacti, Romæ, 1542;
Evangelia Gothica Junii, 4to.; Wilkins’ Pentateuchus Copticus, Lond.
1731, 4to.; Psalterium Monasticum, Samueli, 1616, folio; Psalterium
Quintuplex; Psalterium Antverpiæ, Plantin, 1608; Psalterium Hebraicum
Græcum et è Codice Alexandrina, Oxonii, 1678, 12mo.; and many other
editions of the Psalms of David.
Of Rituals and Forms of Prayers, I noticed the Welch Prayer Book of 1664,
in folio; the Scotch Prayer Books of 1637 and 1661; and the English
Prayer Books of 1549, 1552, 1616, 1661, 1683, and 1702; with Wheatley on
the Common Prayer; and the Offices of the Church of England, Cambridge,
1751, 8vo.; Liturgia Latina Anglicana, Londini, 1574, 1688, and 1727,
12mo.; Liturgia Græca per Pinellum, Venetiis, 1603-1628, in 14 volumes,
4to.; Missale Romanum, Lugd. Bat. 1625; and Antverpiæ, 1625, 8vo.;
several Roman Breviaries; a Parisian edition of the Horæ B. M. V. without
date; and the Pontificale Romanum, 1611, folio.
Among the earlier Theological writers may be enumerated the Works of S.S.
Ambrose, Anselm, Athanasius, Augustine, Basilius, Bernard, Chrysostom,
Cyprian, Cyril, Epiphanius, Episcopius, Gregorius Eusebius, Byzantinus
Nazianzenus, et Nyssenus, &c. Jerome, Hilary, Ignatius, Irenæus, Isidore,
Lactantius, Tertullian, Theodoret, Theophylact, and others too numerous
to mention.
It may be permitted me, however, to specify the Works of Alexander de
Ales, Arnobius, Bede, Bellarmine, Bessarion, Beausobre, Bonaventura,
Bossuet, Bourdaloue, Theodore Beza, Bochart, Bullinger, Calvin, Clemens
Alexandrinus, Chytræus, Dallæus, Drusius, Le Clerc, and Duns Scotus; of
Erasmus, Fulgentius, John Gerson, Grotius, Hospinianus, Justin Martyr,
Lanfranc, Luther, Melancthon, Peter Martyr, Origen, Socinus, Suarez,
Turretinus, Turrianus, and Zanchius.
To which may be properly added, Cassiodorus in Psalmos, Basileæ, 1491,
folio; Nicolai de Lyra Commentarii, editio antiqua, sine loco aut anno.
liber mancus, and another edition printed at Venice in 1603, folio;
Bythneri Lyra Prophetica; Damasceni Opera Theologica; Lactantii Opera,
Cantabrigiæ, 1686, 12mo.; Lutheri Opera, Wittebergæ, 1557-83, in 7 vols.
folio; and those of Melancthon.
Among the Works of English Divines, I think it right to record those of
Bishop Andrews, Atterbury, Barrow, Baxter, Bennet, Beveridge, Bingham,
Bickerstaff, Bramhall, Bull, Calamy, Chillingworth, Claggett, Clarke,
Conybeare, Bishop Cosin, Dodwell, Edwards, Fisher, Hall, Hammond, Hoadly,
Hooper, Hopkins, Jeremy Taylor, Jackson, Jebb, Jenkins, Jewel, Jortin,
Kennicott, Kennett, Lardner, Leslie, Lightfoot, Lowth, Bp. Ostervald,
Outram, Pearce, Pierce, Perkins, Pococke, Prideaux, Archbp. Potter,
Reynolds, J. Rogers, Secker, Sherlock, South, Stanhope, Stillingfleet,
Sykes, Venn, Waterland, Whiston, Whitaker, White, Wilson, and others of
minor note.
Here too may be noticed, Cave’s Primitive Christianity; and Lives of the
Apostolic Fathers; Bowyer on the New Testament; Butler’s Analogy; Burnet
on the thirty-nine Articles; Collier’s Sacred Interpreter; Conybeare on
Revealed Religion; Cudworth’s Intellectual System; Cruden’s Concordance;
Derham’s Astro- and Physico-Theology; Davenant on the Psalms; Drelincourt
on Death; Fiddes’ Body of Divinity; Field of the Church; Duncan Forbes on
Incredulity; Fulke on the New Testament; Gale’s Court of the Gentiles;
Edwards on the Old and New Testament; Gastrell’s Institutes; Hall’s
Meditations; Horne’s Introduction to the Scriptures; Jebb’s Theological
Lectures, Cambridge, 1772; Ireland’s Popery and Paganism compared,
London, 1809, and 1825; also his Nuptiæ Sacræ, 1821, 8vo.; Ken’s Manual;
Leland on Deism; Lloyd on Church Government; Macknight’s Harmony of the
Gospels; Mede on the Altar; Newman’s Concordance; Patrick’s, Pococke’s
and Whitby’s Commentaries; Pearson on the Creed; Prideaux and Shuckford’s
Connection; Scott’s Christian Life, and other Works; Secker’s Lectures,
Sermons, and Charges; Tenison on Idolatry; Tillotson’s Works, London,
1707-20, and 35, in folio; Woolston on Miracles; Trapp’s Theological
Works; Tyndale, Frith, and Barnes’ Works, London, 1573, fol.; Usher’s
Annals, 1658, folio; Wake’s Genuine Epistles of the Apostolical Fathers;
and his Work on the State of the Church; Wall on Infant Baptism;
Warburton’s Works by Hurd, 1788, 4to.; West and Littleton on the
Resurrection; Whiston’s Primitive Christianity, and other Works; Venn’s
Whole Duty of Man; Wilkins on Natural Religion.
This Collection also embraces a variety of Sermons by different authors;
among the most noticeable of whom are Bishops Gibson, Fleetwood, Hoadly,
Atterbury, and Sharpe; Waterland, Wilkins, Gataker, Vincents, Conybeare,
Stanhope, and Sanderson.
To the above I may add, Blackwall’s Sacred Classics; various Concordances
by Schmidius, Kircher, & Buxtorf; Barwick’s Life of Dean Barwick; Birch’s
Life of Tillotson; Calmet’s Dictionary of the Bible; Stackhouse’s History
of the Bible, and his other Works; Barclay’s Apology; Osterwald’s
Arguments, in French; and Pyle on the Epistles; Ioannis de Turrecremata,
Summa Theologiæ, Lugduni, 1496, 8vo.; Limborch, Theologia Christiana;
Leigh’s Critica Sacra; Junii Opera Theologica; Vincentii Speculum
Doctrinale, Venetiis, 1494, folio; Sixti Senensis Bibliotheca Sancta;
Hulderici Zuinglii Opera; Zonaræ Canones et Annales; Petri Blesensis
Opera Omnia; Thomæ Aquinatis Opera, Antverpiæ, 1612, folio; Stapletoni
Opera, & Whitakeri Opera, Genevæ, 1610, folio; the Bibliotheca Veterum
Patrum, Colon. Agrip. 1618, in 14 volumes, folio; the Bibliotheca,
S.S. Patrum, Col. Agr. 1622, in 15 folio volumes; Cotelerii Patres
Apostolici; Dacherii Spicelegium; the Critici Sacri; Pole’s Synopsis;
Eusebii Præparatio et Demonstratio Evangelica; Boethii Opera, Basileæ,
1570, folio; Martin Bucer, Scriptores Anglicani; the Works of Buchanan;
Lyndewoode’s Provinciale of 1557, & Oxonii, 1679; Outram de Sacrificiis;
and other Works of the earlier ecclesiastics, of which the selection I
have made may serve as very fair specimens of the whole.
I may here notice Day’s Service Book, 1565, with music; the Tenor,
Morning and Evening Prayer, imperfect, but of which only three or four
copies are known; Barnard’s Cathedral Music, only found elsewhere at
Berlin; and several English Music Books of great rarity; Boyce and
Arnold’s Cathedral Music; also that of Arne, Bassani, Corelli, Fiocco,
Gasparini, Handel, Pergolesi, and Scarletti; Madrigals by Colonna,
Foggia, Gratiano, and Marenzio, forming a very valuable Collection of
Church Music; here also is preserved the Missal of Nicolas Litlington,
Abbot of Westminster in 1362; together with the Pupilla Oculi of John de
Burgh, a work of which every priest possessed a copy.
There are also in this Library a Collection of Tracts, formed about
the year 1760, so numerous that the brief enumeration of them occupies
ninety-one pages and a half of the great folio Catalogue, compiled in
1798. Of these fugitive pieces very many relate to the Controversial
Divinity of the early part of the last century; others treat of Popery,
the Muggletonians, the Test Acts, and the Miracles of the Gospel;
Warburton on the Alliance between Church and State; with his Remarks on
Pope’s Essay on Man; Whitfield’s Journals, 1740; Westley’s Appeal, 1745;
Bentley on the State of Trinity College, Cambridge, 1710; Addison’s Cato,
and the Publisher, Nos. 1, 2, and 3, 1745, 8vo. also form part of this
Series of Tracts.
Here also are many Political Pieces, especially some relating to the last
Rebellion, such as German Politicks, 1744; the Highlander delineated,
1745; the complicated Guilt of Rebellion, 1745; and the History of two
imposters, Lambert Linne and Perkin Warbeck, 1745; to which I may add
the Iter Surriense et Sussexiense, 1752, 8vo.; and other Tracts much too
insignificant for notice.
The mention of the preceding articles leads us at once into the
interesting region of History, and directs our observation to those works
which in this Collection are found to illustrate the History of England.
Among these the most remarkable are, Bacon’s History of King Henry VII,
London, 1622, folio; the Lives of William the Third, London, 1703,
8vo.; and of Queen Anne, London, 1707, 8vo.; Baker’s Chronicle; Bates’
Elenchus Motuum Nuperorum in Anglia, which Warburton thought deserving
of perusal; Bucks’ Richard the Third, London, 1647; Burnet’s History of
his own Time; Eadmeri Historia Novorum, 1623; Camden’s Britannia, Annals,
and Remains; Chamberlayne, Angliæ Notitiæ, 1716; Clarendon’s History
of the Great Rebellion; Daniel’s History of England; Davies’ Athenæ
Britannicæ; Echard’s History of England; Jovii Descriptio Britanniæ;
Madox’s Formulare Anglicanum; Gibson’s Saxon Chronicle; Grafton’s
Chronicle, 1569, folio; Gutch’s Collectanea Curiosa; Heylyn’s Help to
English History, and his Life of Laud; Histoire d’Angleterre, 1706,
12mo.; Holinshed’s Chronicles of 1587 and 1523, in folio; Hobbes on
the Civil Wars, 1679, 12mo.; Fabian’s Chronicle, London, 1559, folio;
a fine and perfect copy of Higden’s Polycronycon by Peter Treveris,
1527, folio; Martin’s History of England, from William the Conqueror to
Henry the Eighth, 1638, folio; May’s Historiæ Parliamentaris Breviarium,
1651, 12mo.; the Mercurius Politicus, published during the Civil Wars;
Oclandi Anglorum Prælia; Rushworth’s Historical Collections, London,
1659, in 6 volumes, folio; Rapin’s History of England, 1731, 8vo.; and
Tindal’s valuable edition of that Work, London, 1733, in 3 vols. folio;
the original edition of Rymer’s Fœdera, printed at London in 1704, &c.
in 20 folio volumes; Lediard’s Life of the Great Duke of Marlborough;
an Account of Sacheverell’s Tryal; Smith, de Rêpublicâ Anglorum, Lugd.
Bat. 1625, 12mo.; Speed’s History of Great Britain, London, 1623, folio;
Spelman’s Life of Alfred the Great, Oxford, 1678, folio; Stow’s Annals,
London, 1614, folio; Strutt’s Antiquities, 1773, &c. 4to.; Stukeley’s
Medallic History of Carausius, 1759, 4to.; Whitelocke’s Memorials of
English Affairs, London, 1682, 8vo.; State Trials, 1730, folio; The
Trial of the Earl of Strafford, 1680, folio; Thurloe’s State Papers, and
Welwood’s Memoirs, 1718, 12mo.; the Biographia Britannica, by Kippis,
London, 1747, folio; Holland’s Heroologia Anglica; and Wood’s Athenæ
Oxoniensis; together with Boethius Historia Scotorum, Paris, 1575, folio;
Stanihurst de Rebus Hibernicis; Stafforde’s Wars in Ireland; Sir James
Ware’s Works concerning Ireland, Dublin, 1739, in 2 volumes, folio;
Carte’s Life of Ormonde; Lhuyd’s Description of Cambria, London, 1584;
and Davies’ Celtic Researches; augment the stores of this department.
The Records of the Kingdom, published under the authority and
Superintendence of the Parliamentary Commissioners; and the Population
Returns; the Scriptores post Bedam, edited by Savile; the valuable
collection of the Historiæ Anglicanæ Scriptores, edited by Gale and
Fell at Oxford, in 3 volumes, folio; the Anglica Normannica, &c. à VI
Veteribus scripta, edita, à Camdeno, Francof. 1603, folio; Historiæ
Anglicanæ Scriptores Decem, edente Twysden, Londini, 1652, folio;
Rerum Britannicarum Scriptores VI Vetustiores, Heidelb. 1587, folio;
Matthæi Paris Historia Anglicana, edente Wats, Londini, 1640, folio;
Matthæi Westmonasteriensis Flores Historiarum, Francofurti, 1601, folio;
Nennii Historia Britonum, edente Bertramo, Hafniæ, 1757, 8vo.; Viti
Basinstochii Historia Britonum; Pontici Virunnii Historia Britonum,
Lond. 1585; Polydori Vergilii Historia Anglicana, Basileæ, 1555, folio,
and 1570, also in folio; and the Normannorum et Francorum Scriptores
Coetanei, edited by Duchesne, 1619; tend greatly to increase the value
of this Library. Tanner’s Bibliotheca Britannico-Hibernica, 1748; Balei
Scriptorum Illustrium Majoris Britanniæ Catalogus, Basileæ, 1559, folio;
Pitseus, Scriptores de Rebus Anglicis, 4to.; and Nicholson’s Historical
Libraries, in one volume, folio, here deserve to be recorded.
Of Works relating more particularly to the Ecclesiastical Affairs of
Britain, this Collection embraces the Legenda Nova Angliæ, Londini,
per Winandum de Worde, 1516, folio; Bedæ Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum; Bray’s Bibliotheca Parochialis; Brent’s Council of Trent;
Parker de Antiquitate Ecclesiæ Britannicæ, Londini, 1562, folio, being
the original edition of this scarce and valuable Work. The present copy
is happily complete, though it wants the Portrait of the Archbishop;
containing the Title, Preface, and Plate of Arms, with the index
preceded by three blank leaves. It is however in very tender condition,
and its leaves measure eleven inches and a quarter by seven inches and
five-eighths. It still retains its original binding of wood, covered with
stamped calf, to which clasps were originally attached.
This Library also contains two other editions of this Work, that printed
at Hanover in 1608, folio, and that edited by Drake, London, 1725,
folio; together with Burnet’s History of the Reformation; Ecton’s
Thesaurus; Fox’s Martyrs of 1596, 1641, and 1684, in folio; Godwyn,
Præsules Anglicani in 2 volumes, folio; Harpsfeld’s Historia Anglicana
Ecclesiastica, Duaci, 1622, folio; Inett’s Origines Anglicani; Le
Neve’s Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ; Newcourt’s Repertorium Ecclesiasticum
Londinense; Oughton, Ordo Judiciorum, 2 vols. 4to.; Reyneri Apostolatus
Ordinis Benedictinorum in Angliâ, Duaci, 1626, folio; Spelmanni Concilia,
Londini, 1639, folio; Spotswode’s Church of Scotland, 1677, folio;
Statuta Ecclesiæ Christi, Cantuariensis, Londini, 1703; Walker’s History
of Independency; the original editions of Strype’s valuable Lives,
Annals, and Ecclesiastical Memorials; Synodi Anglicani; Tovey’s Anglia
Judaica, Oxonii, 1738, 4to.; Usserii Britannicæ Ecclesiæ Antiquitates,
Dublin, 1639, 4to. and London, 1687, folio; Wharton’s Anglia Sacra; and
Wilkins’ Concilia Magnæ Britanniæ, Londini, 1733, in 4 volumes, folio.
Here also are deposited the editions of Dugdale’s Monasticon Anglicanum
of 1655, and of 1693; and of Tanner’s Notitia Monastica of 1744, and that
edited by Nasmith, both in folio; works which form a connecting link
between the Ecclesiastical History and Antiquities of our country.
Of Works relating to, or illustrative of English Topography, this Library
contains several here deserving of notice.
These are, the Histories of Westminster Abbey, of the Colleges of
Oxford and Cambridge, and of the Public Schools of England, published
with abundant illustrations by the late Rudolph Ackermann, in 7 vols.
4to.; Battely, Antiquitates Rutupinæ; Blore’s Monumental Remains;
Carew’s Survey of Cornwall; Carter’s Cambridgeshire; Bray’s Bibliotheca
Parochialis; Britton’s Architectural Antiquities, one of the most
valuable and interesting Works of that enterprising archæologist;
Burton’s Leicestershire; Dodsworth’s Salisbury Cathedral, 1814, 4to.;
Hoare’s Giraldus Cambrensis’ Itinerary of Bishop Baldwin through Wales,
London, 1806, 4to.; Dugdale’s Warwickshire, and St. Paul’s; Dart’s
Antiquities of Canterbury Cathedral, 1703, folio; Gostling’s Walks
through Canterbury, 1777, 8vo.; Hasted’s History of Kent, 1788, folio, in
4 volumes; Heath’s Account of the Scilly Islands, 1750, 8vo.; the History
of Rochester, 1782, 12mo.; Hoare’s Ancient Wiltshire, folio; Howel’s
Perlustration of London, 1657, folio; Hutchins’s History of Dorset,
London, 1784, folio; Isaacke’s Exeter, 1724, 8vo.; A Journey through
England, 1724, 8vo.; Lambeth Palace Illustrated, London, 1806, 4to.; the
London Guide, 1752, 12mo.; Nash’s Worcestershire, in 2 volumes, folio;
Newcourt’s Repertorium Ecclesiasticum Londinense; Nicholson and Burn’s
Histories of Cumberland and Westmoreland, in 4to.; Ogilby’s Britannia,
1675, folio, with Maps of the roads; Parker de Antiquitate Universitatis
Cantabrigiensis, 1721; Paterson’s Pietas Londinensis, 1714, 12mo.;
Peck’s Annals of Stanford; Plott’s Natural Histories of Oxfordshire and
Staffordshire; Rawlinson’s English Topographer; the Roads of England
delineated, 1756, 12mo.; Salmon’s Natural History of Hertfordshire, 8vo.;
Stow’s London, 1633, folio; Thorpe’s Registrum Roffense; Thoroton’s
Nottinghamshire; Twyne de Antiquitate Academiæ Oxoniensis; Villare
Anglicanum, by Adams, London, 1736, folio; Willis’ Cathedrals, 1721-30,
with his Parochiale Anglicanum, 1733, 4to.; some Account of Winchester
Cathedral, in 12mo.; Verstegan’s Restitution of decayed Intelligence
relating to English Antiquities; and Wright’s History of Rutland, in
folio.
Of Works illustrative of the venerable fabric under whose roof these
books are sheltered, we here find Harding’s Westminster Abbey, London,
1825, folio; Dart’s Antiquities of the Abbey of Westminster, London,
1711, folio; Keepe’s Monuments of Westminster Abbey, London, 1683, 8vo.;
Widmore’s Westminster Abbey, London, 1751; and Smith’s Antiquities
of Westminster, London, 1807, 4to.; besides the Work of Ackermann
already mentioned. To which may be added the Portraits of the Deans
of Westminster, London, 1823, folio, and the various Ceremonials of
Coronation.
The Coronation Books of George III. in 1761, of George IV. in 1821,
and of William IV. in 1831, quarto, form a peculiar feature in this
Collection, which also contains Ogilby’s Coronation of Charles II. 1662,
with an Account of his Entertainment and Progress through the City of
London, to the place of that Ceremony; and Sandford’s Coronation of James
II. 1687, 8vo.
Maps of England, by Speed, folio, by Philip Lea, 1695, 4to. by Morden,
4to. with a Chart of St. George’s Channel, by Morris, 1748, may be here
noticed as natural accessories to the Topography of England.
Of Works upon the Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws of England, and of
other Nations, it may suffice to notice in this place, Bracton de
Legibus; Puffendorf’s Law of Nations; Burn’s Ecclesiastical Laws; Coke’s
Institutes; and Hammond’s Criminal Code, 1825-29; the Acta Generalia;
the Statutes at large; the Concilia Generalia et Hispanica; Bracton de
Legibus Angliæ; Gothofredi Corpus Juris Civilis; Gibson’s Codex Juris
Ecclesiastici et Civilis; Howel’s Synopsis Canonum; various editions of
the Codex and Institutiones Justiniani; the Codex Theodosianus, Parisiis,
1586; Law Cases, from 17th Edward III. to Henry VII. London, 1576;
Beverigii Pandectæ Canonum et Juris Civilis; Reformatio Legum ab Henrico
VIII. inchoata, Londini, 1641, 4to.; Woottoni Leges Wallicæ, 1730, folio;
Wilkins, Leges Anglo-Saxonicæ, 1721, folio; together with the Synodus
Dordracensis, Ephesina, Græca, Anglica, & Florentina.
The nature of the Historical department of this Collection will be best
understood by the following selection from its contents.
We may here notice Banduri Imperium Orientale; Bodini Historia
Universalis; Carionis Chronicon; Collier’s Historical Dictionary;
Cumberland de Origine Gentium; Dousæ Annales Hollandiæ; Froissardi
Historia, Hanoviæ, 1606; Historiæ Francorum Scriptores, Francof. 1596;
Eusebii Chronicon; Guicciardini’s History of Italy; Hearne’s Ductor
Historicus; Antonio de Herrera, Descriptio Indiæ Occidentalis, Amstelod.
1622, folio; Hooke’s Roman History; Josephus, Havercampi, and Basnage’s
History of the Jews; Davila’s Civil Wars of France, folio; Knolles’
History of the Turks; Krantzii Chronica Danica et Suecica; Annales
Belgici; Leunclavii Annales Sultanorum; Ligon’s Barbadoes; Maffei
Historia Indica; Mariana de Rebus Hispanicis; Memoires de Comines, de
Cardinal Rohan, de Retz, de Philip du Plessis, Mornay, et de Montmorency;
Mezeray Abrégé Chronologique de l’histoire de France; Moreri,
Dictionnaire Historique; and the second and third volumes of Monstrelet’s
Chronicles, printed at Paris in 1572.
We also find on these shelves several of Byzantine Historians, such
as Nicephorus, &c.; Nicetæ Annales, &c.; Naucleri Chronicon; Ockley’s
History of the Saracens; Olaus Magnus Historia Gentium Septentrionalium;
Orme’s Indostan; Pontoppidan’s Norway; Raleigh’s History of the World;
Reineccii Chronicon Sclavorum; and his Origines Brandenburgicæ; Reuberi
Rerum Germanicarum Scriptores; Sir Thomas Roe’s Embassy to Turkey,
1740; Sandys’ Europæ Speculum, with his Travels; Salmon’s Chronological
Historian; Scheffer’s Lapland; Shaw’s Travels in Barbary and the Levant;
Spon’s History of Geneva, 1687, folio; the Memoirs of Sully; Symson’s
Chronicon Catholicum; Saxonis Grammatici Historia Danica, Francofurti,
1576; Thuani Historia sui Temporis, Paris, 1606 and 1620; Tillet, Recueil
des Rois de France, leurs Couronnes, &c. Paris, 1586, folio; Vertot’s
Histoire de l’Ordre de Malte; Tursellini Epitome Historiæ Romanæ; and the
Universal History of 1736, in folio.
Of Works relating to Ecclesiastical affairs in general, independently
of the Councils, Synods, and Decretals of various periods, this Library
comprehends Baronii Annales Ecclesiastici; Tornielli Annales Sacri;
Baronii Martyrologium Romanum; Cedreni Annales; the Concilia Generalia,
compiled by Labbe and Kuster; Brent’s History of the Council of Trent;
Bower’s Lives of the Popes, in 4to.; Platina de Vitis Pontificum, in
folio; Brandt’s History of the Reformation; Collier’s Ecclesiastical
History; Cressy’s Church History of Brittany; Du Pin’s and Fleury’s
Ecclesiastical History; the Centuriatores Magdeburgenses; Historiæ
Ecclesiasticæ Scriptores Generales, Valerii, Parisiis, 1668-78, in 3
vols. folio, and Basileæ apud Oporinum, 1564-70, in 8 vols. folio;
Suiceri Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus; Echard’s Ecclesiastical History;
Hooker’s Ecclesiastical Polity; Hyde’s Religio Veterum Persarum; Jortin’s
Ecclesiastical History; Gratiani Decretalia; Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical
History; Nicephori Historia Ecclesiastica; Quick’s Synodicon in Galliâ
Reformatâ; Relandi Antiquitates Hebræorum; Sigonius de Republicâ
Hebræorum; two copies of Spencer de Legibus Hebræorum, Cantabrigiæ, 1685,
folio; Schlusselburgii Hæreticorum Catalogus, Francofurti, 1597, 8vo.;
Sleidan’s Reformation, à la Haye, 1767, 4to.; Tillemont, Ecclesiastical
Memorials; and Bingham’s Antiquities of the Christian Church.
Among the helps to History are Chronology and Geography, of which the
former presents us with Blair, Behm, Newton, Isaacson, and Jackson’s
Chronological labours; Helvici Chronologia; Marsham, Chronicon
Canon Egyptiacus; Petavii Rationale temporum; Straucii Breviarium
Chronologicum; Relandi Fasti Consulares; and Clinton’s Fasti Hellenici;
and the latter with Baudrand’s Lexicon Geographicum; the Geographical
Works of Cellarius and Cluvier; Spanheim’s Geographia Sacra; Heylyn’s
Cosmography; Ortelii Geographia; and Relandi Palestina Illustrata, which
is esteemed by Mr. Orme, as one of the most elaborate Works on Biblical
Geography ever published, together with the General Atlas, by Senex,
London, 1721, folio.
In this place I may appropriately introduce, Archbishop Williams’s own
copy of Purchas’ Pilgrimes, London, 1613-24, in 5 vols. folio; in the
original calf with his arms on the sides; Hakluyt’s Voyages, 1599, folio;
Harris’ Collection of Voyages and Travels; Pococke’s Description of the
East; Vincent’s Voyage of Nearchus, London, 1807, 4to.; with another
copy corrected by the author, with additions by that learned Dean of
Westminster.
Of Works relating to Antiquities, this Library can boast the valuable
Collections of Grævius and Gronovius, relating to those of Greece and
Rome; Gruteri Corpus Inscriptionum & Thesaurus Criticus; Montfaucon,
Palæographia Græca; Mabillon, Diarium Italicum; Prideaux’s Marmora
Oxoniensia; and Taylor’s Marmor Sandvicense, Cantabrigiæ, 1743, 4to.
Of the Antiquities of Rome, we here find Boissardi Urbis Romæ
Topographia, 1597-1602, with figures by De Bry; Rosini Antiquitates
Romanæ, Amstelodami, 1685, 4to.; and Rossi Teatro delle Fabriche di Roma,
1665, 4to.; to which I may add the History of Palmyra, 1696, 8vo.
The Heraldic Works in this Collection occupy very little space, being
only Brooke’s Heraldry; Gwillim’s Heraldry of 1632, and 1724, folio;
Edmondson’s Heraldry; Ashmole’s Order of the Garter, 1726, folio;
Selden’s Titles of Honor, London, 1672, folio.
The Numismatic Works occupy a space equally inconsiderable, being,
Arbuthnot’s Coins; Clarke’s Connection of Coins; Fleetwood’s Chronicon
Preciosum; Steuart’s Bengal Coins, 1772, 4to.; Bræi Numismata
Imperatorum Romanorum; and Stukeley’s Medallic History of Carausius.
From these minute monuments of ancient time, we pass to those equally
enduring Records of Antiquity, which are familiar to every one under the
common appellation of the Classic Authors.
In Classical Literature we meet in this Collection with different
editions of the Works of either Ælian, Anacreon, Antoninus, Appianus,
Apuleius, Catullus, Tibullus, and Propertius, Quintus Curtius, Sidonius
Apollinaris, Petronius Arbiter, Dictys Cretensis, Diodorus Siculus,
Diogenes Laertius, Dionysius Periegetes, Epictetus, Eutropius, Herodian,
Hierocles; Iamblichus, Juvenal and Persius, Macrobius, Nicander, Oppian,
Ovid, Sallust, Statius, Maximus Tyrius, Æneas Sylvius, Synesius, Valerius
Maximus, and Aurelius Victor, together with the Anthologia, and the
Historiæ Augustæ Scriptores.
This Library also comprehends various editions of the separate pieces
of Aristotle and Cicero, as well as of their collected works, but
none of the fifteenth century; Stanley’s Æschylus; Æsopus, Venetiis,
apud Aldum, 1505; Alciati Emblemata, Agathias, Paris, 1660; Aphthonii
Commentarii, Venetiis apud Aldum, 1509, folio; Archimedes, Basileæ,
1544, folio; Arrianus, Gronovii; Aristophanes, 1500; Athenæus, Basileæ,
1535; Ausonius, Burdiglæ, 1580, folio; Apicius, 1705; Cæsar, Delphini
& Clarkei; Callimachus, Grævii; Ciceronis Opera, Oliveti, and various
editions of 1639-59, 12mo.; Claudianus, Heinsii; Demosthenes Wolfii et
Taylori; Dion Chrysostomus, Lutetiæ, 1604, folio; Dioscorides, 1598;
Dionysius Halicarnassensis, 1546; Epictetus, Wolfii; Euclidis Elementa,
Basileæ, 1533; Arabicè, Romæ, 1594; Græcè, Parisiis, 1598; and his Opera
Omnia, Oxonii, 1703, folio.
Upon these shelves we also find Euripides Marklandi, Oxonii, 1756, 4to.;
and Barnesii, Cantabrigiæ, 1694, folio; Florus, Grævii; Aulus Gellius,
Gronovii, and apud Elzeviros; Grammatici Græci, Venetiis, 1495, folio,
and 1527, folio; Herodotus, Gronovii: Hesiodus, Robinsoni; Hippocratis
Opera Omnia, Venetiis, 1525, folio; Homerus, Clarkei; Eustathius,
Commentarii in Homerum, Romæ, 1542, in 4 volumes, folio; Maittaire’s
Reprint of the Batrachomyomachia of 1486, London, 1721, 8vo., in red and
black letters.
Here also are several editions of Horace, by Bentley, Bond, and the
Delphin editors; Iamblichus by Gale; Isocrates, Venetiis, 1513; and the
editions of Battie and Wolf; Silius Italicus, Venetiis, 1523; Justinus,
Grævii; Libanii Orationes, Paris, 1616; Livius, Aldi, 1555, folio; with
Crevier’s and other editions; Longinus by Pearce and Smith; Lucanus,
Oudendorpii, Lucian, 1517; Lucretius by Tonson, 1712; Lycophron,
Potteri; Manilius, Bentleii; Martialis, Venetiis, 1510; Moguntiæ,
1527; and Farnabii, &c.; Menander, Clerici & Orosius, Havercampi; the
Panegyrici Veteres de la Baume; Velleius Paterculus, Delphini; Pausanias,
Kuhnii; Phædrus, Burmanni, and Delphini; Pindarus, Stephani, 1586, and
Oxonii, 1697, folio; Plato, Ficini, 1602, folio; Plautus, Lambini,
Plinii, Hist. Nat. Dalecampii; Plinii Epistolæ; Plotinus, Basileæ,
1580, folio; Plutarchi Opera, Basileæ, 1573-4; Plutarchi Vitæ, Bryani,
Londini, 1729, 4to.; Poëtæ Græci Veteres heroici Carminis, Parisiis,
apud Stephanum, 1566, folio; Corpus Poetarum Latinorum à Maittaire,
Londini, 1725, folio; Polybius, Latinè, Basileæ, 1529; et Græcè,
Parisiis, 1609; Pomponius Mela, Venetiis, 1518; Proclus de Sphærâ,
Basileæ, 1585; Procopius, Græcè Hœschelii, 1607; Prudentius, Parisiis,
1562, et Amstelodami, 1625; Ptolemæi Geographia, Argentorati, 1622;
Quintilianus Burmanni, Sabellici Opera, Basileæ, 1538; Sapphus, Wolfii;
Seneca, Farnabii, and various editions besides, but none earlier than
1555; Solini Polyhistor; Sophocles, Stephani, 1603, folio; Cantabrigiæ,
1669; and Londini, 1722, 12mo.; Stephanus de Urbibus, Basileæ, 1568,
folio; Stobæus, Gesneri, Tiguri, 1543, folio, with other editions;
Strabonis Geographia, Xylandri, Basileæ, 1571, folio, and Casauboni,
Amstelod. 1707, folio; Suetonius, Casauboni, & Pitisci, 1714, 4to.;
Suidæ Lexicon Græcum, Aldi. 1514, folio; & Kusteri, 1705, in 3 vols.
folio; Symmachi Epistolæ, Lugd. Bat. 1653, 8vo.; Achilles Tatius, 1601,
8vo.; Tacitus, Gronovii; Terentius, Bentleii, with many other modern
editions; Themistii Opera, Aldi, Venetiis, 1534, folio; Theocritus, Romæ,
1518, and Oxonii, 1699, 8vo.; Theognis, Sylburgii, Heidelbergæ, 1597;
Theophrasti Characteres, Camerarii et Heinsii; Thucydides by Hudson and
Duker; Virgilii Opera, Venetiis, 1510, folio; Delphini, Parisiis, 1600,
4to.; and several other editions of little note, including the Elzevirian
Impression; and the Eclogues printed at Florence in 1504, 12mo.; to which
may be added Xenophon, Leunclavii, and Xenophon’s Anabasis by Hutchinson.
Such and so numerous are the classical volumes of this venerable
Collection, many of which it may be seen are of the best editions, and
several of which are from the press of Aldus.
To that eminent printer we are also indebted for the first edition
of the Works of Plato, printed at Venice in 1513, folio, of which the
present copy is upon vellum. This noble volume has been most cruelly
treated, all the leaves following the table and as far as the blank leaf
preceding “Platonis Dialogi” have been cut out, and though the concluding
part of the book is entire, its leaves have been most foully stained in
that part. Its dimensions are eleven and a quarter inches by seven and
three eighths; and its original binding of calf, upon whose sides Greek
characters were impressed, has been replaced by a covering of dark olive
morocco by that eminent bibliopegist Charles Lewis. A perfect copy of
this interesting book upon vellum forms one of the highest ornaments of
the Hunterian Museum at Glasgow.
I have here also the pleasure of recording the first editions of
Aristides, Florentiæ, 1517, folio; and of Lucian, printed at the same
place in the same year, and in the same form, by the same printer, Philip
Junta, of typographical renown.
Two Classic tomes of olden time next invite our notice; first, a
well-preserved copy of Suetonius cum Commento, folio. The Commentary here
occupies the margin. The preface of M. Ant. Sabellicus, with his Life of
Suetonius follow the title. At the end of the volume is the Register, and
this colophon:
“Venetiis per Baptistam de tortis
M. cccc lxxxx die
xv Februarii.”
beneath which are the initials “B. T.”
This volume measures eleven and three quarter inches by eight, and
retains its old vellum covering.
Secondly, the Lexicon of Suidas, in folio, preceded by the editorial
preface, and concluding with the verses of Joannes Salandus addressed to
D. Demetrius Chalcondylas. At the end of the volume appears the following
colophon:
“Anno ab incarnatione M.CCCC lxxxxviiii. die xv Novembris,
Impressum Mediolani impensa & dexteritate D. Demetrii
Chalcondyli Ioannis Bissoli Benedicti Mangii Carpensium.”
Succeeded by the printer’s mark, with the initials “I. B. B. M.” and the
motto, “Sudavit et Alsit.” The present is a very fine, sound and perfect
copy, measuring twelve and a quarter inches by eight and three quarters,
and bound in old calf.
Among the books printed in the fifteenth century, I also noticed the
Medical Works of Avicenna, Lugduni, 1498, folio; Campani Opera, Venetiis,
1495, folio; and Theapoli Academicæ Contemplationes, Venetiis, 1490, 12mo.
In concluding this extended notice of this interesting department of the
Library, I may allude to the Anthologia Græca, and Pontani Poemata, and
point out the Works of Paulus Egineta, Venetiis apud Aldum, 1528, folio;
and of Vitruvius de Architecturâ, printed at Venice in 1567; together
with the elegant edition in folio, which issued from the Elzevirian Press
at Amsterdam in 1649.
Of Etymological Works elucidating the structure of various languages,
this Collection affords, in addition to those already noticed, both
the old and the new editions of the inestimable Thesaurus of Stephens;
Gaisford’s Edition of Suidas’ Lexicon; Buxtorf, Lexicon Chaldaicum;
Castell’s Lexicon Heptaglotton; Pagnini Thesaurus Linguæ Sanctæ;
Kircheri Œdipus Egyptiacus; Baxter’s Glossarium Archaiologicum
Britannicum; Skinner’s Etymologicon Anglicanum, Londini, 1661, folio;
Somneri Dictionarium Saxonico-Latino-Anglicum, Oxonii, 1659, folio;
Spelman’s Glossary, London, 1626 and 1787, both in folio; Hickes’
Thesaurus Septentrionalis; Junii Etymologicum Anglicanum; Budæi Lexicon
Græco-Latinum; Calepini Dictionarium Octolingue; Cooper’s Thesaurus
Linguæ Latinæ; Curionis Thesaurus Linguæ Latinæ; Du Cange’s Glossary;
Julii Pollucis Onomasticon; Dufresne’s Hesychii Lexicon; Hoffmanni
Lexicon; Pagnini Thesaurus Linguæ Sanctæ; Porti Lexicon Ionicum; Scapulæ
Lexicon; Stephani Thesaurus; Sylburgii Etymologicum Magnum, Heidelbergæ,
1594; and Laurentius Valla de Linguâ Latinâ.
Of Grammatical Works we find one peculiar to this vicinity, the
Grammatica Busbeiana, Londini, 1754, and 1762, 8vo. an appropriate
memorial of the renowned pedagogue whose name it bears; Lascarii
Grammatica Græca, Venetiis, Aldus, 1557, 4to.; Hoogeveen de doctrinâ
Particularum; Ruddiman, Institutiones Gr. Lat. Edin. 1740, 8vo.; with
some critical pieces by Scaliger, Vossius and Casaubon.
As connected with Classical Literature I may here notice, Bentley’s
Phalaris, 1718, 8vo.; Photii Bibliothecâ; Toup, Emendationes in Suidam;
Salmasii Exercitationes Plinianæ; Gatakeri Adversaria; and Wolfii Curæ
Philologicæ et Criticæ.
Among the translations of the Classics, I may notice Carter’s Epictetus;
Creech’s Lucretius; Fawkes’ Anacreon, 1760; Melmoth’s Pliny; Ogilby’s
Homer; Rowe’s Lucan; and Trapp’s Virgil.
The Bibliographical Works contained in this Repository, are the Acta
Eruditorum of Leipsic; Apollodori Bibliotheca; Gesneri Bibliotheca;
Photii Bibliotheca, 1601, folio; Haym’s Notize di libri rari, 1726;
Brunet’s Manual; Baillet, Jugemens des Sçavans; Cave’s Historia
Literaria; Le Long, Bibliotheca Sacra; Lewis’ Editions of the Bible, and
Bibliotheque Historique; Du Pin, Catalogue des Auteurs Ecclesiastiques;
Draudii Bibliotheca Classica; Fabricii Bibliotheca Græcæ et Latina;
D’Herbélot, Bibliotheque Orientale; Sanderus Bibliotheca Belgica,
Insulis, 1641, 4to.; and Teisserii Catalogus Auctorum, qui Librorum
Catalogos, Indices, Bibliothecas, &c. scriptis consignarunt, Genevæ,
1705, folio; Morhof. Polyhistor Literarius, Lubecæ, 1689, 4to.; and
Watt’s Bibliotheca Britannica.
Of Catalogues of various Libraries these shelves bear several of much
interest, such as the Bibliothecæ Regiæ Georgii III. Catalogus, in
folio; the Catalogus Bibliothecæ Thuanæ; the Bibliotheca Heinsiana; the
Harleian Catalogue; the Catalogue of Dr. Mead’s Library; the Bibliotheca
Coisliniana, 1715; Hyde’s Catalogus Librorum Joannis Bridges; Catalogus
Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ; Catalogus Bibliothecæ Medii Templi, à Shower,
Londini, 1700, 8vo.; Reading’s Catalogue of the Sion College Library,
London, 1724, folio; Catalogus Librorum MSS. quos Collegio Christi
Cantabrigiæ legavit Matthæus Parker, 1722, 4to.; Bibliothecæ Cottonianæ
Librorum MSS. Catalogus à Smithio, Londini, 1696; Lambecii Commentarii de
Bibliothecâ Cæsareâ Vindobonensi, 1670, folio; Nesselii Catalogus Codicum
MSS. Bibliothecæ Vindobonensis, 1690, folio; Tanner, Catalogus MSS.
Angliæ et Hiberniæ; and Wolfii Bibliotheca Aprosiana, Hamburg. 1734, 8vo.
To these works may be added, Mabillon de Rê Diplomaticâ; the Memoirs
of Literature, 1722-25, folio; the Bibliotheca Cluniacensis, 1614; and
a Catalogue of Books printed in England subsequently to 1666, London,
1700, 12mo.; and Lewis’ History of the English Translations of the Bible,
London, 1732, 8vo.
Of Mathematical Works it may suffice to enumerate the Mathematici
Veteres, Parisiis, 1693, folio; Maseres’ Scriptores Logarithmici, London,
1796-1807, 4to.; Newton’s Principia; Wallis’ Opera Mathematica, Oxonii,
1699, folio.
Of Medical Works, in addition to the Works of Hippocrates and Dioscorides
already mentioned, I may add those of Celsus, 1657; and Galen, Basileæ,
1538; Sennerti Medica Practica; and Mead’s Medical Works.
Of Scientific Works, the number is so small that by mentioning Newton’s
Principia; Firmici, Astronomicon, Basileæ, 1551; Keill’s Astronomy; Ray’s
Ornithology; Raii Historia Plantarum; Willoughbeius de Piscibus edente
Raio, Oxon. 1686, folio; Willoughby’s Ornithology; Lee’s Botany; Dodonæi,
Historia Stirpium; Gesneri Historia Animalium; Grew’s Museum of the Royal
Society, 1681, folio; and several volumes of the Journaux des Scavans;
with the 10th, 13th, 14th, 30th, and 38th volumes of the Philosophical
Transactions, I shall convey to the reader the most correct idea of their
insignificant and miscellaneous character.
Under the head of Miscellaneous Literature, I may proceed to enumerate
the Works of Albertus Magnus, the Epistles of Abelard to Héloise; the
Poems of Tasso, Camoens; the Works of Dante and Petrarch, Fontaine and
Boileau; the Decameron of Boccaccio, Venice, 1552; Bayle’s Dictionary;
Bartholomæus de Proprietatibus Rerum, Argentorati, 1505; Gesneri
Bibliotheca Universalis; Gruteri Thesaurus Criticus; Fairfax, Godefroy of
Bulloigne, 1687; Fenelon’s Telemaque, and Hawkesworth’s Telemachus; the
Works of Fontenelle, Boccaccio, Machiavelli, Racine, Rabelais, Moliere,
Montaigne, and of Montesquieu by Nugent; Juliani Imperatoris Opera; the
Poems of Grotius; the Musæ Anglicanæ; Carmina Gratulatoria et Funebria
on various occasions; Prioris R. Lusus Westmonasterienses, Westm. 1730,
4to.; Rochefaucault’s Maxims; Sibyllinæ Oracula, Parisiis, 1607, 8vo.;
Cuthbert Tonstall de Arte Supputandi; and Vauban on Fortification.
In the department of English Literature, this Library comprehends the
Works of Addison, Ascham, Bacon, Boyle, Locke, Thomas Brown, Thomas
Fuller, Davenant, Cowley, Pope, Spenser, Swift, and Sir William Temple.
Here also we find Barclay’s Argenis; Beaumont’s Psyche; Baxter’s Works,
with his Reliquiæ; Cartwright’s Comedies; Bolingbroke’s Letters;
Chambers’ Dictionary; Chaucer’s Works by Thynne, 1521-47, folio; the
London editions of 1602, folio, and 1687; with that edited by Urry, 1721,
in folio; Cooper on the Public Records; Cumberland’s Origines Gentium;
Donne’s Poems; Hales’ Remains; Grey’s Memoria Technica; Harrington’s
Oceana; Helvetius’ History of Man; Hobbes’ Leviathan; Ireland on the
Plague of Athens, 1832, 8vo.; the Works of Samuel Johnson; Ben Jonson’s
Works, London, 1640, folio; with his Plays, 1611, 12mo.; the Works of
King James the First, 1616, folio; and of King Charles the First, 1662,
folio; with the Εικων Βασιλικη, 1649; Melmoth’s Life of Cicero, and
other Pieces; Milton’s Paradise Lost, 1669, 1674, 12mo.; 1688, folio;
and 1732, 4to.; Milton’s Works, edited by Newton, 1749, 4to.; and his
Treatise de Doctrinâ Christianâ, edited by Sumner, Cambridge, 1825, 4to.;
Sir Thomas More’s Works, London, 1557, folio; & Thomæ Mori Opera Latina,
Lovaniæ, 1566, folio; Mrs. Anne Killigrew’s Poems, 1686, 4to.; Prior’s
Poems; Randolph’s Poems; Selden’s Works, London, 1726, in 6 volumes,
folio; Shakespeare’s Works, edited by Rowe, and by Johnson; Shaftesbury’s
Characteristics; Somerville’s Chace; Sprat’s History of the Royal
Society, 1702, 4to.; to which may be added the Diplomata et Statuta Regiæ
Societatis, 1752, 8vo.; Stanley’s Lives of the Philosophers; Steele’s
Christian Hero; Tickell’s Miscellaneous Works, 1726; Toland’s Life of
Milton; Ridley’s Life of Ridley; Fitzherbert’s Book of Husbandry; and
Tusser’s Husbandry, 1744, 8vo.; together with the original editions of
the Tatler, 1710; and numbers 1 to 289 of the Spectator of 1711; and
the 8vo. edition of that Work, 1712; to which I may add Ray’s English
Proverbs; Richardson’s Pictures in Italy; and a Collection of Poetical
Tracts, printed at London, in 1722, folio.
Of the early Monastic Library I can only commemorate a single volume,
being a copy of the Works of St. Ambrose, written in a fair gothic hand,
in double columns, upon vellum. This venerable manuscript is quite
perfect, and retains its original binding of calf, folio.
Though this Library has suffered much from neglect, and many of its
choicest treasures have been carried away in troublesome times, it yet
retains a volume, which would do honour to any collection, however
curious or however vast. This precious book is one of those few printed
at Oxford during the fifteenth century, and to the typographical
antiquary, possesses the additional recommendation of being printed upon
vellum. It is the only copy which has been discovered of this nature, and
for a knowledge of its existence in its present situation I am indebted
to the excellent Typographical Gazetteer of the Rev. Henry Cotton; a
work which will be duly appreciated by every sincere enquirer into the
statistics of bibliography.
The Work under description is that of Johannes Latteburius In threnos
Jeremie, Capitulis cxv. folio, Oxonii, Anno dn̅i, 1482, ultimâ die mensis
Julii.
This book consists of 290 leaves, whereof two are blank. Each page
contains two columns, and each column 40 lines. The character is of a
rude semi-gothic form, and there are no catch-words or paginary numerals.
The signatures run in regular order from a. ii. to O. v. throughout
the volume. The numbers of the several chapters are placed on the head
line of each page. The commencement of each chapter is distinguished
by types larger than those of the body of the work, but spaces of the
initial letters are left blank, in order that they might be filled in by
the Rubricator, at the pleasure of the owner. In the present instance,
however, they remain blank. Some former possessor of this volume, which
in its time must have seen as well as suffered some strange mutations,
will find no favour in the eyes of the bibliomaniac, when he observes
that the margins have in several places been wantonly cut and disfigured.
But on the first leaf of the book, which has been left blank by the
printer, are some curious memoranda, illustrative of its early history.
From these we learn that this volume was formerly
“Liber dn̅s Thomæ Sackomb. 1563.”
“Ex emptione dn̅i Joannis Avyngton Monachi nec no̅ scholaris
et baccalaurei Ecclesiæ Cathedralis Sancti St. Wythum Wyntonie,
et nunc sacræ theologiæ professor.”
On the first column of the first page of the second leaf, the Work of
Lattebury commences thus:
“In nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti Amen. Mathei
ultimo.”
“Juxta moꝝ modernoꝝ necno̅ pat-
ru̅ antiquoꝝ ad emendationeꝫ
p̅m pn̅cipii et sacre scripture ac li-
bri legendi pe̅lega̅tur & p̅figant
ꝓ themate nostri exordii hec ver-
ba stupenda ip̅uis pm̅i pn̅cipii su-
ple dn̅i nostri ihu xpi: que sunt hec
In noie patris r filii r spu̅s san-
cti.”
At the foot of the second column of the second page of the 270th leaf, is
the following Colophon:—
“Explicit exposicio ac moralisacio
tercii capituli trenoru̅ Iheremie pro
phete. Anno dn̅i M.cccc.lxxxij. ulti-
ma die mensis Julii.”
A blank leaf follows the conclusion of the Work, which is succeeded by
an alphabetical index to the same, consisting of eighteen leaves. At the
foot of the second column of the second page of the 290th or last leaf
of the book, this table concludes with the following words:
“Explicit tabula sup opus trenoru̅
compilatu̅ per Johannem Lattebu-
riu̅ ordinis minorum.”
Another blank leaf, not necessarily belonging to it, closes the volume,
which measures twelve inches by eight inches and three quarters, and is
bound in the calf, which in all probability formed its original monastic
attire.
If this particular description of this hitherto imperfectly described and
rare volume be esteemed by the reader, as compensating for the dulness of
the preceding detail, I can assure him that its actual inspection amply
rewarded me for the labour of analysing the contents of this extensive
Collection.
In conclusion, I may add that the strict regulations under which access
is afforded to this venerable and interesting Library are such as to
ensure it from injury either of accident or design; while to ensure
the punctuality of return to all volumes taken out by the rightful
frequenters of the place, a book for the entry of all works borrowed, is
kept upon the Library table, a precaution which should always be taken
in every corporate library, since many persons, however unskilled in
accounts, may nevertheless become but too good bookkeepers.
St. Peter’s at Westminster was a Benedictine Abbey, founded by Sebert,
King of the East Saxons, about A.D. 610, and dedicated by Mellitus the
Bishop to St. Peter. It was re-edified by King Edward, A.D. 1066, and
endowed at the dissolution with 3471_l_ 2_s._ per an. Dugd. 3977_l._
6_s._ 4_d._ Speed. King Henry VIII. made it a Bishop’s See; but it
continued so only nine years, and then became a Collegiate Church for a
Dean and Secular Canons, who have continued ever since, except for three
years in Queen Mary’s reign, during which time there was an Abbot and
Benedictine Monks re-established.
The beautiful fabric of the Abbey Church was preserved from destruction
under Edward VI; and the Protector Somerset, by the sacrifice of some of
its revenues, which “pleaded its cause and purchased its ransome.”
William Benson, Abbot of Westminster at the dissolution, surrendered this
Abbey, with seventeen Monks, into Henry VIII’s hands, and was made the
first Dean of Westminster. He died in third year of Edward the Sixth.[60]
Independently of these historical claims upon our attention the value
and importance of the literary treasures of the Dean and Chapter of
Westminster richly deserve to be recorded among the Ecclesiastical
Libraries of England.
[Illustration]
Library of Winchester.
The Library of this Cathedral is placed in a long room, over the only
remaining portion of the Cloisters, attached to that noble building.
The Collection is one of those which interest us most forcibly, from
exhibiting those marks of undisturbed antiquity, which by any one who
has ever entered the Pepysian Library at Cambridge, will be readily
understood.
This Library was the munificent bequest of Bishop Morley, who caused the
books to be removed from his palace of Wolvesey, in the cases they then
occupied, to their present situation, where they now remain.
I do not mean to assert as a fact that of which no direct evidence
remains, but this supposition receives confirmation from the nature of
the bookcases themselves, which are of old oak, with cornices curiously
though rudely carved in the style of that æra, with slender pinnacles at
each end.
These open cases are arranged on both sides of the room, and at both
ends, leaving spaces only for the door and windows; and have been
numbered consecutively from No. I. to XXXV. whereby reference is made to
the situation of the books from the Catalogue now in use, which is in
fact the old Bodleian Catalogue, printed at Oxford in 1738, in 2 vols.
folio, with reference to the shelves annexed to those articles which
happen to be contained within these walls.
The books themselves are in perfect keeping with their cases, being
chiefly attired in sombre calf, or antique vellum. They are also
distinguished by a book plate, exhibiting a small view of Winchester
Cathedral, with this inscription: “Lib. Eccl. Cath. Winton.”
In order to insure the integrity of his Library under its new possessors,
Bishop Morley caused a Catalogue to be written upon vellum, in a folio
volume, classed according to the languages of the several authors. “Libri
Latini Gallici, &c.” and presented to the Dean and Chapter of Winchester,
as appears from the following entry upon the last leaf of the Catalogue
itself.
“Memorandum. That this Catalogue of Bookes was presented to the
Dean and Chapter of Winchester, from the Right Reverend Father
in God, George Lord Bishop of Winchester, upon the 28th day of
November, 1682, as being a Catalogue of all the Bookes in his
_Lordship’s_ Library, bequeathed by his _Lordship’s_ Will to
the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity of Winchester; and which the
longer his _Lordship_ lived, he declared by his letter should
be the more, and not the fewer: which Catalogue his _Lordship_
appointed to be kept by the Treasurer for the time being, and
the delivery of which is attested by us.
“WM. DOUTHWAITE.
“THO. CRANLEY, _Notary public_.”
By means of this interesting Catalogue which is bound in old calf,
with gilt leaves, the exact extent of the foundation of the Library may
be readily discovered, even if the eye did not assist the judgment in
pronouncing this to be a contemporaneous Collection.
A portrait of the founder is very properly placed over the door of this
Library.
There is another Catalogue of this Collection, wherein the books are
enumerated in the order in which they stand on the shelves from case I.
with its shelves A, B, C, D, E, in a descending series to case XXXV. with
its similar number of open shelves.
This quarto volume, bound in vellum, bears the following title:
“Catalogus Librorum in Bibliothecâ Ecclesiæ Cathedralis Wintonensis,”
with this note: “N.B. Singuli Libri in hoc Catalogo conscripti, et
Classico ordine dispositi in duobus Voluminibus Catalogi Bodleiani, et
Appendice ad finem utriusque, sub propriis Autorum Nominibus investigandi
sunt.”
I have already mentioned that the Bodleian Catalogue corresponds to
these particulars, though it is but a slovenly substitute for a regular
alphabetical Catalogue of any Collection. The great objection to a
Catalogue classed as this is belonging to this Library, is that its
usefulness must entirely depend upon the books being constantly kept in
their proper place upon the shelves; an object, which in a Library at all
frequented, it is rather difficult to attain.
At the end of this classed Catalogue is the following very satisfactory
note in the handwriting of the venerable Dean of Winchester, the writer
of Sesquipedalian Epitaphs, and the possessor of an extensive Library.
The note is this: “This Catalogue examined and compared with the actual
state of the Library, and a report in consequence delivered to the
Gentlemen at the Chapter this ninth day of February, by Thomas Rennell,
_A. M._ Prebendary of the Cathedral, and Rector of St. Magnus in the City
of London, in the year 1793.”
There is also a folio volume which appears to have been kept from the
year 1728 to the present time for the purpose of receiving the names of
books borrowed from this Library. It contains this suitable admonition:—
“Rev. Sir,—You are desired, when you have occasion to borrow any book out
of this place, to set down the name of the book, together with your own
name, and the day of the month in this book.”
I am happy to notice the timely rescue of the noble manuscript of the
Latin Vulgate Bible, in three imperial folio volumes, from the neglect by
which it was for a long time suffered to lie unprotected in the church.
It is written in the Roman character, apparently by an English hand, with
large and beautiful illuminations upon very pure vellum; and the three
volumes are now appropriately bound in olive morocco, with gilt leaves,
by the liberality of the late Dean?
Of the other ancient Manuscripts contained in this Library, I am enabled
to mention the Liber vocatus unum ex quatuor co̅positus per Zach.
Chrysopolitanum, folio, in calf. The foundation charters of several
Monasteries collected by Sir Nicolas Stuart, Bart. of Hartley Maldoit,
Co. Southampton, and an old rental of manors belonging to the Bishop
of Winton, &c.; Cassiodorus in Psalmos; Hyeronymi Expositio in Isaiam;
Augustini Sermones; Revelatio Wilfridi Episcopi Eboracensis; Bedæ
Historia Ecclesiastica; Catonis Disticha; and “Annales Sex Regum Angliæ
cum annotationibus per fratrem Nicolaum Triveth, Ord. Præd.”
Of the printed books from three to four thousand in number, I may
pronounce the character to be chiefly Theological, including an unusual
number of impressions of the Holy Scripture.
I will begin with the English versions, from a desire to give precedence
to the first English Bible, translated by Myles Coverdale, and printed
in the office of Christian Egenolph at Frankfort, in 1535, folio. The
copy in this Library is defective in the beginning, wanting the title,
and all the preliminary leaves, together with the first leaf of the text;
commencing with folio ii. it is very sound in the middle, and quite
perfect, though rather stained at the end. This volume measures twelve
inches and three-eighths by eight inches and a quarter, and is bound in
the original calf, with brass knobs, &c.