The Library having been established primarily but not exclusively for the
clergy, by whom it was chiefly used, its contents were designed to
facilitate their studies, and pre-eminence was given to theological
works, and other works of particular interest or value to them.
Regarding the contents of the Library in 1706, when the first printed
catalogue was published, the Rev. Joseph Brett said in the preface: "It
may be more proper to observe, that upon the first Foundation of this
Library many and great Benefactions, (by which alone it was first raised,
and still encreases) were given by the Magistrates, Gentlemen and
Tradesmen of this City, by which means, here is no inconsiderable
Collection of Divinity Book, [sic] for that time especially. But
considering the great Advance of Learning, in the last Century, the fine
Editions of many of the Fathers, and the many learned Books that were
then published, it must be owned, that this Library is now very
deficient, even in Divinity itself. Besides here are very few Humanity
Books, few or none of Law, Physick, Mathematicks, or indeed of any
science but Divinity." Large donations from the Rev. Thomas Nelson, John
Kirkpatrick, and others greatly increased the usefulness of the Library,
and accordingly Mackerell, in his preface to the 1732 Catalogue,
considered that "this Library is far from being meanly provided with
Books (I wish I could say in all Faculties)."
While time has caused many of the works to decrease in value and
practical interest, it has greatly enhanced the value of the few
manuscripts and the considerable number of early printed books in the
Library. The following are the most interesting and valuable
manuscripts, some of which are on loan at the Castle Museum for
exhibition. Dr. Montague Rhodes James, the Provost of King's College,
Cambridge, one of the greatest authorities on early manuscripts, has
kindly examined and dated four of them, and he has also supplied detailed
descriptions which it is hoped will be published on another occasion.