SHOWETH THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED SO GREAT STORE OF BOOKS FOR THE COMMON
BENEFIT OF SCHOLARS AND NOT ONLY FOR OUR OWN PLEASURE
Nothing in human affairs is more unjust than that those things which
are most righteously done, should be perverted by the slanders of
malicious men, and that one should bear the reproach of sin where he
has rather deserved the hope of honour. Many things are done with
singleness of eye, the right hand knoweth not what the left hand doth,
the lump is uncorrupted by leaven, nor is the garment woven of wool and
linen; and yet by the trickery of perverse men a pious work is
mendaciously transformed into some monstrous act. Certes, such is the
unhappy condition of sinful nature, that not merely in acts that are
morally doubtful it adopts the worse conclusion; but often it depraves
by iniquitous subversion those which have the appearance of rectitude.
For although the love of books from the nature of its object bears the
aspect of goodness, yet, wonderful to say, it has rendered us obnoxious
to the censures of many, by whose astonishment we were disparaged and
censured, now for excess of curiosity, now for the exhibition of
vanity, now for intemperance of delight in literature; though indeed we
were no more disturbed by their vituperation than by the barking of so
many dogs, satisfied with the testimony of Him to whom it appertaineth
to try the hearts and reins. For as the aim and purpose of our inmost
will is inscrutable to men and is seen of God alone, the searcher of
hearts, they deserve to be rebuked for their pernicious temerity, who
so eagerly set a mark of condemnation upon human acts, the ultimate
springs of which they cannot see. For the final end in matters of
conduct holds the same position as first principles in speculative
science or axioms in mathematics, as the chief of philosophers,
Aristotle, points out in the seventh book of the Ethics. And
therefore, just as the truth of our conclusions depends upon the
correctness of our premises, so in matters of action the stamp of moral
rectitude is given by the honesty of aim and purpose, in cases where
the act itself would otherwise be held to be morally indifferent.
Now we have long cherished in our heart of hearts the fixed resolve,
when Providence should grant a favourable opportunity, to found in
perpetual charity a Hall in the reverend university of Oxford, the
chief nursing mother of all liberal arts, and to endow it with the
necessary revenues, for the maintenance of a number of scholars; and
moreover to enrich the Hall with the treasures of our books, that all
and every of them should be in common as regards their use and study,
not only to the scholars of the said Hall, but by their means to all
the students of the before-named university for ever, in the form and
manner which the following chapter shall declare. Wherefore the
sincere love of study and zeal for the strengthening of the orthodox
faith to the edifying of the Church, have begotten in us that
solicitude so marvellous to the lovers of pelf, of collecting books
wherever they were to be purchased, regardless of expense, and of
having those that could not he bought fairly transcribed.
For as the favourite occupations of men are variously distinguished
according to the disposition of the heavenly bodies, which frequently
control our natural composition, so that some men choose to devote
themselves to architecture, others to agriculture, others to hunting,
others to navigation, others to war, others to games, we have under the
aspect of Mercury entertained a blameless pleasure in books, which
under the rule of right reason, over which no stars are dominant, we
have ordered to the glory of the Supreme Being, that where our minds
found tranquillity and peace, thence also might spring a most devout
service of God. And therefore let our detractors cease, who are as
blind men judging of colours; let not bats venture to speak of light;
and let not those who carry beams in their own eyes presume to pull the
mote out of their brother's eye. Let them cease to jeer with satirical
taunts at things of which they are ignorant, and to discuss hidden
things that are not revealed to the eyes of men; who perchance would
have praised and commended us, if we had spent our time in hunting,
dice-playing, or courting the smiles of ladies.