books, and was mightily increased by the bounty of the founder, King Henry the Fourth, all his sons, and other of his nobility, both spiritual and temporal, till about the year 1480, this library was brought into a new one, which it pleased that most noble prince, Humphry Duke of Gloucester, to build over the divinity-school, which he had just before founded for the use of the University, and furnished it with those manuscripts which he at any rates had purchased from foreign parts (chiefly from Italy) and presented the University at two donations; the names of which books, together with his letters sent with him, are still extant in the archives of the University. This library was first opened in 1480, but within So years after was utterly destroyed by the commissioners appointed by King Edward the Sixth to visit the University, in order to purge it from the corruptions of Popery, and to establish sound learning and truth in the roon: thereof, and encourage learned men-a thing much wanted at present; for the soil is good and well enough planted, if it were duly watered and blessed with good husbandmen and benign patrons. This was the state of things when Sir Thomas Bodley, knight, considered the damage which learning had sustained, and what a great use a public library would be to the students: for as yet, though printing was grown common, books were so dear

and

and scarce, that a scholar of an ordinary fortune could not pretend to have in his private study any more than those that were necessary for the performance of his exercises. Sir Thomas had all the qualities of a Mecenas; he was an excellent scholar himself, a lover of learning in others, and the proprietor of a very plentiful estate. After a mature deliberation, he desired leave of the University to furnish Duke Humphrey's library once more with desks, seats, and books, at his own costs and charge; which being gained, he acquitted himself beyond all expectation. He procured benefactions from very many of the nobility and gentry, both in books and money; he sent over men on purpose to buy books in France, Italy, Spain, and Germany; he persuaded his learned friends to repose their ancient manuscripts here, as in a place of safety (at least) until another general revolution; and thereupon, the learned society of Merton College, wherein he had his education; and likewise the dean and chapter of Exeter, where he had his birth, sent in great parcels; another parcel was given by Mr. Thomas Allen, who had saved all he could procure of the University and Abby libraries. Other manuscripts were given by that great antiquary, Sir Robert Cotton; others by Henry Savill, who afterwards enlarged his benefaction. This library was opened on November the 8th, 1602, the Vice-Chancellor

and

1

and the whole University coming thither in their formalities; and this day still continues to be the visitation-day, when the curators (who are the Vice-Chancellor, the King's Professors in divinity, law, and physick, of the Hebrew and Greek tongues, and the two Proctors of the University) do inspect the library, and call over all the books, and afterwards do receive a handsome entertainment at the Vice-Chancellor's lodgings; and in the afternoon there is a speech made by one of Christ-Church College. Sir Thomas, in a few years, found his library to increase so fast, that he erected another building adjoining to it, which made it in the shape of a Roman T, and this he furnished with all things necessary, and especially with books, wherein he was so diligent, that (as he wrote to Dr. Thomas James his first keeper) there was not 400 pounds worth of books in England fit for a library, which were not actually placed therein; and that he would endeavour for them also.

Nor was his care for the future state and preservation of it less than it ought to be; for after that the University had built the public schools, just by the library up two stories high, he himself at his own charge raised a gallery all round a story higher, to the intent, that when the new part of the library shall be filled with books, they might go on to furnish these libraries also. Besides

this, he made an agreement with the Stationers' Company in London to give one copy to the library of every book which they should print from thenceforward; which agreement they very well observed till about the year 1640. And lastly, by his will he left a considerable estate to the University, in land and money, for salaries to the officers for keeping his fabrick in repair, and buying new books: but this is now fallen miserably short; for by the fraud of his executor, by the loan of a great sum of money to Charles the First in his distress, and by the fire of London, the estate will do little more than pay the officers their old salary, though their trouble is much increased; which salary is too scanty and narrow for a man of eminent learning, as the present librarian is, and all who succeed him in that office ought to be.

Sir Thomas Bodley died January 28, 1612, after he had made fit statutes for the government of the place, and they had been confirmed in convocation; and he declared by the University to be the founder of the library; but with him the genius of the place did not seem to fall, since there are now more than double or treble the number of books in it than were there at the time of his death.

"For soon after, the Earl of Pembroke (through the persuasion of Archbishop Laud)

bought,

bought, and gave almost all that collection of Greek manuscripts which Francisco Baroccio, a Venetian gentleman, had with great costs and pains gathered together, esteemed the most valuable collection that ever came into England at one time: those which that peer kept for his own use, being about 22 in number, Oliver Cromwell afterwards bought, and gave: Sir Thomas Roe also, who was the English ambassador at Constantinople, at his return home, presented a choice parcel of Greek manuscripts which he bought in. Turkey.

Sir Kenelm Digby also presented a great parcel of manuscripts newly bound, which he had from Mr. Allen above-mentioned, or otherwise procured in his travels. And all this while, Archbishop Laud had sent into the East to buy up Oriental manuscripts; as also into Germany; from whence many excellent manuscripts were gotten from the Swedish soldiers, who had ravaged the libraries there. And at his instigation the University built up another room, contiguous to the end of Duke Humphrey's library, which makes it in the shape of a Roman H. This end of the library is truly a noble room, as well for the goodness of the wooden work as for the value of books it is furnished with. They are placed thus: on the gallery on the right hand are the Boroccian manuscripts, Digby's, Roe's, Cromwell's, and

those