Chapter IV: Front Matter (4)

In this Catalogue the first word of the second leaf are specified as certain indicia by which different transcripts of the same Codex may be distinguished from each other; and it is pleasant to find at this distance of time, a Membranaceous Evangelistarium, seu “Quatuor Evangelia de manu Bede ii fo. Baptizatus,” answering with the first word of its second leaf “Baptizatus” to the indication in this ancient Catalogue. Partly in the same handwriting also appears, “Cassiodorus super Psalterium de manu Bedæ,” whereof the best account I can give will be in the ipsissima verba of the sagacious Thomas Rud: “Pulchrè scriptus est hic Codex lineis divisis, literis mediocribus Saxonicis; et quidem ipsius Venerabilis Bedæ manu, si fides habenda est huic notæ in fronte libri positæ: ‘Cassiodorus sup. Psalterium de manu bede.’ Est quidem hæc nota libro ipso multo recentior; neque scripta, ut videtur, ante annos 400: Sed indicat saltem quodnam fuerit Monachorum Dunelmensium eo tempore de hoc Codice judicium: quidquid illis de eâ re traditum fuit. Neque sanè temerè rejicienda est hujusmodi traditio. Dunelmenses enim Monachi, qui Girvensium (e quorum numero Beda fuit) propago fuere, quique summâ veneratione illius memoriam colebant, melius quam ulli alii Vitæ ejus historiam rescire poterant.

“Et quidem ipsa Codicis Scriptura ad eam ætatem assurgere videtur.” And after giving his reasons for this opinion, adds, “Si autem a Beda descriptus sit, fecit id ille proculdubio Juvenis adhuc; priusquam accingeret se ad libros (quos plurimos scripsit) suo Marte componendos. Itaque assurgere videtur hic Codex ad initium sæculi octavi; mortuus est enim Beda, sexagenario major, A.D. 735. Habet itaque minimum mille annos.”[15]

It may be imagined that, under the impression that the handwriting of the Venerable Bede was actually before my eyes, I turned over the leaves of these ancient volumes with little less veneration than that with which I handled the Codex Bezæ in the Public Library at Cambridge.

Among the other ancient Manuscripts of this Monastic Library, are found several Latin Bibles, particularly one by St. Jerome in four large volumes, many portions of the Holy Scriptures, several Psalters, Kalendars, and a Missal, together with numerous Glosses, Concordances, Commentaries, and Homilies, by various authors.

It may be here remarked that the oldest Manuscript in the Library is a Latin Ritual, A. iv. 19,[16] written, according to Wanley,[17] by the same hand which penned St. Cuthbert’s Copy of the Gospels, now in the British Museum.[18] There is also a copy of John, Luke and Mark, A. II. 17,[19] of nearly equal antiquity, which doubtless formed a part of the original Monastic Library of Lindisfarne.

The mass of Theological Literature is necessarily great, but a few of the leading names will suffice to indicate its importance, finding as we do in this truly venerable Collection, the Works of St. Ambrose, St. Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, St. Athanasius, St. Augustine, Bede, St. Chrysostom, St. Cyprian, Eusebius, St. Jerome, Gregory, Isidore, Origen, Tertullian, and of many other Heads and Fathers of the Church.

A Copy of so much of Lyra’s Commentary as refers to the Pentateuch, and other historical books of the Old Testament, from Genesis to the beginning of Job, written by William de Stiphel in the year 1386,[20] affords decidedly the best specimen of what could be done in Durham in the way of Illumination at that period. The remaining part of Lyra’s Commentary forms a separate volume, A. I. 4, and was written by a Monk of the name of Borrowby.

Of Classical Literature the list is not so copious. It can, however, boast of the names of Aristotle and Plato, the former accompanied by the Commentaries of Averrois, also of Boethius and Prudentius, of Galen and Hippocrates, together with all the Epigrams of Martial, the Proverbs of Seneca, Suetonius de Vita Cæsarum, C. III. 18, which has been collated by Mr. Rud in the Classical Journal, Vol. ix. pp. 143 and 386; and a few pieces of Cicero.

There is of course much interesting matter relating to English History, and especially to that of the Palatinate and Church of Durham, in those Manuscripts, to say nothing of original Charters, and other valuable documents. There are also some Ecclesiastical and Scholastic Histories.

To a particular account of the Benedictine order may be added the Lives of Gildas and St. Oswald, and among other illustrations of early English History, may be mentioned Nennii Historia Britonum; Genealogiæ Regum Saxonicorum in Britanniâ; Series Chronologica cum brevi Historiâ Episcoporum Angliæ and the Cronica Britannie à Bruto ad annum 1347.

The Works of Josephus are the last of these ancient Manuscripts I now propose to notice, and proceed to consider the additions made by the Dean and Chapter to this their most ancient Library, especially as these happen to include a work of singular interest with relation to the Church of Durham. The title of this Manuscript runneth thus, “Reginaldi Monachi Dunelmensis Libellus Autograph. de admirandis Beati Cuthberti Virtutibus quæ novellis patratæ sunt temporibus, scilicet post Bedam; scriptus ad Ætheldredum Abbatum Rhievallensem.” circa annum 1170. The entire Work contains 140 Chapters, a complete abstract of which may be seen in Appendix to the Catalogue of the MSS. of the Dean and Chapter, p. 399-411. “The publication of Reginald,” observes Mr. Raine, “notwithstanding his absurdities, would throw much light upon the history of the northern counties, connected with a period, relative to which the sources of information are so few.” It has been with great propriety selected as one of the earliest publications of the Surtees Society.

The Manuscripts purchased by the Dean and Chapter consists chiefly of Transcripts by Dr. Hunter, of Records relating to the See of Durham, and of Collections relating to the Churches of Northumberland, by the same hand.

These, together with Dr. Basire’s Letters, and other original and miscellaneous documents, chiefly relating to Durham, collected and indexed by Dr. Hunter,[21] as well as the copy of Reginald already mentioned; and some other papers of lesser note were purchased of the Executors of Dr. Hunter, in 1756, for 40 guineas. To these were added in 1823, the Historical, Heraldic, and Topographical Collections relating to Durham, formed by the late Mr. Allan, of Grange, which were sold by his son to the Dean and Chapter for £150, together with the “Collectanea ad Statum Civilem et Ecclesiasticum Comitatus Dunelmensis, &c. spectantia,” formed by the Rev. Thomas Randall, and by him bequeathed to the late Mr. Allan, of Grange.[22]

If to the above be added a Collection of the Statutes of several Colleges and Cathedrals, a tolerably correct idea may be formed of all the additions made to the ancient Manuscripts belonging to the Church of Durham.

The curious reader will learn with pleasure, that in the private Library attached to the Episcopal Palace will be found a valuable Manuscript of the Poems of Chaucer.

In conclusion, I may be forgiven for mentioning another book, though not immediately connected with the Library. I mean, “Saint Cuthbert, with an account of the state in which his remains were found upon the opening of his Tomb in Durham Cathedral, in the year 1827, by the Rev. James Raine, _M.A._ Rector of Meldon, Principal Surrogate of the Consistory Courts of Durham, and Librarian of Durham Cathedral. Durham, printed by F. Humble, 1828,” 4to. Of this Work fifty copies were taken off upon large paper, some of which Mr. Thomson, an ingenious upholsterer of Durham, is now engaged in illuminating after the original Lawson MS. Life of St. Cuthbert, by Bede, and the relics of that Saint now preserved in the Library.

Much of the preliminary matter of this Work might have been spared, being already incorporated in the History of North Durham, upon which Mr. Raine has been for some time engaged, and of which the first portion is already before the public.

Undoubtedly Mr. Raine has given to the world the most rational account of Saint Cuthbert which has hitherto appeared, and has completely exploded the superstitious tale of the incorruptibility of his body.

In an age remarkable for credulity, it was not surprising that a story, however contrary to experience, should be generally believed; but the present admirable illustration of the writings of Reginald and Bede has traced the mortal remains of the Patron Saint of Durham through all their several stages, and thrown the clearest light upon all the doubtful points connected with the history of Saint Cuthbert.

It is much to be regretted that the interesting investigation Mr. Raine has so minutely detailed, was conducted with so much precipitancy, and without previous information obtained from the Manuscript of Reginald.

This most valuable document, of which Mr. Raine has subsequently made such good use, is, I think, in his narrative rather too far separated from the corroboration which the actual examination so happily affords it; for the ordinary reader, bearing in his mind the interesting passages in italics, looks forward so impatiently for the opening of the tomb as to wish the accumulation of relics at St. Cuthbert’s shrine had been somewhat less, and be tempted to skip at once from page 117 to 171. Valuable to the local antiquary as are the details furnished by these pages, I cannot help so far concurring with the ignorant impatience manifested above, as to suggest that a very considerable portion of the records relative to the shrine of St. Cuthbert might have been transferred to the Appendix, without any chance of diminishing the popularity of the Work itself.

Library of Ely.

The Library of the Dean and Chapter of Ely is contained in a commodious and well lighted apartment, formed by the enclosure of the east aisle of the Cathedral for that purpose in 1814.

The books are all placed upon open shelves, and are chiefly attired in the dusky garb of former years, with paper labels on their backs, and are protected from damp by the heat of a stove.

This Collection is placed under the care of the Rev. George Millers, one of the Minor Canons of the Cathedral, whose diligence is attested by a printed Catalogue, under the following title: “Catalogus Librorum qui in Bibliothecâ Cathedralis Eliensis adservantur. 1815.”

In this volume the books are briefly, yet correctly enumerated under the several departments of knowledge to which they relate. That of Theology is, as might naturally be expected, the most copious, occupying 69 pages, out of the 138 of which the entire volume is composed. With this important feature in the Library, I will commence my account of its contents, giving precedence to the impressions of the Sacred Volume, the most remarkable of which are

Walton’s Polyglott, with Castell’s Lexicon.

Kennicott’s Hebrew Bible.

Vetus Testamentum Gr. è Codice Alexandrino, curâ Grabe. Oxonii,
1707-19, 2 vols. folio.

Vetus Testamentum Gr. LXX, ed. Holmes, &c. Oxon. 1804, &c. 6
vols. folio.

Novum Testamentum, è Th. Beza. Cantab. 1642, folio.

Novum Testamentum, Millii. Oxonii, 1707, folio.

Novum Testamentum, Westeinii. Amst. 1751, 2 vols. folio.

Novum Testamentum, è Codice Alexandrino, curâ Woide. Lond.
1786, folio.

Biblia Latina, Castalionis. Basil. 1551, folio.

Biblia Latina, Tremellii & Junii. Hanov. 1624, fol.

with several English versions of the Bible, of little note, and none earlier than 1607.

I must not however omit to mention the Acta Apostolorum Gr. et Lat. literis majusculis è Codice Laudiano, edente Thoma Hearne, Oxonii, 1715, roy. 8vo. Of Biblical Commentators, the number is very great; but the names of Le Clerc, Erasmus, Prideaux, Kidder, Patrick, Lowth, Whitby, Pococke, Michaelis, Pearce, Stanhope, and Macknight, may be selected as fit representations of the crowd from which they have been taken. The Critici Sacri and Pole’s Synopsis are of course included in this department.

Of Concordances it may be sufficient to mention those of Buxtorf, Stephens, and Taylor; and of Liturgies there are several examples, from the Romish Ritual to the English Common Prayer.

Of the Fathers of the Church, this Library may boast of a copious and valuable selection, including the Works of SS. Ambrose, Athanasius, Augustine, Basil, Benedict, Bernard, Chrysostom, Clement, Cyprian, Cyril, Epiphanius, Eusebius, the Gregories, Jerome, Irenæus, Isidore, and Justin Martyr, together with those of Lactantius, Origen, Philo Judæus, Tertullian, and Theodoret. To which may be added,

Cotelerii, SS. Patrum Apostolicorum Opera, edente Clerico.
Amst. 1724, 2 vols. folio.

Grabii Spicilegium, SS. Patrum, &c. Oxon. 1699, 8vo.

Wake’s Epistles of the Apostolical Fathers. Lond. 1710, 8vo.

Cave’s Lives of the Primitive Fathers, &c. Lond. 1683-4, in 3
vols. folio.

Of Theological Writers during the later ages, the Works contained in this Library are so numerous, and many of the names of so little note, that I will not fatigue the reader by attempting to recount them.

Among the Latin Authors, I may mention Thomas Aquinas, Bellarmine, Bochart, Bull, Calvin, Grotius, Limborch, and Pearson; and among the Works of English Divines, may give precedence to those of Barrow, Bingham, Bramhall, Chillingworth, Clarke, Fleetwood, Hall, Hammond, Jackson, Jewell, Leslie, Lightfoot, Mede, Jeremy Taylor, and Tillotson. Of the other Theological Works, I may adduce those of Addison, Allix, Balguy, Bentley, Boyle, Burnet, Butler, Conybeare, Hervey, Hoadley, Hooker, Hooper, Jewel, Kettlewell, Leland, Lowth, Patrick, Sherlock, Stillingfleet, Usher, and Warburton, as a fair specimen of the whole. In conclusion, a few French Works on Divinity, and a formidable phalanx of Sermons by various authors, bring up the rear of this section of the Library.

In this place it may be right to mention the Synopsis Canonum of Howel, and Beveregii Pandectæ Canonum, together with the Concilia Generalia of Labbe, &c. the Concilia Britannica of Spelman, and the Concilia Magnæ Britanniæ et Hiberniæ of Wilkins. These three last-mentioned Works naturally lead us to the Works connected with Ecclesiastical History, which are found in this Collection. Among these I may enumerate

Baronii Annales Ecclesiastici. Paris. 1609-59, 12 vols. folio.

Bedæ Historia Ecclesiastica Anglicana. Cantab. 1722, folio.

Eusebii Historia Ecclesiastica. Paris. 1678, folio.

Gibson’s Codex Juris Ecclesiastici. Lond. 1713, 2 vols. folio.

Godwin de Præsulibus Angliæ. Cantab. 1743, fol.

Josephi Opera Omnia. Genevæ, 1611, folio.

Le Neve, Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ. Lond. 1716, fol.

Parker de Antiquitate Ecclesiæ Britannicæ. Lond. 1729, folio.

Usserii Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates. Lond. 1687,
folio.

Whartoni Anglia Sacra. Lond. 1691, 2 vols. folio.

Stillingfleet, Origines Britannicæ. Lond. 1685, fol.

Burnet’s History of the Reformation. Lond. 1679-1715, 3 vols.
folio.

Strype’s Annals of the Reformation. Lond. 1709-25, 2 vols.
folio. And

Fox’s Acts and Monuments of the Church. Lond. 1684, 3 vols.
folio. Which with

The Church History of Britain by Cressy, Collier, Fuller, Inett, and Lloyd; the Ecclesiastical Histories of Du Pin, Echard, Milner, and Mosheim, together with Spotiswood’s History of the Church of Scotland, form the principal features of this department.

In Works of General History this Collection is not rich. It possesses, however, Heylyn’s Cosmography, the History of the World by Howell, and Raleigh, the Ancient and Modern Universal History, Mitford’s History of Greece, the Roman Histories of Hooke and Ferguson, Maurice’s Hindostan, and Indian Antiquities, Du Halde’s China, and the Turkish History by Knolles and Rycaut.

As helps to History, I may notice the Chronology of Newton, and Playfair, and the Geography of Cellarius, Cluverius, Strabo, and Wells, together with the travels of Chandler, Pennant, Ray, and Spon.

As important adjuncts to History, I may also mention several works of Antiquities, but none of sufficient importance to merit particular enumeration, and a few Numismatic Works, including Arbuthnot’s Tables of Coins, and Fleetwood’s Chronicon Preciosum; also the following Biographical Works:—Strype’s Lives; Kippis’s Biographia Britannica; Walton’s Lives; Fuller’s Worthies; Holland’s Heröologia Anglica; Wood’s Athenæ Oxoniensis; Wordsworth’s Ecclesiastical Biography; Bowers’s Lives of the Popes; and the General Biographical Dictionary.

In Works relating to the History and Antiquities of England, this Library is fortunate in possessing the Histories of England by Milton, Kennett, Rapin, Hume, Smollett, and Adolphus, Rushworth’s Historical Collections; Whitelocke’s Memorials; Clarendon’s Rebellion; Baker’s Chronicle; Lyttelton’s Henry II.; Herbert’s Henry VIII.; Carleton’s Letters; Davies’s Celtic Researches; Triveti Annales Sex, curâ Hall, Oxon. 1719, 8vo.; Matthæi Westmonasteriensis Flores Historiarum, Francof. 1601, folio.; Matthæi Paris Historia Anglicana, edente Wats, Lond. 1684; Gale and Fell, Historiæ Anglicanæ Scriptores XV. Oxon. 1684-91, 3 vols. folio; Sheringham de Anglorum gentis origine, Cantabr. 1670, 8vo.; Bates, Elenchus Motuum, Lond. 1663, 8vo.; and the Fructus Temporum, with the Chronycles of Englonde, Imprynted at London by Wynkyn de Worde, 1520, folio; together with the following valuable Pieces, edited by the indefatigable Thomas Hearne:—

Gulielmi Neubrigensis Chronica Rerum Anglicarum. Oxon. 1719, 3
vols. 8vo.

Hearne’s Textus Roffensis. Oxonii, 1720, 8vo.

Roberti de Avesbury, Historia Edvardi III. Oxon. 1720, 8vo.

Thomæ Sprotti Chronica. Oxonii, 1719, 8vo.

Joannis de Fordun. Scoti Chronicon. Oxonii, 1722, in 5 vols.
8vo. upon large paper.

Titi Livii Foro-Judiensis Vita Henrici V. Oxon. 1726, 8vo.

To which may be added all the works published under the authority of the Record Commission, which are presented as they appear to every Cathedral Library.

Among the Works relating to British Antiquities, those most deserving of notice are, Verstegan’s Restitution of decayed Intelligence; Hearne’s Discourses, Oxford, 1720, 8vo.; Willis’s Mitred Abbies and Cathedral Churches; Tanner’s Notitia Monastica by Nasmith, 1744; Dugdale’s Monasticon Anglicanum, Lond. 1755-61-73, in 3 vols. folio; Camdeni Britannica by Gibson; Sammes’s Antiquities of Ancient Britain; Stukeley’s Palæographia Britannica; Battely’s Antiquitates Rutupinæ; Stow’s London; Morton’s Northamptonshire; Gunton’s Peterborough Cathedral; Dart’s Canterbury Cathedral; Bentham’s Ely, both editions: Millers’ Ely Cathedral, both editions; Masters’s Corpus Christi College, Cambridge; Lewis’s Isle of Tenet; and Borlase’s Cornwall.

In English Literature this Collection does not present anything worthy of notice. It contains, however, the Works of Pope, Swift, Addison, and Goldsmith, the series of British Essayists in 12mo. the Plays of Shakespeare, Beaumont and Fletcher, Congreve and Dryden, the Poems of Chaucer, Cowley, Milton, Prior, Spenser and Waller, and Butler’s Hudibras.

Of Classical Literature, however, the Collection is much more copious, embracing all the most esteemed authors, though it can boast none of the first, and few of the best editions, unless Hierocles, Gr. & Lat. Curterii, Plinii Historia Naturalis Harduini, Athenæus Casauboni, Demosthenes Taylori, Stanley’s Æschylus, Barnes’s Euripides, & Potter’s Lycophron, be considered as exceptions to the latter part of the above remark.

Of the principal Works in Classic Literature, the following seem to me chiefly deserving of notice.

Antoninus, Gatakeri. Cant. 1652, 4to.

Aristotelis Opera, Du Valli. Paris. 1629, 2 vols. fol.

Ciceronis Opera, Lambini. Lutet. 1572-8, 8 v. 8vo.

Ammianus Marcellinus, Gronovii. Lugd. Bat. 1693, 4to.

Homeri Opera, cum Comment. Eustathii. Basil. 1559, 3 vols. fol.

Demosthenes, Æschines et Isocrates, Wolfii. Francof. 1604, &
1593, folio.

Longinus, Toupii & Ruhnkenii. Oxonii, 1778, 4to.

Platonis Opera, Serrani. Paris. 1578, 3 vols. folio.

Thucydides, Hudsoni. Oxonii, 1696, folio.

Sallustius Historiæ à Waffe. Cantab. 1710, 4to.

Poetæ Græci Principes à Stephano. Paris. 1566, fol.

Corpus Poetarum Latinorum à Maittaire. Lond. 1713, 2 vols.
folio; and a considerable number of the Delphin Classics.

Of Etymological Works, so closely connected with the preceding department, this Collection contains Buxtorf’s Hebrew Lexicon, the Greek Lexica of Scapula, Hederic, Hesychius and Suidas, Stephani Thesaurus utriusque Linguæ, Hickes’s Thesaurus Septentrionalis, the Glossary of Du Fresne, Cotgrave’s French and English Dictionary, Lluyd’s Archæologia Britannica. Oxon. 1707, folio; Spelmanni Glossarium Archæologium, Lond. 1664, folio; Skinneri, Etymologicum Anglicanum, Lond. 1671, folio; with several Grammars of various languages.

In conclusion, I may remark that a few Works on Mathematical Science, and Moral Philosophy, several Works of Jurisprudence, including the Statutes at large, with a few Works on Bibliography, including Fabricii Bibliotheca Græca et Latina, and a fair proportion of miscellaneous authors, make up the complement of the Library attached to the Cathedral of Ely.

It will be seen, therefore, from the foregoing remarks, that this Collection is chiefly of a Theological character, and that it also contains many valuable Historical Works, particularly such as relate to English History, and a fair proportion of Classics; though the fastidious Bibliomaniacs will here look in vain for any Editiones Principes, or for any other of the earlier efforts of the Press.

Library of Exeter.

This venerable Collection was formerly suffered to remain in the Lady Chapel, exposed to the inroads of idle curiosity, and subject to the chilling influence of damp and neglect. The Dean and Chapter however at length became sensible of the duty of affording due protection to the literary property committed to their care for the benefit of posterity, and with commendable discretion consigned their Manuscripts to the care of their Chapter Clerk, and deposited their printed books in the Chapter-house.

Of these Manuscripts it will be my province first to speak, both on account of their curiosity and high antiquity; and for the gratification of the curious reader have much satisfaction in presenting to him a literal copy of “A Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Library of the Cathedral Church of Exeter. Taken from Dean Lyttelton’s and Mr. White’s Memoranda, examined with the books. September, 1811.

“RALPH BARNES.”

1. Miscellanea Leofrici, &c. Charactere Saxonico.

2. Rabanus Maurus de Computo, de variis rebus astronomicis.
Charactere Saxonico. Isidorus Hispalensis de rerum natura.

3. Legenda Joan. Grandison. Ep. Exon. in usum Eccl. Cath. Exon.
vol. i.

4. Legenda Joan. Grandison. 1328 to 1370, vol. ii.

5. Euclidis eleganter scriptus, continens Elementorum Libri xv.
Latinè cum figuris Gordani. 1235, Arith. Libri X.

Boetii de Musica Lib. v. desinit Lib. v. Cap. 19.

6. Missale Vetus, literis illuminatis.

7. Historia Polychronica.

8. Sermones Dominicales, et Fest’ sup’ Evang’, p. circul’ an’
per Jac.’ archiep’ Januensem.

9. Epistolæ Decret’ Roman’ Pontificum à Clemento Iᵐᵒ. ad
Gregorium Iᵐᵘᵐ.

10. Psalterium Vetus Romanum, cum Calendario, et rerum
memorabilium Cronicio.

11. Collectanea (Lib. Gallicus) anonyma, Boccaccio de Geneal’
Deorum. Lib. XIII.

12. Pontificale Edmundi Lacy, Ep. Exon. 1420.

13. Ricardi Ullerstoni Defensorium.

14. Missale Vetus. 4to.

15. Miscellanea, Methodius Martyr de fine seculi Genealogia ab
Adamo ad Edw. fil. Hen. Reg. De Adventu Anglorum in Britanniam,
cum genealogia Regum. De Sancto Oswaldo. De Geneal’ Reg’
Franc’. De Transitu Ven’ Bedæ Speculum Mundi Geneal’ ab Adamo
ad Brutum et ad Cadwalled. ultim’ Reg’ Britan’. Et Geneal’
ascendens a Grifforio ad Adam, Et a Cyprio ad Brutum. Et Anglo’
et Normannos. De Longitudine et Latitudine. De Reg’ à Bruto ad
Cadwalled. De Concordia Maris et Lunæ.

16. Anselmi Tractatus de Veritate et de libro Arbitrio. De
Casu Diaboli et Epist’ de Incarnatione. Cur Deus Homo? Lib. 2.
De Conceptu Virginali et originali Peccato. De Sacrificio Arymi
et Termentati. Quomodo Grammaticus sit substanter et qualiter.
Abbatis cujusdam Epist’ ad Sanctum sub cujus nomine regit
Ecclesiam. Oratio Monachorum ad S. Benedictum. S. Abrosias
de mysteriis Lanfranci. Dial’ cum Bercagario Lib. Guimundi
de corpore et sang’ Domini. Explicatio fidei Xtianæ. 4to.
imperfect.

17. Joannis Scogardi ludicra poemata, cum Epist. ac univers.
Oxon. De Eccles’ B. Mar’ Ottery facta Collegiata. Statuta Eccl.
S. Crucis Crediton, per Tho’ Button, Jo. Grandison, Ed. Lacy.
Exon. Expos. adjut quædam de re medicâ.

18. Anonymus de re medicâ.

19. Liber Obitualis Custodis et Collegii Vicariorum Eccles’
Cath’ Exon. Temp. Hen. VI.

20. Quæstiones Theologicæ, cum Responsis.

21. Liber Obitualis Eccles’ Cath’ Exon. Martyrologium Romanum.
Imperfect.

22. Anonymus de Pharmacis, et re medicâ. Breve Compendium xip.
8 Lib. Physicᵐ. Aristotelis.

23. Liber Chartarum et formarum Indent’ adjecta quædam de re
Heraldicâ.

24. Treatise of the Power of Godliness, &c. by Joseph Lee, of
Antigua. 1654.

25. Leicester’s Commonwealth. (This has been printed.)

26. Sermons in Italian, Latin, and Spanish.

27. A Brief Collection of Armory, especially of Cornwall and
Devon.

28. Calendarium Hispanicum.

29. Paraphrasa sopra lo’ Ecclesiastes de Salomoni par Giovan.
Antonio Thenice.

30. Statuta Collegii Baliolens’ Oxon.

31. A Moderate Examination of the Hugonots’ Doctrine. Caen.
1590, Translation.

32. Miscellanea. Speech delivered to the King by Sheriffs
of London; the Poor Man’s Petition to the King, 1604; the
Catholics’ Supplication to the King; a Speech in French, by
Mons. Fontaine, in behalf of foreigners, with the King’s
answer; Certain Objections answered by Ho. of Com. in behalf
of Francis Godwin; Outlin’d Copy of the King’s Letter to the
Parliament; Objections against changing the style of England
to Great Britain; Sir W. Raleigh’s Letter to the King; Letter
to the King, by Burgess, Prisoner in yᵉ Fleet; Letter from
Inhabitants of yᵉ Citye; Petition of Northamptonshire Gentry;
Petition of Twenty-two Preachers in London, 1605; King’s
Letter to Archbishop of Canterbury; Lord Keeper Ellesmere to
Essex; Earl Marshall’s Answer; King’s Speech in Parliament,
1605; Advertisements; Paper set up at Warwick, by Papists, on
Execution of Everard Digby; Articles of Peace between England
and Spain, 1605.

So far numbered by Mr. White.

33. Constitutiones Synodales facto anno 1287, per Petrum de
Quivil Exon’ Episcopum, cum Instrumento confirmationis per
Archiepiscopum.

N. B. This book in Dean Lyttelton’s time was missing, and was
_restored_ to the Church (not given as said in the first leaf
thereof) by Chanter Snow. There is a duplicate in the Exchequer
Chamber.

34. Pii Secundi Bulla, cum MSS. additions. }
35. Quintilianus de Oratore. } MSS.
36. Geographia. } of
37. Quæstiones Theologicæ cum Responsis. } little
38. Tyrocinium logico Aristotelium. } value.
39. Geometrical Notes on Euclid, &c. }

40. Liber Tristram Risdon, being some account of the chief
families in Devon, Dorset, Somerset, and Cornwall, with their
Coats of Arms, &c.

Books mentioned in Dean Lyttelton’s Catalogue taken from that printed at Oxford, of the MSS. in the kingdom, p. 55, seq. and which Lyttelton says were missing at the time he made the Catalogue, circa 1752, one only of them, Quivil’s Constitutions, was restored in 176- by Chanter Snow.

3. Dictionar. seu Glossarium Latinum, mutilum.

5. Ciceronis Rhetorica Liber elegantissime scriptus.

7. Cicero de fato. somnium Scipionis; Macrobius in somnium
Scipionis; Timæus Platonis adjicitur; Tract.’ de mort. apostol’
ceu de Pomo.

10. G. G. Biblioru’ Lat’ ex vers’ B. Hyeronimi. eheu! Volumina
mutilata.

16. Genealogia Reg’ Angl’ et de Gul’ Bastardo et cet’ Regibus
Angl’ succedentibus.

17. Dares Phrygius de Historia Trojanorum.

18. Historia Britonum translata è Britannicâ linguâ in Latinam.

19. Henrici Archidiaconi de Huntingdon Historia Anglorum.

20. Historia Ricardi dicti sine timore ducis Normannie, et cet
duc’ succ’.

44. Judge Hales’ Speech concerning the Succession of the Crown
in Parliament, on behalf of the Line of Suffolk. Temp. R. Eliz.

45. Willielmus Wydford contra conclusiones Joannis Wycklyff.

35. Concessio de Stoke Jf. Reg. Adelstano Charact.’ Saxon.’ et
Latino. Membrane.

MSS. books removed from the Library into the Exchequer Chamber by Lyttelton, not in the printed Catalogue above referred to.

14. Johannes Grandison. Ep. Exon. Ordinale, a Decano et Capillo
approbat.’ 1337, fol.

36. Ordinationes Walteri Exon. Episc. super statum Scholarium
de Stapeldon Hall in univers.’ Oxon. per eundem Epiu̅m facta,
et per eosdem Scholarios approbata, 1316.

This is contained in the end of the book called Ordinations and Statutes, fo. 178 to 182.

37. Statuta et Consuetudines Eccles’ Exon. cum Calendario
Veteri. fol.

39. A Transcript of Domesday for Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset.
2 vols. 4to.

40. Inventarium Jocalium omnium Bonorum Librorum Eccles. Cath.
Exon. anno 1506.

MSS. books removed from the Library to the Exchequer Chamber by R. Barnes, 1811.

1. Miscellanea Leofrici, &c. Charactere Saxonico.

2. Saxon MSS.

3, 4. Legenda. Grandison. 2 volumes.

19. Liber Obitualis Vicariorum Eccl. Cath. Exon.

21. Liber Obitualis Eccl’ Cath’ Exon.

6. Missale Vetus Literis illuminatis.

I need scarcely remind any reader at all conversant with matters of high antiquity, that the principal portion of these Manuscripts are written upon vellum; but I may add for the information of the curious bibliophilist that many of them retain their pristine covertures, whether of parchment or of wood, and that some are adorned with elegant illuminations.

Much as I regretted to notice how much these valuable documents have been injured by previous neglect, and are still suffering from the dampness of the chamber in which they are kept; it afforded me abundant consolation to discover that of the Manuscripts mentioned by Lyttelton, as missing in his time, the most interesting and most valuable were still extant. These are in the order of the Catalogue.

16. Genealogia Reg’ Angl’ et de Gul’ Bastardo, et cet’ Regibus
Angl’ succedentibus.

17. Dares Phrygius de Historia Trojanorum.

18. Historia Britonum translata è Britannicâ linguâ in Latinam.

19. Henrici Archdiaconi de Huntingdon Historia Anglorum.

20. Historia Ricardi dicti sine timore ducis Normanniæ, et cet
duc’ succ’.

All which are contained in a single volume, which Mr. Petrie esteemed among the most important in the Collection.

Exceeding these documents both in antiquity and importance, the venerable, and undoubtedly original transcript of the Domesday Book relating to the counties of Cornwall, Somerset, and Devon, demands the peculiar attention of the literary antiquary and of the professed historian.

This General Survey was taken locally, and of the original inquisitions so made, no copies are believed to exist. In the Exeter Domesday, the lands of each person, wherever situate are entered, occasionally in different hands, under his name, and where the possessions of an individual were large he appears to have had a libellus wholly allotted to himself. Three scribes appear to have been employed in the transcription of this ancient record, in which it is very remarkable, entries are invariably made of the stock of deer, sheep, oxen, &c. upon the lands described. Now as these particulars are omitted in the Exchequer Domesday, probably as much for the sake of brevity as on account of the perishable nature of the animals themselves, and as this minute enumeration could only have resulted from an actual survey, it appears to me that this portion of the Domesday Book may boast of at least as high antiquity as the entire record deposited in the archives of the Exchequer at London.

In arranging the fasciculi of the Exon Domesday in their proper order, Mr. Barnes had the mortification of observing that at p. 233, a single leaf had been abstracted, which he recorded in 1810. Subsequent to this period Mr. Trevelyan called to see the Domesday, and upon the book being opened, produced from his pocket a leaf, which exactly supplied the previous hiatus in the record. This leaf it appeared came into the possession of Mr. Trevelyan, by descent from his ancestor, Dean Willoughby, who in the time of Henry the Eighth was the Dean of Exeter, and doubtless he it was who abstracted this identical leaf, either from curiosity, or a less venial motive. That must however be esteemed a most fortunate accident, whereby a leaf lost in the time of the Reformation, has thus been restored in our own, having the effect moreover of rendering perfect one of the most interesting historical documents in existence.

To preserve this volume in its primitive integrity, it has been clad in a rough coat of red russia, confined by a leather strap. The book thus bound is excessively thick, but measuring ten inches and a half by six and a half, it wears the aspect of a small folio tome.

It only remains for me to add that the whole of this ancient volume was faithfully transcribed by Mr. Ralph Barnes, and subsequently published under the authority of the Commissioners of the Public Records.

Of the Saxon Manuscripts which may claim the highest antiquity, I would mention a volume of Saxon Poetry, distinctly written upon vellum, and in excellent preservation, the gift of Leofric, the first Bishop of Exeter, to his Church. Another Saxon Manuscript, equally well preserved in its original coverture, contains the Etymological and other Works of Rabanus Maurus.

Among the other Manuscripts it may suffice to distinguish the Rosa Medicinæ of John Gadsden, commended by Geoffery Chaucer; and referring to the Catalogue for the remainder, to notice that all these Manuscripts are kept in deal presses, under lock and key, in an upper chamber attached to the Cathedral.

The Library of printed books in the possession of the Dean and Chapter of Exeter, is now deposited in their Chapter-house, a well proportioned and well lighted room, with a fire-place at one end, and gallery at the other, over the entrance door. The chimney-piece is handsomely carved in stone, and the painted ceiling harmonises well with the antique aspect of the room, which is also adorned with a view of the adjacent Cathedral.

The books are all well arranged upon open shelves around the room in the following order, viz. A and B. English Theology, 1600-1700, two cases; C and D. Bibles and Commentators, two cases; E. Fathers, and Ecclesiastical History, one case; F. Miscellaneous Theology; G and H. Classics; I and J. History and Biography; K. Poetry and Oratory; and L. Miscellaneous Theology. The gallery is also appropriated to books placed upon open shelves, the entire Collection probably amounting to between five and six thousand volumes. The books are chiefly bound in old calf, and the volumes have been relettered, so as to inform the stranger of their contents, and relieve the sombre uniformity of their attire.

The most ancient Catalogue in this Library, is a tall folio, containing a brief enumeration of the books in the Library, specifying their titles and sizes, as well as the place and dates, with reference to the shelves on which they were then placed. This volume is entitled “Catalogus Librorum in Bibliothecâ Ecclesiæ Sti Petri Exon.” is lettered on the binding, “Catalogus Librorum, 1683.”

From a later hand we have also a Catalogue of several duplicates in the Library of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter’s, Exon.

Some indolent Librarian has subsequently interleaved Hyde’s Catalogue of the Bodleian Library, in two volumes, folio, and has inserted therein such books of the Chapter Library as are not already contained in its printed pages, with references from the latter to the shelves.

The only complete Catalogue extant of this Library is that written by order of Dean Lyttelton, but compiled in the most careless manner, all mention of the places, dates, or names of the printers, or sizes of each Work, being uniformly omitted, and their titles given in the most summary and unsatisfactory manner. This volume—a tall and narrow folio, in coarse clothing, bears the title of “A Catalogue of the Books in the Library of St. Peter’s, Exon, taken as they now stand on the shelves, under each Alphabet, 1752.”

To remedy the want of a more perfect Catalogue, seven Fasciculi, embracing the Theological Department of the Collection, have been written in enumeration of the titles, dates, and imprints of the several Works therein contained, but without any specification of the sizes of the books. But of the remaining portion of the Library, no other Catalogue whatever, except a rough Index to the shelves, has been made. A complete Catalogue, therefore, of this Library, is, even in manuscript, greatly to be desired; but, for facility of reference, its arrangement should be alphabetical, as a separate Index to the different cases might easily be added. It would be also desirable that each Work should be described with that attention to bibliographical minuteness which may ensure the accuracy of the Catalogue, and render it worthy of being perpetuated by the power of the press.

The book plate whereby the volumes of the Dean and Chapter are marked as their own, is an engraving of an Ecclesiastical Seal, representing the Bishop on his throne, having a model of the Cathedral in his left hand, and holding a key in his right hand, the motto being: “The Cathedral Library at Exeter, Anno Domⁿⁱ, 1749.” This plate has been re-engraved with the date “An. Dom. 1822.”

The character of this Library is principally Theological, rather more than one-half of its entire contents being composed of Works of Divinity. It has also some respectable Classics, and some curious volumes relating to the History of England.

The Typographical antiquary will find little to interest him in this Collection; for if religious, he may sigh in vain for “The Seuen Penetencyall Psalmes,” or if only curious, will fruitlessly seek “The Merry Geste of how the Plowman learned his Pater Noster.”

Works of Divinity occupy so large a space upon these shelves, and so many of them have long ago fallen into merited oblivion, that, without attempting “to drag reluctant dulness into day,” I will proceed at once to the succinct enumeration of the principal features of this department.

Among the Impressions of the Sacred Text, I noticed a very fine copy in calf of Plantin’s Polyglott, published at Antwerp by that excellent printer between the years 1568 and 1572, and one of the usual copies of Walton’s Polyglott, with Castell’s Lexicon. I also remarked copies of the

Biblia Hebraica, Vander Hooght. Amst. 1705, fol.

Biblia Hebraica, Houbigant. Lutet. Par. 1753, 4 vols. folio.

Biblia Hebraica, Kennicott. Oxonii, 1776, 2 v. fol.

Biblia Græca. Francofurti, 1597, folio.

Biblia Latina. Lutetiæ, 1545.

Biblia Latina, Tremellii et Junii. Londini, 1685.

Biblia Latina Castalionis. Basileæ, 1573.

Biblia Sacra Pagnini. Londini, 1541.

Biblia Vulgata. Antverpiæ, 1599.

Biblia Sacra Diodati. Genevæ, 1641.

Biblia Virginiana. Cantabr. Nov. Angl. 1661.

The Bible in English, printed at Oxford in 1680, folio, uniformly bound with the Common Prayer of the same date in coeval red morocco, and the Bible with Notes by D’Oyly and Mant, in 3 vols. 4to.

Of detached portions of the Scripture, I may mention the Oxford Septuagint, superintended by Messrs. Holmes and Parsons, and that edited by Breitenger at Zurich.

Novum Testamentum Græcum. Amst. 1735.

Novum Testamentum Græcum, Bezæ. Cantab. 1642.

Novum Testamentum Græcum Millii. Oxonii, 1707, folio. And the
Impressions of Wetstein and Stephens.

The New Testament of Bowyer. London, 1783, with his
“Conjectures,” in 3 volumes 4to.

Fulke’s Rhemish Testament. London, 1633.

The Psalms by Thomas Ravenscroft. London, 1633.

The Psalms in Metre. Edinburgh, 1635.

Psalterium Latino-Saxonicum.

An imperfect Copy of the Pentateuchus Hebraicus. Ulyssip. 1491,
folio, from the collection of De Rossi at Parma, recently
attired in the plainest calf.

The Heptateuchus Saxonicus, edente Thwaites. Oxonii.

I may here also notice the Common Prayer Book of Edward the Sixth, 1552, folio, and the authorised Version of Common Prayer, 14 Car. II. 1662, to which the original Seal is still appended. These two Volumes are kept with the Manuscripts in the upper chamber already described.

I may also add

Missale Romanum. Antverpiæ, 1657.

Breviarium Romanum. Lutet. 1688.

Durandi Rationale Divinorum Officiorum.

L’Alcorano di Machometto. 1547.

Passing by a cloud of obscure Commentators on the Psalms, and other portions of the Sacred Volume, it may suffice to mention the Critici Sacri, and Pole’s Synopsis, Leigh’s Critica Sacra, Kidder on the Pentateuch, Bythneri Lyra Prophetica, Newcome’s Minor Prophets, Campbell on the Gospels, Blayney on Jeremiah, and the Commentaries of Whitby, Patrick, &c. of Calvin and Beza, of Pococke and Lowth.

Among the Fathers of the Church, I may particularise the Works of St. Jerome, Ambrose, Cyprian, Athanasius, Cyril, and Chrysostom, the Gregories, S. Hilary, Augustine, Basil, Origen, and Justin Martyr, of Athenagoras, Theophylact, Lactantius, Tertullian, Epiphanius, Isidore, and Theodoret. Irenæi Opera cura Grabe, folio; Eusebii Præparatio et Demonstratio Evangelica, in 2 folio volumes; Suiceri Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus; the Bibliotheca Patrum; Cotelerii Patres Apostolici, 2 copies; Grabe’s Spicilegium Patrum, and Wake’s Genuine Epistles of the Apostolical Fathers, with Cave’s Primitive Christianity, and Lives of the Fathers.

This last Work naturally leads us to the consideration of Ecclesiastical History, in which branch of learning the following Works occur in this Collection: Eusebii Historia Ecclesiastica, folio; Eutychii Annales; Tornielli Annales Sacri; Usserii Annales; Spondani Epitome Baronii; Baronii Annales Ecclesiastici, and Martyrologium Romanum; Cotelerii Ecclesiæ Græcæ Monumenta, folio; Bower, Rycaut and Platina’s Lives of the Roman Pontiffs; Binii Concilia Generalia et Provincialia; The Centuriatores Magdeburgenses; Natalis Historia Ecclesiastica, in 8 vols. folio; Canones Concilii Tridentini. Duaci, 1618, folio; and Polani Historia Concilii Tridentini; Geddes’s Church History of Æthiopia; and Allix’s History of the Churches in Piedmont.

Of Books relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Great Britain, we find the following:

Wilkins’s Concilia Magnæ Britanniæ, in 4 vols. fol.

Bedæ Historia Anglicana Ecclesiastica. Parisiis, 1681, and
Londini, 1714.

Whartoni Anglia Sacra, 2 vols. folio.

Parker de Antiquitate Ecclesiæ Britannicæ. Hanoviæ, 1605, and
edited by Drake, London, 1729, fol.

Usserii Antiquitates Ecclesiæ Britannicæ. Londini, 1687.

Harpsfeld, Historia Anglicana Ecclesiastica.

Godwin’s Præsules Anglicani, and Catalogue of Bishops.

Le Neve’s Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ.

Inett’s Origines Anglicanæ.

Fuller’s Church History.

Dugdale’s Monasticon Anglicanum. London, 1655-73, 3 vols. folio.

Tanner’s Notitia Monastica, by Nasmyth. London, 1744.

Spotswode’s History of the Church of Scotland.

Burnet’s, Heylin’s and Strype’s Histories of the Reformation,
with the Lives and Memorials of the latter.

Fox’s Martyrs. London, 1684, in 3 volumes, folio.

Walker’s Sufferings of the Clergy.

Twysden’s Vindication of the Church of England. 4to.

Wordsworth’s Ecclesiastical Biography. London, 1818, 6 vols.
8vo.

Newcourt’s Repertorium, or Survey of the Diocese of London.

Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus Provincialis; or Survey of the Diocese
of Exeter. Exeter, 1782, 4to.

Ecton’s Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus, 4to.

Gough, Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ Threnodia. Londini, 1661.

Symeon, Historia Dunelmensis Ecclesiæ. Londini, 1732, 8vo.

Calderwood’s Church of Scotland.

The earlier Theologians in this Library are represented by the Works of Grotius and Erasmus, the Controversial Writings of Le Clerc, Leusden, and Bellarmine, Chamieri Controversiarum Corpus, Limborch, Theologia Christiana, the Works of Episcopius, Peter Martyr, Melancthon, Zanchius, and Bochart, to which may be added, the once popular Treatise ascribed to Thomas à Kempis, the present copy having been printed at Antwerp in 1607.

Of the earlier Divines of England, the Works of Lightfoot, Bramhall, Barrow, Mede, Hoadley, Jewel, and Chillingworth; Hooker’s Ecclesiastical Polity, Cudworth’s Intellectual System, and Lloyd on Church Government, are familiar as household words to every educated Briton.

Among the Theological Writers of the seventeenth century, we find the Works of Allix, Baxter, Barrow, Atterbury, Comber, Claggett, Dodwell, Gastrell, Andrews, Sanderson, Hall, Hammond, Hopkins, Hody, Bull, Leslie, Peirce, Edwards, Long, Pearson, Reynolds, Rutherford, Stillingfleet, Sherlock, Tillotson, Jeremy Taylor, Wake, Wilkins, Whiston, and Weston; Norris on the Beatitudes, Pearson on the Creed, Burnet on the Articles, and Gale’s Court of the Gentiles, Oxford, 1672.

I should be wanting in attention to the English Theology of this Collection were I to pass over the Works of Boyle, Hoadley, Lardner, Jortin, Horsley, Beattie, and Farmer, or Burton’s Testimonies of the Anti-Nicene Fathers to the Divinity of Christ.

Connected with the Theological department, I may here mention Calmet’s Dictionary of the Bible; Hyde’s Religio Veterum Persarum, Oxonii, 1700; Davy’s System of Divinity, Lustleigh, Devon, 1795, 1807, “printed by himself, 14 copies only.” In these 26 volumes the corrections have all been made by the insertion of slips of printed paper in the places requiring emendation. Davy on Divinity, with Portrait, Exeter, 1825, in 3 vols. 8vo. “Presented by the Author to the Dean and Chapter of Exeter, 20th August, 1825.” And Isaac de la Peyreyre’s Men before Adam, which was rigidly suppressed on its first publication; Harmer’s Observations on Scripture; the Preservative against Popery, published by order of Dr. Gibson, in 3 volumes, folio; and some French Works of Divinity, including, however, no author of sufficient note to require distinct enumeration.

The Works illustrative of History in general, contained in this Library, are: Bayle’s Historical Dictionary; Chalmers’s Biographical Dictionary, in 32 vols. 8vo.; Collier’s Historical Dictionary, in 2 vols. folio; Simsoni Chronicon; Heylin’s Cosmography; Raleigh’s History of the World: Isaacson’s Chronological Tables; Baudrand, Lexicon Geographicum; Speculum Historiale Vincentii; Bossuet, Histoire Universelle, 8vo.; Thuani Historia sui temporis; Carionis Chronicon, and Pitt’s English Atlas, Oxford, 1680, in 4 gigantic folio tomes.

Of particular Histories of various countries, the list is rather more copious, comprehending Freheri Scriptores Rerum Germanicarum, folio; Hottingeri Historia Orientalis; Basnage’s History of the Jews; Rycaut and Knolles’s History of the Turks; Ogilby’s China and Japan; Bembi Historia Veneta; China Illustrata; Verona Illustrata; Echard’s History of Rome; Mezeray’s History of France; Serres, Histoire de la France; Davila’s Civil Wars of France; Meterani Historia Belgica; Puffendorf de rebus Suecicis; Bonfinius de rebus Hungaricis; Molesworth’s Denmark; Crantz’s Greenland, Scheffer’s Lapland, and Fowler’s Poland.

As valuable helps to History, I may here mention, Montfaucon’s Antiquities, translated by Humphreys; Montfaucon’s Palæographia Græca; Mabillon, Iter Italicum; Ciampini Monumenta Vetusta; Fleetwood’s Inscriptiones Antiquæ; Reinesii Inscriptiones; Liceti et Pierii Hieroglyphica; Bianchini, Inscrizioni Sepulcrali; Noris’ Cenotaphia Pisana; Bertoli’s Antichita d’Aquileia; Arlinghi’s Roma Subterranea; Rosini’s Antiquitates Romanæ; Prideaux’s Marmora Arundeliana; Spanheim’s and le Vaillant’s Numismata; Occonis Numismata; Patini Numismata Familiarum Romanarum; Pitisci Lexicon; and Dodwell’s Tracts relating to Antiquity.

To the above may be added, Churchill’s Voyages; the Travels of Pococke, Thevenot, Sandys, and others; Freheri Theatrum Virorum Clarorum, & Jovii Elogia Virorum Illustrium.

Of Works on Heraldry, which may most properly be termed “the Key of History,” this Library contains Favine’s Theatre of Honour; Hopingius de Jure Insignium; Milles’s Catalogue of Honor; Gwillim’s Heraldry; Selden’s Titles of Honor; Dugdale’s Baronage; and Ashmole’s History of the Order of the Garter.

Of Works relating to the History and Antiquities of Great Britain, this Collection embraces many Tracts of great curiosity, and some Works of great importance.

Among the latter may be mentioned Eadmeri Historia Novorum; Twinus de rebus Albionicis; the valuable Collection of Francorum Scriptores Coetanei, edited by Duchesne, in 5 volumes, folio, a copy in old vellum, which has suffered severely from damp; Matthæi Paris, Historia Anglicana; Gale and Fell’s important Collection of early English Historians; Camdeni Anglica, Normanica, &c. à veteribus scripta; Polidori Vergilii Historia Anglicana; Matthæi Westmonasteriensis Flores Historiarum; Florentii Wigornensis Chronicon; Sheringham de Anglorum Gentis Origine; Triveti Annales sex Regum Angliæ, 1 vol. 8vo.; Rossi Warvicensis Historia Regum Angliæ, edente Hearnio, Oxonii, 1716, 8vo.; Gibson’s Saxon Chronicle; Musgrave’s Antiquitates Britanno-Belgicæ, 4 vols. 8vo. very neat in calf; Prynne’s Records of John, Henry III. and Edw. I. London, 1670, folio; and the Records of the Kingdom, published under the authority of the Parliamentary Commission.

The remaining Works of English History will be found to embrace many Tracts, interesting as connected with the great Rebellion. This Library contains the General Histories of England, by Daniel, Carte, Speed, and Kennett; Baker’s Chronicle; Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion, with his State Papers; Rushworth’s and Nalson’s Collections of State Papers; Whitelocke’s Memorials; Welwood’s Memoirs; Godwin’s Annals; Herbert’s Henry VIII.; Lloyd’s Memoirs; Fuller’s Worthies; Winstanley’s English Worthies; Lyttelton’s Henry the Second; Heylin’s Life of Laud; Walton’s Lives; Camden’s Elizabeth, with his Remains; Darcie’s Annals of Queen Elizabeth; Chamberlayne’s Angliæ Notitiæ; Winston Churchill’s Divi Britannici, Salmasii Defensio Regia; Bond’s Scutum Regale; Mackenzie’s Jus Regium; Bates’ Elenchus Motuum nuperorum in Angliâ, a work which Warburton thought worth reading; Warwick’s Charles I.; Vie de Cromwell, in 2 vols. 12mo.; Ludlow’s Memoirs, in 2 vols. 8vo.; D’Orleans, Revolution d’Angleterre, Paris. 1695, 3 vols. 12mo.; Dugdale’s View of the Troubles; Gregorio Leti Teatro Britannico, Amst. 1684, in 5 vols. 12mo.; Εικων Βασιλικη: Memoires du Marechal Berwick; Mercurius Britannicus Josephi Hall; and Fuller’s Ephemeral Parliament.

In addition to 27 volumes of Political Tracts, and 20 volumes of Puritanical Sermons, the overflowings of men’s minds under the high excitement of the Rebellion, I observed an octavo volume, which never before occurred to me, being “I. G. de rebus Caroli I. Commentarius sub imperio; Jacobi Marchionis Montisrosarum, anno 1644, et duobus sequentibus præclarè gestis.” Interprete A. S. Paris. (Johan. Bessin.) 1648. This volume is upon large paper, and is bound in red morocco, its sides covered with fleurs de lis, whence it might be conjectured to have belonged to the Queen Henrietta, then resident in France, at all events as a contemporary record of the exploits of the Chivalric Montrose, its historical interest is far from inconsiderable.

Among the other Works relating to English History may be noticed Annales de la Grande Bretagne; Parkerus de rebus sui temporis; Dugdale’s Origines Judiciales; Pepys on the Navy; Mainwaring’s Defence of Amicia; Wood’s Athenæ Oxoniensis; Kippis’ Biographia Britannica; Heylin’s Help to English History, a work still held in estimation; and a copy of Speed’s Maps, 1627, in an oblong duodecimo form.

Among the books of Scottish History I remarked the History of Scotland by Drummond and Buchanan, with the latter’s pretended “Detectioun of the duinges of Mary Queen of Scots;” Major de Gestis Scotorum; and Hume’s House of Douglas; Cox’s History of Ireland, and Ware’s Historical Works concerning Ireland, Dublin, 1739, in 2 vols. folio, deserve brief mention in this place before we proceed to enumerate the Works illustrative of the Topographical Antiquities of England.

The Archæologia, or Collection of Miscellaneous Tracts relating to Antiquity, in an annually increasing series of quarto volumes, published by the Society of Antiquaries, forms a prominent feature in this department of the Library, the present series being respectably clad in modern calf.

To the Antiquarian Society we are also indebted for Plans, Elevations, and Descriptions of the Cathedral Churches of Durham, Exeter, and Gloucester, the Abbey Church at Bath, and St. Stephen’s, Westminster; the present copy being handsomely bound, in one volume, folio, in russia, and bearing the following autographic inscription:

“This book was presented to the Dean and Chapter of Exeter,
the 22nd of December, 1813, as a token of gratitude for their
kind patronage, and as a mark of affection for their Cathedral
Church, by their obliged and faithful Servant,

“RALPH BARNES, _Chapter Clerk_.”

To such a dedication as this, the student who turns the ample pages of this noble folio tome, can only respond, ex imo corde,

“Grati Memorisque animi hocce volumen monumentum esto!”

No works of instruction are more calculated to please the eye than Topographical researches, embellished like Britton’s Account of Exeter Cathedral, of which a copy is very properly deposited in this Library.

The remaining Works of English Topography, which deserve particular notice, are Verstegan’s Restitution of decayed Intelligence respecting English Antiquities; Anthony à Wood’s Historia Universitatis Oxoniensis, Oxonii, 1674, in one volume, folio; Savage’s Balliofergus, or some Account of Baliol College, at Oxford, Oxonii, 1668, 4to.; Caii de Antiquitate Academiæ Cantabrigiensis; Howel’s History of London and Westminster; Roll’s Account of the Rebuilding of London after the Great Fire, of which some accounts are also contained in this Collection; Stow’s Description of London; Lambarde’s Perambulation of Kent, 1656; Dugdale’s History of Warwickshire; Borlase’s Natural History and Antiquities of Cornwall; Milner’s Winchester; Polwhele’s Devonshire; Prince’s Worthies of Devon, “the gift of the author;” Plot’s Natural Histories of Oxfordshire and Staffordshire; Kennet’s Parochial Antiquities; Webbe and Inigo Jones’s Descriptions of Stonehenge; Carlisle’s Endowed Grammar Schools; Leycester’s Cheshire; Bentham’s Ely; Oliver’s History of Exeter; Camden’s Britannia, edited by Gibson, London, 1772, 2 vols. folio; and some Account of St. Neot’s Church in Cornwall, with plates of the stained glass Windows therein, by Messrs. Hedgeland and Davies Gilbert, London, 1830, folio, presented by the former to the Cathedral Library of Exeter.

To the above I may add the Geological Transactions of Cornwall, presented by the Rev. John Rogers, one of the Canons of the adjacent Cathedral.

Though Geology has not yet attained the full stature of a science, yet the mention of these interesting volumes recalls to my mind those older treatises on the more exact Sciences which are contained in this Library.

Among these, Newton’s Principia holds the first place, to which I may add Kepler’s Optics; Boyle’s and Bacon’s Works on Natural Philosophy; Hobbes’ Opera Philosophica; Hevelii Selenographia; Hooke’s Micrographia; Wallis’s Algebra; Maseres’ Scriptores Logarithmici; a few volumes of the Encyclopædia Britannica and of the Philosophical Transactions, with Sprat’s History of the Royal Society.

Of Botanical Works it may be sufficient to particularise Ruellius de Naturâ Stirpium; Raii Historia Plantarum; Grew’s Anatomy of Plants; and Gerarde’s Herbal, to which I may add the singular Collection of Aldrovandus, and Gesner de Animalibus.

I may here also mention Vitruvii Architectura, and Kendall on Architecture; together with Culpepper’s English Physician; Cardani Medicinæ; and other sanatory treatises now obsolete, which form the companions of the Museum Wormianum.

The Law Books contained in this room may be very soon enumerated, as there is no interest whatever attached to the Codex Theodosianus; Corpus Juris Civilis Gothofredi; Oughton’s Ordo Judiciarum, in 2 vols. 4to.; Burns’ Ecclesiastical Law; Blount and Jacob’s Law Dictionaries; Lambard de Priscis Anglorum Legibus; Durandi Speculum Juris; Spencer de Legibus Hebræorum, Cantab. 1685; Gibson Codex Juris Civilis, &c. in 2 vols. folio; and an old edition of Blackstone’s Commentaries.

It is refreshing to turn from so uninviting a topic to those great authors of antiquity, the dread of our earliest, and the delight of our latest years, especially when we can look upon some of the most valuable editions of their Works.

In proof of this assertion, those shelves furnish me with the Oratores Græci, and the Plutarch of Reiske, Isocrates, and Lysias of Auger; the Pindar of Heyne; Plinius Harduini; Pausanias Kuhnii; Livius Drakenborchii; the Horace of Bentley; Duker’s Thucydides; the Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus of Wesseling; Reimar’s Dion Cassius; Josephus Havercampi; Xenophon, by Wells; Brunck’s Sophocles; and Barnes’ Euripides; Longinus, Toupii, and Athenæus Casauboni.

Among the other editions of the Classics, I noticed Platonis Opera Serrani; Quintus Curtius Pitisci; Lucretius Havercampi; Spanheim’s Callimachus; Aristotelis Opera Du Valli; and several of the Delphin editions, including those of Prudentius, Plautus, Eutropius, Cornelius Nepos, Velleius Paterculus, Quintus Curtius, Manilius, Juvenal, and Lucretius.

I also noticed some pieces of Cicero, and various editions of Æschines, Boethius, Florus, Macrobius, Martial, Aristophanes, Quintilian, Petronius Arbiter, Seneca, Sallust, Suetonius, Statius, Phædrus, Tacitus, Valerius Maximus, Terence, Homer, Demosthenes, Cæsar, Xenophon, and the Historiæ Augustæ Scriptores, whose importance would scarcely justify more particular specification.

The earliest editions of the Classics comprised within these walls, are indifferent copies of Cæsar, printed by Jenson, at Venice, in 1471, folio, measuring twelve inches by eight and a quarter, and bound in calf; and Virgilius Servii, 1475, folio, where the Commentary ends with the Æneid, and the Minor Pieces, with vacant margins, follow.

Of Translations of the Classics, I observed Dryden’s Virgil and Juvenal; Hobbes’s Thucydides; Ross’s Silius Italicus; Ogilby’s Æsop; and Dacier’s Horace.

Of Lexicons and Dictionaries, and other Etymological Works, the essential accompaniments of the Classic page, to every youthful student, I have the pleasure of enumerating several, which will be found very useful in the study either of Classic or of Gothic Literature.

For the first, it may suffice to mention Suidæ, Hesychii, et Scapulæ Lexica, Hoffmanni, et Phavorini Lexica, Stephani Thesaurus, Calepini Dictionarium, Julii Pollucis Onomasticon, Vossii Etymologicon, Cooper’s Thesaurus, and Du Fresne’s Glossary.