Part 8 (1/2)

Another reason for Selden's withholding his library in its entirety has, however, been a.s.signed, besides those mentioned above, and this, too, by closely contemporary writers. In July, 1649, the new intruded officers and fellows of Magdalene College found in the Muniment-room in the cloister-tower of the College, a large sum of money in the old coinage called _Spur-royals_[117], or _Ryals_, amounting to 1400, the equivalent of which had been left by the Founder as a reserve fund for law expenses, for re-erecting or repairing buildings destroyed by fire, &c., or for other extraordinary charges. This gold had been laid up and counted in Q. Elizabeth's time and had remained untouched since then; consequently, although some of the old members of the College were aware of its existence, to the new-comers it seemed a welcome and unexpected discovery, especially as the College was at the time heavily in debt.

They immediately proceeded to divide it among all the members on the Foundation proportionately, not excluding the choristers, (who were at that time undergraduates), the Puritan President, Wilkinson, being alone opposed to such an illegal proceeding, and being with difficulty prevailed upon to accept 100 as his share, which, however, upon his death-bed he charged his executors to repay. The spur-royals were exchanged at the rate of 18_s._ 6_d._ to 20_s._each, and each fellow had 33 of them. But when the fact of this embezzlement of corporate funds became known, the College was called to account by Parliament, and, although they attempted to defend themselves, they individually deemed it wise to refund the greater, or a considerable, part of what had been abstracted.[118] Fuller, whose _Church History_ was published in the year following Selden's death, after telling this scandalous story, proceeds thus (book ix. p. 234):--'Sure I am, a great antiquarie lately deceased (rich as well in his state as learning) at the hearing hereof quitted all his intention of benefaction to Oxford or any place else, on suspition it would be diverted to other uses, on the same token that he merrily said, I think the best way for a man to perpetuate his memory is to procure the Pope to canonize him for a saint, for then he shall be sure to be remembred in their Calender; whereas otherwise I see all Protestant charity subject to the covetousness of posterity to devour it, and bury the donor thereof in oblivion.' And the name of this 'great antiquarie' was supplied in 1659 by the Puritan writer Henry Hickman, who, as a Demy of Magdalene College, had shared in the spoils. He, in the Appendix to his _Justification of the Fathers and Schoolmen_, gives (in answer to a pa.s.sage in Heylin's _Examen Historic.u.m_) a full account of the dividing of the gold, adding, 'which, as is said, did hinder Mr.

John Selden from bestowing his library on the University.' And Wood (_Hist. and Antiq._ by Gutch, ii. 942) says that he had been told that this misappropriation was one reason of Selden's distaste at Oxford.

From all this it is clear that Burnet's narrative gives a very inaccurate account of the matter.

It was in the year 1659 that the great ma.s.s of Selden's collection was forwarded by his executors. In the accounts for 1660 appear payments to Barlow of 20 'for his paines in procuring Mr. Selden's books,' and of 51 for his expenses thereon. The bringing the books from London cost about 34, and the providing chains for them 25 10_s._[119]

Unfortunately, during the interval, many books had been lost which had been borrowed in London, and were never returned. (Life, in _Works_, I.

lii.) And a part, which somehow was not sent to Oxford, afterwards altogether perished, 'for the fire of the Temple destroyed in one of their chambers eight chests full of the registers of abbeys, and other ma.n.u.scripts relating to the history of England; tho' most of his law-books are still safe in Lincoln's Inn[120].' Some medical books were bequeathed to the College of Physicians. Some of the original deeds relating to the gift were bought for the Library in 1837 for 1 1_s._

About 8000 volumes were, in all, added to the Library by this gift, most of which bear Selden's well-known motto: 'pe?? pa?t?? t?? e?e??e??a?.'

Amongst them are some which belonged to Ben Jonson, Dr. Donne, and Sir Robert Cotton. The number of miscellaneous foreign works, in several European languages, is noticeable, many of which had been published but a short time before Selden's death. In curious contrast to the character of the greater part of his collection (rich in cla.s.sics and science, theology and history, law and Hebrew literature) there occurs one volume (marked 4^o C. 32. Art. Seld.) which is priceless in the eyes of the lovers of old English black-letter tracts. It contains twenty-six tracts (most bearing the name of a previous possessor, one Thomas Newton) which are among the rarest of early popular tales and romances.

As mere specimens of the collection may be mentioned, _Richard Cuer de Lyon_, _Syr Bevis of Hampton_ (unique edit.?), _Syr Degore_, _Syr Tryamoure_ (only two copies known), _Syr Eglamoure_ (unique?), _Dan Hew of Leicestre_ (unique?), _Battayle of Egyngecourt_ (unique?), _Mylner of Abyngton_ (unique?), _Wyl Bucke_, _&c._ Among the MSS. is one of Harding's _Chronicle_ (Arch. Seld. B. 10) which appears to have belonged to Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, from his arms being painted at the end, and which some have supposed was also a presentation copy to Edward IV. A curious map accompanies the description of Scotland (here given in prose, not, as in the printed editions, in verse), in which, next to Sutherland and Caithness, the author, who would have won Dr.

Johnson's respect as being 'a good hater,' places 'Styx, the infernal flode,' and 'The palais of Pluto, King of hel, _neighbore to Scottz_.'

This map was engraved for the first time in Gough's _British Topography_, vol. ii. pl. viii.; the description of it occupies pp.

579-583 in that volume. Another interesting volume is a copy of the Latin _Articles_ of 1562, printed by Reginald Wolfe in 1563, with the autograph signatures of the members of the Lower House of Convocation (Arch. Seld. A. 76). Fifty-four Greek MSS. are described in Mr. c.o.xe's Catalogue, vol. i. cols. 583-648.

[109] As Aubrey (_Lives_, with _Letters by Eminent Persons_, ii. 532) has preserved a story that Selden on his death-bed refused, through Hobbes' persuasion, to see a clergyman (Mr Johnson) who was coming 'to a.s.soile him,' it is worth while to print the following notice of his death from Rawlinson MS. B. clviii. fol. 75, a volume containing a collection of biographical anecdotes, &c., written in a rather clumsy copyist's hand, about the beginning of the last century: 'Mr. Selden upon his death-bed disclaimed all Hobbisme and the like wicked and Atheisticall opinions, commanded that neither Mr. Hobbs nor Capt.

Rossingham should be admitted to him, confessed his sins, and desired absolution, which was given him by Archbp. Usher; but amongst other things he much deplored the loss of his time in studying of things more curious than usefull, and wished that he [had] rather executed the office of a justice of peace than spent his time in that which the world calls learning.'

[110] See also Aubrey's _Lives_, _ut supra_, ii. 536.

[111] Nichols (_Lit. Anecd._ i. 333) gives another and very different story, for which he produces no authority. He says that Selden had actually sent his library to Oxford during his lifetime, but hearing that they had lent out a book _without sufficient caution_, he sent for it back again.

[112] Twells' Life of Poc.o.c.ke, in Poc.o.c.ke's _Theol. Works_, 1740, vol.

i. p. 43.

[113] Reg. Conv. T. p. 251. It is added, as an additional reason for the concession, 'porro spes sit virum in rem nostram academicam optime affectum, hanc ei extra ordinem gratiam factam abunde olim compensaturum.'

[114] A copy also exists of this paper made by Hearne with a view to publication, and, as appears from a short preface by him, from a double motive; firstly, to prevent persons taking offence in his own day at refusals; secondly, to afford warning to persons with 'fanatical consciences,' who seem to have thought there was no harm done in carrying books away secretly, provided they returned them again.

Unfortunately 'consciences' such as these still exist, and there is reason for quoting, with a present application, the words with which the warm-hearted Hearne concludes: 'Let these men consider seriously how they will answer this before G.o.d, and withall a.s.sure themselves that if they be found out, they will, besides the punishment like to come upon them hereafter (without an earnest, hearty repentance) be expos'd to all that infamy and disgrace which the Statute enjoyns to be inflicted upon such notorious offenders.' (Misc. MSS. papers relating to the Library.)

The first actual theft of a book occurred in 1624. At the Visitation on Nov. 9, the Curators drew up a formal doc.u.ment, publis.h.i.+ng and denouncing the deed, and exhorting the unknown doer to a timely repentance. A copy of it is preserved in volume 23 of Bryan Twyne's Collections, in the University Archives (p. 683), and runs as follows:--

'c.u.m in hac visitatione nostra anniversaria Bibliothecae Bodleianae, post diligentem et religiosam status ejus pro officii nostri ratione examinationem factam, compertum sit volumen unum (Jod. Nahumus. Conc. in Evangelia Dominicalia. Han. 1604. N. 1. 3[121]) in cla.s.se Theologica, catena abscissum et sacrilega nebulonis alicujus manu surreptum esse; c.u.mque ex fideli Bibliothecarii relatione (pensatis loci atque temporis circ.u.mstantis) constet, non nisi a jurato aliquo facinus hoc detestabile perpetratum esse;--

'Nos Curatores, quorum fidei et inspectioni Bibliothecae cura speciali nomine a n.o.bilissimo Fundatore concredita est, insolentis facti indignitate moti et perculsi, quamvis liber parabilis, exigui et pretii et usus sit, ne tamen lenti plus quam par est, et frigidi in causa tanti momenti videamur, post maturam deliberationem, programmate affixo, facinus publicandum duximus;--

'Impense rogantes omnes et singulos cujuscunque ordinis et loci genuinos Academia alumnos, ut sicubi librum offendant, sive in privatis musaeis, sive in bibliopolarum officinis, rest.i.tuendum curent, unaque operam n.o.bisc.u.m conferant, ut, si fieri possit, hoc propudium hominis, Bibliothecarum pestis et tenebrio sacrilegus, e latibulis suis in lucem extrahatur; denique, odium et indignationem suam contribuant, saltem ut publicae infamiae tuba miser experrectus, misericordiam divinam tempestive imploret, conspecta vel Bibliothecae porta posthaec attonitus resiliat, nec tanti putet libri contemptibilis acquisitionem ut animam pro qua mortuus est Christus ineptissime peric.l.i.tari sinat.

JO. PRIDEAUX, Vice-Canc. et S. Theol. Professor Regius.

THO. CLAYTON, Medic. Professor Regius.

DANIEL EASTCOT, Procurator Sen.

RICARDUS HILL, Procurator Jun.

EDOARDUS MEETKERKIUS, Ling. Hebr. Professor Regius.