Works of history, antiquities and travel form the class which is next in importance and extent to the theological works. In proportion to the size and character of the Library, the selection in this class is moderately good. Most of the chief or popular English historians from Matthew Paris to Strype and Dugdale are represented by some of their works. There
are, for example, Fabyan’s Chronicle (London, 1559), Hall’s “Union of the . . . famelies of Lancastre and Yorke” (London, 1550), Grafton’s Chronicle (1569), Holinshed’s Chronicles, first and second editions (1577 and 1587), Stow’s “Annales” (1615), Speed’s “Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine” (1611), Camden’s “Remains concerning Britain” (1657), “History of Queen Elizabeth” (in “A Complete History of England,” London, 1706), “Annals of King James I.”, and “Britannia”, (1695), Sir Thomas Smith’s “Commonwealth of England” (1633), Foxe’s “Ecclesiasticall Historie” (1597), Sir Walter Raleigh’s “History of the World” (1676), [35] Rushworth’s “Historical Collections” (1659), Bacon’s “Life of Henry VII.” (in “A Complete History of England,” London, 1706), Herbert’s “King Henry VIII.” (in “A Complete History of England,” London, 1706), Heylyn’s “Cosmographie” (1669), Clarendon’s “History of the Rebellion” (odd vols. of the 1706 edition), Bulstrode Whitelocke’s “Memorials of the English affairs” (1682), Burnet’s “History of the Reformation” (1681-83), Strype’s “Annals of the Reformation” (1709), Dugdale’s “Monasticon Anglicanum” (odd vols.), and his “Antiquities of Warwickshire” (1730), and Anthony à Wood’s “Athenæ Oxonienses” (1691-92).
Other historical and geographical works are Munster’s “Cosmographiae Universalis” (Basel, 1559), the first detailed, scientific and popular description of the world; Foresti’s “Supplementum Supplementi Chronicarum” (Venice, 1506), a universal history written by an Italian monk and historian; Lonicerus’ “Chronicorum Turcicorum in quibus Turcorum origo” etc. (Frankfort, 1578); and Braun and Hogenberg’s “Civitates Orbis Terrarum” (Cologne, 1577-88), containing the earliest general collection of topographical views of the chief cities of the world, including one of Norwich.
The Rev. Joseph Brett in 1706 pointed out that the Library possessed “very few Humanity Books, few or none of Law, Physick, Mathematicks, or indeed of any science but Divinity,” and it never became strong in these subjects. It is weak in
the ancient classics, but the following are some of the authors represented: Aristotle, Cicero, Cornelius Nepos, Diogenes Laertius, Euclid, Eutropius, Juvenal, Livy, Lucan, Plato, Pliny, Plutarch, Seneca, Suetonius, and Tacitus. In English belles-lettres the chief works are Chaucer’s Works (London, 1721), Abraham Cowley’s Works (1668), Michael Drayton’s “Poly-Olbion” (1613), Gower’s “Confessio Amantis” (London, 1554), and George Herbert’s “The Temple and other Sacred Poems” (1633).
The outstanding scientific works are Sir Isaac Newton’s “Opticks” (1704), Burnet’s “Theory of the Earth” (1691), The Grete Herball (London: Peter Treveris, 1526), Walter Charleton’s “Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charltoniana” (London, 1654) and his “Œconomia Animalis” (London, 1659), J. B. Duhamel’s “Elementa astronomica” (Cambridge, 1665), Galileo’s “Systeme of the World,” transl. by T. Salusbury (London, 1661), Gassendi’s “Institutio astronomica” (London, 1653), Johannes de Sacro Bosco’s “Opus sphericum” (Cologne, 1508), Munster’s “Rudimenta mathematica” (Basel, 1551), “Hortus Sanitatis” (Mainz, 1491), vol. 3 of John Ray’s “Historia Plantarum” (London, 1704), and Thomas Willis’ “Cerebri anatome” (London, 1664).
The bias of local patriotism is declared by Mr. Havelock Ellis in his “Study of British Genius” to be “an unfailing sign of intellectual ill-breeding,” notwithstanding which no apology is herein made for drawing special attention to the fact that the Library includes some of the writings of more than a score of authors—most of whom achieved some eminence—who are connected with Norfolk or Norwich, either by birth or residence. Taking the names in alphabetical order, the first of the Norfolk men whose writings are represented is Thomas Becon or Beacon, who took orders in 1538, and preached in Norfolk and Suffolk. The edition of his “Works,” is that printed by John Day [? 1560-64], containing a tract on “The Common-places of Holy Scripture,” dedicated “To my deare countrymen and faythfull Ministers of Iesu Christ watching and attending upon the Lordes flocke in the Parishes of Norfolke and Suffolke,” dated 1562. Francis Blomefield’s “History of the Ancient City and Burgh of Thetford,” printed at the author’s residence
at Fersfield in 1739, contains a book-plate, apparently printed by the author, stating that the book was presented to the City Library. Samuel Clarke, who was born at Norwich in 1675, became chaplain to Bishop Moore of Norwich, and afterwards rector of Drayton, is represented by his “Scripture-Doctrine of the Trinity,” 1712, and his Boyle lectures of 1704 and 1705, viz., “Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God,” 1705, and “Discourse concerning the unchangeable obligations of Natural Religion,” 1706. Of the works of the great Sir Edward Coke, judge and law writer, who came of an old Norfolk family, there are the “First Part of the Institutes of the Lawes of England,” 1629, and “Les Reports de Edward Coke . . . donnes . . . per les judges, et sages de la ley,” 11 vols. The “Scholastic History of the Canon of the Holy Scripture” (London, 1684) is the only volume of the works of John Cosin, Bishop of Durham, who was born at Norwich in 1594. In the preparation of this, his most elaborate and important work, he injured his eyesight. Thornhagh Gurdon, a receiver-general for Norfolk, who is included in Mr. Walter Rye’s “Norfolk Families,” and who resided mostly at Norwich, presented a copy of the first edition of his “History of the High Court of Parliament” (London, 1731). The only work of Hamon Le Strange, a Norfolk historian and theologian, is “The Alliance of Divine Offices” (London, 1690), in the preface of which he speaks of having undergone an eight years’ sequestration, apparently between 1643-1651. John Pearson, Bishop of Chester, whose “Exposition of the Creed” has already been referred to, was born at Great Snoring on 28th Feb., 1612/3.
Again taking the names in alphabetical order, the first author who is connected with the county by residence is Edward Boys, who became rector of Mautby in 1639, where he died in 1667. Of his publications the Library contains “Sixteen Sermons preached upon several occasions” (London, 1672). William Bridge, whose “Works” (London, 1649) are in the Library, was born at Cambridge, became rector of St. Peter Hungate, Norwich, in 1636, and afterwards settled at Yarmouth. John Collinges, a Presbyterian, who came to Norwich in 1646, published controversial and devotional tracts and sermons. He is only represented by “A Short Discourse against Transubstantiation”
(London, 1675), and “On the Intercourse of Divine Love” (1676), but the Local Collection of the Public Library contains many of his writings. “The Notion of Schism” (London, 1676) is the work of another parson who came to Norfolk, Robert Connould, rector of Bergh Apton. John Graile, rector of Blickling, whom Blomefield referred to as “This learned and pious pastor,” presented to the Library his “Youth’s Grand Concern” (London, 1711) and “Sacra Privata” (London, 1699). Reference has already been made to the works of Bishop Hall (see p. 33). There are two volumes, “The Open Door for Man’s approach to God” (London, 1650) and “A Consideration of Infant Baptism” (London, 1653), by John Horne, who was beneficed at All Hallows, King’s Lynn. John Jeffery, who was elected to the living of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, in 1678, and became Archdeacon of Norwich in 1694, is represented by “Select Discourses” (London, 1710), “Complete Collection of Sermons and Tracts,” 2 vols. (London, 1753), and “Forms of Prayer” (1706). Dr. Peter de Laune, a minister of the French Church in Norwich during the early years of the seventeenth century, presented to the Library a copy of his translation of the English Prayer Book into French, entitled “La Liturgie Angloise; ou, le livre des prieres publiques” (London: John Bill, 1616). His name is not printed in the book, but the copy in the Library bears on the title-page the following inscription which was probably written by him: “Liber bibliothecæ publicæ Nordouicensis ex dono doctoris Petri Launæi quo authore Anglicanæ hæc ecclesiæ liturgia facta est Gallicana.” [38] This book is the first French edition of the English Prayer Book entered in the Catalogue of the British Museum. Francis Mason’s “Vindiciæ Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ,” is the work of an Archdeacon of Norfolk, who is remembered for his vigorous defence of the authority of the church, which earned for him the title of “Vindex Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ.” Another preacher with the memorable title “Apostle of Norwich,” procured by a great reputation, was John More, minister of St. Andrew’s Church, Norwich, whose posthumous work “Table