from the Beginning of the World to this Day” (Cambridge, 1593) is in the Library. “An Explanation of the Epistle of St. Jude” (London, 1633) is a series of sermons preached in the parish church of North Walsham by Samuel Otes, rector of South Repps, Norfolk, who was chaplain to the Lord Chief Justice Hobart. Reference has already been made to the works of Humphrey Prideaux, Dean of Norwich. Anthony Sparrow, Bishop of Norwich, who was born in Suffolk, published “Rationale upon the Book of Common Prayer” (London, 1661), which was often reprinted and is still of some value, and a companion volume “Collection of Articles, Canons,” etc. (London, 1684). Last but not least to be mentioned is the “Increpatio Barjesu” (London, 1660) of Matthew Wren, who was successively Bishop of Hereford, Norwich and Ely. It is a volume of polemical interpretations of Scripture, in reply to the Racovian catechism—a copy of which was in the Library—written during the author’s imprisonment in the Tower, and edited by his son Matthew.
Many of the books have autographs of their former owners, and some have inscriptions and annotations. Edward Lhuyd’s “Archæologica Britannica” contains some notes made by George Borrow, who also wrote an English translation of some Arabic in Thomas Erpenius’ “Grammatica Arabica.” The second folio of the “Golden Legend” (1503) bears the signature of Thomas Kirkpatrick, and the first fly-leaf has the following inscription: “This book was given to the Publick Library of the City of Norwich, A.D. 1728, by Mr. Thomas Kirkpatrick, merchant there, and was bound at the expence of Isaac Preston, Esq., 1742, that it might the better be preserv’d being an Authentick & antient Evidence of the extravagant Foppery and Superstition of the Church of Rome, & of the necessity of the Reformation. Vide the Commandments page ye 20th in the life of Moses.”
An interesting request from Archbishop Wake for the loan of a Prayer Book, which was not returned, is recorded in the Minute Book under date February 2nd, 1718/9: “This day a Book wch has for some years been lodged in ye Library of ye City entituled—The Book of Common-prayer & Administration of ye Sacraments & other Rights & Ceremonies of the Church
of England, printed at London by Robert Barker, 1632—Wherein are several Marginal Notes in Writing done by ye order of King Charles ye first was delivered to Mr Brand of this city Clerke to be by Him transmitted to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury He having requested the said Book might be sent to Him.” A memorandum against this entry reads: “The order of the Court dated Jan. 28, 1718, and enter’d in this book was alter’d May ye ninth 1719, and ye Common prayer book there nam’d deliver’d by Mr. Mott yn Mayor to Dr. John Clark to be by Him sent to ye A: Bp: of Canterbury.” The Dean of Christ Church, Oxford (the Very Rev. Thomas B. Strong, D.D.), after receiving a copy of the foregoing quotation, examined the Prayer Books in the Wake Collection at Christ Church, and found one which answers to the description. He has kindly consented to the publication of the following quotation from his correspondence thereon: “I took the book to the Bodleian Library yesterday; and Dr. Craster (the Sub-Librarian), who is an expert in these matters, has verified the facts for me. The book is a quarto book, ‘printed by Robert Barker, Printer to the King’s Most Excellent Majesty and by the assignees of John Bull, 1632.’ There are no marks of any kind in the book except the mark K11 (I suppose a shelf-mark [40]) on the inside of the cover. It is bound in limp vellum. A blank sheet of paper has been cut out in front of the title-page. On the page opposite the beginning of the Morning Prayer, and under the Ornaments Rubric, there is the signature of Charles I. Under the signature is the following note, in a clear and formal hand, which Dr. Craster has proved to be the handwriting of Archbishop Laud’s secretary:—
‘I gave the Arcbbp. of Canterburye comand to make the Alterations expressed in this Booke, and to fitt a Liturgy for the Church of Scotland. And whersoever they shall differ from another Booke signed by Us at Hampt. Court September 28, 1634, Our pleasure is to have these followed rather than the former, unless the Archbp. of St. Andrews, and his Brethren who are upon the place, shall see apparent reason to the contrary. At Whitehall Apr. 19, 1636.’
The same hand has made various alterations in the book; and has written the collect for Easter Even, which appeared first in the Scottish Prayer-Book of 1637, in its place. The remaining
notes and alterations are in the hand of Archbishop Laud. The 1637 edition of the Scottish Prayer-Book follows exactly, as far as I have been able to verify them, all the notes in the book. One note is perhaps worth mentioning. In the Quicunque, the verse, ‘He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity,’ is altered as follows: ‘He therefore that would be saved, let him thus think’; and this alteration appears in the 1637 book.”
A fair number of the books are still in their original bindings or have been so rebound that their original covers have been preserved. Of these most are ornamented in “blind,” i.e., impressed with tools or panel stamps without being gilt or coloured, but a few have centre-pieces in gold. A few examples may be noted. In the early Tudor period panel stamps with heraldic or pictorial designs were frequently used by English and foreign binders practising their craft in England. A number of English binders adorned their books with a pair of large heraldic panel stamps, the different binders making slight variations in the designs. A fairly good example of a binding stamped with two such panels is that of a copy of “Anticella cum quamplurimis tractatibus superadditis,” (Venice, 1507) in the Library, which has had its original covers repaired and laid down again. The lower cover shows the arms of Henry VIII. (France and England) supported by two angels; the upper cover has a large Tudor rose surrounded by two ribbons, supported by two angels, and bearing the distich:
Hec rosa virtutis de celo missa sereno
Eternum Florens regia sceptra feret
which has been rendered: