[LXXXIV.] He haz a learned copie of verses before Hopton's 'Concordance of Yeares'; before Ben Jonson's Workes; &c.
The poets met, the other day,
And Apollo was at the meeting, they say,
* * * * * * *
'Twas strange to see how they flocked together:
There was Selden, and he stood next to the chaire,
And Wenman not far off, which was very faire,
etc.
He was one of the assembly of divines in those dayes (as was also his highnesse ... Prince Elector Palatine[BP]), and was like a thorne in their sides; for he did baffle and vexe[960] them; for he was able to runne them all downe with his Greeke and antiquities.
Sir Robert Cotton (the great antiquary, that collected the library) was his great friend, whose son, Sir Thomas Cotton, was obnoxious to the Parliament, and skulked in the countrey: Mr. Selden had the key and command of the library, and preserved it, being then a Parliament man.
He intended to have given his owne library to the University of Oxford[LXXXV.], but received disobligation from them, for that they would not lend him some MSS.; wherfore by his will he left it to the disposall of his executors, who gave it to the Bodlean library, at Oxon.
[LXXXV.] Memorandum:—Mr. Fabian Philips says that Mr. Selden had given his library to Oxford at first, but that the University had disobliged <him> by not lending him a MS. or MSS.
He understood ... languages:—Latin, Greeke, Hebrew, Arabique, besides the learned modern.
In his writing of ... he used his learned friend, Mr. Henry Jacob, of Merton College, who did transcribe etc. for him, and as he was writing, would many times putt-in things of his owne head, which Mr. Selden did let stand, as he does, in his preface, acknowledge.
In his younger yeares he affected obscurity of style, which, after, he quite left off, and wrote perspicuously. 'Twill be granted that he was one of the greatest critiques of his time.
I remember my sadler who wrought many yeares to that family[961] told me that Mr. Selden had got more by his marriage then he had done by his practise. He was no eminent practiser at barre; not but that he was or might have been able enough; but after he had got a dulce ocium he chiefly addicted himselfe to his more ingeniose studies and records.