sing of them in all occurrences, dependeth wholly and singly of the University; for she knoweth best what will be most for her service and advantage, and she is absolute mistress to dispose of them as she pleaseth. And with that, upon all occasions, my good liking shall ever go along. The propositions you sent me a transcript of, methinketh are very good ones; only towards the end of the sixth it seemeth to me there is too great a restriction; for, since all good things are the better the more they are communicated, I see no reason but that he who hath not convenience to print what he hath copied, should keep his, transcript by him. Give me leave, before I end my letter, to enquire of you whether a parcel of Arabic books, that I'designed for the service of the University, ever found the way thither or no. As I was one day waiting on the late king, my master, I told him of a collection of choice Arabic manuscripts I was sending after my Latin ones to the University. My Lord of Canterbury* (that was present) wished they might go along with a parcel that he was sending to St. John's College: whereupon I sent them to his Grace, as Chancellor of the University, beseeching him to present them in my name to the same place where he sent his. They were in two trunks (made exactly fit for *Archbishop Laud. them) that had the first letters of my christian and sirname decyphered upon them with nails; and on the first page of every book was my ordinary motto and name, written at length in my own hand. The troubles of the times soon followed my sending these trunks of books to Lambeth-house, and I was banished out of the land, and returned not till my lord was dead; so that I never more heard of them. If they came where they were intended, I am satisfied; if not, I would make enquiry after them. I have in my library at Paris some more manuscripts that I intend for the University library; which, when I shall have gotten over thither, I intend to send unto it. In the meantime, Sir, if any thing in my power may be of service to you, I shall take it for a great favour to be commanded by you; and do assure you, that upon all occasions you shall ever find me Your very humble servant, KENELM DIGBY. Gothurst, the 7 of Nov. 1654. LETTER II. Dr. CHARLETON* to Dr. BARLOW.† REVEREND SIR, THAT our venerable mother, the University of Oxford, is pleased with so much of condescension and favour to accept my mean oblation, the image of the illustrious Hugo Grotius, which lately I presumed to send, not as an ornament to her public library, but a minerval or simple testimony of my respects and gratitude, I esteem a singular felicity to me; but inscribe it intirely to her exceeding benignity and candor, and your most obliging recommendation, not to the value of the offering itself, which in truth holds * Walter Charleton was one of the physicians in ordinary to Charles the First and Second. "I think," says Wood, "he hath been some few years, as he is now (1695) in the Isle of Jersey, a learned and an unhappy man, aged and grave, yet too much given to Romances." He died in 1707, aged 87. + Thomas Barlow was Fellow and afterwards Provost of Queen's, Head Keeper of the Bodleian Library, Margaret Professor of Divinity, and Bishop of Lincoln. He died in 1691, in the 85th year of his age. He left to the Bodleian Library all such books of his own as it did not possess at the time of his death, and the remainder to his own society, who erected in 1694 a very handsome building to receive them. no proportion to either her grandeur and glory, or to my zeal for the increase thereof. To her indulgence, therefore, and your humanity, I, according to my duty, gratefully acknowledge myself infinitely indebted: beseeching you (most worthily honoured Dr.) further to exercise the same virtue, in recommending to her also my thanks for so signal an honour; and in believing most assuredly, that I am, though the least deserving of all her sons, yet one of the most devote of all her and your servants, May 14, [16]74. W. CHARLETON. LETTER III. Sir W. DUGDALE to Mr. A. WOOD. History of Bishops.-Baronage.-On the fourth volume of the Monasticon. SIR, YOURS of the 17th instant I received, being glad to hear that you are now with our noble friend at Weston, (to whom I pray you present my most hearty service) and that you have been labouring upon the History of our Bishops. Those notes which I have of them from the public records, are, chiefly, the restitution of their temporalties, upon their consecra tions, and something out of certain old annals; all of which are at your service, when you please. I think, therefore, that you may do well to come hither about three weeks hence, and take note of what I have collected concerning them, which will be no long work. My worthy friend Mr. Chetwynd will be then with his mother (the Lady Dixey) which is but six miles distant from hence; at which time I intend to visit him there, where I can make you acquainted with him, and where you may confer with him of what I formerly discoursed with you concerning the antiquities of Staffordshire. As to the reprinting of my Baronage, I believe the bookseller (unto whom I have disposed of the copy) will do it ere long; for the last term they acknowledged to me that they had but a few of the books unsold. What corrections or material additions either you or Mr. Sheldon* can help me to, will be very acceptable to me, and therefore I shall take it for a great favour that you will go in hand with gathering them together. Touching a fourth volume of the Monasticon, I should be willing that there were such a work; but having extracted from our public records, and the famous Cottonian Library, what is there *This was Mr. Ralph Sheldon, of Beoly, in Warwick shire, a great friend and patron to Anthony Wood. |