Annals of the Bodleian Library, Oxford, A.D. 1598-A.D. 1867: With a Preliminary Notice of the earlier Library founded in the Fourteenth CenturyMacray, William Dunn
History
Annals of the Bodleian Library, Oxford, A.D. 1598-A.D. 1867: With a Preliminary Notice of the earlier Library founded in the Fourteenth Century
Macray, William Dunn
Bodleian Library
The large coats of arms appear to have been inserted in 1716, as in the
accounts for that year we find, 'For paynted armes in the Library
window, £5.' But one coat of arms was put up in the year 1771, (_q. v._)
It was in this year that the Library began to be enlarged with the gift
of copies of all works published by the members of the Stationers'
Company, in pursuance of an agreement made with them by Bodley, which
became the precursor of the obligations of the Copyright Acts. On Dec.
12 the Company made a grant of one perfect copy of every book printed by
them, on condition that they should have liberty to borrow the books
thus given, if needed for reprinting, and also to examine, collate, and
copy the books which were given by others. An order of the Star-Chamber
was made July 11, 1637, in confirmation of this grant[49]. The proposal
of such an agreement emanated from the Librarian James; but in the
effecting it Bodley says that he met with 'many rubs and delays[50].'
Ayliffe say[51] that the agreement was very well observed until about
1640. He should rather have said 'about 1630,' for in that year, in a
paper of notes made by the Librarian for the use of Archbishop Laud, as
Chancellor of the University (in which the mention of a gift of books by
Fetherston, a London bookseller, fixes the date), complaint is made that
the Company were very negligent in sending their books, and it is
suggested that a message from the Chancellor might quickly remedy that
neglect[52]. In 1642, Verneuil, the Sub-Libraria[53], complained in the
Preface to his _Nomenclator, &c_, of the neglect which had then begun;
mentioning the names of several benefactors, he adds: 'These have beene
more courteous than the Stationers of London, who by indenture are bound
to give the Library a copy of every booke they print.' In the Visitation
Order-Book, under the year 1695, is the following 'memorandum' by Hyde,
then Head Librarian: 'That in November, 1695, a copy of the indenture
between Sir Thomas Bodley and the Company of Stationers, as also a copy
of their By-Law to inforce their particular members to complyance, was
sent up to the Master of the Company to be communicated and publicly
read to the Company once every year, as is in the indenture expressed.
The originall was also some years agon carryed up and shewed to the
Master and Wardens, because some of them used to raile at the unjustness
of the Act of Parliament in forcing them to give a copy of each book to
the Bodleian Library; and therefore we shewed them that we had also
another antecedent right to a copy of each book printed by any member in
their Company. The Indenture mentions only the giving of books new
printed, but the By-law mentions books both new-printed and also
reprinted with additions[54]. We have been told that Sir Thomas Bodley
gave to the Company 50 pounds worth of plate when they entred into this
Indenture. But its not mentioned in our counter-part. Every book is to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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