Libraries in the Medieval and Renaissance Periods: The Rede Lecture Delivered June 13, 1894Clark, John Willis
History
Libraries in the Medieval and Renaissance Periods: The Rede Lecture Delivered June 13, 1894
Clark, John Willis
Libraries -- History -- 1400-1600; Libraries -- History -- 400-1400; Manuscripts, Medieval; Manuscripts, Renaissance
In the north syde of the Cloister, from the corner over
against the Church dour to the corner over againste the Dorter
dour, was all fynely glased from the hight to the sole within
a litle of the grownd into the Cloister garth. And in every
wyndowe iij Pewes or Carrells, where every one of the old
Monks had his carrell, severall by himselfe, that, when they
had dyned, they dyd resort to that place of Cloister, and
there studyed upon there books, every one in his carrell, all
the after nonne, unto evensong tyme. This was there exercise
every daie.
All there pewes or carrells was all fynely wainscotted and
verie close, all but the forepart, which had carved wourke
that gave light in at ther carrell doures of wainscott. And in
every carrell was a deske to lye there bookes on. And the
carrells was no greater then from one stanchell of the wyndowe
to another.
And over against the carrells against the church wall did
stande certaine great almeries [or cupbords] of waynscott all
full of bookes [with great store of ancient manuscripts to
help them in their study], wherein did lye as well the old
auncyent written Doctors of the Church as other prophane
authors with dyverse other holie mens wourks, so that every
one dyd studye what Doctor pleased them best, havinge the
Librarie at all tymes to goe studie in besydes there carrells.
No example of an English monastic book-press has survived, so far as I
have been able to discover; but it would be rash to say that none exists.
Meanwhile I will shew you a French example of a press, from the sacristy
of the Cathedral at Bayeux, but I cannot be sure that it was originally
intended to hold books. M. Viollet-Le-Duc, from whom I borrow it, decides
that it was probably made early in the thirteenth century.
_Cupboard from sacristy of Bayeux Cathedral._
The Durham _Rites_ speak only of book-presses standing in the cloister
against the walls; but it was not unusual to have recesses in the wall
itself, fitted with shelves, and probably closed by a door. Two such are
to be seen at Worcester, immediately to the north of the chapter-house
door. Each is about ten feet wide by two feet deep.
_Book-recess, east walk of the cloister, Worcester._
A similar receptacle for books seems to have been contemplated in
Augustinian Houses, for in the Customs of the Augustinian Priory of
Barnwell, written towards the end of the thirteenth century, the following
passage occurs:
The press in which the books are kept ought to be lined inside
with wood, that the damp of the walls may not moisten or stain
the books. This press should be divided vertically as well as
horizontally by sundry partitions, on which the books may be
ranged so as to be separated from one another; for fear they
be packed so close as to injure each other, or delay those who
want them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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