Thus, for example, in telling of the acquisition of a valuable monastic chartulary which had belonged to the ‘Bedford Library’ at Cranfield, he writes thus:—‘The said Chartulary is to be my Lord’s, and he is to present to that library _St. Chrysostom’s Works_, in Greek and Latin, printed at Paris, for which my Lord shall be registered a benefactor to the said library. Moreover, Mr. FRANK will send up a list of his out-of-course books, out of which my Lord may pick and choose any twenty of them gratis.... I am also to advise that he is heartily willing and ready to serve his Lordship in any library matters; ... particularly with [Sir John] OSBORNE of Chicksand Abbey, where most part of the old monastical library is said yet to remain.’ [Sidenote: Wanley’s _Diary_, vol. i, pp. 13, 21. 1720, February.] And again, on another occasion:—‘My Lord was pleased to tell me that Mr. GIBSON’S last parcel of printed books were all his own as being gained into [the bargain with] the two last parcels of manuscripts bought of him.’ [Sidenote: _Ib._, vol. ii, f. 24.] GIBSON’S protest that he was entitled to an additional thirty pounds was quite in vain. Of the innumerable skirmishes between librarian and bookseller which WANLEY’S pages record with loving detail, two passages may serve as sufficient samples:—‘VAN HOECK, a Dutchman’ he writes in 1722, ‘brought to my Lord a small parcel of modern manuscripts, and their lowest prices,—which proved so abominably wicked that he was sent away with them immediately.’ And, in February, 1723:—‘BOWYER, the bookseller, came intreating me to instruct him touching the prices of old editions, and of other rare and valuable books, pretending that thereby he should be the better able to bid for them; but, as I rather suppose, to be better able to exact of gentlemen. I pleaded utter inexperience in the matter, and, without a quarrel, in my mind rejected this ridiculous attempt with the scorn it deserved. [Sidenote: Wanley’s _Diary_, vol. i, f. 73, verso. MS. Lansd., 771. (B. M.)] This may be a fresh instance of the truth of TULLIE’S paradox, “that all fools are mad.”’ In the year 1720, large additions were made, more especially to the historical treasures of the Harleian Library, by the purchase of manuscripts from the several collections of John WARBURTON (Somerset Herald), of Archdeacon BATTELY, and of Peter SÉGUIER (Chancellor of France). Another important accession came, in the same year, by the bequest of Hugh THOMAS. [Sidenote: _Ibid._, pp. 35, 42, 48.] In 1721 purchases were made from the several libraries of Thomas GREY, second Earl of STAMFORD; of Robert PAYNELL, of Belaugh, in Norfolk; and of John ROBARTES, first Earl of RADNOR. Lord OXFORD died on the 21st May, 1724, at the age of sixty-three. [Sidenote: DEATH OF LORD OXFORD.] WANLEY records the event in these words: ‘It pleased God to call to His mercy Robert, Earl of OXFORD, the founder of this Library, who long had been to me a munificent patron.’