In France the custom was evidently abandoned at a much earlier date, for the authors of the _Voyage Litteraire_, who visited more than eight hundred monasteries at the beginning of the eighteenth century, with the special intention of examining their records and their libraries, rarely allude to chaining, and when they do mention it, they use language which implies that it was a curious old fashion, the maintenance of which surprised them[493]. FOOTNOTES: [443] _The laboryouse Journey and Serche of Johan Leylande for Englandes Antiquitees...._ by Johan Bale. London, 1549. [444] _History and Antiquities of University of Oxford_, Ed. Gutch, 410. 1796, Vol. II. p. 106. Wood (b. 1632, d. 1695) gives these facts as "credibly reported from antient men and they while young from scholars of great standing." [445] _Ibid._ Vol. II. Pt. 2, p. 918. [446] This number is given on the authority of Macray, _Annals of the Bodleian Library_, Ed. II. p. 6. [447] Macray, _ut supra_, p. 13. [448] These words were used by Professor Willis, _Arch. Hist._ Vol. III. p. 451. [449] For the history of this building see Professor Willis, _ut supra_, Vol. II. pp. 264-271. [450] See above p. 186. [451] _Arch. Hist._ ut supra, Vol. I. p. 33, and Vol. III. p. 454. [452] When the new facade was built in the middle of the 18th century this room was shortened by about 8 feet, so that now there are only 8 windows on the south side and 7 1/2 on the north side. [453] The contract is printed and explained in _Arch. Hist._ Vol. III. pp. 92-6. [454] _Camb. Ant. Soc. Proc._ Vol. II. p. 258. The catalogue is printed, with remarks, by H. Bradshaw, M.A., University Librarian. It should be noted that on the south side of the room, the first case only is called 'stall,' the remaining eight are called 'desks.' [455] _History of University of Cambridge_, ed. Prickett and Wright, p. 160. See also _Arch. Hist._ Vol. III. p. 27. [456] These descriptions are all borrowed from Professor Willis, _Arch. Hist._ Vol. III. pp. 454-458, 460, 465. [457] _Arch. Hist._ Vol. I. p. 538. [458] _Arch. Hist._ I. p. 539. [459] This date is given on the authority of the present Provost, John Richard Magrath, D.D. [460] A view of the Library in its original state is given in Ingram's _Memorials_, Queen's College, p. 12. An article in _Notes and Queries_, 6th Ser. IV. 442, by the Rev. Robert Lowes Clarke, M.A., Fellow and Librarian, contains the following passage: "The bookcases were fitted with reading desks, as at the Bodleian, and there were fixed oak seats in each recess. These were convenient in some ways, and helped to make the room seem a place for study rather than a store for materials, but they made the lower shelves hard of access, and were removed in 1871 to give room for new cases." [461] For these details I have to thank the late Canon H. Nelson. I visited Grantham in 1895 with my friend Mr. T. D. Atkinson, architect, who drew the above plan.