During the mayoralty of Thomas Cory, 1628-29, the City of Norwich gave a copy of the second edition of John Minsheu's "The Guide into Tongues" (London: John Haviland, 1627) for which twenty shillings were paid. {20b} This work is still of value as a dictionary of Elizabethan English. In 1659 the City also gave a set of the famous English Polyglot Bible, edited by Bryan Walton, in 6 vols., (London, 1657)--a work which was a fine scholarly achievement of the Church of England at a time of great depression. In 1658 Joseph Paine, Alderman of Norwich, who was Mayor in 1660, gave one book and 20 pounds for the purchase of books. In the Minute Book the donation is described thus under date Dec. 13, 1658: "Mr. Whitefoot, Mr. Harmar, and Dr. Collings made report to ye rest of the Brethren mett this day That Mr. Joseph Paine Alderman of the City of Norwich uppon Munday preceding this meeting, sent for ye 3 minrs. aforesaid to his house, and there did give into the hands of Mr. John Whitefoot one of the aforesaid minrs. twenty pounds declaring it his mind that it should be laid out at the discretion of ye 3 minrs. aforesaid together with Mr. George Cock to bee added to them to buy such bookes with it as they shall judge most fit for ye City Library." The ministers evidently desired to mark especially their appreciation of Paine's gift. On February 9th, 1662/3 "The brethren taking notice that no bookes were yet markd as the guift of Sr Jos. Paine, and Mr. Whitefoot acquainting the brethren that he had procured printed paps to this purpose--Ex Dono Dni _Josephi Paine_ militis hujus Civitatis praetoris, they ordered that some of those papers should bee affixed to the 9 vol. of ye Criticks: wch cost 15l & to the 4 vol. of Gerard's Comon places wch cost 3l 13s & to the 2 vol. of Theophilact. wch cost 1l 02s: in all 19l 17s: the other 3s: beeing accounted for ye Carriage: they also ordered that a like paper be affixed to Ravanella before giuen to the library by ye said Sr Jos. Paine." In the Vellum Book under date Dec. 12th, 1659, are entered 29 volumes as a gift from Thomasine Brooke, "Widow & Relict of Wm Brooke, Gent." These were evidently purchased with a donation of 20 pounds, as under the same date in the Minute Book is the following: "Mr. Whitefoot acknowledged himself to have received of Mrs Brooke wid. to the use of the library to bee laid out uppon bookes by ye Consent of ye minrs. the summe of twenty pounds."