A.D. 1656
Cowley’s Poems. See 1620.
A.D. 1657
In this year the gifts to the Library, which since 1640 had been but few, begin once more to increase in number. Five hundred gold and silver coins were given by Ralph Freke, of Hannington, Wilts, and a cabinet for their reception, ‘auro gemmisque coruscum,’ by his brother William. Amongst various other donations occur a copy of Caxton’s Description of Britain, 1480, from Ralph Bathurst, M.D., Trinity College, and four Oriental MSS. from William Juxon, ‘Londinensis olim Episc.’ One entry in the Benefaction Register has been at one time carefully pasted over, and at another brought again to light; it is the record of a gift from Hugh Peters. ‘Hugo Peters, serenissimo Britanniarum Protectori Olivero a sacris, pro sua in academiam et rempubl. literariam benevolentia, codices insequentes Bibl. Bodleianæ dono dedit Maii iiiio, Anno CIƆ. IƆC. LVII;’ viz. the great Dutch Bible with annotations, ‘edit. ult. [scil. Hague, 1637] auro sericoque compacta,’ and the Æthiopic Psalter of 1513. A leaf which followed this entry has been removed from the Register, probably because it contained some further particulars of Peters’ gift, or possibly the record of the MSS. presented by the Protector himself in 1654123. The binding of silk and gold has now altogether disappeared, and the Bible is clad in a plain calf coat, with no note of its former condition or of its donor.
Francis Yonge, M.A. of Oriel College, the Sub-librarian, died in this year. In his place succeeded, through the influence of Dr. Owen, Dean of Ch. Ch., Henry Stubbe, M.A., the well-known violent and varying political writer, then a Student of that House. From the posts, however, of both Librarian and Student Stubbe was ejected in March, 1659, on account of the publication of his book entitled, A Light Shining out of Darkness, which was supposed to attack the Universities and clergy.
Notes
123 See p. 55.