A.D. 1659
Thomas Hyde, M.A., of Queen’s College, was appointed Under-keeper on the expulsion of Henry Stubbe.
A.D. 1660
Thomas Barlow, D.D. (who had been elected Provost of Queen’s College in 1658), resigned the Librarianship on Sept. 25, in consequence of his appointment to the Margaret Professorship of Divinity. Thomas Lockey, B.D., Student of Ch. Ch., was elected in his place, on Sept. 28, by 102 votes to 80, over Mr. [John] Good, M.A., Balliol College124.
A curious story is preserved by Wanley and Dr. Wallis, in memoranda, dated 1698-1701, on the fly-leaves of a copy of the rare Index Librorum prohibitorum printed at Madrid in 1612-14 (4o U. 46. Th.), respecting the visit of a Roman Catholic priest to the Library during the period of Barlow’s headship. In the course of conversation with Barlow, the priest denied that such a book as this Index had ever been printed at Madrid (there being various discrepancies between it and the Roman Index), whereupon this copy was produced, bearing the names of several inquisitors who had from time to time possessed it. The visitor was extremely surprised, and, being very desirous of purchasing it, offered any sum for it that might be demanded, with the intent (as the somewhat suspicious tellers of the tale suggest) to destroy it; but the Doctor was above corruption. The vigilance of the Librarians being aroused, the book was removed from an exposed place where it had formerly been kept, to a less accessible situation in the gallery, and securely chained. Wallis adds that one fly-leaf, containing some of the previous owners’ names, had since then been torn out125.
Notes
124 Reg. Convoc. Ta. 27, p. 57.
125 The memoranda are printed in Mendham’s Lit. Policy of the Church of Rome, second edit., pp. 152-4, and in Bliss’ Reliquiæ Hearnianæ, i. 12-14.