A.D. 1707
Six volumes of Archbishop Usher’s Collectanea, with two or three other MSS. which had belonged to him, were given to the Library by James Tyrrell, the historian, who was the archbishop’s grandson. He had placed them previously in the hands of Dr. Mill, for use by him in his edition of the Greek Test., and it was about a week before Mill’s death, June 21, 1707, that they were transferred, together with a gift from Mill of various printed books, to the Library167. They are now placed among the Rawlinson Miscellaneous MSS., 1065-1074, and one volume containing various readings in the Gr. Test., is numbered Auct. T. v. 30. Other volumes of his MSS. Collections in the Library are Barlow, 10 and 13; e Musæo, 46 and 47; Rawl. Misc. 225, 280; Rawl. Letters, 89, and Rawlinson C. 849, 850, which last were given to Hearne by Tyrrell. Hearne has printed some extracts at the end of Gul. Neubrig. iii. 804. Six Samaritan and other MSS. which belonged to Usher are now in the class called Bodl. Orient.
By the bequest of Dr. Humphrey Hody the Library acquired some 400 or 500 volumes, being all those in his own collection which were wanting here, together with his MSS. Collectanea. These last, amounting to twenty-three volumes, are now numbered Bodl. Addit. 1. D. 1-4, 2. B. 1-16, 2. C. 1-3.
Thomas, Archbishop of Gocthan, in Armenia, visited England on an errand which seems to have justly excited great sympathy and attention. Sensible of the low condition of his fellow-countrymen, through their want of means of instruction, and being earnestly anxious to do something towards their elevation, he had spent some forty years in travels through Europe and Asia for the purpose of procuring books, establishing printing-presses, educating young men, and obtaining help for the furtherance of his Christian and patriotic projects. His first printing establishment, at Marseilles, was ruined by the mismanagement and fraud of those to whom it was entrusted. He then, for ten years, carried on a press at Amsterdam, where he printed, in Armenian, the New Testament, the Prayers and Hymns of the Church, a translation of Thomas à Kempis, and several other theological works, together with some in geography, history, and science. But troubles and trials again overtook him; disputes and law-suits involved him in debt; one hundred books, which he shipped for Armenia in 1698, were taken at sea, and so never reached their destination. And so, poor and sorrowful, in extreme old age, the Archbishop came to England to seek for help, recommended by Dr. John Cockburn, the English Minister at Amsterdam. He was well received by the Archbishops, and Sharp, of York, procured him an interview with the Queen, who gave him some assistance. Then, recommended by Bishop Compton168, of London, he came to Oxford. What he received in the way of the help which he most of all needed, deponent sayeth not; let us hope it was not small. What he received in the way of honour, and what he did to cause the introduction of his name in these Annals, Hearne tells, in his own interesting way, in his Diary169:—
‘May 24. Last night came to Oxon one of the Armenian Patriarchs. He is Patriarch of the Holy Cross in Gogthan (near Mount Ararat) in Greater Armenia. He subscribes himself in his speech to the Queen in the last month, by translation, Thomas. The next day he was attended to the publick Library by Dr. Charlett, Pro-Vice-Chancellor. At the entrance, Dr. Hudson, the Keeper, made him a handsome complement in Latin; but the Patriarch, being about 90 years of age, and understanding no Latin, nor Greek, nor any European language but Italian, took but little notice of any thing. He afterwards was carried to Dr. Charlett’s lodgings, where he was treated.
‘May 29. This day was a Convocation in the Theatre, when the Archbishop of the Holy Cross in Gocthan was created Doctor of Divinity, and his nephew, Luke Nurigian, and Mr. Cockburn, son of Dr. Cockburn, were created Masters of Arts. The day before, the Archbishop presented to the publick Library several books in Armenian which he has caused to be printed. Mr. Wyatt, the orator, spoke a speech in his commendation, and presented him, the Queen having been pleased to let us be without a Professor. During the Convocation, several papers printed at the Theatre were given to the Doctors, Noblemen, and some others, entitled, Reverendissimi in Christo Patris Thomæ, Archiepiscopi Sanctæ Crucis in Gocthan Perso-Armeniæ, peregrinationis suæ in Europam, pietatis et literarum promovendarum caussa susceptæ, brevis narratio; una cum dicti Archiepiscopi ad serenissimam Magnæ Britanniæ Reginam oratiuncula ejusque responso. Accedunt de eodem Archiepiscopo testimonia ampla et præclara. Printed upon two sheets, folio170.’
In another volume of memoranda171, Hearne adds the following notice of one of the books given by the Archbishop: ‘Amongst other books which he gave to the Bodleian Library is a History, at the beginning of which the Archbishop’s nephew put the following memorandums: “Historia Nationis Armeniæ, a Moise Chorenensi grammatico, doctore Armeno. Amst. 1695. Maii 28, 1707, Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ dono dedit reverendiss. Thomas Archiep. S. Crucis in Majori Armenia. Per manum ejusd. reverendiss. nepotis, Lucæ Nurigianidis.” Underneath which is written, at the motion of Dr. Charlett, and by the direction of the said Archbishop’s nephew: “Auctorem istius libri floruisse traditur seculo quarto post Christum.”’ The book is now numbered, 8o V. 134 Th.
Notes
167 Hearne’s MS. Diary, xv. 24.
168 And by the good Robert Nelson (Letters by Eminent Persons, i. 167, 9), who had also obtained ten guineas for him from the Christian Knowledge Society (Secretan’s Life of Nelson, pp. 113-4).
169 Vol xiv. pp. 64, 68.
170 A copy of this tract is in V. 1. 1. Jur.
171 Rawlinson MS. C. 876. p. 44.