A note-book of Dr Thomas James

Title

A note-book of Dr Thomas James

Shelfmark

MS. Arch. Selden A. 75

Summary

A note-book of dr. Thomas James, Bodley's first Librarian, containing copies of documents and lists connected with sir Thomas Bodley and the Bodleian:

P. 1. 'Statuta Bibliothecæ Publicæ Bodleianæ Oxon.', the statutes of June 12, 1610

P. 51. 'Charta amplissima pro fundatione Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ concessa per Regem Jacobum', the license of mortmain of June 28, 1604

Pp. 59, 93. The Indenture between the Stationers' Company of London and the University of Oxford, about the supply of every published book, Dec. 12, 1610

P. 63. Sir Thomas Bodley's Autobiography, dated Dec. 15, 1609, printed from this MS. in Hearne's Reliquiae Bodleianae (1703)

P. 75. 'The last Will and Testament of Sr. Thomas Bodley knight', Jan. 2, 1612/3, with the codicil of Jan. 22, 1612/31

P. 97. The Indenture between (1) sir Thomas Bodley, (2) the University, (3) drs. King and Blencowe, of April 20, 1609, giving to the Bodleian its first endowments

P. 109. a list of documents remaining in the hands of Bodley relating to the various properties, notes of the yearly revenue of the Library, and its allocation

P. 127.'Index alphabeticus designans nomina ... eorum qui Bibliothecam Publicam libris aut pecuniis ... ampliarunt 1600-11, with additions to 1614

P. 171. Copies of letters to dr. Thomas James, Bodley's first Librarian, 1601-10, [as enumerated in Qu. Catal. v. pt. 3, col. 333, Cr.]

Pp. 193, 308. 'Nomina ... eorum qui ad construendam Nouarum Scholarum fabricam vel pecunias ... vel aliud quoduis munificentiæ genus subministrarunt 1612-16, with additions to 1620

Some promises of gifts of 1642-3 are on pp. 234-5 (see also p. i, note about catalogues, 1637/8)

On pp. 310-11 a valuable list of Protobibliothecarii, Deuterobibliothecarii, and Janitores Bodleiani, from the beginning to about 1760, written about 1700-60, with a few additions

Date

Written by T. James chiefly about A.D. 1610-1615 at Oxford

Language

Latin

English

Physical facet

Early 17th-century English (Oxford, by 'G.K.') blind-tooled leather over pasteboards (about 1610 suggested by SC). Two ties lost. Intersecting blind fillets form frames. Each cover is decorated with two rolls (see Oldham, English blind-stamped bindings, MW.a (1), no.857, pl.LI and FP.g (9), no.694, pl.XLII). Rebacked. Green text block edges with former shelfmark number '74' and '89'(?) written across the head of the fore-edge in black ink. Upper and lower pastedowns both from leaf k7 of a copy of 'Biblia Latina cum postillis Nicolai de Lyra et expositionibus Guilelmi Britonis', Vol.1, ([Lyons]: Johannes Siber, [after 7 May 1485, c.1488]) (ISTC: ib00615000).

Physical extent

312 pages

Custodial history

In the Bodleian 1610-43, and apparently from 1659 onward: there is no proof that it ever was in Selden's possession.

Manuscript 3230 acquired by the Bodleian Library