Savage, Ernest Albert, 1877-1966.
. Old English Libraries; The Making, Collection and Use of Books During the Middle Ages
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OLD ENGLISH LIBRARIES THE MAKING, COLLECTION, AND USE OF BOOKS DURING THE MIDDLE AGES
BY
ERNEST A. SAVAGE WITH FIFTY-TWO ILLUSTRATIONS
CHICAGO A. C. McCLURG & CO LONDON: METHUEN & CO LTD. 1912
PREFACE
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WITH the arrangement and equipment of libraries this essay has little to do: the ground being already covered adequately by Dr. Clark in his admirable monograph on The Care of Books. Herein is described the making, use, and circulation of books considered as a means of literary culture. It seemed possible to throw a useful sidelight on literary history, and to introduce some human interest into the study of bibliography, if the place held by books in the life of the Middle Ages could be indicated. Such, at all events, was my aim, but I am far from sure of my success in carrying it out; and I offer this book merely as a discursive and popular treatment of a subject which seems to me of great interest.
The book has suffered from one unhappy circumstance. It was planned in collaboration with my friend Mr. James Hutt, M.A., but unfortunately, owing to a breakdown of health, Mr. Hutt was only able to help me in the composition of the chapter on the Libraries of Oxford, which is chiefly his work. Had it been possible for Mr. Hutt to share all the labour with me, this book would have been put before the public with more confidence.
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More footnote references appear in this volume than in most of the series of "Antiquary's Books." One consideration specially urged me to take this course. The subject has been treated briefly, and it seemed essential to cite as many authorities as possible, so that readers who were in the mood might obtain further information by following them up.
In a book covering a long period and touching national and local history at many points, I cannot hope to have escaped errors; and I shall be grateful if readers will bring them to my notice.
I need hardly say I am especially indebted to the splendid work accomplished by Dr. Montague Rhodes James, the Provost of King's College, in editing The Ancient Libraries of Canterbury and Dover, and in compiling the great series of descriptive catalogues of manuscripts in Cambridge and other colleges. I have long marveled at Dr. James' patient research; at his steady perseverance in an aim which, even when attained -- as it now has been -- could only win him the admiration and esteem of a few scholars and lovers of old books.
I have to thank Mr. Hutt for much general help, and for reading all the proof slips. To Canon C. M. Church, M.A., of Wells, I am indebted for his kindness in answering inquiries, for lending me the illustration of the exterior of Wells Cathedral Library, and for permitting me to reproduce a plan from his book entitled Chapters in the Early History of the Church of Wells. The Historic Society of
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Lancashire and Cheshire have kindly allowed me to reproduce a part of their plan of Birkenhead Priory. Illustrations were also kindly lent by the Clarendon Press, the Cambridge University Press, Mr. John Murray, Mr. Fisher Unwin, the Editor of The Connoisseur, and Mr. G. Coffey, of the Royal Irish Academy. A small portion of the first chapter has appeared in The Library, and is reprinted by kind permission of the editors. Mr. C. W. Sutton, M.A., City Librarian of Manchester, has been in every way kind and patient in helping me. So too has Mr. Strickland Gibson, M.A., of the Bodleian Library, especially in connexion with the chapter on Oxford Libraries. Thanks are due also to the Deans of Hereford, Lincoln, and Durham, to Mr. Tapley-Soper, City Librarian of Exeter, and to Mr. W. T. Carter, Public Librarian of Warwick; also to my brother, V. M. Savage, for his drawings. The general editor of this series, the Rev. J. Charles Cox, LL.D., F.S.A., gave me much help by reading the manuscript and proofs; and I am grateful to him for many courtesies and suggestions. ERNEST A. SAVAGE
CONTENTS
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CHAP. . . . . . . . . .PAGE
I. THE USE OF BOOKS IN EARLY IRISH MONASTERIES. . . . .1
II. THE ENGLISH MONKS AND THEIR BOOKS. . . . .23
III. LIBRARIES OF THE GREAT ABBEYS -- BOOK-LOVERS AMONG THE MENDICANTS -- DISPERSAL OF MONKISH LIBRARIES. . . . .45
IV. BOOK MAKING AND COLLECTING IN THE RELIGIOUS HOUSES. . . . .73
V. CATHEDRAL AND CHURCH LIBRARIES. . . . .109
VI. ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: OXFORD. . . . .133
VII. ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: CAMBRIDGE. . . . .155
VIII. ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: THEIR ECONOMY. . . . .165
IX. THE USE OF BOOKS TOWARDS THE END OF THE MANUSCRIPT PERIOD. . . . .173
X. THE BOOK TRADE. . . . .199
XI. THE CHARACTER OF THE MEDIEVAL LIBRARY, AND THE EXTENT OF CIRCULATION OF BOOKS. . . . .209
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APPENDIX A. PRICES OF BOOKS AND MATERIALS FOR BOOK MAKING. . . . .243
APPENDIX B. LIST OF CERTAIN CLASSIC AUTHORS FOUND IN MEDIEVAL CATALOGUES. . . . .258
APPENDIX C. LIST OF MEDIEVAL COLLECTIONS OF BOOKS. . . . .363
APPENDIX D. LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL REFERENCE WORKS. . . . .286
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT
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WRITING IN BOOK OF KELLS. . . . .14 From THOMPSON'S Greek and Latin Palæography
WRITING IN BOOK OF ARMAGH. . . . .15 From THOMPSON'S Greek and Latin Palæography
WRITING IN GRÆCO-LATIN ACTS, PROBABLY USED BY BEDE. . . . .27 From MS. Bodl. Laud. Gr. 35, f. 63
WRITING IN BENEDICTIONAL OF ST. ETHELWOLD. . . . .43 From Archæologia, xxiv.
PLAN OF SCRIPTORIUM, BIRKENHEAD PRIORY. . . . .74 Redrawn from Trans. of the Lancashire and Cheshire Historic Society
ANCIENT STALL, OR CARRELL, IN BISHOP'S CANNINGS CHURCH, WILTS. . . . .77From COX AND HARVEY'S English Church Furniture
TABLET CASE AND WAXED TABLET. . . . .84 From COFFEY'S Celtic Antiquities in the Museum of the R.I.A.
PLAN SHOWING DISPOSITION OF BOOKS IN CISTERCIAN HOUSES. . . . .93 Redrawn from GASQUET'S English Monastic Life
PLAN SHOWING PROBABLE SITUATION OF LIBRARY OF WELLS CATHEDRAL IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY. . . . .122 Redrawn from Canon CHURCH's Chapters in the History of Wells Cathedral
BEREBLOCK VIEW OF DUKE HUMFREY'S LIBRARY. . . . .140 From MS. Bodl. 13
AUTOGRAPH OF DUKE HUMFREY OF GLOUCESTER. . . . .191 From MS. Harl. 1705, f. 96a
RECORD OF SALE OF BOOK CAPTURED AT POITIERS. . . . .234 From MS. Reg. I9, D ii. opposite f. I
LIST OF PLATES
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ABBOT WHETHAMSTEDE. . . . .Frontispiece From MS Cott. Nero, D vii. f. 27a
PLATE. . . . .FACING PAGE
I. (a) ANCIENT SATCHEL OF IRISH MISSAL, CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD. . . . .12 By permission of the Governing Body (b) COVER OF STOWE MISSAL. . . . .12 Museum of Royal Irish Academy, Dublin (A.D. 1023-1052
II. ILLUMINATED PAGE OF BOOK OF KELLS. . . . .14 From WESTWOOD'S Facsimiles
III. THE SHRINE OF THE CATHACH PSALTER, ELEVENTH CENTURY. . . . .16 From The Connoisseur, by permission of the Editor
IV. CUMDACH OF ST. MOLAISE'S GOSPELS: FRONT AND BOTTOM. . . . .20 From COFFEY'S Celtic Antiquities in Museum of Royal Irish Academy, by permission of the Council
V. BENEDICTIONAL OF ST. ETHELWOLD: NATIVITY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. . . . .42 From Archæologia, xxiv.
VI. BENEDICTIONAL OF ST ETHELWOLD: THE ASCENSION. . . . .44 From Archæologia, xxiv.
VII. (a) ABBOT ROGER DE NORTHONE WITH HIS BOOKS. . . . .48 From MS. Cott. Nero, D vii. f. 18b (b) ABBOT GARIN WITH HIS BOOKS. . . . .48 From MS. Cott. Claud. E iv. pt. i., f. 125a
VIII. ABBOT SIMON OF ST. ALBANS AT HIS BOOK-CHEST. . . . .50 From MS. Cott. Claud. E iv. pt. i. f. 124
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IX. GREY FRIARS, LONDON (CHRIST'S HOSPITAL): OLD HALL AND WHITTINGTON'S LIBRARY. . . . .54 From Trollope's History of Christ's Hospital
X. GREY FRIARS CATALOGUE OF CONVENTUAL LIBRARIES. . . . .58 From MS. Bodl. Tanner, 165, f. 119
XI. TWELFTH CENTURY ILLUMINATION FROM BURY ST. EDMUND'S ABBEY. . . . .64 From MS. 2, f. 281b, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, by permission of the Master and Fellows
XII. WESTMINSTER ILLUMINATION, THIRTEENTH CENTURY. . . . .68 From MS. Reg. 2 A xii. f. 14, Brit. Mus.
XIII. THE CLOISTERS, GLOUCESTER, SHOWING CARRELLS. . . . .76-From MURRAY'S Cathedrals
XIV. A SCRIBE AND HIS TOOLS, FROM A VERY ANCIENT MS. . . . .82 From MS. Harl. 2820, f. 120
XV. FURNESS ABBEY: CLOISTERS AND CHAPTER HOUSE. . . . .94
XVI. FACSIMILE OF LIBRARY CATALOGUE OF SYON MONASTERY. . . . .104 From BATESON'S Catalogue of Syon Monastery
XVII. MEDIEVAL BINDING: MR. YATES THOMPSON'S HEGESIPPUS. . . . .108 From BATESON'S Mediæval England
XVIII. ANCIENT BOOK-BOX IN EXETER CATHEDRAL. . . . .110 Photo by HEATH & BRADNEE, Exeter
XIX. CHAINED BOOKS, HEREFORD CATHEDRAL LIBRARY. . . . .116 By permission of the Dean of Hereford
XX. OLD LIBRARY, LINCOLN CATHEDRAL. . . . .118 Photo by G. HADLEIGH, Lincoln. By permission of the Dean of Lincoln
XXI. WELLS CATHEDRAL: LIBRARY OVER CLOISTER. . . . .122 Photo by T. W. PHILLIPS, Wells
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XXII. ST. MARY'S CHURCH, OXFORD: FIRST HOME OF UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. . . . .132 Photo by H. W. TAUNT, Oxford
XXIII.(a) ILLUMINATOR OF ST. ALBANS. . . . .134 From MS. Cott. Nero, D iii. f. 105 (b) DOCUMENT BEARING THE NAMES OF MEMBERS OF THE BOOK-TRADE, c. 1180. . . . .134 From BARNARD'S Companion to English History
XXIV.(a) DUKE HUMFREY AND ELEANOR OF GLOUCESTER JOINING THE CONFRATERNITY OF ST. ALBANS. . . . .138 From MS. Cott. Nero, D vii. f. 154a (b) ANCIENT ROOF OF DUKE HUMFREY'S LIBRARY. . . . .138 Photo by JAS. HUTT, M.A.
XXV. DUKE HUMFREY'S LIBRARY, OXFORD. . . . .142 Photo by H. W. TAUNT
XXVI. LIBRARY OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD. . . . .144 Photo by H. W. TAUNT
XXVII. MERTON COLLEGE LIBRARY, OXFORD. . . . .152 Photo by H. W. TAUNT
XXVIII. PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSTTY, CAMBRIDGE. . . . .156 From LOGGAN'S Cantab. Illus.
XXIX. LIBRARY OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD, FROM MASTER'S GARDEN. . . . .170 Photo by H. W. TAUNT
XXX. CARMELITE IN HIS STUDY. . . . .184 From MS. Reg. 14 E i. f. 3, Brit. Mus.
XXXI. A SCRIBE (ST. MARK WRITING HIS GOSPEL), FROM THE BEDFORD HOURS. . . . .196 From Add. MS. 18850, f. 24, Brit. Mus.
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XXXII. A SCRIBE AT WORK, FROM EADWINE'S PSALTER, c. 1150. . . . .202 From BATESON'S Mediæval England
XXXIII. ENGLISH ILLUMINATED WORK UNDER FRENCH INFLUENCE, FROM TENISON PSALTER. . . . .214 From MS. Add. 24686, f. 12, Brit Mus.
XXXIV. FRESCO OF THE SEVEN LIBERAL ARTS, BY T. GADDI, CHURCH OF S. M. NOVELLA, FLORENCE. . . . .222 Photo by ALINARI
XXXV. ANCIENT VELLUM BOOK-MARKER . . . .230 From MS. 49, Corpus Christi College, Camb., by permission of the Master and Fellows
