Chapter I: Preface

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.

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 marvelled 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 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

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

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 263