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Ain
The Book-Lover's Library
Edited by
Henry B. Wheatley, F.S.A.
BOOK AUCTIONS IN
ENGLAND
IN THE
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
(1676-1700)
WITH A CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF THE BOOK AUCTIONS
OF THE PERIOD
BY
JOHN LÀWLER
(COMPILER OF THE SUNDERLAND, GENNADIUS, ASHBURNHAM
AND OTHER IMPORTANT SALE CATALOGUES, ETC.)
LONDON
ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW
1898
Dedicated
WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT
TO
EDWARD GROSE HODGE
(or SOTHEBY's),
BY HIS
PRINCIPAL BOOK-CATALOGUER,
JOHN LAWLER.
N
-
26ciji
in
die
22-4?
kslas
CONTENTS.
PAGE
PREFACE. .
INTRODUCTION
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. ix
. XV
GVS
CHAPTER I.
WILLIAM COOPER'S SALES. 1676-88
.
.
.
I
CHAPTER II.
EDWARD MILLINGTON'S BOOK-AUCTIONS, 1680-.
1698. . . . . . . . ,
46
:
-
CHAPTER III.
OTHER ENGLISH BOOK-AUCTIONEERS OF THE
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
. II6
-
CHAPTER IV.
DR. BERNARD'S LIBRARY, 1686 .
.
.
. 185
CHAPTER V.
JOHN DUNTON'S IRISH BOOK AUCTIONS
.
. 202
INDEX
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
· 225
forniti
PREFACE.
VA NE consolation gratifying to the
A writer of a book such as the
present is that he need have little
fear of serious criticism, for its comparative
insignificance precludes this, and the under-
taking would
“Resemble ocean into tempest tossed
To waft a feather, or to drown a fly.”
I hope, however, that this little work may
have some interest for Book-lovers, as intro-
ducing them to a little-known episode in the
history of the dissemination of literature
under the hammer of the auctioneer. In
more experienced literary hands the volume
could certainly have been made more enter-
taining; but I thought, in dealing with
the first Catalogues of Book Auctions in
ix
Preface.
England, that I could not do better than
let the auctioneers of the time speak for
themselves, which they do in their quaint
and often useful and informing Prefaces.
The most interesting of these Prefaces have
therefore been copied in full, with all their
singular turns of spelling, grammar and
phrase.
I do not pretend to have dealt exhaust-
ively with the subject, for, although the
materials are scanty and scattered, a person
with more leisure could have gained fuller
information, if not about the auctioneers
themselves, certainly about the buyers at
the sales and the formers of libraries at
the period treated of. Such as it is, how-
ever, it appears, like imperfect books in
auctioneers' catalogues, “With all faults.”
I have not made any inention of Scottish
auctions, as I had not seen any catalogues
of them before the book went to press, but
Mr. J. H. Slater has since given me a
reference on this subject. Mr. Dobson, in
his “History of the Bassandyne Bible,"
has noticed that “the first sale of books
by auction in Scotland was in November
1688" (in Edinburgh), the announcement
Preface.
Xi
of which was made by Andrew Anderson
(the printer) as follows: “A Catalogue of
excellent and rare Books, especially Histories
and Romances, for the most part in English,
and the Variorums, are to be sold by way of
Auction the 12th day of November, 1688."
The occasions on which the claims of
vival book auctioneers have given oppor-
tunity for epigram are so very rare that
an unprinted specimen may not be thought
to be inappropriate here; although it is not
connected with the period treated of in the
present volume. It is in manuscript in
the handwriting of Thomas Park, the well-
known antiquary, and refers to the (at that
time) two chief and rival firins of auctioneers
King and Leigh in 1774. As will be
seen, it alludes to George Steevens' edition of
Shakespeare. I transcribe it in full, notes
and all :-
“ Tom King, the pomposo of book-auctioneers,
And no delicate hand at a puff,
Deem'd this modishi edition by George and
Compeers
Immaculate ! ... erat quam suff.
So termed by Ireland Senr. in one of his adver-
tisements.
xii
Preface.
Now Leigh, the less pompous, some flaw brought
to light
In his notes upon Dodd's ancient things!;
So Farmer's whole pack of black letter and
white
Were sent to break cover at King's.”
Even in the smallest book the author is
often indebted for pieces of inforination
and suggestions to his friends, which it
is a pleasure to him to acknowledge. My
colleague at Sotheby's, Mr.J.C. Wilson, has
been very helpful in going over the proofs
and in other matters; and my friends
Mr. George Cook and Mr. Edwin Ellington
Leigh in his catalogue of Dodd's Library had
copied some manuscript notes before one of the quartos
of Shakespeare, which pointed out a casual error in
Steevens's list of ancient editions. This circunstance,
insignificant as it may appear, is likely to have ob-
tained for King the sale of Dr. Farmer's collection of
books, as Mr. S- (who was acting executor) went
with great warnath to Leigh, to remonstrate with him
on the above occasion, and desisted ever after from
calling at his shop, as he had long been accustomed
to do.
2 “Mounted in rear sec Steevens whipper-in,
Rich with the spoils of Learning's black domain,
And quite supreme on all the tainted plain.”
Purs. of Lit., Part I.
Preface.
xiii
(of Prettick's) have interested themselves
in the work. The index has been com-
piled by my son, A. J. Lawler, of Messrs. '
Sotheran's.
JOHN LAWLER.
November 1898.
INTRODUCTION.
" And much more honest to be hird and stand
With Auctionary Hammer in thy hand,
Provoking to give more and knocking thrice
For the old household stuff and pictures' price."
DRYDEN.
M HE subject of English Book Auctions
in the Seventeenth Century has never
K been treated in any detailed form.
Information relating to thein, apart from that
to be gained from the catalogues of the period,
is very meagre and much scattered. Even in
the work in which we should have expected to
find full details, written by one who played no
small part in the dissemination of Literature
by the auctionary method, only a few slight
references to the matter occur. We refer, of.
course, to the “ Life and Errors” of John
Dunton, the eccentric bookseller, auctioneer and
author, who, though he does not appear as an
auctioneer in London, held sales in Ireland
XV
xvi
Introduction.
Scotland, Holland, and even in Boston, N.E.
It would seein, however, that there is much
interest and perhaps some importance in con-
nection with the subject. It seems that, al-
though Lord Macaulay was familiar with
the mass of pamphlet literature of the period,
he either ignored, or was unacquainted with,
the catalogues of book auctions. Yet we fancy
that, had he known them, some of his remarks
on the dissemination of literature, and the
libraries of the country clergy, in his great.
essay on the “State of England at the Death
of Charles II.," would have been sorrewhat
modified. Many interesting notices of some of
these early catalogues have occurred from time
to time in the old “Gentleman's Magazine"
(by Richard Gough), Nichols' “ Literary
Anecdotes," Dibdin, Clarke in his “ Reperto-
rium,” through " Notes and Queries,” and in
other places ; and Mr. H. B. Wheatley and
Mr. A. W. Pollard have written extended
articles upon them. But they are now treated
for the first time at length, and though not
in exhaustive, yet, perhaps, in sufficient detail
for the purpose.
THE AUCTIONS.—Book auctions had been in
vogue in Amsterdam and Leyden at least since
Introduction.
xvii
1604, in which year the Elzevirs sold, at their
own house in Leyden, the library of the learned
George Dousa, as late as 1633 that of John
Rutgers, and in 1681 some of their own stock
in Amsterdam. In England the book auctions
were commenced in October 1676 by William
Cooper, a bookseller dwelling at the sign of
the “ Pelican” in Little Britain. The method
immediately coinmended itself to collectors and
persons wishing to dispose of their libraries ;
and so from 1676 to 1700 upwards of a
hundred auctions were held, which meant the
disposal of some 350,000 works, realising a
round sum of about £250,000, or perhaps
three quarters of a million in our money.
Encouraged by their success in London, we
soon see them spreading into the provin-
ces-into the cathedral cities of Oxford,
Durham, Norwich and others; libraries of
deceased country divines were sold at their
own houses, or at inns, in such places as
Chelmsford and St. Albans. Auctions of
books were held in booths at country fairs.
Dunton boasts of shipping "ten tuns" of books
to Ireland for sale by auction there. From
the time of Andrew Maunsell, who issued the
first English catalogue of books in 1594, to
that of Clavell, the great bookseller of the
xviii
Introduction.
Commonwealth, no bookseller had apparently
issued a catalogue (except lists appended to the
works they published), but the great impetus
given to Continental travel in the troublous
times of the Great Rebellion led, in the quieter
times of Charles II., to large importations of
books " from beyond seas”; and the great
booksellers, like Scott of London, and Davis
and Moses Pitt of Oxford, accumulated a mass
of literature more than sufficient to supply
their ordinary customers. Upon the intro-
duction of the auction inethod into England,
they therefore, emulating the example of the
Elzevirs, with whom they were chiefly in
touch, made sales of their superfluous stocks,
and thus found a larger circle of purchasers,
necessarily followed by a wider dissemination
of literature, so creating more readers, and an
increased demand for books to read. In fact,
it does not seem too much to say that the
introduction of book auctions into England
gave a great and important impetus to the
spread of literature, and the increase of book-
buyers and of publications, as well English
as foreign. The general prices realised for
ordinary good and readable books were by no
means outside the reach of a reader with an
ordinary income. When biographies like
Introduction.
xix
*Walton's “ Life of Hooker” could be got for
9d., Bishop Burnets“ Life of Hale" for Is. 6d.,
“ The Life and Trial of Sir W. Raleigh"
for the same sum, Lancelot Addison's "Life
of Mahomet” for 4d. ; when theological
books like the separate works of Baxter and
other divines of different schools could be ob-
tained for is. each ; the “ Paradise Lost" for
35.; and" Bacon's Essays” for 25. 4d.-books
which, it must not be forgotten, were then
comparatively new-we need not be surprised
that such favourable opportunities as frequent
auctions afforded, for the acquirement of
libraries by people of modest means, were eagerly
welcomed and widely taken advantage of.
Indeed, the capacity and love of reading amongst
the country people of that time inust have been
larger than is generally thought, since a cata-
logue was issued in 1685 of Bibles, Testaments,
Przyers, Psalms in metre, and Bible histories,
in which the country clergy are invited specially
to buy at low prices for distribution amongst
their parishioners.
The introduction of book auctions into
England met, as we have said, with general
approval. There were, however, one or
two well-known persons, who, loving books
and collections themselves, regretted to see the
XX
Introduction.
dispersal of "noble libraries.” One of these
was John Evelyn, who in his “ Diary” refers
to the “Humour of disposing books sub
hasta” as become "epidemical.” He wishes
Pepys to “ secure, what with so much cost
and industry you have collected, from the
sad dispersions many noble libraries and
cabinets have suffered in these later times”;
and mentions one auction in particular, “I
may call it a diminution, which in a day or
two has scattered what has been gathering
many years." The tricks, too, of some of the
early auctioneers in raising fictitiously the
prices of the books coming under their hammers,
or employing “setters ” to “run them up,”
brought some disrepute to the method. But it
was soon perceived, that when necessity or
inclination determined the disposal of libraries,
the auction method was on the whole by far
the best, producing, as it did, and still does,
competition amongst a larger circle of intending
purchasers, with a better result than would
have been obtained by selling en bloc.
Nearly all the early auction catalogues to
1700 are introduced to the public by long or
short. prefaces, giving some particulars as to
the books and the owners of the collections.
This is their most interesting feature. As
Introduction.
xxi
bibliographical catalogues they have no value, a
single line in inost instances sufficing for the
description. The first ones have no reference to
condition or binding, but it was soon found to
be of great advantage to have a book well
bound, and Millington and the later auction-
eers introduced references to the binding, and
in some instances distinguished a book as
“editio optima” or “charta magna." All
the early auctioneers had a considerable degree
of learning, and made their titles and classi-
fications chiefly in Latin Additional interest
is of course attached to those early catalogues
in which conteinporaries who attended the
sales noted the prices of the books sold, in the
margins. The British Museum contains a
volume of the first eleven sales, which are
priced by Narcissus Luttrell, Member of
Parliament in Charles II.'s time ; and the
present writer has several with contemporary
prices, one of which evidently belonged to an
enthusiastic buyer and a knowing one, who
has made interlineary notes as to the editions
and former prices. As to the conditions of
sale, they were as nearly as possible those that
obtain in our own day. The early auctioneers
did not state the number of lots they intended
to sell in the day. They began their sales
xxii
Introduction.
generally at nine o'clock in the inorning, sold
until twelve o'clock, had two hours' interval,
and resumed at two o'clock to finish for the
day at six. As far as can be ascertained, the
rate of selling was much about the same as at
present. Cooper managed to sell' about six
hundred lots in his seven hours, which may
be taken at about the average. On one occa-
sion this auctioneer offered to begin business as
early as eight in the morning if he could be
sure of twenty people being present. The
experiment does not seem to have been en-
couraging, as he soon reverted to the usual
hour of nine. As to the amount at which a
book was started, it was evident that it was as
low as one penny, at which sui single books
were often knocked down ; and between one
penny and one shilling, halfpenny bids were
taken, and so we get the curious sumus of 4įd.,
7 d., 1o£d., and so on. The early auctioneers
advertised their sales in the “ London Gazette,"
in a newspaper called “ Public Occurrences,"
and in the “ Old Bailey Sessions Papers”;
in which are also found advertisernents of
collections of books to be disposed of by lottery
and inch of candle. We have no information
as to the commission paid to the auctioneers, 09
the general charges incurred by the owners in
Introduction.
xxiii
the disposal of their libraries. We might
have expected to find some particulars in the
diaries of Pepys and Evelyn, who were both
frequenters of auctions ; but they are silent
about it, and so is Dunton. That the charges
were sufficiently large to a successful auctioneer
to induce a bookseller to give up bookselling
in the ordinary mode, and devote himself to
auctioneering, is evident from the example of
Edward Millington.
PLACES WHERE THE AUCTIONS WERE HELD.
- In the seventeenth century and for a long time
afterwards, there were no fixed firms of auction-
eers selling always at the same place. The
localities were determined by circumstances.
The first book auction—that of Lazarus Seaman
-was held in the deceased's own house in
Warwick Court, Paternoster Row. Kidner's
library was brought up from Hitchin and sold
at “ The King's Head” in Little Britain ;
Dr. Worsley's at the sign of " The Hen and
Chickens” in Paternoster Row; Dr. Manton's
at his own house in King Street, Covent
Garden ; the sale of Greenhill's library was
held in Bread Street“ in the House of Fer-
dinand Stable, Coffee-Seller, at the Sign of
the 'Turk's Head.'” In fact, the localities at
xxiv
Introduction.
other at College, at
which the auctions took place are nearly as
numerous as the sales themselves, but chiefly (in
London) clustering round Paternoster Row.
One was at Westmoreland Court, in St.
Bartholomew's Close ; another at the sign of
“ The Harrow,” near the London College of
Physicians in Warwick Lane ; another at
" The White Hart” in Bartholomew's Close.
Dr. Bernard's vast library was sold at his
own house in Little Britain. Cooper having
a good bookselling business, and evidently large
premises, sold several libraries at his own
warehouse in Little Britain. Many sales were
held at coffee-houses, some in Petty-canon's Hall,
in St. Paul's Churchyard ; at the houses of city
upholsterers, at certain houses in the City as
the titles state, “amongst the Woollen-Drapers,"
or " amongst the Linen-drapers." One house,
in Ave-Maria Lane, opposite the" Black Swan,"
is dignified as “ Domus Auctionaria," but
fewer auctions were held there than at Cooper's
house in Little Britain. In the provinces
Cooper and Millington sold Richard Davis's
stock at his warehouse in the High Street,
Oxford, near the Church of St. Mary the
Virgin. In Cambridge Millington sold the
library of Dr. Castell at the house of Robert
Skyrings, at the sign of the “ Eagle and
Introduction.
XXV
Child” opposite St. Benedict's, and the same
auctioneer held annual sales at Stourbridge
Fair, near Cambridge, in booths. At Norwich
an auction was held in the city “at Mrs.
Elizabeth Oliver's house," and at “St. Ed-
mundsbury's Fair" in a booth. The library
of the Rev. Robert Whitehall, Vice-Principal
of New Hall, Oxford, was sold “at Mrs.
Weaver's Dancing-School in Holywell."
THE AUCTIONEERS.--The business of
auctioneering not having, at the period of
which we write, acquired the status it has in
our time, was open to anybody who chose to
embark in it. So we find, soon after Cooper
had successfully inaugurated the method, quite
a large number of booksellers and others trying
their hands at it. There occuer the names of
Thomas Parkhurst, John Bullord, Zachary
Bourne, Christopher Bateman, Benjamin
Tooke, Samuel Ravenshaw, Benjamin Wal-
ford, Thomas Bentley, John Dunmore, Richard
Chiswell, Nathaniel Ranew, Moses Pitt and
Samuel Carr, all booksellers ; and Nathaniel
Rolls, a coffee-house keeper. A number of the
catalogues were issued without the name of
the auctioneer appearing. Most of these auc-
tioneers, however, sold only one, two or three
xxvi
Introduction.
libraries at the most. The three men who
came most to the front as book auctioneers in
the seventeenth century are William Cooper,
Edward Millington and John Dunton. Of
these three Dunton is chiefly notable for the
large sales he made in Ireland and on the
Continent, of which we have been given particu-
lars at the end of this book. So it leaves Cooper
and Millington as the two foremost book
auctioneers of their day. Of Cooper very
little is known : even his contemporary Dunton
mentions him only briefly as an auctioneer
under the name of " Cowper.” That he was
a thriving bookseller and publisher, is certain.
He was also a student and publisher of those
empirical works coming under the heading of
the “ Occult Sciences”; publishing several
small books, chiefly translations of Paracelsus
and Von Helmont. In 1669 he had printed for
him by Mr. Godbid in St. Bartholomew's Close,
a" Treatise of Richard Vaughan the Alchemist”
(Eirenæus Philalethes) under the following
quaint title: " Secrets Revealed, or an Open
Entrance to the Shut Pallace of the King ;
containing the greatest Treasure in Chemistry
never yet so plainly discovered, composed by a
famous Englishman, styling himself Anonymus
or Eirenæus Philaletha Cosmopolita, who by
Introduction. xxvii
inspiration and reading attained to the Philo-
sopher's Stone ; at his age of twenty-three
years, Anno Domini 1645, published for the
benefit of all Englishmen by W. C. true lover
of Art and Nature." In 1673 he published
“ The Philosopher's Epitaph, with a Catalogue
of Chymical( Alchemical) Books"; this catalogue
was afterwards enlarged and issued separately
by him in 1675. At the end of this latter he
issued a list of sixty-three books printed and
sold by him at the “ Pelican” in Little Britain.
In this list we find fifteen of Vaughan's
writings, besidessome of Geber, Glauber,
Helvetius, Dr. Dee, Paracelsus, Behmen and
other mystics ; and also, it is curious to notice,
that rare little book of Richard Brathwaite
" Regicidium Tragicomædia.” Cooper must
have died before. November 1689, as on a
catalogue title of that date we read of " The
Widow Cooper in Little Britain." Between
October 1676 and June 1688, Cooper sold a
large number of libraries, some of the catalogues
of which have perhaps perished. The present
writer has twenty-five of these. In his chrono-
logical list of libraries disposed of from 1676
to February 14th, 1686-7 Cooper enumerates
seventy-four sales. Millington and other
auctioneers sold a good number of these ; so
xxviii
Introduction.
perhaps twenty-five is as complete a collection
of Cooper's sales as it is possible to obtain.
Probably the last sale held by this industrious
and enterprising bookseller and auctioneer was
the third portion of the vast stock of Richard
Davis the Oxford bookseller, which took place
at Oxford in June 1688.
But by far the most prominent and best-
known of the first English Book-Auctioneers,
was, undoubtedly, EDWARD MILLINGTON. By
his unlimited enthusiasm, tact and activity, he
contributed largely to the success of the “ Auction-
ary Way.” Although he did not, perhaps, sell
inore libraries than his friend and rival,
Cooper, he had such a reputation for liveliness,
wit and satire, in the conduct of his sales,
that he drew towards him a larger number of
clients, who were much entertained by his
sprightly remarks, and so probably managed
in many instances to enhance the prices of
the books he sold. Millington was responsible
for the introduction of book auctions into the
provinces, and appears to have travelled from
town to town with a load of books of all kinds.
His prefaces to his catalogues of sales held
in country towns shows great perspicacity in
gauging the particular class of book likely to
be most sought for in different places, and he
Introduction.
xxix
has an artful way of insinuating himself into
the favourable regard of his intending patrons.
He generally intimates on the titles of his
catalogues that his auction will be held" for
the diversion and entertainment of the Gentle-
men” of the towns he visits. He boldly de-
clares at each place, that, if he did not know
the general intelligence and wisdom of its
inhabitants, he would not dare to come amongst
them. He assumes an air sometimes of inde-
pendence and indifference to his own profit,
“not being solicitous as to the event, be it
better or worse," and he will be very well
satisfied if he" can but offer matter of Diversion
to the Company, minister to the advantage of
others, please the generality of my Customers,
without sinister regard to Profit or Advantage."
Dunton, who made Millington's acquaintance
at the Annesley sale, calls him “the famous
Millington” and a “man of remarkable Elo-
cution, Wit, Sense and Modesty. Originally a
Bookseller, he gave up the business, being better
cut out for an Auctioneer. He had a quick
wit, and a wonderful fluency of Speech : there
was usually as much Comedy in his 'Once, twice,
thrice' as in a modern Play.” Millington
also has considerable interest from his con-
nection with Milton. The Richardsons, who
XXX
Introduction
wrote “Explanatory Remarks on Milton's
Paradise Lost,” published in 1724, refer to
this connection as follows: “ One that had
often seen Milton told me he used to come to
a house where he lived, and he has also met
him in the street led by Millington, who was so
famous an auctioneer of Books about the tiine
of the Revolution and since. This man was
a Seller of Old Books in Little Britain, and
Milton lodged at his house three or four years
before he died.” And again: “ About 1670,
I have been told by one who knew him that
he (Milton) lodged some time at the house of
Millington the famous Auctioneer some years
ago, who then sold Old Books in Little Britain,
and who used to lead him by the hand when
he went abroad.” Millington appears to have
begun selling in 1680, and his last sale was
apparently that of the Regius Professor at
Oxford, Dr. William Levinz, which he sold at
Oxford in June 1698. During these eighteen
years he must have disseminated in London
and the provinces vast quantities of books,
carrying them to the doors of country clergymen
and gentlemen, to their undoubted advantage
and the spread of knowledge. During these
years Millington visited with books, Oxford,
Cambridge, Norwich, Stourbridge and St.
Introduction.
xxxi
Edmundsbury fairs, St. Albans, Chelmsford,
Abingdon, Hatfield, Tunbridge Wells, and
other cities and towns in England. Of the
date of his death we have no precise informa-
tion, but it inust have been before 1718, as in
that year the facetious Mr. Thomas Brown
composed an elegy and an epitaph on him,
which he printed in“ Familiar Letters of Love,
Gallantry, etc.," published in 1718, which is
quoted below :
“ AN ELEGY ON THE DEATH
OF MR. EDWARD MILLINGTON THE
FAMOUS AUCTIONEER.
“Mourn, Mourn, you Booksellers, for Cruel
Death
Has robb'd the famous Auctioneer of Breath;
He's gone, He's gone, ah the great loss deploré :
Great Millington ! alas he is no more ;
No more will he now at your Service stand
Behind the Desk, with Mallet in his hand.
No more the Value of your Books set forth,
And sell’em by his Art for twice their worth ;
Methinks I see him still, with smiling look
Amidst the Crowd, and in his hand a Book,
Then in a fine facetious pleasing way,
The Authour's genius and his wit display;
O all ye scribbling tribe, come mourn his death,
xxxii
Introduction.
Whose wit has given your dying fame new
birth;
When your neglected works did mouldring lie
Upon the shelves, and none your Books would
buy,
How oft he has with strainèd Eloquence,
Affirmed the leaves contained a World of Sense,
When all insipid dull impertinence.
• Come, gentlemen, come, bid what you please,
Upon my word it is a curious piece;
Done by a learned hand, and neatly bound,
What say you? come, I'll put it up one pound;
One pound, once, twice? fifteen—who bids a
crown?
Then shakes his head with an affected frown;
Good lack-a-day, 'tis strange, then strikes a
blow,
And in a feignèd passion bids it go';
Then in his hand another piece he takes,
And in its praise a long harangue he makes;
And tells 'em that 'tis writ in lofty Verse,
One that is out of print and very Scarce ;
Then with high language and a stately look,
He sets a lofty price upon the Book ;
Five pound, Four pound, Three pound,' he
cries aloud,
And holds it up, expose it to the crowd,
With Arm erect the bidders to provoke
To seize the price before the impending stroke.
This in the strong does emulation breed,
And makes 'em strive each other to out-bid;
Introduction.
xxxiii
While he descants upon their learned heats,
And his facetious Dialect repeats :
For none like him, for certain, knew so well
By way of Auction, any Goods to sell;
Tis endless to express the ways he had,
To sell the good, and to put off the bad;
But ah! in vain I strive his fame to spread:
The Great, the Wise, the Knowing man is
dead.
And you, in painting skilled, his loss bewail,
He's dead that did expose your works to sale ;
See how he lies, all dismal, wan and pale.
No more by him your praise will be exprest,
For ah! he's gone to his Eternal Rest.
Can you forget how he for you did bawl,
Come, put it in, a fine Original,
Done by a curious hand, what stroakes are
here,
Drawn to the life : how fine it does appear!
o lovely piece! Ten pound, five pound, --for-
shame,
You do not bid the value of the frame;
How many pritty stories would he tell,
To inhance the price, and make the Picture
sell;
But now he's gone, ah! the sad loss deplore !
Great Millington, alas he is no more.
And you the Muses darling to rehearse,
Your Sorrow for the loss of him in Verse ;
Mourn, mourn together for that Tyrant Death,
Hath robbed the famous Auctioneer of Breath."
xxxiv'
Introduction.
“His EPITAPH.
“ Underneath this marble stone
Lies the famous Millington,
A man who through the world did steer
I'th' station of an Auctioneer;
A man with wondrous sence and wisdom blest,
His whole qualities are not to be exprest."
THE LIBRARIES AND THEIR OWNERS.-
The greater number, by far, of the libraries
sold by auction in the period treated of in this
volume, were those of eminent contemporary
divines. They include the names of many, not
only of eminence in their day, but occupying
prominent positions in the thought of our own
times. We can refer particularly to a few
only. Dr. Lazarus Seaman, of London, one
of the Assembly of Divines, had a very extensive
professional library, the catalogue of which
occupies 137 pages, each book being described
mostly in a single line. It contained some
7000 different works, and was the first
Library sold by Auction in England. Dr.
Thomas Manton, whose London sermons were
so popular and were collected in five huge
folio volumes, also had a large library; and
fair libraries of a professional character were
collected by such eminent unen as Dr. John
Introduction.
XXXV
Owen, Dean of Christ Church, Dr. Stephen
Charnock, Bishop Gulston of Bristol, Dr.
Ralph Cudworth, author of the “ Intellectual
System of the Universe,” Bishop Brian Walton,
the learned editor of the Polyglot Bible (brought
out under the patronage of the Protector); his
contemporary Dr. Castell, who edited the
Dictionary to accompany the Bible; Warner,
Bishop of Rochester, Dr. Thos. Jacomb,
and others. But all these libraries consisted
of books concerned with the Clerical pro
fession only--ponderous folios of the writings
of the Fathers, commentaries, Greek and
Latin philology, controversial books and
pamphlets, and are chiefly remarkable for the
entire absence in them of light literature, and
are of no interest to the general reader.
The two other professions of Law and Medicine
also are represented in the sale catalogues of
the time. The library of Lord Justice Godol-
thin was sold in 1678, Justice Raymond in
1683, and there were several anonyinous sales
of law books. Of the doctors the most import-
ant sale of the century was that of Dr. Francis
Bernard, whose library was sold in 1698.
This famous physician was an omnivorous
collector, to whom nothing in the shape of a
book came amiss. It is surprising that this
xxxvi
Introduction.
vast collection should have escaped the notice
of the indefatigable William Oldys, when he
compiled his notice of the London libraries. I
have referred to this library in the body of the
present volume.
But the most interesting catalogues of
the period are undoubtedly those of non-pro-
fessional collectors, such as the Earl of
Anglesey, Lord Lauderdale, Richard Smyth,
Brooke, Lord Warwick, Peter Hushar (a
city merchant), Sir Richard Weston, Kenelm
Digby, Sir Edward Bysshe and others, who
admitted to their libraries whatever was curious
or valuable in itself without reference to the
subject. Oldys, commenting upon the habit of
the Earl of Anglesey (as well as other noble-
men) in purchasing whole libraries, notes that
he occupied himself thirty years in this pursuit,
and that amongst others he acquired that of
Mr. Oldenburgh, secretary of the Royal Society,
who died in 1678. “Hence," says he, “his
collection was so numerous, hence so universal,
so extraordinary for its abundance, as well
as scarcity thereof, hence such recourse, such
acknowledgement thereunto by many persons
of honour and learning, though possessed of
very great libraries themselves, for the sight
of many they could nowhere else see. This
Introduction.
xxxvii
large and important collection was sold by
auction by Millington in October 1686. The
catalogue was apparently made by Thomas
Philipps, his lordship's gentleman, whose name
appears on the title. Particular reference has
been made to this catalogue in the body of this
work. But it has another interest, in the
fact that it was in this library that the dis-
covery was made of the Earl's note in a copy
of the “ Eikon Basilike” attributing the author-
ship of that famous work to Bishop Gauden.
Millington discovered this paper which is
given here : “King Charles II. and the Duke
of York, did both (in the last session of
parliament, 1675, when I showed them in the
Lords' House the written copy of this book,
wherein are some corrections and alterations
written with the late King Charles Ist's own
hand) assure me, that 'this was none of the
King's compiling but made by Dr. Gauden,
Bishop of Exeter; which I here insert for the
undeceiving others in this point by attesting
so much under my hand.--Anglesey."
After Lord Anglesey's the greatest collection
(for a commoner) was that of Richard Smyth,
Secondary of the Poultry Compter. For variety
and extent this library was one of the largest
of any private collection brought to the hammer
xxxviii
Introduction.
in the seventeenth century. Oldys says of this
collection, “ For persons of inferior rank, we
never had one more successful in his time for
picking up whatever was valuable and scarce
and in such abundance. There was no day
passed over his head in which he did not
visit Moorfields, Little Britain, or Paul's
Churchyard ; and for many years together
suffered nothing to escape him that was rare
and remarkable. He had laid in a good
stock of acquaintance with all our writers and
eminent men, knew their characters and com-
positions, and, therefore, how much from time
to time he wanted to make any argument,
controversy, etc., complete. He had pamphlets
as valuable as manuscripts, was an author as
well as a buyer of books.” The sale catalogue
of this immense collection occupied 400 closely
printed quarto pages. It was sold by Richard
Chiswell, the bookseller, by auction, at the
Swan in Bartholomew's Close, in May 1682.
Richard Maitland, fourth Earl of Lauder-
dale, had a fine collection of books, and a large
number of drawings, prints and manuscripts.
The noble owner's own catalogue, which was
compiled under his own direction, is highly
praised by Oldys, who remarks that "no
catalogue is perhaps now perfect except the
Introduction.
xxxix
Lord Maitland's, which gives the author's
name, place where printed, printer's name,
date, and subject-matter contained in the book.
Catalogues of this nature," he continues, "would
give us very great intelligence in a little time.”
Maitland's library was sold in Ave Maria
Lane in 1689.
Sir Kenelm Digby must be regarded as
one of the earliest collectors who clothed -
his books in fine bindings. Most of these
were done in France by the best binders of
the period. Specimens of his library, with
his arms and initials combined with that of
his wife Venetia, still exist. His library had
been conveyed to France during the Civil
War. He died there in 1665, and his books
became the property of the Crown by “ Droit
d'Aubain," Some remission was obtained by
his relation George Digby, Earl of Bristol,
and some were sold by auction in London in
May 1680. The catalogue contained some
interesting MSS. The whole of Sir Kenelin's
library, however, could not have been brought to
London, as the total proceeds were only £908.
A library sold in November 1687 is said
to comprise the main part of the library of
William Cecil Lord Burghley, and it con-
tained a number of fine and extremely rare
London, wary sold main partychley, anem
xl
Introduction.
MSS., said to have many annotations in the
great statesman's own handwriting. This
catalogue has the largest number of MSS.
which had ever before been sold by auction,
and it would be very difficult to get such
a collection together even in our own time.
They comprised 130 in Latin, 20 in French,
and 99 in English, and some of these were
bound volumes containing several different
MSS. in each. Most of them were on vel-
Lum, and included Bibles, histories, charters,
monkish chronicles, codices of classic authors,
voyages, original unpublished treatises of
Henry VIII. and Queen Elizabeth's time,
the old romances and other interesting items,
mostly connected with English History. It
would have been interesting to know amongst
how many different buyers this important
collection was distributed and where they are
now. Some of thein, judging from the cata-
logue description, recur as individual items
in other catalogues of the period.
A small collection of books belonging to
Sir William Coventry and the Hon. Henry
Coventry, sold at "the late dwelling house of
Mr. Secretary Coventry, at the upper end of
the Haymarket” in May 1687, is remarkable
for the first appearance in an auction of a
Introduction.
xli
first folio Shakespeare. Special attention is
drawn by the auctioneer to the condition of
the books in this catalogue, “being most of
them curiously bound and gilt back.” The
first appearance of a Caxton is noted as
occurring in a sale of the libraries of Dr.
Richard Chace, Dr. Christopher Bathurst
and Dr. George Tunstall in March 1683-4.
The library of Sir Edward Bysshe,
Clarenceux King of Arins, was also re-
markable for books "curiously bound and
richly gilt.” It was, of course, notable for
the large number of books on genealogy and
heraldry, comprising 243 different works of
that nature. Bysshe's library occupies 70
4to pages, and contains about 3000 lots. The
stocks of large booksellers in London were
also wholly or in part sold by auction in
the seventeenth century. Amongst them were
the unfortunate Moses Pitt, Abdiel Mill,
Jonathan Edwin, Thomas Parkhurst, John
Dunton, Abell Roper and others.
But the largest sales were made from the
stock of Richard Davis, the great Oxford
bookseller, who had three different sales, in
April and October 1686 and in June 1688.
These three catalogues occupy 548 closely
printed pages, and extended to the enormous
xlii
Introduction.
.
number of 22,000 different works. These
sales were celebrated at the time in a Latin
poem entitled “ Auctio Davisiana."
The general character of the contents of
the libraries has been already hinted at,
and it only remains to point out that no
one in this early period bought a book for
the mere rarity of it, but only for its
contents, not as a piece of furniture or as a
work of art; for most of the books were in
their original calf or vellum, or boarded pig-
skin as issued by their publishers. It is true
that formers of libraries soon began to like
to have their books in good order, and a craving
arose for books “curiously bound with gilt
backs," but this was only from a sense of the
necessity of brightness, cleanliness and adorn-
ment. In no catalogue of the time we write
about is there any indication of the growth
of any “ Bibliomania." There is “ Biblio-
sophia” and “Bibliophilism, but from a
literary and educational point of view only.
No desire appears to have been formed for
any special collection ; no regard to the history
of printing-apparently no notion of the
existence of a vast number of books printed
before 1500. In the preface to the catalogue of
the library of Monsieur Massauve, Counsellor
Introduction.
xliii
of the Parliament of Montpellier, sold in
February 1686-7, the auctioneer says there are
books in the catalogue of the most celebrated and
learned printers of the world, “even from the
origin of printing”; and he then goes on to give
their names,—The Etiennes, Plantin, Aldus,
Vascosan, Petit, Gryphius, Crispin, Colin,-
but apparently knows nothing of Gutenburg,
Fust and Schäffer, Sweynheym and Pannartz,
Gering, Froben, Ulric Zell, the Spiras,
Neumeister, Caxton and Wynkyn de Worde.
Very few books occur in any of the catalogues
before the time of Henry VIII., and these
not in large numbers. The greatest pro-
portion of the books were those published
after 1600, which would then, of course, be
comparatively new. There was no particu-
lar interest taken in any of the Elizabethan
writers or of the early years of James 1.
Shakespeare, Spenser, Bacon, Ben Jonson, took
their places as ordinary writers, and the
minor celebrities of the time were less regarded.
The first folio Shakespeare produced 145.
because it was a folio volume; as much did
Jonson's and Davenant's folios reach ; and
most of the prices were regulated by sizes. It
is clear that the buyers of books at that period
were not afflicted with bibliomania ; and that
xliv
Introduction.
it was not until a later period that Pope'
satire was necessary :
" In Books 120t Authors curious is my Lord,
To all their dated backs he turizs you round;
These Aldus printed, those Du Seuil has bound,
So some are vellum, and the rest as good."
BOOK AUCTIONS IN ENGLAND
IN THE SEVENTEENTH
CENTURY (1676-1700).
CHAPTER I.
WILLIAM COOPER'S SALES, 1676–88.
MHE method of selling books by
public competition to the highest
bidder was introduced into Europe
by the Elzevirs at Leyden and
Amsterdam. As early as 1604 the sale of
the libraries of George and John Dousa took
place at the Elzevirs' house in Leyden, the
auctioneer being Thomas Basson. This,
however, as Willems remarks, was probably
not the first sale held by the Elzevirs, but it
is the first on record. Between this date and
1681 this long-lived family of Dutch book-
sellers sold by auction the libraries of several
eminent men, including those of the learned
Scaliger, Vulcan, Canter, John of Wittenhorst,
Rapheleng, L. de Dieu and others. They
also, after the decease of any of the family,
2
Book Auctions in England
held sales of their own stock in Officina de-
functorum, for the purpose either of reducing
their immense stock or of facilitating the
division of the property. Their Catalogues
formed the model for our English ones.
The honour of introducing into England
the method of selling books by auction (under
the Hammer) belongs to William Cooper,
bookseller and publisher, carrying on business
at the sign of “The Pelican”in Little Britain.
His preface to the first English Book Auction
Catalogue is as follows: “It hath not been
usual here in England to make Sale of
BOOKS by way of Auction, or Who will
give most for them; but it having been prac-
tised in other Countreys to the Advantage
both of Buyers and Sellers ; it was therefore
conceived (for the encouragement of learning)
to publish the sale of these Books this manner
of way, and it is hoped that this will not be
unacceptable to Schollers; and therefore we
thought it convenient to give an advertise-
ment concerning the manner of proceeding
therein.
“First, that having this Catalogue of the
Books, and their Editions under their several
heads and numbers, it will be more easie for
any person of quality, gentlemen or others,
to depute any one to Buy such Books for
them as they shall desire, if their occasions
will not permit them to be present at the
Auctions themselves.
“Secondly, that those which bid most
In the Seventeenth Century.
3
are the buyers; and if any manifest differ-
ences should arise, that then the same Book
or Books shall be forthwith exposed again
for sale, and the highest bidder' to have the
same.
“Thirdly, that all the Books according
to the Catalogue are (for so much as we
know) perfect, and sold as such ; but if any
of them appear to be otherwise before they
be taken away, the Buyer shall have his
choice of taking or leaving the same.
“Fourthly, that the Mony for the Books
bought, be paid at the delivery of them,
within one month's time after the auction is
ended.
“Fifthly, that the Auction will begin the
31st of October at the Deceased Dr's. house
in Warwick Court in Warwick Lane, punctu-
ally at Nine of the Clock in the Morning, and
Two in the Afternoon, and this to continue
daily until all the Books be sold ; wherefore
it is desired that the gentlemen or those
deputed by them, may be there precisely at
the Hours appointed, lest they should miss
the opportunity of Buying those Books
which either themselves or their friends
desire."
As this first English Book-Auction Cata-
logue is of very great rarity, we transcribe the
title in full. « Catalogus | variorum et in-
signium Librorum instructissimæ Bibliothecæ
Clarissimi Doctissimiq.; Viri Lazari Sea-
man S.T.D.quorum auctio habebitur Londini
4
Book Auctions in England
in ædibus defuncti in Area & Viculo
Warwicensi, Octobrio Ultimo Cura Gulielmi
Cooper Bibliopola Londini |
(Edw. Brewster)
Apud
ad insigne
Guil. Cooper
(Gruis in Cemiterio Paulino )
Pelicano in Vico vulgariter dicto
1 Little Britain."
It is a small quarto volume of 137 pages,
besides title, preface and index, divided into
classes and sizes, as Patres Græci, Patres
Latini, Biblia Varia, Rabbini, Philologi
Latini, Divinity and Expositors in English,
etc. It has, like all the other catalogues to the
end of the century, no bibliographical value,
the titles being simply recorded in a single
line each, and no mention made of edition,
condition or binding. The contents are
sufficiently indicated by the headings already
given above, and show the library to be such
as a learned theologian and controversialist
like this prominent City divine would gather
round him. The writings of the Fathers and
learned Biblical expositors are to be found
in it. But lighter literature is entirely un-
represented. There is no poetry of any
sort. Even Milton's name does not appear.
But there are several important English
theological books of the sixteenth century
which are now of considerable rarity and
value. From a contemporary priced copy
In the Seventeenth Century.
5
of this Catalogue we take some of the most
interesting of these, and they will serve as a
general example of the value of this class
of second-hand literature down to the end
of the century. The old Latin and Greek
folios found here have not much altered in
value, roughly speaking, even in our own
days; but certain books then little valued
have since reached prices which would seem
astonishing to our ancestors, to whom the
fabulous sums which some now realise were
entirely unknown. Dr. Seaman's copy of
the Indian Bible of John Eliot, the first
missionary to the Indians, sold for 195. A
copy sold in America a year or two ago for
£300. Many people would like to buy now
the Homer of 1488 for 95., the sum realised
for the copy in this Catalogue, and Gaza's
Introductivæ Grainmatices, printed by Aldus
in 1495, for 35. 6d.
But the most interesting items, and those
which make the enthusiastic book-lover
almost wish he had lived in the times when
they were dispersed, are the American books
and tracts, the productions of the Early
English press, and those out-of-the-way
curious books which now constitute the
suininuin bonum of the collector. Here he
might have obtained the Novus Orbis
Regionum ac Insularum Veteribus incogniti
Scriptores Varii, printed at Basle in 1555, for
55. ; Holland's Herõologia, with the fine por-
traits by Pass, for 78.; Edward VI.'s Prayer
6
Book Auctions in England
Book of 1552 for 16s.; the Jenny Geddes
Prayer Book of 1637 for 45. ; John Reynolds'
Overthrow of Stage Plays, 1599, and three
others, for 45. 6d.; King Henry VIII.'s
Necessary Doctrine, 1543, and Marbeck's
Common Prayer Noted, 1550, for the same
sum. Here occur Queen Mary's Primer in
Latin and English, 1555, for 35. ; the first
edition of Bacon's Advanceinent of Learning
for Is.; a Series of Twenty Tracts on the
Spanish Armada, Northumberland's Treason,
Ireland, and including Robert Greene's
Notable Discovery of Coosenage, 1591, for 8s.,
and so on. In fact, this and most of the early
catalogues demonstrate the indifference, not
to say contempt, with which that class of Early
English Literature, not theological, which is
now so dearly prized and highly priced, was
regarded by the learned men of the seven-
teenth century. Dr. Seaman's library makes
the respectable number of 5639 lots in the
Catalogue, of which only 1247 are English.
This total would represent a collection of
15,000 or 20,000 volumes-no insignificant
number, when it is considered that most of
them had to be obtained from beyond seas.
The amount realised for them at the sale
seems to be about £3000.
In the writer's copy of the Catalogue the
same contemporary hand which has noted the
prices has at the end also recorded that the
* Auction" ended November 8th, 1676. This
note shows that Cooper took eight days to
In the Seventeenth Century. 7
sell the library, allowing for the intervening
Sunday, making the average number of lots
sold per day at 7oo, about double the number
sold each day by modern auctioneers. But
Cooper and all the other early auctioneers
sold by time, and not by a fixed number of
lots as at present.
Cooper's second sale (and the second
book-auction in England) was that of the
library of the Rev. Thomas Kidner, Rector
of Hitchin, Herts. This commenced on
February 6th, 1676–7, near the auctioneer's
own place of business at the sign of the
King's Head in Little Britain. It is described
on the title as “Catalogus Varioruin et
insignium Librorum selectissimae Bibliothecæ."
The preface is interesting as giving Cooper's
impressions as to the result of his first
experiment in book-auctions. “The first
attempt in this kind,” he says in his preface
“(by the Sale of Dr. Seaman's Library),
having given great content and satisfaction
to the Gentlemen who were the buyers, and
no great discouragement to the Sellers, hath
encouraged the making of this Second Trial
by the exposing (to Auction or Sale) the
Library of Mr. Tho. Kidner, in hopes of
receiving such encouragement from the
learned, as may prevent the Stifling of this
manner of Sale, the benefit (if rightly con-
sidered) being equally balanced between
Buyer and Seller." The Conditions are the
same as in the first Catalogue, with the
8
Auctions in England
BOOR Book 4
addition that the Books will be on View any
time before the Sale commences. Kidner's
library was of the same professional character
as Dr. Seaman's, but not nearly so extensive.
The catalogue consists of fifty-three pages
only, with nearly the same divisions as in the
first. It contains the same foreign and
English books in divinity and religious contro-
versy, and contains 1500 lots representing
about 5,000 volumes. Of these numbers
579 lots are English. There occur the usual
sets of the Fathers and Biblical Expositors,
the ‘Polyglott of Brian Walton (which with
Castell's Lexicon sold for £10), and kindred
books. The English sections consist chiefly
of the writings of the Puritan Divines, but
amongst them occur several rare items, of
which it will be interesting to note at what
value they were appraised at the time. There
occur King Edward VI.'s Prayer Book of
1551, 16s. ; Archbishop Laud's Prayer Book
for Scotland, 1637, 55. ; Granville's De Pro-
prietatibus Rerum in English, 1535, 45. ; King
Henry VIII.'s Necessary Doctrine, 1543, 55. ;
William Prynne's Histrio-Mastix, 1625, 45. ;
and amongst a collection headed "A Bundle
of Pamphlets," that rare American tract
entitled Tears of Repentance, or a further
Narrative of the Progress of the Gospel in
New England, 1653, which with forty-seven
others realised the sum of £i is. As an
indication of what was considered, in those
early days, the most important class of
In the Seventeenth Century.
9
literature, it may be mentioned that the
method of setting up an article in small
capitals, by which modern auctioneers call
attention to anything of special value, is
here for the first time applied, and that only
once throughout the catalogue, and the book
selected for this distinction is Robert Abbot's
Defence of Will Perkins Reformed Catholick
against the Calumniations of D. Bishop,
2 vols., which realised 35. 6d. There is
here again an entire absence of all that
class of literature coming under the heading
of Belles-Lettres.
Cooper's third sale, and the fourth book-
auction in England was that of the library
of Dr. Thomas Manton, the eminent Puritan
divine. In his Preface to the Reader, the
auctioneer says: “We question not but that
this manner of Sale by way of Auction is
pretty well known to the learned; nor can
we doubt their encouragement for the advan-
tage which they (as well as we) may in time
reap thereby; wherefore we are resolved
(Deo Volente) to make a fourth trial with
the Library of Dr. Tho. Manton, which is
not contemptible either for the value, con-
dition, or number, as will appear upon sight
thereof, which is free for any gentleman that
shall be pleased to take that pains."
The professional instincts of the auctioneer
and his desire for fair play are exhibited in
the following curious note at the end of the
preface : “This Catalogue was taken by Phil.
10
Book Auctions in England
Briggs and not by W. Cooper, but afterwards
in part methodized by him ; wherefore he
craves your excuse for the mistakes that have
hapned, and desires that the Saddle may be
laid upon the right Horse." The note also
reveals the fact that Cooper usually made
his own catalogues.
Manton's sale took place in the deceased
Doctor's own house in King Street, Covent
Garden, at the hours of nine in the morning
and two in the afternoon, beginning the 25th
of March, 1678.
Notwithstanding Cooper's boast about the
number, the catalogue contains only seventy
pages, divided into Patres Græci et Latini in
folio, Scriptores in Scripturam in folio, quarto
and octavo, Rabbini, Theologi, Philologi Græci
et Latini, Expositors in English, Divinity in
English, History in English, Philologie in
English, Collections of Pamphlets, and
Bundles of Pamphlets. The catalogue con-
tains 2135 nos., which represent somewhere
about 7000 volumes, and include a large
number of pamphlets. About two-thirds of
the collection are English. One of the
highest sums reached for any book in this
library was £14 6s. for a copy of Brian
Walton's Polyglot, which is described as
being in “Corio Turcico compacta cum foliis
deauratis et lineis rubricis”--undoubtedly a
very fine copy. But there is a copy of the
Corpus Byzantina Historia, 18 vols., printed
at Richelieu's Royal Press at Paris, which
In the Seventeenth Century.
I
sold for £23 Ios. Manton's English books
were mostly the productions of his con-
temporaries or of the preceding generation.
They are not what would be regarded as
particularly interesting in our day, but
amongst the “Philological” division we find
the first edition of Milton's Paradise Lost,
which sold for 35.; Dugdale's History of
Warwickshire, 1656, 265.; Morland's Churches
of Piedmont (dedicated to the Lord Protector),
1658, 10s.; Gage's Survey of the West Indies,
1648, 45. 8d. ; Lambarde’s Perambulation of
Kent, first edition, 1596, 6s. 6d. ; George
Wither's Abuses Stript and Whipt, 1613, 1s.
Among the pamphlets occur many rare ones
relating to America, selling for almost nothing,
but which are now literally worth their weight
in gold. John Ball's Trial of the Church
Way in New England, 1644, and three
others, 25. 2d. ; Nova Francia, 1621, 35. ;
Hartlib's Reformed Virginian Silkworin and
sixteen others, 6s. 4d.; Sheppard's Historical
Narration of the Conversion of the Indians,
1648, and six others, 35. rod.; Wood's
Prospect of New England, 1639, and seven
others, 25. jod.; The Indians' Conversion in
New England, 1653, and New England's
First Fruits in the Conversion of the Indians,
25. ; New England's Jonas cast up at London,
1647, and ten others, 3s. iod., and a number
of others similarly rare at very small prices.
The total sum realised by the sale was about
£1,000.
12
Book Auctions in England
We now come to the most interesting
catalogue of books hitherto sold by auction
in England. It is Cooper's fourth auction.
It consists of the libraries of the learned
Admiralty lawyer, Dr. John Godolphin, and
of a learned Tutor of Winchester College,
Dr. Owen Phillips, A.M. The sale took place
in Westmorland Court in St. Bartholomew's
Close on November 11th, 1678. In the
preface Cooper says: “We question not but
that this manner of Sale by way of Auction
is pretty well known to the learned; nor
can we doubt their encouragement for the
advantage which they (as well as we) may
in time reap thereby; wherefore we have
again by your unanimous encouragement,
exposed to sale the Libraries of Dr.
Godolphin, Mr. Phillips, etc., jointly, not
doubting to give you the same content as
formerly." Westmorland Court, where the
sale took place, is described in the preface
as being situated “ by the New Alley that
runs into Aldersgate Street.” The catalogue
is divid ed into two parts, and consists of
fifty-two and fifty-nine pages respectively.
It contains about five thousand lots, which
represent some 15,000 volumes. The first
part, being the library of a lawyer, consists
chiefly of English and foreign law books
with the usual sprinkling of fathers and
Biblical expositors, and is of little interest,
except that amongst the “ Libri Philologici”
(always the most attractive division in
In the Seventeenth Century. 13
these early catalogues) we find some of
De Bry's books on America, with his vivid,
if fanciful, engravings, and a few other
folio books on the same country. But it
is in the second part, presumably that which
contains the library of Tutor Phillips, that
the interest increases. Here we find, under
the heading of “ Divinity in folio," such
books as The Flower of the co?lmandments
of God, printed by Wynkyn de Worde in
1521; Henry VIII.'s Necessary Doctrine,
1543 ; John Knox's Defence of Predestina-
tion, 1560; Answer to the Devilish Direction
of Stephen Gardiner 1547; The Papists'
Lamentation of the Death of the Mass, with
a Dialogue in old verse, 1546; Stephen
Gardiner's Oration of true Obedience, 1536 ;
a series of pamphlets relating to Northumber-
land's rebellion, and other equally rare
items which now set collectors by the ears,
in their eagerness to acquire them. The
rarer Americana also make here a very
respectable show. Again, under “Philology,"
occur Purchas his Pilgrims, 5 vols., folio;
Thomas Gage his English American, 1648 ;
Simplicity's Defence against Seven-headed
Policy united in New England, 1646;
0. Lopez, his Report on the Kingdom of
Congo, 1597 ; Lopez de Castañeda, Dis-
covery and Conquest of East India by the
Portugals, 1582; Captain John Smith's New-
England's Trial by the Success of 80 Ships
in 8 years, 1622 ; A Good Speed to Virginia,
14
Book Auctions in England
1609, A Declaration of the State of the
Colony and Affairs in Virginia, 1612; and
The later “ Declaration, 1620, Nova
Britannia offering most excellent fruits by
planting in Virginia, 1609; and other similar
rarities. Unfortunately the catalogue of this
sale in the writer's possession is not priced,
but no doubt the sums realised were as small
as those of similar books in other catalogues.
Perhaps the most interesting fact connected
with this catalogue is that we have here
recorded for the first time a book printed by
Caxton, as well as some of the writings of
Shakespeare, a second copy of Milton's
Paradise Lost, and a good sprinkling of
books coming under the denomination of
“ Belles-Lettres," which are conspicuous by
their absence in former auction catalogues.
The Caxton here entered is “Geffry Chaucer's
Translation of Boetius de Consolatione Philo-
sophiæ, in English, and printed by William
Caxton." No colophon or any description
is given, but it is of course the one printed
at Westminster about 1479. There is also
Lydgate's Translation of Boccaccio's Fall
of Princes, without date, as well as his
'Translation of Daretas and Dictus. “The
Shakespeare item is the first edition of his
poems in 1640. The English writers up
to the date of the catalogue are in good
evidence, and include names whose books
are now much sought after by collectors,
such as John Lyly, M. Drayton, Lord Bacon,
In the Seventeenth Century.
15
N. Breton, T. Dekker, John Taylor the
Water Poet, Coryat, And. Boorde, King
James I., with the first edition of his
“Dæmonologie"; the controversialists of the
Reformation period, as well as many less-
known writers whose productions are now
most rare.
Cooper's fifth auction consisted of the
libraries of the Rev. Stephen Watkins and
Dr. Thomas Sherley, M.D., “atque alterius
cujusdam Hominis docti dudum decessi, etc."
(which is meant for Mr. Richard Chiswell,
Bookseller). This took place on June 2nd,
1679, at the “Golden Lion over against the
Queen's Head Tavern in Paternoster Row.”
The sale, not being a very important one,
Cooper does not take the trouble to make any
introductory remarks about it, but contents
himself with saying that the condition of the
books was generally fair and a very great
number “Curiously Bound." The bindings
not being described, we cannot ascertain
whether or not there were any special speci-
mens of the binder's art amongst them.
The books in this catalogue are of special
interest only to scholars, and of the ordinary
character then forming the libraries of the
learned. They are mostly foreign, and the
few English ones which occur in an appendix
are of no particular interest.
Cooper's sixth sale took place on March
21st, 1680-I at his own house at the “ Peli-
can," in Little Britain. It was the library
16
Book Auctions in England
of the reverend and learned Dr. Samuel
Brooke, Fellow of Catherine's Hall. It is
a small library only, the catalogue contain-
ing 42 pages, comprising 1006 numbers
consisting of the usual Theological and
“Philological” books of the period. They
appear to have sold, generally, for remarkably
small sums, such prices as 4d., 3d., 2d., 6d.,
continually recurring, and several even fall-
ing to the lowest sum a book could possibly
reach-viz., one penny. But there is a copy
of the Great Councils of Labbé and Cossart,
18 vols. folio, which reached £18, and also
a copy of Chrysostom's Works by Duce which
realised £8 35. Among the Tracts occur
Raleigh's Discovery of Guiana and seventeen
others, which sold for 25., and a bundle con-
taining such rarities as A Discovery of the
Coast of America, The Virginia Company,
Travels froin Virginia to Carolina to which
no dates are given, for 45.
On June 6th, 1681, Cooper commenced
his seventh auction with a library “Viri
cujusdam Literati.” There is no indication
of ownership given on the title, but in
Cooper's List of Auctions in the middle of
Rea's Catalogue he states that the books be-
longed to P. de Cardonell, who wrote some
congratulatory poems to King Charles II.
on his restoration, of which the present
writer has seen the copy presented to the
King by the author, which had several
additional poems in his autograph. The
In the Seventeenth Century.
17
sale was held at Cooper's shop at the “sign
of the Pelican” in Little Britain. Cooper in
his preface to this catalogue signifies his
intention of being up betimes, as he says he
will commence selling so early as eight o'clock
in the morning “if there be but twenty
Gentlemen present.” He also expresses the
wish that “the Gentlemen will be pleased
to come at the hour appointed,” and artfully
insinuates that by not attending punctually
some have lost bargains they would other-
wise have secured : “many," says he, “have
confessed they have lost the opportunity of
buying for themselves and their friends by
coming or sending too late, and would after-
wards have given double what they were
sold for if they could have had them."
Amongst the books in this catalogue,
which are mostly of the usual learned
character, occurs the fine first Aristotle of
Aldus, and there are many of the writers
on the occult sciences. But the most re-
markable entries are another book of Caxton
described as “ Will. Caxton, his Transla-
tion and paraphrase upon Cato's 'Book of
Manners, Westm. 1483," and three manu-
scripts on vellum with illuminations described
as follows: (1) Tractatus Antiquus Lingua
Gallica Scriptus Carmine de Virtutibus et
Vitiis aneis figuris depictis, Pergamena, in
fol.; (2) Le Livre de la Chace qui fist le
Conte de Foix avec figures, en inembrane et
fort bien relié et embossé d'airain; (3) Collectio
18
Book Auctions in England
variorum Scriptorun de Re Medica, Latinè
simul et Anglicè bene Pergamena scripta circa
A.D. 1280 in 2 vols., et pertinebant ad
D. Doctorem Jer. Prugean diebus suis ut
manus ejus testat. It would be interesting to
trace these three fine MSS. to their present
destination. Captain John Smith's General
History of Virginia (1624) also appears
here. There is also the Æstivalis part of
a Sarum Breviary, printed by Wynkyn de
Worde in 1509, and the very rare York
Missal printed at Rouen for Jo. Gachet,
Mercator, in Paris in 1530. Amongst the
English books occur the first quarto of
Ben. Jonson's Sejanus (1605), Harding's
Chronicle in Verse (1543), Edmund Waller's
Lyrick Poems (1645), George Gardiner's
Description of the New World Called America
(1651), and Thomas Martin's Treatise to
prove the Marriage of Priests and Professed
Persons Unlawful (1554). This catalogue
is also interesting in giving us some idea
of the number of lots the auctioneers of the
period sold in a day. Cooper says he hopes
to sell the whole of this catalogue in three
days. It comprises 36 pages, and has an
average of 47 numbers on a page. This
gives us a total of 1,692 lots, giving the
number of 564 disposed of in a day; and
as he sold for about ten hours, namely
from 8 in the morning until 8 in the evening
with two hours' interval between 12 and 2, it
gives an average of 56 lots an hour. Our
In the Seventeenth Century.
19
modern auctioneers now sell much quicker,
and think nothing of disposing of 80, and in
some instances more lots of ordinary books
in an hour.
Cooper's next book-auction consisted of
the medical library of Dr. Nathan Paget, M.D.
“cui adjiciuntur quain plurimi alii Libri
Theologici, Philosophici, etc.” The sale took
place at the auctioneer's place of business at
the sign of the "Pelican," in Little Britain,
October 24th, 1681. The catalogue contains
52 pages, comprising about 2,600 lots, re-
presenting some 7,000 or 8,000 volumes.
The most interesting feature about the
collection is the very large number of books
coming under the heading of the “Occult
Sciences," the kind of empirical literature
which has in these days of Theosophical
Societies bounded into a position of con-
siderable prominence. Here we find the
early writers on such abstruse subjects as
Astrology, the Philosopher's Stone, the Elixir
of Life, Ghosts, Apparitions, Witchcraft, Pos-
session by Demons, Exorcisms, and other
speculations on the unknowable, which are
always so fascinating to immortal man; the
writings of Cardan, Paracelsus, H. Cornelius
Agrippa, Roger Bacon, Robert Fludd,
Van Helmont, Jacob Behmen, Wm.
Lilly, Raymund Lully, J. B. Porta, Basil
Valentine, J. R. Glauber and many less-
known and anonymous writers dealing with
similar subjects. Amongst the English books
20
Book Auctions in England
are the first and second Prayer-books of
Edward VI., the first Prayer-book of Eliza-
beth ; two copies of the very first edition of
Milton's Paradise Lost; A Further Account
of the Progress of the Gospel among the
Indians in New England, 1660; John Cotton's
Conference at Boston with the Elders of New
England, 1646; John Josselyn's New Eng-
land's Rarities, 1672; The Heart of New
England rent at the Blasphemy of the Quakers,
etc. Cooper proposes to sell the contents
of this catalogue in four days' time, and
hopes his stipulated number of gentlemen
(20) will be in attendance at eight o'clock in
the morning.
The library of Walter Rea, Gentleman,
sold at the “ Pelican” in Little Britain, June
19th, 1682. A catalogue of 50 pages, con-
taining 2732 Nos., representing some 8000
volumes, the whole of which was the pro-
perty of the gentleman whose name appears
on the title. This catalogue is most interest-
ing and valuable, as it contains the first list
of the Book-Auctions which had taken place
up to the date of Rea's Sale. On the reverse
of page 29, and at the end of the Foreign
Division, Cooper prints the following notice:
"To supply the Vacancy of this page, and
to gratifie the curious whose genius may lead
them to make perfect their Collection, I have
caused to be printed the names of those
persons whose Libraries have been sold by
Auction, and the Series of the time when.”
In the Seventeenth Century.
21
He then gives the following list of the first
thirty Sales which had been held from the
31st October, 1676, to the date of Rea's Sale,
June 19th, 1682. We give here his list
verbatiin et literatim :-
1. D. L. Seaman, Oct. 31, 1676.
2. M. Th. Kidner, Feb. 6, 1676-7.
3. M. Wil. Greenhill, Feb. 18, 1677-8.
4. D. Tho. Manton, Mar. 25, 1678.
5. D. Benj. Worsley, May 13, 1678.
6. D. Jo. Godolphin, ļ Nov. II, 1678.
M. Ow. Philips,
7. D. Gisb. Voetius, Nov. 25 1678.
8. Lord Brook, L Deco thos
D. Gab. Sangar,
Dec. 2, 1678.
M. Moses Pit, 1 Feb. 24 1678-9.
e Teatro Oxon.
10. M. St. Watkins,
June 2,
D. Tho. Shirley,
Append. M. Rich. Chiswel. 1679.
Il. Sir Edw. Bish, Nov. 15, 1679.
12. M. Jon. Edwin Bibl.,
Mar. 29, 1680.
cum append. M. Dan..
13. Sir Ken. Digby, Apr. 19, 1680.
14. M. St. Charnock, Oct. 4, 1680.
15. D. Th. Watson, Oct. 8, 1680.
16. M. Abell Roper Bibl., Nov. 22, 1680.
17. D. H. Stubb,
D. Dillingham,
D. Th. Vincent, } Nov. 29, 1680.
D. Canton,
M. Jo. Dunton,
18. Ed. Palmer, Esq., Feb. 14, 1680-1.
19. D. Th. Jessop, ļ Feb. 21. 1680-1.
D. Castell,
20. M. Sam. Brook, March 21, 1680-1.
22
Book Auctions in England
21. M, Geo. Lawson, )
M. Geo. Fawler,
M. Ow. Stockton, 1
May 20, 1681.
M. Th. Brooks,
22. Pet. Cardonell, June 6, 1681.
23. M. Nic. Lloyd, July 4, 1681.
24. D. H. Paget, Oct. 24, 1681.
25. M. R. Button, )
M. Tho. Owen, 1 Nov. 7, 1681.
M. Wil. Hoel,
26. Chr. Wilkinson, L
Dec. 5, 1681.
a
Tho. Dring Bibl. 1
27. D. Wil. Outram, 1 Dec 29,
D. Th. Gataker,
{ Dec. 12, 1681.
1
28. Robert Croke, Esq., Feb. 23, 1681-2.
29. Mr. Rich. Smith, May 15, 1682.
30. Walt. Rea, Esq., June 19, 1682.
Cooper does not give the names of the
auctioneers who sold these libraries, but we
know that he divided the honour chiefly
with that enterprising bookseller Edward
Millington; and the last sale of his, and the
last catalogue on which his name appears as
auctioneer, is that of the third portion of the
very large stock of Richard Davis, the great
Oxford Bookseller, which he sold in Oxford
in June 1688, having sold the first portion
of the same in conjunction with Millington
in April 1686. Rea's catalogue is an indica-
tion of the wider range of literature the
formers of libraries of that period were
beginning to take. Instead of being a col-
lection of professional books only, we find
here works in all classes of literature; and
In the Seventeenth Century.
23
the more general character of this library is
evinced by the absence of the usual technical
divisions, Libri Theologici, Philologici, Juri-
dici, Patristici, etc., so common in the previous
ones. This may be due to the fact that
Walter Rea was a private gentleman, and not
a professional. We have here “Libri Græci,
Latini, Italici, Gallici," etc., and “English
Books in folio, quarto and octavo” only.
The catalogue records a Caxton's Translation
of Virgil's Eneads, 1490, and contains a
copy of the Nuremburg Chronicle of 1493,
famous for its fine woodcuts by the Master
of Albert Dürer. It mentions a copy of the
Orlando Furioso of Venice, 1506, ten years
before the first edition was printed, which is
probably a misprint for the right date. It
has a copy of the Navigationes primæ in
Americam Columbi, Vespucci, Cortesiï, etc.,
date 1616. In the English portion we find
such things as Dugdale's Works, Purchas's
Pilgrims, Thomas Taylor the Water Poet's
Works, first folio, 1630; The North-West
Fox, 1635, Harcourt's Voyage to Guiana,
1626; Publication of Guiana's Plantation,
1632; and Richard Jobson's Golden Trade,
1623; (bracketed in one lot!); Ben Jonson's
Sejanus, first edition, 1605, and a good
sprinkling of poems, plays, and Roman
Catholic Literature.
Cooper next sold the library of John
Humphry, late of Rowell in the County of
Northampton “cum aliis Eruditorum

24
Book Auctions in England
Jonatember loeng Thi curiousench and
Viroruin Libris”; with French and Italian
Books, and “many Curious Manuscripts on
Vellam” (sic). This sale took place on
December 4th, 1682, in the house of
Jonathan Miles, otherwise Jonathan's
Coffee-House in Exchange Alley, Cornhill,
over against the Royal Exchange. These
books were on view a week before the sale,
from 8 o'clock a.m. till 12 o'clock, and from
2 o'clock p.m. until 6 o'clock. This is an
extensive catalogue containing 61 pp.,
making 3039, lots representing about 10,000
volumes. It is divided into Theology,
Philology, French, Italian and Spanish,
Miscellaneous Latin, English Divinity.
English Miscellaneous, Roman Catholick
Books, Libri Omissi, volumes of Tracts, and
Libri Manuscripti. The last is the most
interesting portion. It comprises seventy
manuscripts, amongst which are several very
fine ones, as far as we can judge from the
meagre descriptions. There are two Sarum
Missals, large folio volumes on vellum with
illuminations; a Vulgate Bible, two codexes
of Boccaccio's Princely Houses, translated by
Lydgate and another; a most interesting
English Bible, probably Wycliffe's Transla-
tion, described as follows : “Bible English,
very large, and written on curious Vellum,
the translation very old, so as it is observed
in the Revelations to be Knawe Child instead
of Man Child”; a" Missa de Sancta Barbara
et cum Catalogo Abbatissarum de Berking,
1
In the Seventeenth Century.
25
cum Visitatione Episcopi Lond. ad
eundem Monasterium de Berkyng nono
Sept. anno 1507”; Walter Enden, Calen-
dariam, a. 1387, usque ad annum 1463 ;
Lindewood's Constitutions, written on vellum,
and two or three old primers written on the
same material. Altogether a most interest-
ing lot of MSS, some of which may still
be concealed in old public and private
libraries. Besides these the catalogue
contains several fine and rare printed Sarum
Missals (one on vellum), including the very
early Cologne one of 1505; three copies (!!!)
of the Sarum Manual issued in London in
Queen Mary's reign, 1554; Sarum Breviaries
of early date; and Caxton is again repre-
sented by his Chronicle, printed by Wynkyn
de Worde in 1515, and his Vita Patruin,
by the same printer in 1495. Of Americana
there is a set of De Bry, Purchas, Hubbard's
New England, Josselyn's Voyages, 1674, and
others.
On March 24th, 1683-4, Cooper included
in one catalogue the libraries of three pro-
fessional gentlemen, viz., Dr. Richard Chace,
Bachelor of Theology, and of Christ. Bathurst
and George Tonstall, Doctors in Medicine.
In this catalogue he thinks fit to recur again
to his former habit of giving a prefatory
notice, which he had for some time dis-
continued. “It is not customary with me,"
he says, “to make long harangues to set off
the goodness of our Books (I have no
26
Book Auctions in England
reason to question the Judgements of the
Buyers), but yet I thought it not impertinent
at this time to acquaint the Reader, that
here is a very good Collection of Chymicall
as well as Medicinall, and likewise of Philo-
logicall as well as Theologicall Books, both
in Latin and English, which I make no
doubt will sufficiently recommend themselves
upon Sight, unto which I refer the Reader.”
The sale was held at Cooper's house at
“The Pelican” in Little Britain, and the
conditions of the sale are the same as usual.
The catalogue occupies only 48 pages,
contains 2109 lots (of which only about 600
are English), and is classified under Theology,
Medicine and Philology only. It contains
several books printed in the fifteenth century,
which do not occur in the previous cata-
logues, though none of the earliest specimens
of printing. But it records the very rare
small Roman Missal printed by Moravus
of Naples in 1486, a copy of which was
in Earl Spencer's Library (now in the Rylands
Library, Manchester); the Sarum Missal in
folio, Paris (Hopylius), 1519; Bp. Fisher's
Confutation of Luther, with the Privilege of
Henry VIII., 1523. Amongst the Divinity
we find The Godly Primer in English, or
The Service Book in King Henry VIII.'s
days, 1535 ; King Edward VI.'s Injunctions
and Book of Homilies to both Clergy and
Laity, 1547; The Primer, with the Epistles
and Gospels and the form of New Bedis,
In the Seventeenth Century.
27
1537; John Skelton's (printed Shelton),
Laureate, Orator Regius, his Poetical Fancies
and Satyrs, 1512; Myles Coverdale, The
Old Faith since the World's Beginning,
1541; Thos. Becon's Potation, or Drinking
for the Holy Time of Lent, 1541; and
his Pathway unto Prayer, 1542; Archbp.
Hermann of Cologne's Of a Christian
Reforination, 1548; Coverdale's Confutation
of Standish, 1540; Gower's Confessio Amantis,
1554. But the most notable entry occurs
under "English Philologie” in folio, where
we find Wm. Caxton's Chronicle of the Kings
of Britain and of England, 1497, and
(bracketed together) Walter Hilton's Scale
of Perfection, 1494; Will. Caxton's Chronicle
of the British and English Kings (imperfect),
and The Pilgrimage of Perfection, second
edition, with An Exposition upon the Ave
Maria, Creed and Rosary, 1530. It is un-
fortunate that we have no record of the
prices at which these were sold, but judging
from those already noted, they could probably
be reckoned in shillings.
Cooper sold on December ist, 1684, a
collection of Theological, Juridical, Philologi-
cal and Medical books from the library of
Dr. Benj. Broeckhuysen and others, most
of which had evidently been imported from
beyond seas for sale in England. It is a
catalogue of little interest, containing 89
pages, comprising 2632 numbers, representing
some 8,000 volumes. Cooper himself does
28
Book Auctions in England
not get enthusiastic over this catalogue, but
contents himself with remarking in the
Preface that “Besides the Books specified
in the title, here is a good Collection of
English Books both in Divinity and other
humane learning worth the perusal.” The
sale took place at Cooper's house at “The
Pelican” in Little Britain.
There is now apparently a lull of a con-
siderable period in Cooper's work as a
book-auctioneer. It may be that there are
two or three catalogues of his with which
I am not acquainted, but there is an
interyal of exactly one year between the sale
of Broeckhuysen's library, on December ist,
1684, and the one I am about to describe,
which began on December ist, 1685. It is
a catalogue of books of Theology, Philology,
Mathematics, etc., of Dr. Stokes and others,
and the sale took place at Cooper's house
at “The Pelican" in Little Britain. The
auctioneer simply remarks in his preface
that: “Besides the Books specified in the
title, here is a very good collection of English
Books, both ancient and modern, in Divinity,
History, and other Philological Learning
worth the Perusal.” The catalogue contains
66 pages, comprising 2882 lots, of which
1136 are English. The foreign books are
chiefly of the usual character then recurring
in sales, with a number of Astronomical and
Astrological works. Amongst the Philology
occurs another copy of the famous Nurem-
In the Seventeenth Century.
29
burg Chronicle of Hartmann Schedel, with the
fine woodcuts of Pleydenwurff and Wohl-
gemuth of 1493. Amongst the “ Theologici
etc., Misti in quarto " we find A Manual of
Prayers, or the Primer in Latin and English
set forth by the Bishop of Rochester (John
Fisher) at the Command of Thomas Lord
Croinwell, Vicegerent to Henry VIII., 1539;
News from the North, or the Conference
between Sim. Certain and Pierce Plowman ;
John Northbrook's Treatise against Idleness,
Plays, Interludes, Dicings, Dancing, etc.; A
Diamond most precious, instructing all Masters
and Servants how to lead their lives ; Sir D.
Lindsay's Dialogue of Monarchy, etc., all in
one lot, with the date of 1581; and the
following extremely rare pieces, also in one
lot, with the date 1597 attached: The
Countess of Pembroke's Vvychurch, and
Emanuel a Pastoral, by Abr. Fraunce;
The Second Part of Hero and Leander, their
further fortunes, by H. Petowe; The History'
of Heaven, Astronomical Pictures by Chr.
Middleton; Vicissitudo Rerum, the World's
Chimes Changes, by John Norden; A Fig
for Fortune, by A. Capley; A Fig for
Momus, by Th. Lodge; Plain Percivall the
Peacemaker of England, by Joh. Dullingham;
Orlando Inamorato, by the Earl of Scandiam,
Englished by R. T.; The Two Tales of
Ariosto in dispraise and disgrace both of men
and women ; Hymns of Astrea in Acrostick-
wise; Cloris despised Shepheard's passionate
30 Book Auctions in England
Complaint, by W. Smith; The Poor Knight's
Palace of Private Pleasure, and Britain's
Bowre of Delights, being pleasant Pastorals
and Sonnets, altogether a most remarkable
collection of Elizabethan pieces, some of
which are probably unique. Amongst the
Divinity in octavo occur Wm. Tyndale's
Treatise of Christian Obedience to Christian
Rulers and his Parable of the Wicked
Maimon, 1549. In the Philology in quarto
is Robert Greene's Euphues his censure to
Philautus, 1587; and in the pamphlets the
following Americana in one lot: The Pro-
gress of the Gospel in New England amongst
the Indians ; New England's First Fruits ;
News from New England; News from New
England called Plain Dealing; The Present
State of New England in respect to the Indian
War; and A further Progress of the Gospel
among the Indians in New England. It is
a pity we have no priced catalogue of this
sale, but it is not likely that the sums realised
differed materially from those already quoted
for works of a similar character in the earlier
catalogues.
We now come to the largest collection of
books offered for sale by auction in the
seventeenth century. It is the immense stock
of Richard Davis, the well-known and largest
bookseller and publisher of that period, not
only in Oxford, but in the whole of England.
There were three different sales held, the
first two close upon each other, the third
In the Seventeenth Century
31
after an interval of about a year and a half.
These auctions are interesting as being the
first held in an English University City,
as is shown more fully elsewhere. For a
number of years Davis had been collecting
books chiefly from abroad for sale to the
heads and scholars of Oxford, who patronised
him liberally. But the vast increase of his
stock, and perhaps the pressure of creditors,
compelled him to endeavour to decrease
the former and lessen his liabilities at the
same time. Accordingly he calls in the aid
of William Cooper and Edward Millington,
and so introduces for the first time into the
University City the method of selling books
by auction. The first sale took place on
April 19th, 1686. The title is as follows :
“Catalogus | variorum in quavis | Lingua et
facultate | insignium | tam antiquorum quam
recentium Librorum | Richardi Davis Biblio-
pola | quorum Auctio (in gratiam et com-
modum Eruditorum) Oxoniæ habenda est
e regione | Ecclesiæ D. Michaelis Aprilis 19,
1686 per Guil. Cooper Edw. Millingtonui
Bibliop. Lond.l. The catalogues are ready
to be distributed gratis at the “Pelican,
Little Britain, at the “ Queen's Arms” in
Pall Mall, at “the Acorn” in St. Paul's
Churchyard, at the “Black Boy” in Fleet
Street, and at the “Three Pigeons” against
the Royal Exchange, at the “ Post-House”
in Russel Street, Covent Garden, and at
Mr. Davis's house in Oxon, and at the
32
Book Auctions in England
Coffee-houses in Cambridge. Davis's Pre-
face to the Reader is interesting and
characteristic. “This Catalogue of Books
will be exposed to sale for the benefit of
the Gentlemen of the University of Oxford ;
and as I must own their favours formerly
conferred on me, so at this time especially
publickly pay my acknowledgements to the
worthy heads of that famous and celebrated
Body of Learning, who have been pleased
favourably to permit, and I hope will further,
and promote the Sale thereof by Auction,
a Way so generally approved of in the
City of London, and elsewhere sufficiently
encouraged. It consists of all the variety
of my books that I have at several times,
with great expence and no less care
procured, which to characterise would be
endless. The Theological, Philological,
Philosophical, Mathematical Parts, etc.,
might be modestly recommended for the
many Scarce and Useful books that are con-
tained in them, but I leave all persons to
judge for themselves and conclude with this
promise, that it shall be managed with all
fairness, and (if possible) to a general Satis-
faction, and though I am extremely Sensible,
that let my friends be as kind as they please,
I must be a considerable looser in the
disposal, yet the single consideration that
my books will be dispersed amongst you,
and are sold for your advantage, perfectly
expiates the sense of it, and makes me
CM
In the Seventeenth Century. 33
cheerfully subscribe myself as I really am,
your humble servant Richard Davis.”
The sale commenced on a Monday “at
Mr. Newman's House over against St.
Michael's Church.” It began at eight o'clock
in the morning and continued until eleven,
and from one in the afternoon until five.
The conditions of sale are as usual, but “all
gentlemen buyers are requested to give in
their names and the Colleges or Halls they
belong to, to the end that every person
respectively may have Justice done him in
the buying and also in the delivery of the
Books." The books are classified as follows:
“ Libri Theologici, Theologici Omissi,
Orientales, Philologici, Hist., Geogr., etc.
Philosophi et Mathematici, Medici, Juridici,
Hispanici, Gallici, Italici, etc. English
Divinity and History, etc., Physick, Romances,
Poems, Novells, etc., and Common Law of
England.” The catalogue consists of 203
pages, small quarto as usual. It comprises
the extraordinary number of 10,168 lots,
which, on the basis of our usual reckoning,
would represent about 30,000 volumes. And
this, as we shall show elsewhere, only a
third part of the stock amassed by this
indefatigable and enterprising literary caterer
of the seventeenth century! The classes
are represented in the following proportions :
Foreign Theology, 2162 lots; Oriental, 189;
Foreign Miscellaneous, 1732; Foreign Philo-
sophy and Mathematics, 721; Foreign
34
Book Auctions in England
Medical, 1032; English Physic, 300; English
and Foreign Jurisprudence, 399; French,
Italian and Spanish books, 582; English
Miscellanies, 2964; and Romances, etc., 87.
If we allow the auctioneers to sell seven
hundred lots a day, this sale would extend
over fifteen days, and is the largest enter-
prise in the way of a book auction undertaken
up to that period. The character of the
books in this catalogue is sufficiently shown
in the classification. There are none older
than the sixteenth century, and many were
editions then only recently published. We
notice books as late as 1684, and many are
described as optimce editiones. They are of
the usual authors used by the learned men
and students of the period, and the few lots
of light literature at the end adequately de-
note the general literary taste of the period.
Included amongst the “ English Medical”
are a number of works on alchemy, astrology,
and the other empirical sciences, which were,
as we all know, much read in those days.
The English books are nearly all of writers
of the same century as the auction, very
few of the sixteenth century appearing, and
those of minor interest; and the same may
be said of the books in foreign European
languages. In this catalogue the auctioneers
begin to give some few bibliographical
details. Thus we find optimæ editiones (as
above remarked), with “Copper Cuts” and
" Large Paper” applied to the edition of
In the Seventeenth Century. 35
Foxe's Monuments of 1684 (the “copper,"
however, is wrong, as they are woodcuts).
Some books are described “cum figuris,"
and in two or three instances as having “ gilt
backs," and the Cambridge Translation of
Eusebius, 1683, is “the newest and best
translation."
Under “English Miscellanies in folio” we
notice the fourth folio Shakespeare, entered
as Shakespear's (W.) Comedies, Histories, and
Tragedies, 1685; Purchas's Pilgrims, 5 vols.;
The Earl of Sterline's Poems and Plays, 1637.
Amongst the quartos of the same division
occurs that rare book of Ferdinand Gorges,
America Painted to the Life, 1659; The
Mirrour for Magistrates, 1587; History of
New England, 1628 to 1652; Primer in
Henry VIIIth's Time, 1536; and in the
octavos King Henry the Eighth's Mass-Book,
1541, and Josselyn's Two Voyages to New
England, 1674. The 87 lots of light litera-
ture under the heading of “Romances,
Poems, and Novels,” include Scarron's
Novels, The Arcadian Princess, Daphnis
and Chloe, The French Rogue, the Count of
Gabalis, Lazarillo de Torines; Milton's Poems,
1645; the poems of Beaumont, Chamberlain,
Thomas Carew, Drayton's Baron's Wars,
Flatman, Sir R. Howard, Corbet, Randolph,
and some contemporary Books of Drollery.
The second portion of Richard Davis's
stock was sold by Cooper and Millington on
October 4th, 1686, at the same place and
36
Book Auctions in England
time as the first. In his preface Davis says,
“This is the Second Time I have pub-
lished a Catalogue for the benefit of this
University. It was for your Sakes that I at
first accumulated these Books, and it is my
great desire that they should be dispersed
amongst you; nor shall I willingly expose
any of them elsewhere, so long as I find
your favourable acceptance. As for the
Books therein contained, I need not recom-
mend them, for the great variety, as well as
goodness, whether in Divinity, History,
Philology, Philosophy, Mathematics, Law,
Physick, etc, either in Latin or English,
will sufficiently be manifest in the perusal of
the Catalogue itself. This way of sale by
auction is well known to you, and I hope
has given, and will yet give you greater
Content and Satisfaction, and your candor
and kindness herein was never doubted of
by him who is, and always was your humble
Servant."
This catalogue contains 191 pp., and falls
very little short of the first in its number of
lots, as it has 8534 lots, representing some
25,000 volumes. The classes are the same,
with the exception that the books figuring
under the heading of “Romances,” etc., in
the former, are included in the “English
Miscellanies" in this. The very same books
recur in many instances, and the compiler
in one or two instances becomes enthusiastic
over some Bibles which he describes as
In the Seventeenth Century. 37
being in “Red Turkey extraordinary,"
which answers to the modern "morocco
extra."
Though not in strict chronological order
of Cooper's auctions, it may be as well to
notice here the catalogue of the third portion
of Richard Davis's vast stock. It took place
in Oxford, this time in Davis's own place
of business, near the church of B. Mary
the Virgin, on June 25th, 1688. This is
the last book-auction (so far as we know)
conducted by William Cooper. Only Cooper's
name appears on the title as the auctioneer.
Since the sale of the second portion, a year
and six months had elapsed, and Davis
seems to have suffered losses in his business,
to which he pathetically alludes in his
preface. "The many favours I have re-
ceived from you the Members of this re-
nowned University, hath hitherto supported
my hopes in the midst of my misfortunes,
and through the continuance of your kind-
ness it is that I hope to see a speedy end
put to all of them. I am therefore en-
couraged once more to present you with
another Auction out of that Stock, which
was gathered chiefly for your Sakes and
Service, and which hath already in part been
dispersed among you (as I have reason to
think), to your Satisfaction. This Way of
Sale is now so well known and generally
approved, that I need not here endeavour
to recommend it. And tho this present
38
Book Auctions in England
Catalogue be not so large as the two former,
yet you will find it, for its rare and Useful
Books, not much inferior to either of them.
But you are best able to judge for your-
selves.” The catalogue is composed of
149 pages, one half of which contains
foreign books and the other English. All
the latter are included under the one head-
ing of “English Miscellanies," and the
foreign part is classified only under Theology,
“Miscellanies," and French, Italian and
Dutch. The lots number 7071, and repre-
sent 25,000 volumes. The contents are of
a very similar character to those of the two
former catalogues, and call for no particular
remarks. We are thus made acquainted
with an interesting episode in the annals of
literature—viz., that a University book-
seller in 1686 and 1688 had amassed a
stock of works, which represent in his three
catalogues the enormous number of nearly
26,000 different authors in about 80,000
volumesma number which could only be
equalled by Scott and Chiswell of London,
or by the Elzevirs abroad.
On February 14th, 1686-7, Cooper sold the
library “Viri cujusdam Literati,” at his
warehouse at the “ Pelican." There is no
name of the “Literary Man” given, and
Cooper says in his preface, “It was the
desire of the propriator (sic) of these Books
while living, and of his Relations since his
death, that his name should not be pub-
In the Seventeenth Century. 39
lished with his books, not that he need be
ashamed of them, but of mere modesty, as
will appear by the goodness of the books
in the perusal of the Catalogue itself, to
which we refer you.” The catalogue con-
tains only 58 pages, representing 2,619 lots,
and is classified only into Divinity and
Philology in English and Latin. On the
last leaf is advertised, “Here will be like-
wise exposed to Sale a great collection of
Curious Pamphlets on Several Subjects tyed
up in Bundels." The contents consist chiefly
of controversial literature, both Roman Catho-
lic and Protestant, with a good sprinkling
of poetry, and a few rarities such as the
Ordinale of Wynkyn de Worde, 1508, a.
couple of illuminated MSS. which had ap-
peared in a former catalogue, Smith's
History of Virginia, Sarum Breviary of Paris,
1556, etc. But the chief interest in con-
nection with this catalogue is the extended
list given by Cooper on the reverse of the
last page of the second sheet, of the book-
auctions that had taken place up to the date
of the present sale. He says at the head
of the page, “To gratifie those Gentlemen,
whose Curiosities may lead them to make
perfect their Collection, I have caused to be
printed the names of those persons whose
Libraries have been sold by Auction and
the Series of the time when." Cooper be-
gins with the first, and records seventy-four
sales in this list, which occupies the whole of
40
Book Auctions in England
the page, beginning in October 1676 and end-
ing in July 1686.
In describing the Catalogue of Walter
Rea, Esq., sold by Cooper in June 1682,
attention has been drawn to the list of auctions
given by him, which had taken place in
England up to that date, and it is copied
in extenso. It will only be necessary here,
therefore, to continue the list from that
date, which we do exactly as Coopert gives
it. It must be remembered that Cooper
professes to give all the auctions, whether
he himself held them or not. We begin
with No. 31, No. 30 having been Rea's.
31. John Parsons, Nov. 30, 1682.
32. John Humphry, etc., Dec. 4, 1682.
33. John Arthur, etc., Feb. 12, 1682-3.
34. Sam. Wilson, Scoti, etc., April 2, 1683,
35. D. Whateley, La
Sim. Rutland. ) April 23, 1683.
36. Briani Waltoni Epi. April 30, 1683.
37. Dan. Rogers, June 21, 1683.
38. Jo. Collins, July 22, 1683.
39. Ch. Adams at Chelmsford, Nov. 16, 1683.
40. Jo. Lloyd, )
Th. Raymond. Setc., Dec. 3, 1683.
Ravenshaw's App.)
41. Gasp. Gunterus, March 20, 1683-4.
42. Rich. Chase. Chr. Bathurst
& Geo. Tonstal, M.D. March 24, 1683-4.
43. Matth. Smallwood, May 2, 1684.
44. Joh. Owen, May 26, 1684.
45. Jer. Kendon Bibliopolæ, June 16, 1684.
46. Joh. Gellibrand,
Th. Simmons at Tunbridge, 1 Aug. O, 1004.
In the Seventeenth Century.
41
47. Bibliotheca Sturbitchiana, Sept. 8, 1684.
48. Jonæ Mori Equitis, Nov. 3, 1684.
49. Tho. Lye and Th. Jennings, Nov. 17, 1684.
50. Benj. Broeckhuysen, Dec. 1, 1684.
51. Jo. Warnerii Epis. Roff. Feb. 16, 1684-5.
Bibliotheca Hawkinsiana.
This was not sold by Auction.
52. Rich. Lee, T.D., at Hatfield, April 28, 1685.
53. Ambr. Atfield, T.D., May 25, 1685.
54. Bibliotheca Sturbrigiensis, Sep. 8, 1685.
55. Th. Parkhurst Bibliopolæ, Oct. 19, 1685.
56. Bibl. Nobilis Cujusdam, Nov. 10, 1685.
57. Pet. Hushar, Merchant, Nov. 18, 1685.
58. Rich. Davis Bibliopol. Nov. 26, 1685.
59. Moses Pitt, Nov. 30, 1685.
60. Moses Pitt's Bibles Sh. Bibl. 1, D. 10, 1685.
61. Dr. Stokes, Dec. 1, 1685.
62. Mr. R. Chiswell Bibl., Feb. 8, 1685.
63. A Catalogue of Law Books, Feb. 18, 1685.
64. A Catalogue of Civil Law Books being but
half a sheet, Feb. 25, 1685-6.
65. Obad. Sedgwick at Trumpington near to
Cambridge, March 29, 1686.
66. Chr. Terne, Th. Allen April 12, 1686.
R. Talbor,
67. Rich. Davis, Bibl., Oxon, April 19, 1686.
68. Bibliotheca Anglicana i sh. May 5, 1686.
69. Wm. Whitwood at Trumpingt., M. 17, 1686.
70. Bibl. Bacon. Jr. Bacon sheet, M. 19, 1686.
71. Joh. Bradford and Wm. Cooper, June 14,
1686.
72. Sir Rich. Weston, June 24, 1686,
73. Bibl. Castelliana Ed. Castelli, June 30, 1686.
74. Catalogus Lib. Medicorum, July 13, 1686.
On Monday, May 9th, 1687, Cooper began
to sell Sir Wm. Coventry's library. This
42
Book Auctions in England
is the first catalogue to which he put a title
in English: “A Catalogue of Books, of the
several | Libraries of the Honorable Sir
William Coventry, and the Honorable Mr.
Henry Coventry, some time Secretary of
State to King Charles II. Containing a very
good Collection of most excellent Books in
Divinity, History, Philology, Matters of State,
etc., in Greek, | Latin, Italian, French,
Spanish and English, to be sold by Auction,
at the late Dwelling-house of Mr. Secretary
Coventry, at the upper ende of the Hay-
market Peccadilly, (sic) on Monday the ninth
of May, 16871."
Cooper's name as auctioneer does not
appear on the title, but as his name is the
first in the imprint among those tradesmen
where catalogues were to be had, it is reason-
able to suppose that he was the auctioneer
on this occasion. In his preface he says:
“We need not here to preface any encomiums
to these Libraries, the Catalogue itself will
sufficiently supply that defect, but only to
acquaint the gentlemen, that these Books
are in very good condition as to their Bind-
ing, being most of them curiously bound
and gilt back, and many of the Books of
Maps in colours.” “Gilt backs" was evidently
a bonne bouche in those days, for as soon as
the auctioneers began to find that a book
realised more if it was well bound, the words
doris deauratis were frequently used. The
catalogue has 44 pages, with 1955 lots.
In the Seventeenth Century. 43
The books are only divided into languages :
Latin, French, Italian, and English. It
contains many good works, such as Dugdale's
Monasticon, first edition; Rabelais' Euvres,
the very rare edition of Valence, 1547;
Holinshed's Chronicle, 1587; Shakespeare's
first folio (its first appearance in any auction
catalogue); the London Gazette from 1665
to 1681; Duke of Newcastle's Horsemanship;
Milton's Paradise Lost, first edition, but late
title, etc. The majority of the books are of
authors of the seventeeth century, very few,
and those of no importance, being of the
previous century.
On June 20th, 1687, Cooper sold at “The
Pelican,” in Little Britain, the Bibliotheca
instructissima of Edward Wray, gentleman,
of Barling, Co. Lincoln. By this catalogue
we are introduced to an early and most
learned and judicious collector of books.
“You are here,” says Cooper, to the Readers,
“presented with the Library of Edw. Wray,
a Gent. well known for his skill in Arts
and Languages, and his singular judgment
in the Choice of his Library, as well as
curiosity of their binding, which being
perused, will maniſest him both a Gent. and
a Scholar, and one that hath gathered such
Curiosities in his travels, as are not fre-
quently to be found, whether in Divinity,
History, Mathematics, Architecture, Prospec-
tive, (sic) Roman Antiquities, etc., both in
Latin, Italian and French, as well as English,
44 Book Auctions in England
as will more manifestly appear in viewing the
Catalogue itself.”
The catalogue consists of 50 pages, con-
taining 2303 lots. The books are of a
rather more varied character than usual, and
the majority are English. The most inter-
esting are (as always) included under the
heading of Philology, and comprise many
curious and rare books, such as are now
sought for by collectors, on Witchcraft,
Astrology, Navigation, Sundials, Seventeenth-
Century Poetry, the items including a second
folio Shakespeare and the first Paradise Lost.
They do not, however, notwithstanding the
auctioneer's gush in the preface, materially
differ from the usual collections of the period,
being chiefly the works of authors published
in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,
leaving the earlier specimens of printing
quite unrepresented.
Cooper's last auction (except that of the
third portion of the stock of Rich. Davis the
Oxford bookseller, already referred to), has
also an English title, though, strange to say,
it has hardly an English book in it. It is
entitled “A Catalogue of Variety of Books
in Quires to be sold by Auction (some of
them in numbers to booksellers only) at The
Pelican’in Little Britain, on Monday the gth
day of January, 1686-7" at the usual hours
of nine in the morning and two in the after-
noon. The conditions as usual in such like
cases. The catalogue has some interest as
In the Seventeenth Century. 45
being the first “Trade Sale” recorded. It
consists of 13 pages only, and has 594 lots.
The books are of the usual character studied
by divines and lawyers of the period. All
the Works, with only two or three exceptions,
were printed in the seventeenth century,
mostly between 1648 and 1684, and include
the writings of such well-known authors as
Amyraldus, Ames, Barrow, Bythner, Boyle,
Buxtorf, Bochart, Bona, Campanella, Cas-
tell, Calvin, Casaubon, Drexelius, Daille,
Erasmus, Grotius, Gataker, Gothofredus,
Hottinger, Heidegger, Heinsius, Kircher,
Lightfoot, Corn. a Lapide, Meursius, Noldius,
Outram, Porta, Petavius, Pufendorf, Rohault,
Spencer, Salmasius, Vossius, Usher, Vigerius,
etc.
Cooper must have died before November
1689, as upon the title of a catalogue of
books which was advertised for sale on
November 6th in that year, the name of
“Widow Cooper in Little Britain” is men-
tioned among the booksellers of whom
catalogues might be had.
SV
ZON
CHAPTER II.
EDWARD MILLINGTON'S BOOK-AUCTIONS,
1680-1698.
12
ILLINGTON, the contemporary
and sometimes the coadjutor of
DEV2 William Cooper, began to sell books
by auction in 1680. Originally a
bookseller with a shop in Little Britain, near
Cooper's, at the Sign of the Bible, he left
that line of the business and devoted himself
entirely to book-auctioneering, for which
pursuit he had, as John Dunton says, ex-
ceptional abilities. His first sale consisted
of the stocks of two London booksellers,
viz. Jonathan Edwyns and D. Dan. These
names do not occur on the title, but are
recorded by Cooper in his list of sales given
above. Millington, in his preface to this
catalogue, plunges at once in inedias res,
and shows that the method of selling books
by auction had in 1680 established a sure
position, which time has shown to be a lasting
one.
“The way and method of Selling Books
$6
Book Auctions in England.
47
by Auction," he says, “ being now so generally
known, and so well approved of, that had
not Custom made it necessary, it might seem
needless to Preface such an undertaking.
However, if any expect a reason, we answer,
it's for the general benefit and gratification of
the learned, not excluding the honest Profit
of the Undertakers; and as we shall not
use the names, so neither abuse the World
by pretending them to be the Libraries of
some fam'd Antiquaries, or learned men
deceased, but such as they are we refer you
to Judge of by the ensuing Catalogue, which
we may modestly say is not the most con-
temptible for Quantity or Quality that hath
been exposed to sale this way. The Cata-
logue was taken in great hast, and by several
hands, which hath occasioned many, and
some very material mistakes which the in-
genious will (we hope) excuse, and the
intelligent at their leisure correct.” Milling-
ton's conditions were based on Cooper's and
are those, with few modifications, then in
general use and with which we have already
dealt in Cooper's Catalogues. The Sale
began on Monday, 29th March, 1680, "at
a house” in Warwick Lane, directly op-
posite to Warwick Court. It commenced
at 9 o'clock a.m., and 2 o'clock p.m. The
Catalogue is an extensive one, occupying
137 pp., containing 4728 lots, representing
some 15,000 volumes, of which more than
one-half are English. The classification
48
Book Auctions in England
adopted by Millington is very simple, being
that of “ Latin "and "English" only in their
different sizes. A priced catalogue shows
that Millington, like the other auctioneers,
was in the habit of taking penny biddings.
Such sums as 50., 70., 9d., IId., 25. Id. con-
tinually occur, especially amongst the Latin
duodecimos. In two instances occur even
an odd id., since there is an entry for two
books Moresimi de Metallorum Causis et de
Transmutatione, Francf., 1593, and Seidelii
de Morbis incurabilibus, ib., bracketed to-
gether for is. I d., and Guberlethi Pathologia,
Herb. Nass., 1615, for 3d.. The highest
price obtained for a Latin book in this
catalogue was £6 ros. for a set of Calvin's
Works in folio, Amst., 1671, run very close
by a Dugdale's Monasticon, 3 vols., 1655–73,
for £6 8s.; a Latin Bible of Antwerp, 1534,
for £5 75. 4d.; Suarez, Opera, 19 vols.,
£4 185.; and Grotius, 4 vols., Amst.,
1679, £4 58.; Foxe's Martyrs in 3 vols.,
1641, realised £3 6s. The contents were
of the character usual to the catalogues of
the period, but included a number of small
Books of Drollery, now very uncommon,
which then sold for very small sums.
Millington next sold a small library col-
lected by Edward Palmer, Esq., of Kirby
Street, Hatton Garden. “These choice
Books," says the auctioneer in his preface,
“ in the ensuing Catalogue were selected
for the private use and study of a worthy
In the Seventeenth Century.
49
gentleman of great learning and eminency,
lately deceased, and being fallen into the
hands of his executors, who are obliged to
make the best improvement of them for the
use and benefit of the deceadant, do there-
fore think good to expose the same to sale
by way of auction, the method whereof is
now so well known that there needs no
preface to explain the design and practice
thereof.” The sale took place at “Madam
Palmer's House in Kirby Street, Hatton
Garden, over against the Carpenter's Yard,”
on Monday, February 14th, 1680-1. The
catalogue consists of 8 pp. only, and con-
tains 322 lots, being the smallest collection
sold up to that date. It was formed chiefly
of Greek and Latin authors, classical and
theological, with a few Acts of Parliament
of the century. The highest-priced book
in the catalogue was the fine edition of
S. John Chrysostom's Works edited by Sir
Henry Savile and published in Eton in 1613,
which sold for £2 195. The catalogue is
only interesting as an indication of the taste
for collecting books on the part of a private
gentleman of limited means in the seventeenth
century.
On February 21st, 1680-1, Millington began
the sale of the libraries of the most learned
Doctor Thomas Jessop of Coxall in Essex,
and Dr. Castle of Covent Garden. The
sale took place at “the Auction House” in
Warwick Lane directly opposite to Warwick
50
Book Auctions in England
Court or Dr. Coxe's Rents. It is interesting to
note that at this time two or three places were
set apart for auction sales in London, which
were known familiarly by the above term.
The preface is as follows :-" This Catalogue
contains the Books of the Libraries of Mr.
Thomas Jessop, late of Great Coxall in
Essex, and of Mr. Castle, sometime of
Covent Garden, and are exposed this way
to sale for the benefit of their Relicts, not
doubting but this will be attended with the
same advantages, that others have been,
by the encouragement of the learned and
ingenuous, considering the circumstances of
the aforementioned proprietors. The Books
are not for quantity, condition or quality
any way contemptible, as appears by the
ensuing Catalogue.” The catalogue, not-
withstanding Millington's encomium on the
quantity, condition and quality of the books
it contains, is of no special interest. It
consists of the usual English and foreign
theological and classical writers of the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It has
20 pp. and 719 lots.
The next auction of Millington is much
more interesting and of greater extent.
It is the catalogue of the libraries of
four learned men of some note in their
day. They are George Lawson of Salop,
George Fawler of London, Owen Stockdon
of Colchester, and Thomas Brooks the cele-
brated London Puritan Divine. The sale
In the Seventeenth Century.
51
began on May 30th, 1681, at the “ Auction
House" in Warwick Lane. Millington's
most interesting Preface reveals the practice
of a most dishonest proceeding on the part
of some buyers at auction sales, a practice
which is not by any means unknown in our
day, and at the progress of which he waxes
justly indignant.
“This catalogue contains the libraries of
those four worthy and learned persons men-
tioned in the title page, the first of which,
Mr. George Lawson, was a person of such
universal learning and general esteem, that
the works that are already extant of him,
and those that he hath left perfected under
his own hand for the presse shall stop my
pen, and supercede my intention of giving
a larger character of him. The other three,
Mr. George Fawler, Mr. Owen Stockdon
and Mr. Thomas Brooks, men of real worth
and goodness, well esteemed for their learn-
ing and piety, in the places where they con-
versed, that I question not but the well
disposed, and the learned, will give us such
incouragement in the sale by bidding in
some measure to the value of the books so
exposed, as may further incourage and keep
on foot such a commendable and serviceable
a way of sale, (as this of auction) to the
great purposes of promoting learning and
knowledge. Which when I consider I cannot
but wonder, that so many persons have
appeared at our Auctions, and buy with a
52
Book Auctions in England
great freedom to the injury of others (that
are truly conscientious to pay for and fetch
away the books so bought); yet in most
Auctions have hitherto neglected to fetch
away and pay for their own; To the end
therefore that they may know, we will not
be damaged after so great expenses, as
inevitably attends the management of an
Auction ; we do intend to prosecute them
according to Law, if forthwith they do not
send for their books, or give some reasonable
satisfaction. To prevent any abuses for the
future that may happen to other gentlemen
who suffer by this unhandsome practice (of
having Books bought out of their hands by
persons that never will or perhaps never
designed to fetch them away) we shall at
a convenient time, for the further satisfaction
of gentlemen, give an account of their names,
and desire their absence if they happen to
be present.”
The catalogue has 64 pp., containing
4725 lots, representing some 15,000 volumes.
Two-thirds of the contents are by English
writers, mostly of the seventeenth century,
but chiefly theological. The remainder are
Greek and Latin books of a similar character,
but containing no edition earlier than the
year 1477 (an edition of Athanasius). There
is an almost entire absence, as is usual in
these early catalogues, of works printed in
the fifteenth century. Millington in this
catalogue essays some sort of alphabetical
In the Seventeenth Century.
53
arrangement. There is no separation of the
four different libraries, and many of the
English Books are entered without giving
the date or place of printing.
The Libraries of the “learned men ”
D. Radulphus Button, S.T.B., late of Isling-
ton, D. Thankfull Owen, S.T.B., late of
London, and the Rev. D. Wm. Howel of
Sussex, were sold by auction by Millington
at John Dunmore's “Auction House” in
Ivy Lane, on November 7th, 1681. “This
Catalogue consists," says the preface, "prin-
cipally of the books of the Rev. Mr. Ralph
Button (formerly Canon of Christ's Church)
and of Mr. Thankfull Owen (president of
St. John's College in Oxon), men so gener-
ally known for their great learning, and
singular humility, that I shall not attempt a
further character of them but refer you to
the ensuing Catalogue of their Books, not
in any way contemptible if we consider their
Quantity or Quality. This Auction will
begin on Munday the 7. day of November
1681 at Mr. Dunsmore's (sic) Auction-
House in Ivy Lane next door to the Wool-
Sack at the hours of eight in the morning
and two in the Afternoon, where the Books
may be seen for one whole week before the
Sale begins at any time of the day."
It is a catalogue of 48 pp. only. It con-
tains in all 2277 lots, representing about
7000 volumes. From a copy of this cata-
logue with contemporary prices we glean
54
Book Auctions in England
some more interesting particulars concerning
the value of second-hand books then coming
up for dispersion. A page of Latin Theo-
logical Books consisting of 41 lots in folio
produced £40 145. 4d., amongst the separate
items being Walton's Polyglot for £7 55.;
St. Augustine's Works, Froben's Edition,
7 vols., 1556 £4 ios. ; and a set of Calvin's
Works in 12 vols., Geneva, 1617, £4. A
page of the same class of books in 4to,
containing 50 lots, produced £12 145. 9d.,
the highest price being for a Kircher's
Concordance to the Bible, which sold for
£i 75., the lowest being Strigelii Hypomn-
nemata in libris Novi Testamenti, which
realised Is. 3d. A page of the same in 8vo
and lower sizes, containing 53 lots, realised
£3 145. 2d., the highest single price being
75. 9d. for a Book described as “ Chr.
Plantini Biblia Hebraica sine punctis curi
Test. Græco. Corio Turcico" (Morocco),
Antwerpiæ (n.d.); and the lowest 2d. for a
“ Gul. Tomsoni Explanatio in Canticul112
Canticorum, Lond. 1583.” Of the “Libri
Miscellanei” in folio a page of 43 lots
produced £22 gs. 6d., the highest price
being kl 155. 2d. for a Strabo's Geography
by Casaubon, Paris, 1620, and the lowest
25. 4d. for " Jos. Langiï Polyanthea Nova,
Opus celebr. Sententiarum refertum, Francof.
1607.
For a similar class in quarto a page of
53 lots totalled £8 95. 4d., the highest being
In the Seventeenth Century.
55
ros. for the Works of Marcus Aurelius, with
notes by Gataker, Cant. 1652; and the
lowest, 7d. for “ Aristotelis Organon Græce,
Lovanii, 1523." Of the same class, in 8vo
and smaller sizes, £3 55. 3d. was the total of
a page of 50 lots, the highest-priced book
being Schrevelius's Greek and Latin Lexicon,
by Jos. Hill, Cant., 1668, which realised
55. 2d. ; the lowest, 2d. for “ Corona Virtu-
tum principe dignarum ex variis Philos.
Contexta, Lond., 1613.” Of English Divinity,
in folio, a page of 43 lots produced
£17 18s. 4d., the highest separate item being
ti 145. 6d. for Foxe's Martyrs, 3 vols.,
1631, the first vol. wanting title; the lowest,
Is., for Richard Rogers' Seven Treatises,
1610. Of the same in quarto, a page of
48 lots produced £5 8s. 7d., the highest
price being 8s. 2d. for John Mede's Works
in 4 vols., 1642, the lowest, 6d., for Bilson's
Redemption of Mankind, 1599. Of octavos
in the same class, a page of 49 lots brought
a total of £2 55., the highest-priced book
being 35. IId. for Dr. Cave's Primitive
Christianity, 1673 ; the lowest descending
to the extreme depth at which a bidding
might be started, selling for id., the book
being Robert Garner's Mysteries Unvailed,
1646. The “ English Miscellanies," in folio,
put on rather a brighter aspect, since a page
of 37 lots produce £20 35. Iod., the honour
of the highest price being taken by a copy of
Holinshed's Chronicle, 1586, described as
56
Book Auctions in England
Large Paper (which we should now much
like to see), which produced 52 35. ; the
lowest being Tames Howell's Gernian Duet,
1653, at 25. Id. A page of 46 quartos
brought £3 155., the highest price being
75. 6d. for Speeches and Passages of the Great
Parliament, 1640, and the lowest, 3d., for a
“ Dutch Tutor containing Grammar Rules
Dutch and English, 1674. A page of
octavos of the same class, numbering 48 lots,
produced £2 135. id., 55. 8d. being paid
for J. Wells's Art of Shadows with the
Logarithms, 1638, and 2d. for Locke's
Present Practice of Musick Vindicated, 1673.
On Monday, December 5th, 1681, Milling-
ton sold a collection of law books, the library
of Henry Parker of Gray's-Inn, deceased.
This is the first special sale of Law Books,
and the first auction catalogue of Millington
with an English title. The sale took place
at the Auction-House in Ivy Lane, connected
with which we find (in the previous cata-
logue) the name of John Dunmore, the
bookseller, as proprietor. The preface to
the Reader is as follows :—"After so many
sales by Auction of the Libraries of Several
Eminent Clergymen deceased ; to the gene-
ral satisfaction of the Buyers, I resolved,
once more, to consult the interest as also
the Conveniency of the gentlemen of the
Long Robe, by exposing to Sale by way of
Auction, a Choice Collection of Books of
the Common and Statute Law, consisting
In the Seventeenth Century.
57
of the Library of Henry Parker, Esq., etc.”
The catalogue is a thin one, having 12 pp.
only, containing 427 lots. The total sum
realised for the books in this catalogue was
£135 175. 9d., giving an average for each
lot at about 35. 6d. The highest prices
were produced by Keble's Statutes, 1681,
£2 55. 7d.; Year Books of Edward IV. to
Henry VIII., 8 vols., 1679, £6 35. rod.;
Du Cange's Glossarium, £2 125. 6d.; Coke's
Reports, £3 Ios. 6d. The lowest price
descends to 3d., and there are a large
number of small books which do not
reach 6d.
Millington next sold " A Choice Catalogue
of the Library of John Parsons, Esq., late
of the Middle Temple, Barrister, consisting
Chiefly of Law and History, Ancient and
Modern, which will be exposed to Sale by
way of Auction on Thursday, 30th, Novem-
ber 1682, at the Auction House, over
against the 'Black Swan' in Ave Maria
Lane, near Ludgate, by Edward Millington,
Bookseller.” To this catalogue no preface
is prefixed. It contains 20 pp., comprising
888 lots. The higher prices obtained for
books in this sale show that the demand for
second-hand copies of books in most branches
of literature was decidedly increasing.
On February 12th, 1682—3, Millington
began the sale of the library of the Rev.
John Arthur, of London, and others. He
announces it on the title as “ Bibliotheca
58
Book Auctions in England
Selectissima doctiss. Rev. Viri D. Jo.
Arthurii Londinensis, una cum Bibliotheca
eximii alterius Theologi haud ita pridem
defuncti, necnon variis libris modernis in
plerisque facultatibus ex diversis Europæ
partibus in Angliam nuperrime advectis.”
The sale was held at the Auction House
over against the “ Black Swan" in Ave
Maria Lane. The preface is as follows:
" This Catalogue contains the Libraries of
the Reverend Mr. Arthur, late of London,
as also of another eminent divine of Here-
ford, deceased, together with variety of
Modern Books of most subjects newly im-
ported from several parts beyond the seas,
sufficiently distinguished by their dates and
titles. And as for other Books of Moment,
that Collection of the famed Byzantine
Historians and of our own monkish Writers,
of Chronicles old and new, with the particu-
lar lives of our Kings, and of Foreign and
Domestic Histories in English a great num-
ber, may be enough to intimate as well as
recommend them to all intelligent and
Bookish Gentlemen, and equally encourage
them buying on this Ocasion, what may not
again perhaps be exposed in this Auctionary
Way.” The catalogue, is rather an exten-
sive one, and contains 62 pp., compris-
ing 2600 numbers. In this sale “King
Henry VIII.'s Bible 1541," produced 8s. 6d.,
Foxe's Martyrs, 2 vols., 1569, £I 135.; and
there is recorded Holinshed's Chronicle,
In the Seventeenth Century.
59
2 vols., 1586, with the following note :
“ Contains the Charter of Robert Earl of
Leicester, not usually extant in this edition."
Millington's next book auction was that
containing the library of the Rev. Dr.
Whately of Banbury, Oxon, which he heads
in large Gothic letters Bibliotheca hate-
liana, a practice adopted by him on several
other succeeding catalogues. This sale began
on the 23rd, April, 1683. It was held at
Bridges' Coffee-house in Pope's Head Alley,
over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill.
The catalogue contains not only Whately's
Library, but also, as the Preface says, “the
Physick Library of Doctor Simon Rutland,
late of Brentwood, in Essex, replenished
with Variety of the best and most modern
books in that Faculty, which will recommend
them (to all the generous Professors of it) as
being the first experiment in this nature so
much desired and expected.” Millington
altered his hour of selling for this auction,
beginning in the morning at the unusually
late hour of ten, and selling only to twelve,
resuming in the afternoon at three and
continuing until seven. The catalogue con-
tains 80 pp., and comprises the large number
of 3,115 lots, representing at least 10,000
volumes. The books are classified into
“ English and Foreign Theology," “ Law,"
“ Miscellaneous,” and “Medical.” In all
these divisions they are mostly of the
seventeenth century, a very few of English
60
Book Auctions in England
Theology being of the sixteenth. Amongst
the Divinity in quarto we come across
another copy of John Eliot's Indian Bible,
and there are a few rare American tracts,
some Poems and Plays, three of Bunyan's
books (but not the Pilgrim's Progress),
some books of Drollery, Smith's Virginia,
and Froissart of 1515. The Medical
Books to which Millington draws special
attention in the preface as being the first
experiment in the sale of that particular
class by auction, “So much desired and
expected,” are chiefly foreign, modern
editions of the old medical writers, and the
treatises of learned contemporary physicians,
mixed with the more empirical writings of
the alchemists and herbalists.
The next auction held by Millington was
conducted jointly by himself and William
Cooper. It is entitled “ Catalogus variorum
Librorum Bibliotheca instructissima Rev.
Viri D. Dan. Rogers, quondain de Haver-
sham, in comitatu Bucks. Una Cum Biblio-
theca cujusdam Anonymi aliquisque MSS.
rarissimis, plurimisque voluminibus Tracta-
tuum Intelligentiarum Omnigenarum ad res
in Anglia gestas Spectantium, ab anno 1640,
ad hæc Usque tempora.” The sale began on
June 21st, 1683. It was held at Jonathan
Miles's Coffee-House in Exchange Alley,
Cornhill, over against the Royal Exchange.
“Many parts of this Catalogue,” the Preface
remarks, "might be instanced, to recommend
In the Seventeenth Century.
61
the Books and their buying to all unpre-
judiced Persons-viz. the great Variety of
Choice Books in Divinity, History, Philo-
logy in all volumes and of most Subjects.
As also those curious volumes of Tracts, and
that exact Collection of Foreign and Domestic
News (from 1640-82) of all sorts that was
published in the beginning and during our
unhappy Civil Confusions, with all others
of that Nature since our happy settlement,
methodically digested and continued to
these times, is enough to intimate by way
of invitation to all lovers of learning and
knowledge.” The catalogue contains 61 pp.
besides title, comprising 3067 nos. The
general contents are of the same character
as that of other catalogues. Many small
books were sold for one penny each, and
the celebrated, and now very much sought
für American Bay Psalm Book of 1640 sold
for 6d. only. There were many of the
writings of the Reformation Divines of Eliza-
beth's time which sold for equally small sums.
Millington's next auction was “A Curious
Collection of Law Books ancient and
modern, consisting of the Libraries of John
Collins, Esq., late of Gray's Inn deceased,
and of another famed practicer of the Law,
with additions of the best and latest Law
Books hitherto extant; as also an appendix
of a considerable number of Books of the
Civil and Canon Law, to be exposed to Sale
by way of Auction on Monday, the 2nd day
62
Book Auctions in England
of July 1683, at the first house on the left
hand in Flying-Horse Court in Fleet-Street,
near the King's Head Tavern at Chancery
Lane End.” “To the Reader : This Cata-
logue contains the compleatest Collection
of the Common and Statute Law Books,
ancient and modern, that hath been hitherto
published, or perhaps will ever be exposed
to sale by way of auction ; so that I may
be presumed to say, that not one consider-
able book of Price, or use in the whole
body of the Law is wanting. These gentle-
men were curious in collecting of the
ancient and scarce Books of the Law, as
is obvious to everyone that shall please to
peruse the ensuing names of them, especially
of Books of Old Customs, Usages and
Charters, there being no less than three
different editions of that fam'd Book of the
Customs of Normandy, two of Stebunhithe
and Hackney, and of the Charter of Romney
Marsh, of the Tinners of Cornwall, with
indeed all other Books that respect the
Law, that were useful and in general esteem.
Which is invitation Sufficient to all gentle-
men of the gown, to buy upon this Occasion,
what they cannot so easily meet with, or
not at all find, when their Occasions require,
or they are anxious of having them." This
catalogue contains 18 pp. comprising 538
lots, and is, as Millington claims, the largest
collection of law books offered for sale by
auction up to this date.
In the Seventeenth Century. 63

Millington's next venture was with the
“ Biblivtheca Llvydiana” and the Histori-
cal and Philological Library of Justice
Thomas Raymond, and others. This sale
was held at “The Auction House ” in Ave
Maria Lane, on December 3rd, 1683. - This
Catalogue consists of the Library of the
Reverend and learned Mr. John Lloyd,
sometime Minister of North-Mimmes in
Hertfordshire; as also of the Historical and
Philological Library of the Worshipful Sir
Thomas Raymond, Knight, late one of the
Tustices of the King's-Bench Court; in the
perusal of which it is obvious to remark
what a curious collection he had made, and
almost compleated, of the general Histories
abroad and of our Monkish Historians at
home, with a collection of the Particular
Lives of the Kings of England, as also of
Chronicles Old and New. I might also hint
at that great variety of Dictionaries and
Glossaries that present themselves in the
Catalogue. All which considered, without
a further preamble, do sufficiently recommend
them to all Knowing and Bookish Gentle-
men to buy upon this occasion what cannot
be easily found, or indeed procured, when
most passionately desired." The catalogue
contains 86 pp., and comprises 3587 lots.
There is no distinction made between the
properties, so we cannot say which belonged
to the parson and which to the judge. The
contents are very typical of the libraries then
64
Book Auctions in England
being sold by auction; the divisions are
simply into Foreign and English Theology
and Miscellanies, the latter including the
class usually named Philology, under which
was always included the books of general
interest in contra-distinction to those strictly
professional. In the Foreign Theology
occur some early Salisbury Missals and
Hore, and the Psalter according to the Use of
Salisbury and York, Paris, 1516. There is a
complete set of De Bry's Voyages to America
amongst the Miscellaneous. Marbeck's
Book of Common Prayer noted, 1550, occurs
in the English Divinity, as well as some
early works of Tyndale, Frith, Barnes, and
other Reformers. In the English Miscellanies
we get the first edition of Fabian's Chronicle,
not castrated," 1509 ; Purchas's Pilgrims,
the works of Ben Jonson, Chaucer, Beaumont
and Fletcher; Shakespeare's Poems, 1640;
the first edition of Ascham's Toxophilus,
1545 ; Frobisher's Voyages, 1578; Walton's
Compleat Angler, 1655 ; a large number of
rare pamphlets, and a good many of the
works of the English poets of the first half
of the century. Of the monkish historians,
so gushingly described by Millington in his
preface, there are, strange to say, only one
or two.
Millington next sold the library of Dr.
John Owen. He heads it * Bibliotheca
Dweniana, Catalogus Librorum . . . cum
variis manuscriptis Grecis, Latinis. etc., pro-
In the Seventeenth Century. 65
pria manu Doct. Patric. Jurii aliorumque
conscriptis.”
The sale began on May 26th, 1684, at
the "Auction House," opposite the Black
Swan” in Ave-Maria Lane. “This Cata-
logue," the preface states, “contains the
Library of the Reverend and Learned Dr.
Tohn Owen, deceased (sometime Vice-Chan-
cellor and Dean of Christ-Church in Oxon),
a person so generally known for a generous
Buyer and great Collector of the best books,
that 'tis needless further to intimate to the
world the great opportunities he had, or his
constant readiness to buy what at any time
presented itself that was rare and useful.
Among the vast number of Books he had
perused, and was for several late years
possessed of, I find, these ensuing larger
volumes preserved, and esteemed by him
as the choice and curious to his death, viz.,
his Greek and Latin Fathers, his different
Editions of the Councils, his Church-
Histories, and Rabbinical Authors, together
with great variety of the Bibles in the
Oriental languages; not to mention his
almost compleat Collection of the Historians,
Poets, Geographers, Philologers, and Lexi-
cographers, in Greek, Latin, etc. All which
considered together, perhaps for their num-
ber are not to be parallel'd, or upon any
terms to be procured, when Gentlemen are
desirous of, or have a real occasion for the
perusal of them. And lest what I have
66
Book Auctions in England
hinted should be termed a formal Commend-
dation, rather than a true character of the
books, I leave thé Catalogue to the judgment
of Gentlemen, the Buyers, and invite them
for one whole week before the Sale, at the
usual hours, to a Critical View and thorow
examination of them as to their Editions
and binding." The catalogue consists of
64 pp., comprising 2834 lots. The library
is, as might be supposed from the well-known
high character and writings of Dr. Owen,
entirely a professional one, as is sufficiently
indicated in the preface, and nothing is
found in it but the particular kind of literature
relating to the important theological position
held by the learned Doctor. There is,
however, one very interesting item, whose
present place of repose it would be useful to
know. It is described in the catalogue as
“Junii et Tremelii Scholiis (litera magna)
interfoliata papyro, una cum Nov. Testam.
Notis et aliquib. Manuscr. Observat. R. D.
Oweni, 6 vol. fol. Fra. 1515," from which we
learn that Dr. Owen had interleaved a copy
of Tremellius's and Junius's Scholia on the
Bible, and had increased it to six volumes,
and enriched it with numerous MS, notes in
his own hand. A manuscript such as this,
coming from the hand of one of the most
learned of the seventeenth-century Puritan
Divines, should be of great critical and theo-
logical value. This catalogue is remarkable
for the extreme paucity of English Reforma-
In the Seventeenth Century.
67
tion literature, hardly a book of this kind
appearing printed before the beginning of
the seventeenth century.
We now come to one of the most inter-
esting catalogues and prefaces issued by
Millington. The title is in English, and
purports to contain “the Libraries of two
eminent persons deceased, consisting of
CHOICE ENGLISH Books in Divinity, History,
Law, Physick, Mathematicks, Poetry, etc.”
The sale was held at Brydges' Coffee House,
in Pope's Head Alley, opposite the Royal
Exchange, on Monday, June 16th, 1684.
It began at 9 and continued to 12 o'clock;
was resumed at 2 and finished at 6 p.m.
Millington's patriotic preface indicates the
growth of productions from the English
press of the period, and shows that this
was the first sale of entirely English books
sold by auction up to that period. “This
Catalogue consists perfectly of English
Books, being the Labours, and well cultivated
Writings of the best English Authors, which
I the rather for once essayed to expose to
Sale by way of Auction, thereby to convince
the World, that all learning and useful
knowledge is not contained in foreign
Languages. Our own Nation having been
productive of Authors so Valuable, that the
whole World have admired their Works, and
paid a Veneration to their names; amongst
others the English Theologists have been
universally famed, as indeed our other
68
Book Auctions in England
Authors—viz., Historians, Poets, Philologers,
etc., have been so happy in their Writings as
to have an equal esteem and reputation with
the most learned persons abroad. In short,
this Collection evidently manifests great
variety of incomparable discourses, and
excellent Tracts have been successively and
lately published in our own Language of all
subjects so many, and in volumes so
numerous, and being generally so useful,
that it's hardly possible for any one to be so
well-furnished, but here he may make a
considerable augmentation to his Study and
accession to his Knowledge if he please."
At the end of this interesting preface the
auctioneer gives a Special Advertisement to
a Gerard's Herbal :-“There is likewise to
be sold Gerard's Herbal enlarged by Johnson,
with the plants curiously and judiciously
coloured, a book very rare and not easily
to be parallel'd." The catalogue comprises
57 PP., containing about 2,850 lots, repre-
senting some 8,000 volumes, a mass of
literature, strictly English, mostly of the pro-
ductions of the same century as the sale, which
speaks well for the energy of the English
brain, even amidst such depressing circum-
as were characteristic of that period.
We next notice a curious and interesting
catalogue which although not having Milling-
ton's name as auctioneer, has a preface so
characteristic, that we cannot err, knowing
also his habit of periodically holding sales
In the Seventeenth Century.
69
in the country, in regarding him as the
conductor of the sale. It is a catalogue of
English books to be sold by auction at
Tunbridge Wells. Of the various provincial,
University and Fair book-auctions held by
Millington and others we have spoken in the
introduction, but we introduce this particular
one here in its chronological order. The
title is an abbreviation of that in the catalogue
described above. “A Catalogue of the
Libraries of two eminent Persons, consisting
of Choice English Books in Divinity, History,
Physick, Mathematics, Poetry, etc., which will
be sold by way of Auction at Tunbridge
Wells, upon Friday August 8th, 1684.
Catalogues shall then be given gratis. To
the Reader: this Catalogue consists of the
Works of our best English Authors, and it
manifests what great variety of incomparable
books have been published in our own
Language of all Subjects and in all Volumes.
This way of Auctioning having elsewhere
met with a good acceptation, it is not doubted
that the Gentlemen at Tunbridge will also
encourage this first Essay of it amongst them.
Notice shall be left at the Tea-House upon
the Walks, at what Shop or Tent the Books
shall be exposed to view and Sale, and the
hour at which the Sale shall begin, and such
other notice shall be there left as shall from
time to time seem needful.” At the end of
the catalogue is a curious advertisement as
follows: “There is newly published the long
70
Book Auctions in England
expected Book of Father Simons entituled
Critical Enquiries into the Various Editions
of the Bible printed in divers places and at
various times; together with animadversions
upon a Small Treatise of Dr. Isaac Vossius
concerning the Oracles of the Sibylls and an
answer to the objections of the late Critica
Sacra, written originally in Latin by Father
Simon of the Oratory, translated into English
by N. S., price bound 5s.” Millington
evidently only made this a flying experiment.
The catalogue has only 6 pp., and contains
283 lots, just sufficient to sell in an afternoon.
The books consist chiefly of recently published
works of a cheap character.
On September 8th, 1684, Millington com-
menced selling a collection of English and
Foreign Books at Stourbridge Fair, near
Cambridge; an experiment which was suc-
cessful enough to induce him to repeat it, on
the next year's fair-day at the same place.
Although the second is out of the strict chrono-
logical order of early book-auctions hitherto
kept, they can be bracketed together in this
place, as they are very similar to each other.
The title of the first is : “ Bibliothyra Stur-
bitchiana, sive Catalogus Variorum Librorum
antiquorum et recentioruin, plurimum faculta-
tibus insignium, quorun Auctio habebitur
apud Nundinum Sturbitchianuin propè Cam-
bridg., Octavo die Septembris 1684, per
Edvardum Millingtonum Bibliopolam Lond.
Catalogues are distributed gratis to all Gentle-
In the Seventeenth Century. 71
men, Scholars, etc., at the several Coffee-
houses in Cambridg." The preface is an
exceedingly interesting one, as showing that
Millington took a decidedly serious view of
his avocation and of its importance in
disseminating learning. “This Catalogue
presents you with Variety of good and scarce
Books, ancient and modern, viz. in Divinity,
History, Philosophy, Philology, Physick, etc.,
(which without an elaborate Preface to set
them off, or the stale and formal pretences
of their being the Libraries of some late
learned Divines or famed Antiquaries de-
ceased, to recommend them), they will be
exposed to Sale by Way of Auction in Stur-
bitch-fair ; a Way so highly Useful to the
dispersing of Learning, so experimentally
beneficial to the Relicts, and Executors of
Divines and Gentlemen, in the disposal of
their Libraries, which hath received the
general approbation of the Reverend Divines
etc., of the City of London, amongst which
for several Years it hath been practised to
their Satisfaction. And if we consider the
Essays that have been made in the Country,
which have been readily entertained, and
very well approved of, we cannot but promise
ourselves (from that great and Celebrated
Body of Learning--viz. the Famous Uni-
versity of Cambridg) in this our first Essay
an encouragement in some measure answer-
able to the Nature and expensiveness of such
an Undertaking, which shall be managed

72
Book Auctions in England
with that fairness and honesty, and, if
possible, to a general Content, as shall
perfectly Silence, not only the ignorant but
malicious decryers of so excellent a way and
method of handing Learning and Knowledge
to the World." The auction began on Mon-
day at the Auction-Booth in Sturbitch Fair
from 8 o'clock in the morning to 11, and from
I o'clock in the afternoon till 5, and con-
tinued daily until all the books were sold.
Millington's auction-booth at Stourbridge
must have been a pretty extensive one, as he
invites gentlemen to come and view them
there before the hours of sale. The catalogue
is rather a large one to take into the Country,
having 44 pp., containing 2,200 Lots,
representing some 6,000 or 7,000 volumes.
The foreign books are of the ordinary
theological kind current in nearly every
catalogue of the period; in the English,
Millington, with his usual acute eye to
business, has included a number of works on
Country pursuits and Sports, likely to attract
the local magnates. In his next year's
venture at Stourbridge he did not take down
quite so many; the catalogue containing
only 30 pp., comprising 1500 lots. On the
title he declares the sale to be held “in gratiam
celeberrimæ Cantabrigiensis Academiæ."
The books began to be sold on September
8th, 1685. The preface is a short one :
“This Catalogue of Books is so good in its
kind, so desirable in all its parts, that it
In the Seventeenth Century.
73
needs not the patronage, or name of some
learned person's Library to recommend it;
so that I cannot reasonably doubt of its
favourable reception here, amongst so many
Knowing and Competent Judges of the
various editions of the most useful books of
all sorts; for which reason I shall forbear a
particular character of the many books of
Value and Scarcity that present themselves in
the Theological and Philological part of the
Latin Catalogue, and content myself in the
general to intimate, that the English consists
also of a great number of Choice Books in
Divinity, Husbandry, Philosophy, Poetry,
but especially History; all which considered,
may render them acceptable to the Curious
and intelligent.” In his conditions Millington
declares he must have the fourth part of the
price of the book or books bought, paid at
the time of sale, and the remainder within
two days (if a scholar), and that gentlemen
who are occasionally at the fair “do pay
immediately or leave such proportion of
mony in part as shall be demanded by the
Undertaker.” In this catalogue appears a
fourth folio Shakespeare.
Returning now to the strict chronological
order broken by taking the two Stourbridge
Fair catalogues together, we find that on
November 3rd, 1684, Millington began the
sale of the library of Sir Jonas Moor,
described on the title as "Supervisor Generalis
Instrumentorum Bellicorum Regis Angliæ"-
74
Book Auctions in England
meaning Master of the Ordnance. The
library, the title (which is in Latin) further
informs us, was procured at vast expense
and with great diligence from all parts of
Europe. The preface is an interesting one.
“This Sale consists of the Whole Library of
the Worshipful Sir Jonas Moor, deceased, a
person of so great Worth and General Esteem
for his admirable Scheme in most parts of
the Mathematics, that the issues of his Brain
already published in that Science are ample
testimonies of his abilities. The Mathe-
matical part of the Library, as it was with
great care and with vast expense procured,
so if we consider what great variety there is
in most languages in that faculty, is not (to
speak modestly) easily paralleled. The Geo-
graphical and Historical part, though they
cannot pretend to numbers, yet will appear
to be very valuable as to their price, and
very choice, as to their kind, especially as
to the English part, which presents you with
a considerable number towards the collection
he seemed to design to make of the English
History in general, and of the lives of the
Kings of England in particular. Which may
be enough to indicate by way of information
to all Lovers of curiosities in learning.” The
sale was held at the “Auction-House” op-
posite the Black Swan in Ave Maria Lane.
The catalogue consists of 41 pp., containing
1560 lots. The contents are sufficiently
indicated in the preface, and we need only
In the Seventeenth Century. 75
add that nothing specially interesting occurs
in the catalogue.
Millington's next venture introduces us to
the “ Bibliotheca Warneriana,” the library
of the Right Reverend Father in Christ, John
Warner, late Bishop of Rochester. “This
Catalogue,” the Preface says, “consists prin-
cipally of the Library of the Right Reverend
and learned Prelate Dr. John Warner, con-
taining so many Valuable and Scarce books
in Divinity (viz. a Collection of Greek and
Latin Fathers, Councils, Church Historians,
ancient and modern Commentators of prime
use and note) with a great variety of Choice
Books in History, Philology, Mathematics,
and of all other sorts of Gentile learning,
that to describe them further by Way of
Commendation, would be a reflection on
the Judgment, and a detainment of the in-
telligent Reader from the pleasure and benefit
that usually attends the perusal of the names
and editions of so many considerable and
excellent books. I leave him therefore to
judge of them himself, and invite him to
the sight and examination of them for one
whole week before the Sale.” The sale
was held at the “Auction-House” in Ave
Maria Lane on February 16th, 1684-5,
from 9 o'clock until 12 in the morning,
and from 2 o'clock until 6 in the after-
noon. The catalogue consists of 52 pp.,
24 pp. for the foreign and 28 pp. for the
English books. There were 2452 lots, repre-
76
Book Auctions in England
senting the respectable number of some
7000 volumes.
On May 25th, 1685, Millington began the
sale of the rather extensive collections of
the Rev. Dr. Ambrose Atfield, S.T.D., of
London, and of Mr. John Cooth of Somerset-
shire. The catalogue consists of no less than
68 pp., comprising 3065 lots. It also was
held at the “ Auction House” in Ave Maria
Lane. The character of the books is suffi-
ciently indicated in the preface, which is as
follows: « This Catalogue consists of the
Libraries of two eminent and learned divines,
viz., of Dr. Ambrose Atfield, late of London,
and of Mr. John Cooth, formerly in Somerset-
shire, both which I might fairly recommend
from the great number and quality of the
books therein contained : viz. their Collection
of the Various editions of the Bible in the
Foreign Languages, of the best Fathers, Latin
and Greek, and Church Historians, Councils,
the Variety of Commentators, with other
Theological Discourses of most subjects, not
to mention the Valuable and Scarce Books
that present themselves in Philology and
History, etc., in Greek and Latin, all which
considered, together with the English, which
is equally inviting in all parts of it, accom-
panied with a Curious Collection of ancient
and modern Choice Tracts and pamphlets,
bound and in bundles, may be enough to
intimate by way of preface to the studious and
intelligent peruser of the ensuing Catalogue.”
In the Seventeenth Century. 77
On Tuesday, November roth, 1685, Mil-
lington sold a small collection of books with-
out name of owner or the usual Preface
(but belonging to an anonymous Nobleman).
The books were all foreign, and the title is :
“ Bibliotheca Gallica, Italica, Hispanica, con-
tinens libros (plurimis facultatibus) Selectis-
simos cujusdam Nobilis Angli, haud ita pridem
defuncti, quorum Auctio habebitur Londini
in ædibus Jo. Bridge, Vulgo dicto ' Bridge's
Coffee house."" The catalogue is without
interest, containing only 16 pp., comprising
680 lots.
Another small library, but of interest as
showing the increasing taste for books out-
side professional circles, was sold by Mil-
lington a week after the preceding : viz., on
Tuesday, November 18th, 1685. It is “the
Library of Mr. Peter Hushar, Merchant of
London, deceased, which," says the auc-
tioneer in his preface, “considered as to the
French Part, consists of the Writings of
French Divines, Ancient and Modern,
especially of their Sermons, of which there is
great Variety. The English, both as to the
divinity and history, are not contemptible,
which without further account I leave to the
Buyers to Judge of.” The sale was held at
Mr. Thos. Ward's House, Upholsterer, at
the Boar's Head in Cornhill. The catalogue
contains 23 pp., comprising 949 lots.
Millington's next sale was a most interest-
ing one, having as a supplement what would
78
Book Auctions in England
be called in these days a “Trade” Sale, i.e.
a sale of recently published Bibles and
Church Service Books, of which many copies
remained in the hands of the printers, and
of which more copies than one could be
purchased. Millington did not, however,
confine this sale to Booksellers or “The
Trade, but encouraged clergymen and
others to buy several copies of the books
offered, for distribution amongst their parish-
ioners and poorer neighbours. This was, as
he says, the first attempt of this kind, but
there had already been sales by auction of
recently published books to “Booksellers
Only." The title and preface so clearly
detail the contents and the object of this
Book Auction, that we copy them verbatim:
“A Catalogue containing variety of ancient
and nodern English Books in Divinity,
History, Philology, Philosophy, Law, Physick,
Mathematics, etc., together with Bibles, Testa-
ments, Common Prayers, Singing Psalıns, etc.,
of the best prints in all Volumes, which will
be exposed to sale (by way of auction or who
bids most) at Petty-Canon's Hall, in Petty-
Canon's-Alley on the North Side of St. Paul's
Churchyard entering into Paternoster Row
on the 30th day of November, 1685. To
the Reader: This Collection of English
Books in all Volumes and of most Sciences
will be exposed to Sale by way of Auction,
with duplicates of several valuable books
bound and in quires. With these printed in
In the Seventeenth Century.
79
the Catalogue, are also most sorts of Bibles
of the best prints, together with Testaments,
Common Prayers, and Singing Psalms, Books
of Homilies, 39 Articles, Canons, etc. Which
proposal in this way of Sale so manifestly
beneficial to the purchaser will, we hope, be
very acceptable, because it hath not yet been
assayed by any, and hath in its first appear-
ance a seeming tendency to further the
knowledge of ignorant people in the best
things at the easiest rate, and may upon
Charitable Gentlemen and Reverend Clergy-
men have this probable effect, that the
cheapness of these so absolutely necessary
books, so disposed of, may invite them to
bestow some numbers among their poor
neighbours or parishioners, who are not able
to purchase what they are capable of reading
to their benefit. In short, what might be
further said on this occasion would exceed
the bounds of Auctionary preface, therefore
in convenient Time preceding this Sale, notice
shall be given of the days of Sale for the
aforesaid Bibles, Testaments, Service Books,
Singing Psalms, Books of Homilies, etc.
At which time or days proposals shall be
made of the conditions and methods of
selling them, apparently advantageous, and
sufficiently beneficial to the respective buyers."
This Catalogue (excluding the Bibles and
Prayers, of which we shall speak presently)
is composed of 52 pp., containing 2514 lots.
It included the fourth folio Shakespeare,
80
Book Auctions in England
then recently published, and it would be
interesting to know whether it were one of
the books of which several Copies could be
obtained in quires, as the price realised for
one copy was only I2s. 8d. But this is a
matter about which no information is given.
The difference between the value of a large
and small paper copy of a book is to be
here noted in the case of Webster's History
of Witchcraft, the large-paper copy of which
sold for 6s. 2d., and a small for 5s.6d.
The list of the Bibles, Prayers, etc., of
which Millington speaks in his preface, and
which formed an appendix to this catalogue,
was printed on a single folio sheet on one
side only. They were advertised to be sold
at the end of the sale of November 30th,
and the date fixed was December loth.
This broadside is a great curiosity, and
most valuable as showing the prices at which
the official Church books of the period could
be obtained. It will be seen that even at
that period, and allowing for the difference in
money value, hardly any one who could read
need be without his Bible, Common Prayer,
Singing Psalms, Homilies, etc.; and the en-
couragement thus given to the increase of
reading among all classes of the people, would
disseminate a general love of literature, the
benefit of which would be felt throughout
the nation. This broadside list is only to
be found in the British Museum, and is, I
think, interesting enough to be given here in
In the Seventeenth Century. 81
extenso :—“A Catalogue of Several Sorts of
Bibles, Testaments, Common Prayers, Singing
Psalms, Book of Homilies, etc. (all printed
at the Theatre in Oxford), that are to be
exposed to Sale (by way of Auction or who
bids most) in smaller or greater numbers, and
at such moderate rates, as will be manifestly
beneficial to the respective buyers, at the
Auction House in Ave-Mary Lane on Wed-
nesday, December roth, 1685." Then follows
another announcement intimating that the
books had been bought (or bought in) at the
auction and removed to another place where
they could be had at fixed prices. The sheet
goes on to say: “A Catalogue of a Remainder
of Several Sorts of Bibles, etc. (ut supra),
lately exposed to Sale by way of Auction,
which books may be had at the Leg and
Star, Cornhill, for the prizes (sic) following,
at any time before the twentieth of this instant
December, viz.—
BIBLES IN FOLIO.
£ s. d.
(1) Bibles for Churches, with Bp.
Usher's Chronology, of the
Imperial Paper . . . 2 0 0
(2) do. of the Royal Paper . . I 100
(3) do. of the Fine Paper . . 1 0 0
(4) do. of an ordinary paper . O 18 0
(5) Bibles, folio, small, with Com-
mon Prayer, Apocrypha,
Singing Psalms, Chronology,
Index, of fine paper . . o 8 0
(6) do. of ordinary paper . . o 7 6.
Om HN
82
Book Auctions in England
€
S. d.
0
6
0
BIBLES IN QUARTO.
() Bibles, superfine paper, Chro-
nology, Index . . .
(8) do. of a middle paper, Chrono-
logy, Index . . . .
(9) do. of an ordinary paper,
Chronology, Index :
0
6
0
0
4
6
O
BIBLES IN OCTAVO.
(10) Bibles in large octavo, with
references and Chronology. O 2
(11) do. in small 8vo, with refer-
ences and Chronology, fine
paper . . . . . 0
(12) do. of an ordinary paper . o I
(13) Bibles, small 8vo, without notes,
fine paper . . . . o I
(14) do. ordinary paper . . . 0 1
4
3
4
3
BIBLES IN TWELVES
(15) Bibles in large twelves without
Notes . .
. O 0
(16) do. small twelves without
Notes . . . . . O IO
TESTAMENTS.
(17) Testaments in 4to, paper fine , 004
(18) do. in 8vo, fine .
0 0 4
(19) do. in 8vo, ordinary.
(20) do. in 8vo, long primer .
(21) do. in twelves
.
. 0 0 6
(22) do. in 8vo, brevier . .
(23) do. in 12's, brevier. . . o
000000
0000000
In the Seventeenth Century.
83
v
0
o
0
0
0
COMMON PRAYERS, FOLIO, WITH NEW
ALTERATIONS.
€ S. d.
(24) Common Prayers for Churches ^
of an Imperial Paper, with
large letter and 39 Articles,
with new alterations. . I 7 6
(25) do. of a fine paper, with 39
Articles and Canons of the
Church, altered . . .
(26) do. of an ordinary paper,
altered . . . 0 3 0
(27) do. of an ordinary paper, for
Clerks, in 4to, great print,
not altered . . . . O o
(28) do. in large fine paper,
altered. .
(29) do. in paper of a more ordinary
kind, altered
(30) do. in' 12., large letter, fine
paper, altered .
(31) do. ordinary paper, altered . 0 0
132) Book of Homilies with the 39
Articles, of large paper . 0 5 G
(33) do. ordinary paper . . . o 3 3
PICTURES.
(34) Cuts for Bibles in 4to, fol, and
8vo, containing 180 Cuts . o 6 0
(35) Cuts to bind with the Testament
in 8vo, for the Use of
Children . . . . 0 0 2
“For the other threepenny Common-
Prayers in twelves and twenty-fours, they
have been lately sent to the Booksellers, and
for Services to bind with the several sorts of
0
u oo 0
wowa 5 0 0
84 Book Auctions in England
Bibles, all which are altered to the present
King (James II.) and Royal family, but most
of them are new throughout, and Singing
Psalms, which are all well known to Book-
sellers, for whom this is intended. It is not
thought needful to particularise the prizes
(sic) of them : every Bible may be fitted with
proper Services or Psalms, all clean and
perfect, and especially the large twelves Bible,
for which we have lately printed several
sheets to supply others that were mildewed
and rotten.”
The terms of credit given to trade
buyers of these Church Services are also
interesting. Credit was given for purchases
until April roth, 1686, but discount was
allowed of 3 per cent. to buyers who paid
before January both, 2 per cent on accounts
paid by February Ioth, and I per cent. to
March' ioth.
Millington's next sale was of a “ Collec-
tion of Choice Books in Divinity, History,
Philosophy, Heraldry, Horsemanship, Hus-
bandry, with Variety of Books of Voyages,
Travels, as also of Romances, Plays, Novels,
etc., etc., curiously bound.” This was held
on Monday, February 8th, 1685-6, at Bridge's
Coffee-house, in Pope's Head Alley, Cornhill.
“This Catalogue," says the preface, "con-
sists of many excellent books of the best
Authors that have treated of the Subjects
mentioned in the title page, and I will not
question the judgment of the gentlemen the
In the Seventeenth Century.
85
buyers by giving a particular recommenda-
tory Character of them. The Historical Part
both forreign and domestic is the best and
completest that hath hitherto been pre-
sented to the World, and if the names of
many authors and their histories not hitherto
knowable hath been acceptable and con-
fessedly useful to several gentlemen, I may
much more reasonably promise to myself the
exposing the Books this way to Sale, will be
extremely desirable, especially if they will be
pleased to consider that not one half of them
mentioned in the ensuing Catalogue are by
reason of their Scarcity at all times to be
found, or at any rate to be procured when
really wanted. I might farther intimate,
that some of the valuable books are of the
Great Paper, and most of them as to their
binding sufficiently inviting answering the
present mode, and commendable modern
fashion of most bookish gentlemen's Libraries
being generally curiously and richly bound.”
It will be seen from this preface, that many
buyers of books, were at this period no
longer content to have their purchases in
the original homely sheep or calf as the
publishers issued them, but were beginning
to take delight in fine bindings and large
papers. Millington repeats again in his
5. Conditions” that the books in this cata-
logue are “extraordinarily qualified as to
their bindings.” The collection must have
been a fine though limited one, as the
86
Book Auctions in England
catalogue consists of 16 pp. only, comprising
1359 lots. There was a good collection
of History, Poetry, Drollery, Plays and
Romances, but Shakespeare is entirely un-
represented. The absence of a name of
the owner intimates that the collection was
a venture of several booksellers, specially
got up to meet the increasing demand for
fine copies.
Millington's next sale was on Thursday
February 18th, 1685-6, “ of a Variety of Books
of the Statute and Common Law ancient and
modern, together with History, Heraldry,
Travels, Romances, Poetry, etc.,” the Libraries
of "two gentlemen of the Long Robe." It
was held at “the Auction House in Ave Mary
Lane." The catalogue has only 16 pp.,
comprising 745 nos., and contained some
good Elizabethan poetry and plays. Milling-
ton gives only a few words of preface to this
catalogue, which is of small interest.
Millington next sold the medical libraries
of Drs. Christopher Terne and Thomas
Allen, both members of the Royal College of
Surgeons, and an Appendix of books on
medicine belonging to Dr. Robert Talbor
described as “ Pyretiatri” on the title. The
sale was held at “the Auction House in Ave
Mary Lane” on Monday, April 12th, 1686.
Millington's preface reveals to us that the sale
by auction of special professional books of
the character contained in this catalogue had
not hitherto met with unqualified success.
In the Seventeenth Century.
.
89
6 This Catalogue,” he says, “presents you
with the Medicinal Parts of the Libraries of
those two Worthy Persons mentioned in the
title page, amongst which, it's obvious to
every one that is competently skilled in the
editions, and hath tolerably informed himself
of what's printed in the Faculty, to remarque
several valuable and scarce Books. The late
Sales of Books of this nature have been
so much discouraged, either through the
forgetfulness of the Gentlemen of the profes-
sion as to the Time, or by Reason that the
hours of Sale have interfered with their
business, that I had once resolved to have
disposed of them another way; but upon
second thoughts this Experiment is made
intentionally accommodated of the supposed
leasurable time of the practicers of that Noble
Science, viz. from the hours of 10 to 12 in
the morning, and from 3 to 6 in the evening;
and when I also reflect that they were the
Books of two eminent Physicians who were
generally known to be buyers of the Choicest
Books, I presume to promise myself an
incouragement in some measure answerable
to the trouble and expence of the Undertak-
ing." The preface, as we see, throws a side-
light on the professional hours customary to
the medical men of the period for visiting
their patients. The catalogue contains
24 pp., comprising 1051 lots, and consists
entirely of the English and foreign works on
medicine then used by the faculty.
88
Book Auctions in England
Millington's next auction was the " Biblip-
thæca Castelliana," the library of the well-
known Oriental scholar Dr. Edmund Castell,
who gave so much assistance to Bp. Brian
Walton in producing his magnificent Polyglott
Bible, and compiled the Lexicon Heptaglotton,
which is a necessary accompaniment of that
grand work. The preface is as follows:-
“This Catalogue presents you with the
library of the Reverend and learned Dr.
Edmund Castell (late Arabic Professor of the
University of Cambridge), a person so gener-
ally fam’d, for his admirable skill in Oriental
Languages, as having been principally con-
cerned in the celebrated work of the Biblia
Polyglotta as also the compiler of the Lexicon
Heptaglotton, an undertaking designed origin-
ally for the public good; which employed
the greatest part of his life, and in the com-
pleating of it he spent a considerable part
of his estate. It would be easy did I design
a character of this worthy man, to produce
many other instances of his learning and
generosity, particularly the great charge he
was at in procuring, from most parts of the
world, by the assistance of his friends and
correspondents, those many rare and valuable
Books in the Oriental part of his Library ;
that were subservient to the above-mentioned
Lexicon. But being sensible that a larger
account of them, and of their scarcity, will
be edifying to very few persons, I conclude
with this short description of the other parts of
In the Seventeenth Century.
89
the Catalogue-viz., that the Theological, His-
torical, Medicinal and Juridical, etc., contain
many useful and inviting books to all gentle-
men conversant in the aforesaid Sciences.”
The sale began on Wednesday, June 30th,
1686. It was held in Cambridge (“in Gra-
tiam et commodum Eruditorum Academ.
Cantab.”) at the House of Robert Skyrings
at the Sign of the Eagle and Child, over
against St. Benedict's Church from 8 to II,
and 1 till 5. It is interesting as being the
first book-auction held by Millington in the
famous University city. The catalogue is
not an extensive one, comprising 26 pp.
only, containing 1160 lots. The contents
of the catalogue are nearly the same as
those of other divines of the period, the
Oriental Works being those of the well-known
Latin-Oriental writers of the Continent, and
Commentaries of the Rabbis, and no Bibles
in any language.
The next auction held by Millington was a
much more extensive and important one. It
introduces us to a library of a foreign collec-
tor, which, it is believed, is the first imported
into England for sale by auction. Neither
on the title nor in the preface is any indica-
tion given of the owner, but a contemporary
hand has written on the title of the writer's
copy the words, “ Sarotti's Catalogue.”
The title is “ Bibliotheca Selectissima diver-
sorum Librorum viz. Theologicorum, Philo-
Logicorum Historicoruin Mathemat. etc. pluri-
90
Book Auctions in England
misque libris Gallicis, Italicis, Hispanicis
adornata qui cum ingenti sumptu & Summa
curâ ex Variis Europæ partibus fuerunt
collecti, & in Angliain nuper advecti.” |
The preface is as follows: “This Library
of Theological, Historical, Philological and
Mathematical Books, etc., was with great
care, and no less expence, collected by a
person of Quality, sufficiently instructed in
all sorts of learning, and well acquainted with
the curious and choice books of most faculties
and languages. Many of every Science that
present themselves in it, might be hinted at
and referred to, for the most satisfactory in-
formation of the less skilful in the affairs of
learning ; but it may be enough to observe,
that they are considerable for their number
and for their subjects unusual, and authors
of good repute and prime note, whose books
very rarely, if at any time, have appeared in
our shops or Auction Sales ; and if I may be
allowed the freedom of this one single re-
marque, nothing more truly and effectually
recommends any Collection of Books to the
intelligent, when that it contains not the
common and obvious, but the outercourse
and more obscure Authors, which this Cata-
logue may really pretend to, beyond any
that hath hitherto preceded it, and for this
reason, as well as many others that might be
produced, I presume to believe, it will be
kindly received by the Studious and Critical
Gentlemen of our Age."
In the Seventeenth Century.
91
The sale began on Monday, April 18th,
1687. It was held “at the Sign of the Black
Swan, over against the South Door of St.
Paul's Church (amongst the Woolen-drapers)
in St. Paul's Churchyard, continuing day by
day the first five days of every week, till all
the Books are sold, from nine in the morning
to twelve ; and from two to six in the even-
ing." We have then given an “Index
Titulorum,"comprising “ Theologici, Chrono-
logici, Historici, Philologici, Libri Picturarum
& MSS. Juridici, Medici & Philosophici,
Mathematici, etc., Gallici, Italici, Hispanici,
Anglici.” The catalogue contains 87 pages,
comprising no fewer than 4008 lots, which
must have represented some 12,000 or 13,000
volumes. Of this number English literature
is represented by 64 lots only, Spanish has
83 lots, Italian 539 lots, French 252 lots,
Mathematics 501 lots, Medical and Philo-
sophical 541 lots, Juridical 191 lots, Books
of Pictures and MSS. 39 lots, Chronology,
History and Philology 1226 lots, and Theo-
logy 499 lots. The general contents are on
a par with the rest of the catalogues of the
period; but amongst the Theological octavos
we find a Horæ ad usum Romanum, on
vellum, Venice 1520; amongst the Philo-
logy Novus Orbis Regionum veteribus incog-
nitarum, 1555 ; Itinerarium Portugallensium
in Indiam, 1508 ; and a large number of
Elzevir classics. The manuscripts are mostly
on scientific subjects, and of no par-
92
Book Auctions in England
ticular importance. The French contains
the 1560 edition of the Heptameron of
Marguerite of Navarre; and the Italian,
although so numerous, has not any of the
literary classics, but consists chiefly of politi-
cal and historical works of no particular
interest or value; and the same may be said
of the few lots of English books occurring in
the catalogue.
Millington's next sale was the Biblivthera
Maynardiana. It was the library of the
Rev. Dr. Maynard, of Mayfield in Sussex,
sold at Tom's Coffee-house, in Pope's Head
Alley, Cornhill, on June 13th, 1687. The
catalogue contains 71 pages, comprising 2180
lots. It consisted of works on Philology,
Theology, History, French, Italian, Dutch
and Spanish books; and contains more of
the Elizabethan religious writers than usual.
To this catalogue Millington does not con-
tribute his usual preface.
On July 12th, 1687, Millington began
selling an anonymous collection of books,
which he entitled "Bibliotheca Latina Anglica
-viz., Theologica, Philologica, Medica et
Philosophica, cum variis libris gallicis et
italicis refertissima cui adjicitur collectio Lib-
roruin ad Legein Communem Angliæ Spectan-
tium." The auctioneer's short preface makes
a virtue of necessity by ridiculing the idea
that books are more valuable when they are
advertised as the property of a well-known
owner. The preface is also interesting from
In the Seventeenth Century.
93
1
his use of the word “book-worm,” which is,
we believe, its first application to a collection
of books. “This Catalogue,” says he, "con-
sists of variety of significant Books in Divinity,
Philology, Physick, Philosophy, etc., ancient
and modern, Latin and English, a great
many of which have very rarely, if at any
time, appeared in our auctionary Essays.
The whole contains Books considerable as
to their price, of general esteem for their
use : which short description (I persuade my-
self) will more effectually recommend them
to the Knowing than the stale way of pre-
tending them to be the collection of some
fam'd Antiquary deceased, or the learned
remains of a Superannuated Book-worm."
The sale was held at the Auction House
in Ave-Mary Lane. Millington expresses a
desire that the books may be viewed the
week before the sale, as they were “generally
well-conditioned, sufficiently inviting, both as
- to their Editions and binding.” The cata-
logue contains 58 pages, comprising 2487 lots,
The contents are mostly works published in
the seventeenth century. There is a fourth
folio Shakespeare, and a first complete edition
of Ben Jonson, and many minor books of
poetry, and some rare Americana in bundles
as usual. The law books are very few, as
not many had been published in English up
to that period.
Millington's next auction was that of the
Bibliotheca Jacombiana, the library of the

94
Book Auctions in England
learned Divine Dr. Thomas Jacomb of
London, and Domestic Chaplain to the
Dowager Countess of Exeter. It is an im-
portant and most extensive library, one of
the most extensive in general, and the largest
of any particular divine, which had been
brought to the hammer up to that time. The
catalogue contains 108 pages, consisting of
4806 lots, representing over 15,000 volumes.
It is a very varied collection, and reveals
a broader taste and wider range of reading
than we expect from an exclusive Divine of
the time of Charles II. It is divided into
“LIBRI THEOLOGICI,” which includes Bibles,
Greek and Latin Fathers, Councils, Eccle-
siastical Historians, and Ancient and Modern
Commentators; “LIBRI MISCELLANEI," com-
prising Geography, Philology, History, Lexico-
graphy, Medicine, Philosophy, Law; English
Divinity and Miscellanies, and Volumes of
Tracts bound. Millington's preface to this
important catalogue is in his best vein,
but he does not overestimate the value of
the Library, and throws an interesting side-
light upon the daily life of a busy preacher
of that time, which would not perhaps be
thought worthy of notice in a serious bio-
graphy. “The Reverend and learned Dr.
Jacomb," he says, “was a person so gene-
rally known, and also esteemed for his
constant and indefatigable preaching in this
city, that I shall not presume to attempt a
further character of him, since it hath been
In the Seventeenth Century.
95
faithfully and excellently drawn by a learned
and intimate friend of his (Dr. Batts) in a
sermon published upon the occasion of his
death. However, with relation to the pre-
sent undertaking, I may truly say, he was
well instructed in the various and Choicest
Editions of Books; and extremely curious
to collect what was rare and useful in most
sorts of learning ; and no wonder will it be,
if we consider the great opportunies he had,
by the many years' continuance in this place,
and his constant readiness to buy, what at
any time, and in any way presented itself,
that every part of the Library is furnished
and adorned with great curiosities; and that
the whole is swelled beyond the proportion
of most men's of his figure and order. And
since it is a debt of truth, as well as of
gratitude, payable to his name and memory,
it must be here acknowledged that he was
one of the most gentile and generous buyers,
if not the only one of his time who delighted
to complete what his Study was defective in,
by freely parting with his money. Hence
it is that you have entire collections of the
Latin and Greek Fathers of the best editions,
of Ecclesiastical Writers, of Councils, of
Schoolmen and casuistical Authors, of the
Works of the celebrated first Reformers;
of Bibles in the Oriental languages, great
variety; of Commentators ancient and
modern, English and Latin, almost innumer-
able ; and if we remarque the number of his
96
Book Auctions in England
historians, foreign and domestick, poets, geo-
graphers, philologers, lexicographers in Greek
and Latin ; together with the valuable and
voluminous books in the Civil and Canon
Law, Physick, Philosophy, etc., and the
qualifications of the whole, as to their bind-
ing, being generally inviting, as they are
plainly indications of the greatness of his
mind, and his extraordinary learning, so they
cannot but sufficiently encourage and power-
fully charm the learned of the age, to the
purchase and possession of them."
To this catalogue Millington formally adds
a new condition, the necessity of which,
however, he had hinted at in former cata-
logues). It is to the effect “that all gentle-
men Buyers do give in not only their
Surnames, but Christian, as also their places
of Abode, with the Signs they live or lodge
at, to the end that every person may have
justice done him in the buying, which new
condition is now imposed, to prevent the
inconveniences that have more or less hither-
to attended the undertakers, and also the
purchasers, by reason that several persons,
out of Vanity and Ostentation have appeared
and bought, to the damage and disappoint-
ment of the parties they outbid, and have not
been so kind to their own reputation, or
just to the proprietors as to pay for and fetch
them away." For a somewhat similar reason,
probably, Millington here first begins to
make a charge of 6d. each for the catalogues,
In the Seventeenth Century
97
" which method,” he says, “we have now
taken, by the direction of the learned, for
the better accommodation and more prudent
distribution than formerly of the copies to
them, which 6d. shall be allowed (if demanded)
to any persons or persons, that shall buy, or
cause to be bought for them to the value of
ten shillings in the ensuing sale ; which being
so reasonable a proposal, we question not but
all gentlemen etc., will readily comply with
it.”
The sale was held “at the Sign of the
Black Swan, over against the south door of
St. Paul's Church (amongst the Woolen-
drapers).” It commenced on Monday,
October 31st, 1687, and continued every
day (except Saturday) from 9 o'clock till
12 morning, and from 2 o'clock till 6 in the
evening. Amongst the books of most
interest we notice a Caxton's Legenda Aurea,
of 1484 ; Capgrave's Nova Legenda Anglice,
by Wynkyn de Worde, 1515; Boccaccio's
De Præclaris Mulieribus, of Lovaine, 1487;
Fasciculus Temporum of Basle, 1482 ; the two
Prayer-Books of Edward VI., 1549-52; a
"Holy Bible of that curious and correct edition
and fine character printed by Field, 1661,
bound in Turkey leather, silver clasps"; John
Knox On Predestination 1560 ; The Articles
of K. Henry VIII., 1533 ; and a large number
of the rare controversial books published in
the same King's reign ; Speed's Chronicle,
on large paper, Morton's New England's
98
Book Auctions in England
Memorials, 1669 ; The Compleat Angler
of 1668; the Great Aristotle of Aldus, 1498;
Thos. Hooker's History of New England,
1552 ; the Tears of the Indians, 1656.
On Monday, November 21st, 1687, Milling-
ton began the sale of various books from the
select libraries of the Rev. Dr. W. Sill,
prebendary of Westminster, and of the
learned Dr. Cornelius Callon of London,
gentleman. The sale was again held “at
the Black Swan, over against the south door
of St. Paul's Cathedral amongst the Woolen-
drapers.” “The Books," Millington says,
“will be sold for the benefit, and at the
request of several learned gentlemen, by
whom the Books have been viewed. It's
needless for me, after their approbation, to
particularize the valuable and choice books
contained in the catalogue (perhaps being
as many as any of its bulk can hitherto
pretend to have had) and as well qualified as
to their editions and binding, which being
said, I promise to myself, from the experience
I have had from former essays of this nature
amongst you, a success, in some measure,
answerable to the honest and innocent ends
proposed by your humble Servant in the
affairs of learning.” To this catalogue
Millington appends a fresh title, in English,
of the English portion of Prebendary Sill's
Library, which is announced for sale on
Tuesday, November 29th. The foreign part
consists of 23 pp., containing 1150 lots,
In the Seventeenth Century
99
and the English of 12 pp, containing 600
lots. The books are of the ordinary character,
but containing more English Roman Catholic
Divinity than usual, produced by the activity
of King James II. in the propagation of his
Popish tenets.
Millington's next sale was the important
and extensive one of the Library of Monsieur
Massauve, Councillor of the Parliament of
Montpelier, “e Galliis in Angliam nuper
advecta.” In his more than ordinarily inter-
esting preface to this catalogue he waxes
eloquent in praise of the library, and scorn-
fully contrasts it with a “ Swelling Catalogue
designed suddenly to be exposed to Sale,
made bulky by duplicates of the voluminous
and insipid Writings of the Casuists and
Schoolmen.” Of this collection (sold by an
opposing auctioneer) so contemptuously
spoken of, we have written elsewhere. Of the
printers of the fifteenth century it is evident
that Millington, in common with men of his
time much more learned than himself, knew
little or nothing. He speaks of the library
as containing books of the most “ Celebrated
and learned Printers of the World, even from
the Original of Printing." But the earliest
printer whose name he gives is that of Aldus,
and there are not more than half a dozen
entries of books of the fifteenth-century
printers, and those very late and of no
importance. His ignorance on this matter
is moreover revealed by his description of
100
Book Auctions in England
a work by Rodericus Zamorensis entitled
“ Speculum Humanæ Vita," which he calls
“ Liber antiquissimus à primis Typographia
Inventoribus nitidissimis, impressus circa
annum 1450." But we will give most of
his interesting preface in his own words :
“This Sale consists of the library of Monsieur
Massauve: a person generally famed for his
great wit, and extraordinary knowledge in
most parts of polite learning, which short
character, had I any reason to doubt of its
Truth, the Books that he hath collected at
great expence from several parts of Europe
(even from the Originals of Printing) of the
most celebrated and learned printers of
the world, would abundantly convince me. I
should not here repeat their names did I not
think it grateful and acceptable to the curious
-viz. Rob. Hen. Carol. P. Stephani, Ch.
Plantinus, Aldus Manutius, Vascosanus,
Mich. Parvus, Micæus, Gryphius, Crispinus,
Colinæus, with the ancient and modern
Elzevirs, etc. (of whose delicate letter and
correct editions of books this ensuing Cata-
logue hath great variety); the viewing of
which without possessing them, I fancy, is
an useful and pleasing entertainment to an
intelligent and bookish mind. And since
I have so fair an occasion, I cannot but
observe that the World is presented with
more rare and unusual Books, as well as
considerable, in the library of a private
learned man of 1000 folios than in 3000
In the Seventeenth Century. 101
from the best stock of any Bookseller, an
instance of which may be given in this
present Collection, which without reflection
hath some 100 volumes of valuable and fine
printed Books not contained in the Swelling
Catalogue, designed suddenly for Sale, whose
chiefest if not only commendation (in the
opinion of some learned Persons) is its being
bulky and truly defective of those famous
and pompous curiosities that the learned
world expected; but I leave the gentlemen
to judge and determine, as indeed they
ought, for themselves, with this additional
request and new proposal (that whereas
complaints have been made, and that lately,
of the imperfections of several old books,
and many new ones, sold in Auctions) that
all gentlemen etc. would be pleased to take
care to examine and collate their Books
before they be taken away, or cause them
to be done, which if they want a fit person
both skilful and faithfull, they shall be
assisted with one for their purpose on the
most reasonable considerations, and as this
may be one way to encourage the Buyers,
when they may be in some measure secure
of the perfection of their Books ; so I further
believe and hope it may perfectly remove
all other Scruples that yet remain in the
minds of any as to the sincerity and fairness
of the Auctionarian Undertakings.” The sale
began on Wednesday, February ist, 1687-8,
at the Black Swan in Saint Paul's Church-
102
Book Auctions in England
yard. This catalogue was distributed gratis,
the plan of charging 6d., as in the Jacomb
Catalogue, having apparently not succeeded
in its object. It contains 64 pp., comprising
upwards of 3000 lots. Only 8 pp. are occu-
pied by English books, the remainder chiefly
Latin, with a number of Italian, Spanish,
and French. There are a few MSS., in-
cluding an early Codex of Tacitus on vellum,
and two early Latin Bibles written on the
same material. There is a set of De Bry's
Voyages, both "grands” and “petits,” but
nothing extraordinary otherwise.
We are next introduced by Millington
to an extremely interesting English library
formed by a citizen of London whose name,
unfortunately, is not given. The title is in
English, and is exhaustive of the character of
the contents. These are Divinity, History,
Philology, Poetry and Plays, Romances and
Novels, Voyages and Travels, and Volumes
of Bound Tracts and Sermons. The cata-
logue contains 45 pages, comprising 2250
lots. Of these only too lots are foreign, and
the larger portion of the English is composed
of Poetry and Plays, Romances and Novels.
Included is a good number of Drollery and
Jest Books. There is also a copy of the first
folio Shakespeare; and it has, besides, a first
edition of Milton's Paradise Lost. Millington
states that the “Library was collected by a
person of Great Worth, and also of Publick
Trust in this Great City; and was it my
In the Seventeenth Century.
103
province, or did I design at this time or upon
this occasion fully to describe him, I might
without Complement say he was generally
beloved, and as deservedly esteemed by most
men, especially by the Lovers of Arms, and
the gentlemen skilled in the Military tacticks.
The Books upon the perusal of the Catalogue
will appear considerable for their number,
valuable as to their price, inviting as to their
use, being generally the Best that are hitherto
extant of the Subjects they treat of, qualified
many of them with extraordinary Binding;
which short representation will, I hope,
effectually recommend them to the Studious
and ingenious Persons of the Age.” The
sale began on Monday, March 12th, 1687-8, at
the "Black Swan” in St. Paul's Churchyard,
at the usual hours morning and evening.
Millington's next catalogue introduces
another new phase in the development of
book auctions. It is entitled “A Catalogue
of Choice and Valuable Books, English and
Latin, etc., on Various Subjects, which will
be sold by Auction at the Unicorn in
Pater-Noster-Row, near the Queen's Head
Tavern on Monday the 30th of April, 1688."
The auctioneer does not treat us to a long
preface in praise of this collection, to which
no name of ownership is attached. “This
Catalogue presents you with variety of the
best and most approved Books in Divinity,
History, Philology, Voyages and Travels,
etc., in all Volumes. The Title-pages of
104
Book Auctions in England
them, and therein the designs of the Books are
more largely represented for the advantage of
the Buyers than hath hitherto been done. It
contains several Divisions of Scarce and con-
siderable folios, which were designedly placed
for the encouragement as well as entertain-
ment of the gentlemen, etc., the Bidders,
intermixed with several Modern French and
Dutch Books, as will evidently appear to
the unprejudiced perusers of the ensuing
Catalogue.” Accordingly the titles in this
catalogue occupy twice as much space as
those in the preceding ones, and are conse-
quently twice as interesting. It contains
74 pages, comprising nearly 2000 lots. The
books are mostly English and of a more
interesting and varied character than usual.
There occur in this catalogue another copy
of the fourth folio Shakespeare, many very
rare American books, including Williams's
Indian Grammar of 1643, Books of Jests,
Drollery, Scarce Poems and Plays, two copies
of the exceedingly rare first London Directory
of 1677, Treatises on Hunting and Angling,
some very rare books on Music, and several
Occult Works.
Millington's next sale is of the Bibliotheca
Gulstoniana, the library of Dr. William
Gulston, Bishop of Bristol, “una cum pluri-
mis libris modernis ex variis Europæ partibus
nuperrime in Angliam advectis.” In the
Preface Millington is sarcastic on the “ Pre-
faces” to the auctions held by his rivals, and
In the Seventeenth Century.
105
so innocently satirises himself, as none of
them were greater adepts in the art of suiting
their prefaces to the contents of their catalogues
than he. “This Catalogue,” he says, “ might
be recommended to the learned of the Age, for
the many choice and considerable books it
contains in all its parts. But since those late
swelling and fulsome prefaces, to empty and
trifling catalogues, have nauseated the learned
and intelligent readers, I shall henceforward
forbear to trouble the world with any char-
acters or descriptions, unless I am satisfied
the books do truly deserve them. The
Gentlemen the Buyers, by their converse and
learned Conferences at Auctions, are generally
both qualified to judge of the value and
scarcity of most books that present themselves
in our Sales; therefore I freely submit them
to their perusal and impartial censure; and
invite them to a sight and examination of
them three days before the sale.” In this
catalogue Millington returns to his single-line
description of each book. The sale took
place at the Auction-House over against the
Black Swan in Ave Maria Lane, on Monday
June IIth, 1688. The catalogue contains
52 pp., representing about 2500 lots. The
whole of the books in it are foreign, and of
the usual learned character common to the
libraries of divines of the period.
Millington's next book-auction was of the
library of Dr. Edward Carter, Archdeacon
of St. Albans. This sale was held at
106
Book Auctions in England
St. Albans, in the house of the deceased
divine, on Monday, August 5th, 1689. "The
Books,” says the auctioneer, “ may be truly
said to be the best and most useful for their
number that hath hitherto, or perhaps will
be exposed hereafter to sale by auction.
The knowledge I had of this worthy person,
both as to his temper, and his extraordinary
love of learning, and of the best and most
beautiful copies of the most valuable books,
prompts me to publish this modest character
of him and them; an instance of which
might be given both by the prudence of his
choice and generosity of his mind, in the
purchase of that Edition of St. Chrysostom,
Greek and Latin, published by Fronto-
Ducæus, of the large paper (not probably
to be paralleld), with others of considerable
price, qualified with all the requisites that may
possibly prevail upon the minds of the learned
and studious-viz., intrinsical worth, good
editions, and extraordinary binding, which
having hinted, I leave the gentile and candid
perusers to judge for themselves.”
The catalogue is a thin one, containing
only 17 pp., comprising some 800 lots.
The continual recurrence of the description
"Turkey leather, gilt back” applied to the
bindings shows the books to have been in
unusually (for that period) fine condition.
Instead of the usual lotting of the pamphlets,
the auctioneer advertises at the end of this
catalogue several tracts and pamphlets in
In the Seventeenth Century.
107
folio, quarto and octavo, ancient and modern,
which will be sold in bundles, or altogether
as the gentlemen etc. present shall approve
of. The books are of the usual theological
character, foreign and English, amongst which
we notice the rare Tyndale Testament of
1538, but nothing else of much interest.
The next catalogue the writer has of books
sold by auction by Millington is a very in-
teresting one, and shows the versatility of the
man and his faculty of adapting himself to the
supposed needs of his public. It is entitled
“ A Catalogue of Choice Books-viz., in
Divinity, History, Voyages, Travels, Romances,
Plays, together with Artificiall Rarities viz.,
Roses etc., extremely natural, all sorts of
Perfumes for Rooms brought out of Italy;
Hungary Waters, Chocolata, Best Spanish
Snush, Essences and all sorts of Powder for
the Hair in greater and lesser quantities, will
be sold by Auction (or who bids most) for
the diversion of the Gentlemen and Ladies at
ST. EDMOND'S-BURY FAIR on Monday, the
23rd of September, 1689.” The preface to
this strange mixture is explanatory and highly
entertaining. “The reasons for this Sale
are plainly two,--viz. the Diversion and
gratification of the Gentry of this place, and
an honest gain to myself. The Essays I
have formerly made of Books, and of late
of Paintings, Limnings etc. at Tunbridge
Wells being readily received, and freely
entertained by persons of all quality that
108
Book Auctions in England
have honoured me with their presence, hath
encouraged this Experiment here amongst so
many excellent persons of worth and reading,
competent judges both of the Usefulness and
Value of the Books, etc. I have to expose,
for which reason I forbear to characterise
the Valuable and Choice Books in my
Catalogue. It might be expected I should
account for the selling of Perfumes, Hungary
Water, Spanish Snush, Essences, Powders
of all sorts for the Hair, which more particu-
larly respect the Ladies, but the motives
above assigned I hope may be satisfactory,
especially when I may without presumption
say they are the best in their Kind, and
that the pleasing of the respective Gentlemen
and Ladies the buyers is the principal
intention of Your humble Servant.” The
catalogue consists of 6 pp. only, and has
313 lots. All the books are English, chiefly
published within twenty-five years of the
period of the sale. The essences, choco-
lata etc. do not appear in the catalogue.
Millington proposes delivering purchases at
this Fair, in London, Southwark, and West-
minster at the rate of one shilling for every
pound's worth.
On Monday, December 16th, 1689, we
find the ubiquitous Millington at Norwich
beginning the Sale of the Library of the
deceased Mr. Oliver. This Library consisted
of “ Valuable Books in Divinity, Humanity,
History, Philology, etc. Sold by Auction
In the Seventeenth Century.
109
for the benefit and entertainment of the
Clergy, Gentry and Citizens living in and
about the City of Norwich at Mrs. Elizabeth
Oliver's House.” “The Reasons for this
Sale,” says the preface, " are truly published
on the title page, with this additional one,
that it's for the benefit of Mrs. Oliver, the
person interested, and as I might both largely
and very justifiably commend the Catalogue
for the many considerable as well as Scarce
Books contained in all its parts; but where
I am afore-hand sensible that the persons to
whom I am to sell them are such competent
judges for themselves, it prevents any further
enlargement. If therefore in all the places
wherever this way by Auction hath been
essayed, it hath been readily received, and
kindly entertained, as manifestly tending to
the improvement of learning and the advance-
ment of knowledge; why should I doubt
of its being encouraged here, among so great
a number of the learned clergy, the worthy
gentry and intelligent city of Norwich ? a
place anciently famed for its happy and
commodious Scituation, as for the wisdom
and piety and numbers of its inhabitants.”
The catalogue has 26 pp., containing about
1300 lots. The books are all English, chiefly
of the same century, the earliest being an
edition of Tyndale's Bible of 1549.
Millington's next auction was of the library
of Dr. Cudworth, Master of Christ's College,
Cambridge, and author of the Intellectual
110
Book Auctions in England
System of the Universe. The sale was held
“at Rolls' Coffee House in St. Paul's Church-
yard on February 2nd, 1690-1.” Millington
here gives an indication of the gradual disuse
of the custom of writing regular prefaces to
auction catalogues, which was soon after the
date of this sale discontinued except on
special occasions. “Since prefaces to Auction
Catalogues," he says, “have of late been
censured more customary than instructive,
and that the buyers set up for better judges
of the Editions, Use, Scarcity of the books
exposed to Sale, than the men of the pro-
fession, I am resolved to humour the Age,
to say as they say, to let them believe as
they please, to think as they list. The title
informs you the Library (except the Rab-
binical part, generously given away by his
will) was Dr. Cudworth's, which by several
learned and knowing persons hath been
esteemed an excellent and valuable collection,
amongst which, great variety of books not
usually heard of, or very rarely met with,
of the most gentile and critical sort of
Learning ; it's therefore reckoned a favour
to the Auctioneer, an act of prudence in
every gentleman to view beforehand what
he hath a mind to buy.” In this catalogue
we meet for the first time two conditions
which have remained binding (more or less
modified) in all auction catalogues up to the
present. The first relates to the payment by
purchasers of 55. in the pound deposit at the
In the Seventeenth Century.
III
time of purchase (if demanded): the second
limits the sum at which a bidding might be
increased. This latter condition is as follows:
“That no person is to bid less than sixpence
a time under a pound, and one shilling
above a pound for folios, fourpence for
quartos, twopence for 8vo, 12°, 24', the
first bidding left to the pleasure of the
Company.” The catalogue contains 46 pp.,
comprising some 2300 lots. The contents
are Theology, Miscellaneous, Geography,
Medicine, Mathematics, History. They are
mostly foreign, of the learned character
common to professional libraries of the
period.
A break appears to have occurred in the
regularity of Millington's auctions after the
sale of Dr. Cudworth's Library; since the next
catalogue the writer has of his, is of a sale
taking place in Abingdon on May 9th, 1692.
Whatever may have been Millington's or his
London patrons' opinion on the utility of
prefaces to his catalogues, he never omits
to avail himself of writing one particularly
adapted to his provincial sales, which were
mostly, in all probability, little private
ventures of his own. In this one before the
Abingdon Catalogue he adapts himself to his
proposed patrons, and is extremely flattering
to the place and its inhabitants. He dedi-
cates his catalogue “ To the Worshipful the
Mayor, his brethren and the inhabitants of
the Town of Abingdon," and goes on to say:
112
Book Auctions in England
“Having in many places of this Kingdom,
made sales of this nature, with satisfaction
to the Buyers, and an honest gain to myself,
I resolved to essay one in this place, not
being solicitous as to the event be it better
or worse, and shall be very well satisfied, if
I can but offer matter of Diversion to the
Company, minister to the advantage of others,
and indifferently please the generality of my
Customers, without Sinister regard to profit
or advantage. This Catalogue contains the
Writings of the most eminent divines of Our
Nation, old and new, of whose worth and
piety, whose zeal and care for the Protestant
Religion, perhaps you have heard of, and
remember what value and esteem many of
your relations had for their persons and
writings; and why should not I propound
an encouragement to myself from the people
of this place, when I further consider the
serenity and healthfulness of the air, the
cleanness of its situation, the number as well
as ability of the inhabitants, the bounty of
several of our Kings (vide the Hospital
Records), who have, as antiquity informs us,
been Benefactors to the place, manifesting
their royal care and princely respect to their
good subjects of Abingdon? But being
sensible I have exceeded the bounds of a
preface, I shall endeavour to manage the
sale with all imaginable candour, and I hope
in event a general contentment.” The sale
was held in the Town Hall at Abingdon
In the Seventeenth Century.
113
from ten o'clock till twelve, and from two
o'clock till six. One of the conditions im-
posed in this catalogue is that all books shall
be paid for the day after the conclusion of
the sale. It contains 39 pp. and 2550 lots.
The books are theological, agricultural,
medical, historical and poetical ; and at the
end is added a note to the following effect :
“With most sorts of Bibles, with Common
Prayer and without, also Service Books in
folio and in all other volumes, with a con-
siderable number of Greek and Latin folios,
of which notice will be given to the Gentle-
men of the University."
The writer's series of Millington's auction
catalogues now skips to the year 1697, in which
year, on October 25th, he sold the library of
the learned Dr. Edward Bernard, Savile Pro-
fessor of Astronomy at Oxford. The sale
was held in the University City, by favour
of the authorities, in a house adjoining
Northgate. The preface is interesting :
“Gentlemen, the sale of the library of the
Reverend and learned Dr. Bernard among
you, is designed to entertain and also to
oblige you, because it contains numbers of
books unusual in all its parts, that very rarely
appear, if at any time to be found in the
Booksellers' Shops, for the difficulty of pro-
curing and the expense of getting Scarce
Books, no person can be truly sensible of
but he that hath made a collection for him-
self. His being often beyond the seas as
114
Book Auctions in England
agent for other learned persons, and buying
for himself, gave him an opportunity of
purchasing what was choice and valuable,
as will be evident in the perusal of this
Catalogue. The Libri Orientales appear to
me to be considerable, and his skill in all
or most of those languages you find books
printed in, doth sufficiently manifest and
evidence his great learning. His manu-
scripts, Oriental, etc., left by him, amongst
which I am informed are some very ancient
copies not printed, are of great value, perhaps
not elsewhere to be found. The Libri in-
pressi collati cum codicibus MSS. et doctiss.
Virorum notis illustrati are many of them
curiously noted by great men, and books of
general use. The whole are above 500
volumes, designed by his Relict to be sold
at a moderate price altogether, and may
be viewed in London, of which a cata-
logue is designed suddenly to be printed.
Gentlemen are also informed that in a few
days after this Sale is ended, they shall again
be entertained, and if possible gratified, by
the selling of the Library of the Reverend and
learned Mr. Harding, late of Trinity College,
by their humble servant E. Millington."
The catalogue of Dr. Bernard's library
consists of 32 pp., comprising 1462 lots.
It was, as is noted in the preface, chiefly
remarkable for the number of its Oriental
portion, being the largest collection of this
kind of literature hitherto sold by public
In the Seventeenth Century.
115
auction. The library of the Rev. Dr. Michael
Harding, Fellow of Trinity, to which reference
is made above, was sold in the same house
as that of Dr. Bernard, on November 8th,
1697. It contained 42 pp., 1748 lots. To
this catalogue no preface was attached, and
the books are of the ordinary theological and
miscellaneous character.
The last book auction we know of held
by Millington, brings us close upon the end
of the century. This sale was also held in
Oxford, at Bannister's House, over against
St. Michael's Church, near Northgate, on
January 29th, 1698. “This Catalogue con-
sists of the entire library of the Reverend
and learned Dr. William Levinz, late Presi-
dent of St. John's College, which by the
persons concerned is ordered to be sold by
auction, more especially for the benefit of
this learned body. I might with a good
deal of justice to his memory, commend
his choice of all the books in their several
faculties, and recommend the whole as a
judicious and valuable collection, for as such
it will appear to be to the Gentlemen that
have been conversant in books, or are pos-
sessors of any considerable number of their
own.” It was rather a large collection,
containing 3299 lots of the ordinary foreign
and English books, theological and mis-
cellaneous, with a large number of works in
French and Italian.
1
TO
Y
CHAPTER III.
OTHER ENGLISH BOOK-AUCTIONEERS OF
THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
C
OOPER and Millington were the
chief book-auctioneers of the period
02 of which we treat. But there were
many other booksellers, who held
occasional sales, either of libraries entrusted
to their charge, or of stocks of their own, or
collections made up by other members of
the bookselling business. Some of these
sold very important and interesting libraries,
but none of them devoted himself to the
auctioneering as a profession, as did both
Cooper and Millington. I propose therefore
to treat of the sales held by these less-known
men, in their chronological order.
To the bookseller Zachariah Bourne be-
longs the honour of having held the third
book-auction in England. It was the library
of the Rev. William Greenhill, Pastor of
Stepney Church, Middlesex. This sale was
held in Bread Street in the house of
Ferdinand Stable “ Coffipolae," at the Sign
116
Book Auctions in England.
117
of the Turk’s Head. It began on February
18th, 1677-8, at nine in the morning and
two in the afternoon. In his preface the
auctioneer says : “ The attempts in this kind
(by the Sales of Dr. Seaman's and Mr.
Kidner's Libraries) having given great Con-
tent and Satisfaction to the Gentlemen who
were the Buyers, and no discouragement to
the Sellers, hath encouraged the making of
this Tryal by exposing (to Auction or Sale)
the Library of Mr. William Greenhill, in
hopes of receiving such encouragement from
the learned, as may prevent the stifling of
this manner of Sale, the benefit (if rightly
considered) being equally balanced between
Buyer and Seller.” The conditions are the
same as in Cooper's two first sales ; and the
character of the library is naturally similar
to those of Seaman and Kidner. The
catalogue is, however, better printed, in a
more readable round type, and on better
paper. It is not nearly so extensive as the
two former, containing only 26 pp., represent-
ing 69o lots, and is remarkable for the entire
absence of the series of pamphlets so numer-
ous in most catalogues of the time. The
contents are Bibles and commentaries, the
large folio editions of the works of the Fathers,
English Puritan Divines, and a few secular
books of no prominence.
The fifth book auction held in England
was of the library of Dr. Benjamin Worsley
and of two other learned men. This sale
Weite
118
Book Auctions in England
was the joint undertaking of two booksellers,
John Dunmore and Richard Chiswell. It
began on May 13th, 1678, and was held at the
Sign of the Hen and Chickens in Paternoster
Row. This is the only auction these two
booksellers held together, and the business-
like conciseness of their preface is a great
contrast to the glowing ones of the two chief
auctioneers, Cooper and Millington. They
say: “The good Approbation and accept-
ance that the way of Sale by Auction has
met with from all lovers of books, has en-
couraged us to expose this Catalogue of three
entire Libraries, which for the more ease
and satisfaction of all Buyers, we have drawn
up Alphabetically." This is, of course, the
first catalogue with an alphabetical arrange-
ment, but having separate alphabets to each
class. Already doubts had arisen as to the
fairness of the auctioneers taking commis-
sions to bid for lots (a proceeding even then
supposed to be open to abuse); and Dunmore
and Chiswell made a special note on this
matter at the end of their "conditions of
sale” to the following effect: “That foras-
much as a report has been spread, that we
intend to use indirect means to advance the
prices, we do affirm that it is a groundless
and malicious suggestion of some of our
own trade, not well pleased with our under-
taking, and that to avoid all manner of
suspicion of such practice, we have absolutely
refused all manner of commissions that have
In the Seventeenth Century.
119
been offered us for buying (some of them
without limitation), and do declare that the
company shall have nothing but candid and
ingenious dealing from us." The catalogue
is a very extensive one, consisting of 181 pp.,
comprising upwards of 5000 lots. It is
divided into Theology, Miscellaneous, Medi-
cine, Mathematics, English, volumes of Tracts
and Pamphlets. In the Theological portion
the Walton Polyglot with Castell's Lexicon
produced £10 IOS.; the Le Gay Polyglot,
£9; the Antwerp Polyglot, £8 55. ; the
Critici Sacri, 9 vols. fol., London, 1660,
£12 55. (now worth as many shillings only);
the first Welsh Translation of the Bible,
1588, 135. : Sir H. Savile's Edition of John
Chrysostom £4 175.; the first Hungarian
Bible, 1608, 1os. 6d. ; a Salisbury Breviary,
2 volumes 4to, Paris 1556, IIS. ; Byzantine
Historians, 19 vols. fol. Paris (1644) £22;
Dugdale's Monasticon, first edition, £7;
Grynæus, Novus orbis Regionum, 1555,
6s. 6d.; Hakluyt's Voyages, 1594, 2 vols.
fol., £1 18s.; Purchas's Pilgrimage, 5 vols.
fol., 1626, £3 65.; Shakespeare folios,
second edition, 1632, 16s. ; third edition,
1663, 8s. 6d.; The American Physician,
1672, Is. 5d. Amongst the volumes of
Tracts in 4to, we find Hakluyt's Discovery
of Florida, 1609, the New Southern Discovery
of a fifth part of the World, 1617; Newes of
Sir Walter Raleigh and Discovery of Guiana,
and two others, selling for 55. 4d. A volume
120
Book Auctions in England
of pamphlets on "Trade," comprising twenty-
four items, included such rarities as Dunton's
Description of New York, 1670; Wood's
New England's Prospect, 1639; New Eng-
land's Plantation, n.d.; Jobson's Golden
Trade, n.d.; The Royal Adventurers trading
into Africa, 1667; and sold for 155. 8d.;
many others of a similar character selling
for similar sums. This catalogue is most
interesting for the number of rare and curious
(non-theological) pamphlets of the seven-
teenth century it records, many of which
have not been noticed in any bibliographies,
but which are now most valuable. And,
although it is so extensive, the books it
contains are of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries only: no specimens of the pro-
ductions of the first printers of any nation
appear in it. The total amount realised for
the vast collection appears to have been
between £600 and £700, which, reckoning
the value of money at the period at the
usual rate of three times its present value,
represents the respectable sum of about
£1800 or £2000, giving an average of
about 7 or 8 shillings a lot.
The seventh book-auction held in England
was a venture of Moses Pitt, a bookseller
and publisher at one time in a large way of
business, famous for the issue of the large
folio English Atlas in four volumes, over
which he unfortunately lost so much money
that, eventually, owing to that and other
In the Seventeenth Century. 121
misfortunes, he was landed in the Debtors'
Prison in the Fleet, and it is believed, died
there. It is described on the title as “the
Library of a learned and worthy Englishman
deceased, together with other books in all
Sciences and Languages, purchased from the
Library of the learned Gisbert Voet, and
others imported from various parts of Europe."
The sale was held at the White Hart, in
St. Bartholomew's Close, on November 25th,
1678. Pitt's preface is as follows: “After
several experiments of late of the Sale of
Books by Auction, and the great satisfaction
as well as benefit that the Buyers in general
have received in this way, I have resolved
to gratify the learned, by exposing to sale
the Library of a worthy and learned person
deceased, with a considerable number of
other Choice Books in most Sciences, some
of which have been bought out of the best
Libraries abroad (particularly out of the
famous and learned Gisbert Voetius's) and
others, that for several years last past at great
expense, and out of the most eminent seats
of learning beyond the seas have been im-
ported, which I hope will be invitation
sufficient to the curious to embrace this
occasion of buying, what hath not hitherto,
and perhaps may not again be exposed in
this way to sale. I design to observe all
the Rules and Laws of Auction already
printed, and shall in the close verbatim
repeat them, only with this alteration in the
122
Book Auctions in England
fourth Rule : that whereas a month is allowed
after the Sale for the payment of the money
by the persons that live and constantly
abide in Town, it is by me desired, that all
other persons, who are strangers and their
residence in the City uncertain, do pay their
money at the time of Buying, or otherwise
nominate some of their friends, and their
habitation, who shall certainly fetch and pay
for the books within the time limited. And
this is the rather desired, that all suspicions
may be removed of any strangers appearing
there to bid and enhance the prices to
others, without ever intending to send for
what they so buy themselves. And as this
may be one way to satisfie the Scrupulous
as to the sincerity of this undertaking ; so I
further promise that I shall not use any
indirect way to advance or promote the sale
by commission or friends, but shall content
myself with this belief; that the intelligent
and ingenious will contribute by their bidding
fair and reasonable prices, to make the
encouragement in some measure answerable
to so expensive an undertaking.” Pitt carried
on business at The Angel in St. Paul's
Churchyard, and afterwards removed to
Oxford, where he amassed a considerable
stock of second-hand books, and was well
known as a publisher of Bibles, Prayers and
Singing Psalms. Falling into misfortunes,
a portion of his stock was sold by auction
in that city in January 1678-9, and the re-
In the Seventeenth Century.
123
mainder in November and December 1685
by Edward Millington, to which sales we
have already alluded. This present Auction
does not appear to have proved very success-
ful, as it is the only one ever undertaken by
Pitt (except his trade sale referred to below).
He only sold four days in the week, begin-
ning at nine in the morning and two in the
afternoon. The Catalogue is a very extensive
one, containing no less than 226 pp., con-
sisting of upwards of gooo lots, which must
have represented somewhere about 30,000
volumes an immense number when one
remembers that they are the productions of
the presses of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries only, and probably comprised the
greater portion of Pitt's stock. The classifi-
cation is simple : viz., English and Foreign
Theology, History, Philosophy, Mathematics,
Medicine, Italian, French, Spanish, and
volumes of Tracts. Of this number about 6000
lots are Foreign and the remainder English.
The Latin books are of the Fathers, Bibles,
Reformers, classics, controversialists, school-
men, scientific, etc. Amongst the Spanish
books we have the first edition of the second
part of Don Quixote, Madrid, 1608; and in
the French the first edition of Corneille's
Cid. In the English occur “Bocatius of
the Fall of Princes (very ancient),” probably
Caxton's; and Caxton's Chronicle, by Wyn-
kyn de Worde, 1510. The writer's catalogue
of this sale is partly priced, but hardly any
124
Book Auctions in England
difference occurs in the sums realised for
the principal books sold in these early
auctions, so there is no need here to repeat
them.
Nathaniel Ranew, bookseller at the sign
of the King's Arms in St. Paul's Churchyard,
conducted the eighth book-auction held in
England. It contains, as we shall see, the
first collection of books made by an English
Peer ever sold by auction. The title describes
the contents as books from the library
Nobilis cujusdam Angli, qui ante paucos
annos in humanis esse desiit.” Cooper's list
of auctions already mentioned gives us the
name of this “certain nobleman.” It is
Brooke, Lord Warwick. To this collection
was added books of that “excellent theo-
logian” Dr. Gabriel Sangar, and a selection
of another theologian, “ magni, dum vixit,
nominis.” The sale began on Monday,
December 2nd, 1678, “at the sign of the
Harrow, over against the College of Physicians,
in Warwick-Lane." By this time, as will be
seen by Ranew's short preface, the sale of
books by auction in London had become
well-known and established. “The vending
and disposal of Books this Auctionary Way,
though heretofore a stranger, yet of late hath
so frequently obtained in the City of London,
that the known method thereof may super-
sede any large or tedious Preface; onely in
brief the candid Reader is desired to take
notice that the Books mentioned in the
In the Seventeenth Century.
125
ensuing Catalogue are no collection made
by any private hand for gain (which hath been
imputed to some Auctions as a Reflection),
but were really belonging to their proprietors
deceased, mentioned in the title-page, and
by the directions of their executors exposed
to sale.” The catalogue contains 98 pp.,
comprising about 4000 lots. Ranew gives
an “Index Capitum,” which includes a
reference to subjects, sizes, and pages. It
is divided under six heads : viz., “ Libri
Theologici, Latini, etc.”; “Libri Miscellanei
Latini, etc.” ; “ Divinity English, Miscellanie
(sic) English, French, and Spanish Books,
etc.”; and “Bundles of Tracts, Sermons,
etc.” In this catalogue occur a few late
fifteenth-century books, such as the Ortus
Sanitatis, 1491, sold for 25.; Chronicuin
Chronicorum, 1493, 75. ; St. Augustine's Opus
Quæstionum, 1497, 25. 2d. In the Latin Mis-
cellanies is the rare Narration of Virginia,
by Hariot, with De Bry's plates, 1590, sold
for 6s. 6d. In the English Miscellanies occur
Sir T. More's Works, 1557, 145. 6d. ; Gage's
Survey of the West Indies, 1648, 45. ; Chap-
man's Homer, n.d., 25. 8d.; Beaumont and
Fletcher, 1647, £i 6s. 6d.; Parkinson's
Herball, £2 125. ; Gerarde's Herbal, 1636,
£2 16s.; Purchas his Pilgrims, 5 vols.,
1625-6, £3 145. ; Hakluyt's Voyages, 1599,
8s. 2d. ; Higden's Polychronicon (wants title),
145. 4d. ; Castell's Discourse on America,
1644, Is. 8d. Amongst the French books
126
Book Auctions in England
occur the Heptameron, 1559; Les facetieuses
Nuits de Straparole, 1560 ; Odes de Ronsard,
1578; but none of these are priced in the
catalogue. The pamphlets are of the usual
character, with many now very rare and
valuable, and averaged then about 6d. each.
The ninth book auction introduces us
also to the first trade sale held in England.
Trade sales are sales by publishers to book-
sellers of copies of editions of standard books,
the copyright of which belongs to the vendor.
In the present case Moses Pitt had purchased
several remaining copies of books which had
been for several years past printed at the
Sheldonian Theatre. He now proposes to dis-
tribute some of these amongst the booksellers
by way of auction. His preface is important,
as introducing a custom in the bookselling
trade, afterwards, and up to our own time
frequently resorted to. “To all Booksellers”
is the heading, and he goes on : “Having of
late, as most of you know, purchased the
Books that for several years have been printed
at the Theatre in Oxford, and being willing,
and sincerely desirous that you, as well as
myself, might receive a benefit by the under-
taking, I now to you soley expose to sale
some of every sort, with the additions of some
numbers of others, printed at my own Charge,
and others, of which I had some few Copies
by me upon the Terms and Conditions follow-
ing: (i) The Books mentioned in the following
Catalogue shall be exposed to Sale by two,
In the Seventeenth Century.
127
four, or six, not less than two of one and the
same Book at a time, nor more than six,
unless any person desires it, and the whole
company consents to it; and this the rather
is here inserted, that no one shall be dis-
couraged, by reason of Great Numbers
exposed at a time. (ii) That the money for
the Books so bought is to be paid in the
manner following. He that buys under the
sum of five pounds, pays his ready money at
the delivery of the books-viz. within One
Month after the Sale is ended. He that
buys betwixt five pounds and ten pounds,
hath three months from the day the Auction
is ended. He that buys betwixt ten pounds
and twenty pounds hath two three months.
And he that buys betwixt twenty pounds and
thirty pounds, hath allowed him three three
months. He that buys betwixt thirty pounds
and forty pounds hath four three months.
And he that buys betwixt forty pounds and
fifty pounds hath five three months. And
he that buys betwixt fifty pounds and sixty
pounds is allowed six three months. And
he that exceeds any of these sums hath only
the allowance of six three months, the sum
so obliged to pay, being to be paid at the
'Angel' in St. Paul's Churchyard at even
and equal payments, and Security to be given
for its true discharge, if required of the party
so buying, according to the true intent of
these proposals.” Thus we see from this
quaint preface of Pitt that extended credit
128
Book Auctions in England
on large purchases is by no means a modern
invention, but was an ordinary business
custom of the seventeenth century.
The sale took place in Petty-Canon's Hall,
at the north side of St. Paul's Churchyard, in
St. Paul's Alley, on April 24th, 1678-9, at nine
in the morning and two in the afternoon.
The books sold date from 1607 to the date
of the sale, 1678. They were, of course, not
all, but chiefly, the publications of the Shel-
donian Press. Others are the productions of
Continental Presses of the period, and some
of the London Presses. The Catalogue only
comprises 6 pages, and contained only 174
separate works. These comprise Writings of
Spelman, Dr. Hammond, Dr. John Fell,
Dr. Wm. Charleton, Dr. E. Pococke, John
Webster on Witchcraft, Plot's Natural His-
tory of Oxfordshire, Dr. Jo. Lightfoot,
Joshua Bonham, Wm. Durham, Archbishop
Sancroft, Tillotson, Temple's Irish Rebellion,
and other English Books, and the works of
some Continental savants. We know nothing
of the result of this speculation of Moses
Pitt, but it is the only trade sale of the period
of which any account has reached us.
The library of Sir Edward Bysshe,
Clarencieux King of Arms, was sold by
auction beginning on November 15th, 1679,
in the House of John Dunmore bookseller,
at the sign of the Woolsack in Ivy Lane.
Either Dunmore or Benjamin Tooke (also
a bookseller at the Ship in St. Paul's
In the Seventeenth Century.
129
Churchyard) was the auctioneer, but which
is not stated. The auction was held, as we
see, in Dunmore's house, and the money was
to be paid either there or at Tooke's. The
preface is short and to the point. “You have
here exposed to sale by way of auction, the
so much fam'd library of that very learned
Gentleman and Great Antiquary Sir Edward
Byshe, Clarencieux King of Arms, wherein
are so many not only excellent, but very
scarce books in almost all kinds of learning,
which were never yet in any Auction, and
these all so curiously bound and richly gilt,
that the Buyer cannot do himself and us
a greater right than to take a view of them
at the place where they are to be sold.”
At the end of the Conditions is the following
notice: “The Reader is desired to take
notice that no Books will be exposed to sale
in this Auction but the proper Books of
Sir Edward Byshe's Library." This is the
eleventh book-auction held in England. The
catalogue has 70 pp., containing nearly
3000 lots. It is classified under Theology,
Philology, Heraldry, Genealogy, History,
Medicine, French, Italian, Spanish, volumes
of tracts, and English. In the English portion
we find the genealogical works of Dugdale,
Ashmole, Sandford, Miles, Morgan, Yorke,
Guillim, Brooke, Vincent, Segar, Selden and
others. But the most important Book is
Wynkyn de Worde's edition of Dame Juliana
Berners' Ancient Treatise of Hawking, Hunt-
130
Book Auctions in England
H
ing, and Heraldry of 1496. Amongst the
Foreign is a large number of important
heraldic books, and many of them are
described as being on large paper. There
is also a number of Elzevir classics and
many learned Latin works.
The next catalogue to which we shall
introduce the reader, is that of the important
library of Sir Kenelm Digby. It is the
thirteenth book-auction held in England.
No name of auctioneer is given, but it was
probably conducted by Benjamin Tooke, the
Bookseller of the Ship in St. Paul's Churchyard,
to whom, and to H. Brome at the Gun in
the same thoroughfare, payment for purchases
was to be made. The preface is a very
short one, signifying merely that “This
Catalogue consists principally of the Library
of the Right Honourable George late Earl
of Bristol, a great part of which were the
curiosities collected by the learned Sir
Kenelm Digby. Together with the library
of another learned person.” The sale began
on Monday, April 19th, 1680, at“ the Golden
Lyon, over against the Queen's Head Tavern
in Paternoster Row." The condition of the
books is stated to be “generally fair, and
a great number curiously bound.” The
catalogue is an extensive one, containing
135 pp., comprising about 5400 lots. They
are divided into sections, which include
Latin, Theology, Philology, Medicine, Mathe-
matics, French, Spanish, Italian, English,
In the Seventeenth Century.
131
Pamphlets, volumes of Tracts bound, and
Manuscripts. Books from this library are
continually recurring in modern sales, mostly
bound in morocco and having the Digby
arms and monogram “K. V. D.," the
V. standing for the initial of his wife's name,
Venetia, to which we have drawn attention
in the Introduction. As the writer possesses,
fortunately, a contemporary priced copy of
this most important and interesting library
and as the sums for which the books were
sold are thoroughly representative of the
worth of second-hand literature during the
period referred to, it may be useful to give
more details of prices than have hitherto been
deemed necessary. S. Augustini Opera,
5 vols. fol., Basil, Froben, 1569, £4 105;
S. Hieronyini Opera Erasmi, 5 vols. fol.,
Bas., 1516, £3 os. 6d. ; Gregorii Magni
Opera, Romæ, fol., 1588, £2 125. ; Ven.
Bedæ Opera, 4 vols. fol., Col. Agr., 1012,
£2 125.; Gregorii Nysseni Opera, 3 vols.
fol., Paris, 1638, £2 75. ; Biblia cuin glossis
N. de Lyra, Basil, 1408, (sic pro 1498),
£I 35. ; Baronii Card. Annales, cum Sup-
plementis Spondani, Saliani et Tornielli,
17 vols. fol., £10 16s. 6d. ; Critici Sacri,
Io vols., described as “in corio Turcico
lineis rubricis et foliis deauratis," Io vols.,
Lond., 1660, £18; Justini Martyris Opera,
"charta regia” (royal or large paper), Paris,
1636, £2 35. 6d.; Geo. Cassandri Opera,
fol., Paris, 1616, £I 135. 6d.; Luce Brugen-
132
Book Auctions in England
sis Comment. in IV. Evangelia, 3 vols. fol.,
Antw., 1606, £I IOS. ; Phil. Melanthonis
Opera Theologica, 4 vols. fol., Witeb., 1580,
£I IIS. 6d. ; Vita et processus S. Thom.
Cantuariensis Martyris super libertate Ecclesi-
astica, Paris, 1495, £ I 25. 4d. ; Card. R.
Poli de Concilio et Reformatio Anglia, Romæ,
1562, 35. 4d.; Processionale ad Usum Ecclesiæ
Sarisburiensis, Paris, 1530, 45. 6d.; Atlas
inajor sive Cosinographia Blaviana, “pul-
cherrime compacta, foliis deauratis, accura-
tissime coloratus," II vols. fol., Amst., 1665,
£36 55. ; Camden's Britannia, in French,
by Gul. Blaeu, 2 vols. fol., Amst., 1662,
£3 35. ; Ogilby's Virgil, fol., 1658, £I IS. ;
Cardani Opera Omnia (charta regia), 10 vols.,
Lugd., 1663, £8 Ios. ; Diogenes Laertius
(charta regia), Lond., 1664, £2 10s.; Plu-
tarchus Gr. et Lat. (charta regia), 2 vols.,
Paris, 1624, £5 IS. ; Lucianus Bourdelotii,
Paris, 1615, £2 45.; Eustathius in Homerum
Gr. (corio turcico et foliis deauratis), 4 vols.
fol., Romæ, 1542, £7; Æschylus Stanleiï,
Lond., 1664, El; Suidas Lex. Gr., Emilii
Porti, 2 vols., Col. Allob., 1619, £ 1 175. 6d.;
Chronicon Chronicorum, 1493, £I; Lilii
Gyraldi Opera, Basil, 1580, EI 165.;
Famiani Strada de Bell. Belgica, 2 vols.,
Romæ, 1640, £ 2 ios. ; Rerum Germanicorum
Scriptores M. Freheri, 3 vols., Hanov., 1600-II,
£1 155. ; Rerum Bohemiarum Scriptores
Freheri, Hanov., 1602, £I gs. 6d. ; Thuani
Historia, 4 vols., Paris, £4 35. ; Hectoris
In the Seventeenth Century.
133
Boethiï Scotum Historia, Paris, Badius s.d.,
£175. ; Camdeni Annales, 2 vols., 1615-27,
145.; Eadmeri Cant. Monach. Historia
Novorum, cum notis Seldeni, Lond., 1623,
IIS.; H. Spelmanni Glossarium, Lond.,
1664, £ 1 18s.; Spelmanni Concilia, 2 vols.,
Lond., 1639-64, £2 75.; Antonini Archiep.
Florent. Chronicorum Opus, 3 vols., Lugd.,
1586, £2 IS.; Novus Orbis Regionum ac
Insularum Veteris incognitaruin, Paris, 1532,
75; Stuckii Antiquitatum Convivalium, 1597,
£1 16s. ; Fr. Petrarcha Opera, Basil, 1581,
£I 35. 6d.; G. de Columna Hist. Trojana,
lit. goth., n.d., IS. 2d.; Catullus, etc., Paris,
1604, large paper, £i Ios. ; Dugdale's
Monasticon, first edition, 1655-73, £6 6s.;
Stephani Thesaurus, Gr. Ling., large paper,
4 vols., 1572, £3129.; Ath. Kircheri Edipus
Ægyptiacus, Romæ, 1652, £2 nos. ; Ejusdem
Mundus Subterraneus, Amst., 1670, Z 2 65.;
Corpus Juris Civilis, 5 vols., Antw., Plantin,
1575, £I 155. ; Tho. Cooper's Thesaurus
Lingue, Lond., 1573, 175. 6d. ; And. Philo-
patri Responsio ad Elizabetha Edictum,
Romæ, 1593, 35. 8d.; Speculum Orient.
Occidentalisque India Navigationum, Lugd.,
Bat. 1619, 45. 2d.; Itinerarii Terra Sancta
descriptio, etc., per Bart. Saligniaco, described
as "lit. goth.," but no date given, 10d.; Ant.
Recchi Historia Plantarum, etc., Mexicano-
rum, Rom. 1651, 52 25. 6d.; Guil. Piso de
India utriusque re Naturali et Medica, Amst.,
1658, £1; Hipp. Salviani de Aquatilium
134 Book Auctions in England
Animalium Historia, Romæ, 1554, £3 85.;
Le Méthode de dresser les Chevaux, par le
Marquis de Newcastle, Anvers, 1658, EI
125. 6d. ; Ph. de l’Orme Nouvelles Inventions
de bien Bastir, Paris, 1578, 35. 6d.; La
Navigation de Jacques V. Roy. d'Escosse
autour son Royaume, 1583, 25. 6d.; Le
Chevalier sans Reproche, par Jean Bouchet,
1527, 4d.; La Fontaine, Amours de Cupidon
et de Psyche, 1669, 35. 10d.; Euvres de P. et
Th. Corneille, 6 vols., Paris, 1664, £i
35. 6d. ; Les Touches et les Bigarrures du
Seigneur des Accords, 1588-91, Is. 2d. ; six
first editions of plays by Molière, 45. Id.;
L'Heptameron de la Royne de Navarre,
1574, Is. 8d.; Mariana, Historia General de
España, 2 vols. fol., Madrid 1650, £1 145. ;
Garcilasso de la Vega, Historia del Peru
1609-17, £ I 125. ; Herrera, Indias Occiden-
tales, 4 vols., 1601, £4 145.; Don Quixote,
1608, and another, IS. 4d.; Navigationi
di G. B. Ramusio, Venet. 1563, 16s. 6d.;
Zarlino, Istitusioni e Dimostrazioni Har-
moniche, Venet. 1573, 6s. 8d.; Ashmole's
Order of the Garter, large paper, 1672,
£2 os. 6d. ; Beaumont and Fletcher, 1647,
135. 6d. : Foxe's Martyrs, 1641, £3 IS.;
Chaucer, 1597, 125. 8d.; Cranmer's Answer
to Bishop Gardiner on the Eucharist, 1551,
45. 6d.; Dugdale's Baronage, 1675, £ 1 Ios. ;
Digby On Bodies and Souls, large paper,
Paris, 1644, 16s. 6d. ; ditto, small paper 6s. ;
Sir W. Davenant's Works of Poetry, 1673,
In the Seventeenth Century.
135
175. 6d.; Lydgate's Fall of Princes, 1554,
35. 6d. ; Fabian's Chronicle, 1559, 75. 4d. ;
Hakluyt’s Navigation, 1599, £i 45. 6d. ;
Holinshed's Chronicle, 1577, 8s. 6d.; Ben
Jonson's Works, 2 vols., 1610-40, 175. 6d.;
Linschoten's Voyages to the Indies, n.d.,
145. 2d. ; Sir Thomas More's Works, 15575
£I 25. ; Parkinson's Theatre of Plants, 1640,
£2 10s. 6d. ; Purchas his Pilgrims, 5 vols.,
1625, £3 5s. 6d.; Voyages of Mendez Pinto,
1663, 55. 6d; Shakespeare's Plays, fol., 1632,
145, ; Roger Ascham's Toxophilus, 1545,
IS. 4d.; and his Schoolmaster, 1570, IS. ;
Doway Bible, 3 vols. 1633, €155. ; Guevara's
Dial of Princes by North, 1582, Is. 4d. ;
Frampton's Joyful News from the West
Indies, 1596, Is. 6d. ; Sir D. Lindsay's
Poems, 1581, 6d.; Milton's Paradise Lost,
1668, 25. Id.; North-West Fox, 1635,
25. Iod.; Pilgrimage of Perfection, 1531,
Is. gd.; Pierce Plowman's Vision, 1550,
IS. 7d. ; Fletcher's Purple Island, 1633, rod. ;
Report of the Kingdom of Congo, 1597,
IS. 2d. ; Schouten's Voyage, 1619, 25. ; Philip
Sidney's Shepheard's Calendar (with MS. on
the same subject in Latine), 1597, 35. 2d.;
Francis Beaumont's Poems, 1653, 25.;
Coinpleat Angler and Experienced Angler,
1661-2, 25. 2d. ; Butler's Hudibras, Pts. 1-2,
1663-4, 6s. 2d.; Legend of Charles, Cardinal
of Lorrain, 1577, IS. ; Coffee-House Jests,
1677, gd.
A few prices of the more important articles
136
Book Auctions in England
included in the pamphlets may be inter-
esting. A lot in 4to, including John
Heywood's Epigrams upon Proverbs, The
School of Slovenry, Poetical Recreations of
Mr. Alexander Craige, a Scotchman, Ben
Jonson's Execration against Vulcan, Collec-
tion of poems in memory of Ben Jonson,
Legend of Captain Jones, Hero and Leander,
by Marlowe and Chapman, and others, in all
21 pieces, 6s. 2d. Although no dates are
affixed to these in the catalogue, it is easy to
recognise that they are all first editions. A
lot including Shakespeare's Rape of Lucretia,
and Hesiod's Georgics by Chapman, in all
22 pieces, 35. ; “Twelve Plays written by
Glapthorne, Dekker, Beaumont, Fletcher,
Middleton, Shirley, etc., 25. 6d. ; Fourteen
Comedies and Tragedies written by Fletcher,
Killigrew, Shakespeare, Sampson, Nabbes,
etc., 35. rod., Twelve Plays written by
Shakespeare, Shirley, Heywood, Chapman,
etc., 35. ; Twelve Comedies and Tragedies
by Shakespeare, Shirley, May, Heywood, etc.,
25., and so on. To none of these are titles
or dates given. Rare American Tracts are
sprinkled through the volumes of pamphlets,
and average about 4d. each.
At the end of this most interesting cata-
logue are 69 lots of manuscripts, chiefly
Historical and Astrological, and made for the
Earl of Bristol. The following are the most
important: Genealogia Varia diversorum
Regum et Familiarum illustrium ab Adam,
In the Seventeenth Century.
137
2 vols. fol., 8s.; R. Glover, Somerset King
of Arms, de Origine, antiquitate et differentiis
Armoruin, 95.; another with the arms em-
blazoned, 16s. 8d.; Treatise of the Immortality
of Man's Soul (very ancient), in Old English,
folio, Is. 3d. ; Mirrour of Ancient Stories,
being a Treatise of Strange Examples (in Old
English and written upon vellum), folio,
Ios. 6d. ; Monarchia di Dante, tradotta da
M. Ficino, fol., 55. 6d. ; Trattato d'Alchymia
d'Oratio da Sangallo, £2 6s. 6d. ; English
and Italian Nativities, 25 Iid. ; Sir Kenelm
Digby's Translation of Virgil's Eclogues into
French, etc., when he was a youth, 8vo,
Iod. ; A Treatise in English touching the
Casting out of Devils, 8vo, Is. 2d. The
total amount realised by this sale was the re-
spectable one of £901 135. 3d. ; which would
represent at the present time, according to
Professor Masson's calculation of the value of
money at that period, about £2700. This
sale of the Digby Collection is No 13 on
Cooper's extended list.
The fourteenth book auction, according
to Cooper's list, was that of the library of
Dr. Stephen Charnock, the well-known City
Puritan Divine, and author of the Discourses
on Providence, etc. “This Catalogue of
Books consists of the Library of the late
Reverend and learned Mr. Stephen Char-
nock, sometime Fellow of New College in
Oxford and Proctor of the University, a
Person so well-known for his constant and
138
Book Auctions in England
indefatigable study, and so much famed for
his accurate preaching in this City, that I
shall not presume to attempt a further cha-
racter of him, since those excellent Discourses
of his ‘Of Providence,' etc., that are now
with all speed preparing for Publick View,
will sufficiently inform the World of his
other great abilities and perpetuate his name
to Posterity. However, with relation to the
present undertaking, I think it not amiss to
observe, that he was well skilled in the
Editions of Books, and curious to collect
whatever was esteemed Choice and Useful
in its kind, which appears by the ensuing
Catalogue (and will, we doubt not) be invita-
tion sufficient to all Lovers of Books and
learning, to buy upon this Occasion those
they want, (that now are, but may not again)
be exposed to sale this Auctionary Way.”
The sale was held “at the sign of the
Lamb, an Upholsterer's House, directly
opposite to the Atlas in Cornhill” on Monday
October 4th, 1680. The catalogue is a thin
one, of 30 pp. only, comprising some 1200
lots. There is no name either of the
auctioneer or of bookseller, the title simply
announcing that catalogues could be had at
“The Lamb," as above, and at the “ Three
Legs in the Poultrey, a Bookseller's Shop.”
The contents are chiefly Latin and English
Theology, Philology, with some few Medical
Works, and some Elzevirs. There is nothing
of special interest about this collection.
In the Seventeenth century.
139
The highest price realized for a book in
Charnock's sale was £10 11S., for the Critici
Sacri, in 9 vols. folio; the lowest 4d., for
Bp. Jos. Hall's Occasional Essays, 12mo, 1646.
The total sum realised was £366 55. id.
On the reverse of the title of Dr. Charnock's
catalogue is advertised the sale of the library
of Mr. Thomas Watson, late master of
Charter-House School. From Cooper's list
we learn that this took place at the sign of
the Lamb on October 8th, 1680. Cooper
makes it the fifteenth sale on his list. Of
this sale the writer has not seen a catalogue,
so that no particulars of it can be given.
We are next introduced to a catalogue of
books which is an example of a habit of
which nearly all the auctioneers of the time
complained in their prefaces (but nearly all
of whom were guilty in their turn of the same
trick)—viz., that of advertising a collection
as belonging to “ eminent or learned persons
deceased,” when they were really the whole
or the weedings of booksellers' stockså
practice not unknown even in our own day.
It is interesting as being one of the first
book-auction catalogues with an English title,
which reads as follows :-“A Catalogue of
two Choice and Considerable Libraries of
Books, Latin and English, of two Eminent
and learned men deceased ; are to be exposed
to Sale by way of Auction, at Mr. Bridge's
Coffee-House in Pope's Head Alley opposite
to the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, on
140
Book Auctions in England
Monday the 22nd day of this instant
November, 1680." This was really the
stock of Abell Roper, a bookseller, as we
learn from Cooper's list, which he makes the
sixteenth sale of books by auction in England.
The preface says : “You have here exposed
to Sale by Auction two choice and con-
siderable Libraries of Latin and English
Books, of which latter you have great
variety in all volumes, and of most Subjects,
which we out of respect to the studious and
learned about this place (from the first
intention of the Undertaking) did design to
gratifie, not doubting of that incouragement
from the Ingenious and Knowing, as will in
some measure at present, and for the future
incourage so commendable, as well as
expensive an Undertaking." The catalogue
contains 72 pp. comprising 2880 lots. Pages
I to 19 are occupied with the Latin, Italian,
French, and Spanish books, the remainder
being all English. There is no name of
auctioneer, but payments were to be made
“to Samuel Crouch, Bookseller, at the
entrance of Pope's-head Alley, or to
Christopher Wilkinson, Bookseller, at the
Black Boy in Fleet Street.” The foreign
books are all of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries, and are not remarkable. Amongst
the English we find North's Dial of Princes,
1568; Hakluyts Voyages, 1599 ; Smith's
Virginia, 1632; S. Daniel's Poems, 1609;
Frampton's Joyfull Newes out of the New-
In the Seventeenth Century.
141
found World, 1596; The Golden Fleece,
1626; Higgins' Mirrour for Majistrates,
1610; a number of small 4to Plays by
Shakespeare, Shirley, Massinger, Heywood
and others; John Bunyan's Sighs from Hell,
1675; a number of the writings of the
seventeenth century Poets; The Compleat
Angler, 4th Edition, 1668; and generally a
larger number of volumes of the lighter
literature of the age.
The seventeenth book-auction in England,
according to Cooper's list, consisted of the
libraries of five persons. They were: Mr.
Henry Stubbs, late of London ; Dr. Dilling-
ham, of Oundle in Northamptonshire ; Mr.
Thomas Vincent, of London ; Mr. Cawton,
of Westminster; and John Dunton the
Bookseller. The first four names, the
auctioneer remarks in his preface, "are
Names preserved in the breast of all that
value real Goodness and unfeigned Piety.
In these Libraries,” he continues, "the buyer
will find great variety of the best and most
practical Books in Divinity both English and
Latin, as also of other Learning, especially
the English Part, which as it is the Largest
so the Choicest Collection of Books that
hath hitherto or perhaps may again be
exposed to Sale by Auction.” This sale
began on Monday, November 29th, 1680.
It was held " at a House in Warwick Lane,
directly opposite to Warwick Court, or Dr.
Coxe's Rents." The auctioneer was Thomas
142
\Book Auctions in England
Parkhurst the bookseller, whose business
was “at the Sign of the Bible and Three
Crowns in Cheapside, near Mercers' Chapell,”
and catalogues could also be obtained at the
Bible on London Bridge, and at the Bible
in Little Britain. The auctioneer sold on
the first four days of the week only, at nine
o'clock in the morning and two in the
afternoon. For this sale, also, Parkhurst
accepts commissions from persons unable to
attend the sale personally. The catalogue
is one of the most extensive of the time,
containing no less than 246 pp., comprising
9840 lots. Of these 96 pp. are occupied by
the Foreign Division, and the remainder
by the English. Allowing the auctioneer to
sell 8oo lots a day, this sale would occupy
twelve days. Even in a large collection
such as this we find no considerable number
of the productions of the fifteenth-century
presses, foreign and English alike being of the
sixteenth and seventeenth. This is probably
the first catalogue in which the term " black
letter” is used to indicate the primitive type.
No book occupies more than a single line of
description, enabling the printers to get an
average of 45 Nos. on each page. In a
large number of titles the dates have not
been carried out, so we get an Antiphonale
ad Usuin Sarum, described as “old," but
no date is given. It sold for 6s. 6d. The
first edition of Erasmus's Paraphrase (in
Latin) on the Neze Testament, Froben, 1516,
In the Seventeenth Century.
143
sold for 3s. Id. A series of 28 first editions
of Wolfgang Musculus, the German Re-
former's Works, sold for £3 35. Iod. Of
Peter Martyr's Works, 26 first editions sold
for £2 6s. iod.; Calvin, 9 vols., Amst., 1671,
£5 155. 6d.; Stephani Thesaurus Græcæ,
4 vols., 1572, £3 55.; Corpus Byzantina
Historia, 13 vols., Paris, 1648, 613 35.
Besides works on theological controversy,
there are a large number of learned Hebrew
and Oriental works, and the then current
editions of the classics. Amongst the English
books we find a second folio Shakespeare
selling for 16s.; The “Jenny Geddes”
Common Prayer, Edin., 1637, IS. Id.;
Drayton's Polyolbion, 6s. 8d.; Heywood's
Hierarchy of the Angels, 35. Iod. ; Holin-
shed's Chronicles, 1577, £ 1 os. 6d.; Killigrew's
Comedies, 1664, 6s. ; Hubbard's Present State
of New England, 3 copies !!!, Is. 2d., Is. 7d.,
IS. 8d. The total sum realised by this sale
was about £1660.
John Dunmore, bookseller next door to
the Woolsack in Ivy Lane, sold the library
of the Rev. Nicolas Lloyd, Rector of St.
Mary's, Stoke Newington. This is the twenty-
third book-auction on Cooper's list. The
sale began on July 4th, 1681, in Dunmore's
House. This catalogue has no preface,
contains 55 pp., and, being printed in larger
type than usual, averages only 20 lots on a
page. It is remarkable only for containing
a copy of Caxton's Dives and Pauper, 1493,
144
Book Auctions in England
though the printer's name is not given ; and
Ranulph Higden's Polycronicon by John of
Trevisa, to which no date is affixed, but
which may also be Caxton's Edition. There
is also - The Ordinary of Chrystians or
Crysten Men, with cuts,” to which no date
is affixed, and a number of the writings of
the mystical Jacob Behmen. At the end of
the catalogue occur 18 manuscripts, which
are said to be the remaining part which
belonged to Sir Edw. Byshe's library. These
are chiefly heraldic, but there is an ancient
codex on vellum of Virgil's Georgics.
The library of Brian Walton, Bishop of
Chester, and editor of the celebrated
Polyglott Bible published in 1656, was sold
by Samuel Carr, bookseller, at the King's
Head in St. Paul's Churchyard. The sale
began on Monday, April 30th, 1683. It is
the thirty-sixth book-auction, according to
Cooper's list. “This so much famed
Library," the auctioneer informs us, con-
tained “very many, not only excellent,
but scarce Books in most Languages; as
also a large collection of Manuscripts most
of which are in the Eastern Languages.”
The catalogue has 46 pp., comprising 1840
lots. The Latin books comprise Bibles,
Councils, Fathers, Church Historians, Com-
mentaries, Scholastic writings and Oriental
works. There are 53 MSS., chiefly Arabic,
Persian, Syriac and Hebrew, including frag-
ments of early texts of the Pentateuch. In
In the Seventeenth century.
145.
the English section occur a large number of
the News-Letters or Mercuries of the Civil
War and Commonwealth times.
On Friday, November 16th, 1683, we are
introduced to another provincial book auction.
It was the library of the reverend and learned
Mr. Charles Adams, late minister of Great
Baddow, near Chelmsford, Essex, “to be
exposed," as the title says, "to Sale by way of
Auction, or Outcry, or who bids most." This
sale took place « by the appointment and
for the benefit of Mrs. Adams.” Catalogues
were given at the Black Boy Inn (where the
auction was held) or at Mr. Hart's Coffee-
house Chelmsford, or at the Vicarages of
Chelmsford and Great Baddow. This sale
is recorded by Cooper in his list as the
thirty-ninth. “The Books in this Catalogue,"
says the preface, “if we respect either their
number or quality, are not in any way con-
temptible or inconsiderable. They are ex-
posed to sale by way of Auction, a way that
hath been encouraged and approved by the
learned and intelligent persons in the City,
as having a peculiar tendency to promote
learning and disperse knowledge, which con-
sidered, it's reasonably expected that all gentle-
men and others, but especially the (clergy,
will incourage an essay of this nature in the
country, that is manifestly accompanied with
such great advantage to their relicts, etc., in
disposing of their studies.” The catalogue
is only a thin one, of 13 pp., comprising 581
IO
146
Book Auctions in England
lots, and is only interesting as showing the
kind of library country clergymen of limited
means gathered together at that period, and
from the fact of the auction being held in a
provincial town.
On May 2nd, 1684, was sold the library
of Rev. Dr. Matthew Smallwood, Dean of
Lichfield, lately deceased. The sale was
held, strange to say, at Gresham College in
Bishopsgate Street. No name of auctioneer
is given, nor is there any preface; but it was
probably conducted by Chr. Wilkinson, the
bookseller of the Black Boy in Fleet Street,
of whom catalogues could be had. The
catalogue contained 20 leaves, comprising
2057 lots, and is divided into Theology,
Philology, English and Miscellanies. It is
noted by Cooper as the forty-third book-
auction held in England.
The forty-ninth book auction in Cooper's
list consisted of the libraries of the Rev.
Mr. Thomas Lye, late of Clapham, near
London, deceased, and of Mr. Thomas
Tennings of London. " Mr. Thomas Lye,”
says the writer of the preface, “I might
represent to the World as having been an
example of Singular Piety, accompanied with
a great integrity of mind, and indefatigable
industry to do good, sufficiently manifested
to all that had any knowledge of him. Mr.
Thomas Jennings was an ingenious Citizen
who by constant reading and writing after
the Best Divines, arrived to a large and
In the Seventeenth Century.
147
unusual knowledge in most points of Divinity.
This English Library here exposed is both
for number and quality, considerable; his
knowledge in Books made him capable of
distinguishing and choosing the best, and
his extraordinary passion and love to them
prompted him to buy whatever was valuable
that came within his ability to purchase.”
“This is all,” the writer continues, "that,
without further preamble, I think necessary
to say, except to apologise for the imperfect
descriptions that are made of many excellent
books, the many palpable and visible errors
of the Catalogue occasioned by the hasty
printing and necessary absence of a proper
person to correct them.” The sale was held
at Bridge's Coffee-house, Pope's Head Alley,
Cornhill. It began on Monday, November
17th, 1684. No name of the auctioneer is
given, but it was probably conducted by
Wilkinson, the Bookseller of the Black
Boy in Fleet Street. That erratic book-
selling genius John Dunton seems to
have had a share in the business, for his
name and address, “The Black Raven in
the Poutry over against the Stocks-market,"
appears on the title, as one of whom
catalogues might be had. A curious business
advertisement on the back of the title runs
in the name of William Miller, bookseller at
the Gilded Acorn in St. Paul's Churchyard.
“ All gentlernen, etc. may be furnished with
most sorts of Acts of Parliament, as also
148
Book Auctions in England
the King's, and Chancellor's and Speaker's
Speeches, with other Speeches, Declarations,
Proclamations, Commissions, Orders, Ordi-
nances, Remonstrances, Votes of Parliament,
Letters, Articles of War and Peace, Of
Religion, viz., Visitations Articles etc., with
Books of Divinity, viz., of Church Govern-
ment, Sermons on most Occasions, with
Variety of School Books, History, Husbandry,
Arts and Sciences, Poetry, Plays, Collections
of Gazettes, and all sorts of other News.”
The Catalogue has two divisions, foreign
and English; the first division occupies
28 pp., and the second 48 pp. It contains
the considerable number of 3662 lots. The
contents are of the ordinary description,
and call for no special notice.
The sale of the library of the reverend and
learned Dr. Richard Lee of King's-Hatfield,
Herts, deceased, introduces us to another
country book-auction, which Cooper places
fifty-second on his list. It was held at the
Parsonage House at Hatfield on Tuesday,
April 28th, i685, “by the appointment and
for the benefit of Mrs. Eliza Lee." Cata-
logues were distributed “at the Coffee-Houses
in St. Albans, Hertford, Ware, Barnet and
Hatfield.” The catalogue contained “Various
Editions of the Bible in the Oriental Languages,
several of the best Latin and Greek Fathers,
Commentators ancient and modern, Latin
and English etc., of the most general use
and greatest esteem in their time and in
In the Seventeenth Century. 149
all volumes.” The preface declares that
This method of Auction, so long practised,
and still continued in great reputation with
the Reverend and Learned Clergy of London,
hath encouraged and laid the foundation of
this attempt in Hertford, not without some
probable prospect, that the worthy and
intelligent Clergy thereof, will heartily
countenance and readily promote so com-
mendable an Essay apparently tending to
the improvement of learning in general,
and so experimentally serviceable and really
beneficial to the relicts and executors of
Divines and gentlemen in the disposal of
their Libraries.” The catalogue contains 28
pages, comprising 1192 lots. Commissions
were taken and “managed” by persons
attending the auction. Besides the lots
printed there is a note as to more books not
printed in the catalogue to be sold at the
end of the sale.
The fifty-fifth book-auction in England
introduces us to another of those misleading
catalogue-titles, to which most of the book-
seller-auctioneers of the period lent them-
selves at one period or other, though ever
ready to protest against the trick in their
prefaces to catalogues of genuine libraries.
We refer to the practice of selling the “ dead
heads” of their own stocks under the disguise
of selections from the libraries of learned
persons recently deceased. It is entitled
“ Catalogus Librorum Variorum ex Biblio-
150
Book Auctions in England
thecis Selectissimis doctissimoruin Virorum
nuperrime defunctorum.” This catalogue
really consists of a portion of the stock of
Thomas Parkhurst, a bookseller at the
Black Boy in Fleet Street. It is so stated
in honest Cooper's list, where it figures as
No. 55 of the English book auctions. How-
ever, the Preface does not hesitate to
declare that “this Sale consists of the
Libraries of two learned men deceased, of
whom much might be said as to their Skill
and Knowledge of the best Books,” however,
observing that "it's not the great Names, or
mighty vogue that the Proprietors have had
in the World, but the scarcity and usefullness
of the books that are exposed, that do really
recommend them to the gentlemen that buy.
I leave all persons to judge as they please,
to censure or approve as they think fit, not
doubting but all that are unprejudiced will
agree with me in this modest character of
the ensuing catalogue-viz., that in most
parts of it there are many choice and con-
siderable Books in Divinity, History, Philo-
logy, Physick etc., in Greek and Latin,
accompanied with a large collection of
English Books in all volumes."
The sale began on Monday, May 19th,
1685. It was held at Bridges' Coffee-house
in Pope's Head Alley, Cornhill. No name
of auctioneer is given, but it was probably
managed by Chr. Wilkinson, who seems to
have been in partnership with Parkhurst, since
In the Seventeenth Century.
151,
he distributes catalogues at the same house
in which the latter carried on his business.
The contents are considerable in quantity,
the catalogue containing 88 pages, com-
prising 4130 lots. A peculiarity of this
Catalogue is that after page 36, neither
place of printing nor date are appended to
the books. In Condition 5 we are again
notified of the fact that “inconveniences
have ensued by the forgetfulness of some
and the design of others, in leaving several
parcels of books on the hands of the
undertakers to their prejudice, and to the
abuse of others that they have out of vanity
or humour outbid.” So the condition
imposes the necessity of "every person not
known to some of the company, giving his
name and place of abode or earnest in
part of the books by him bought, to the
end that the auction may be managed with
honesty and justice to all.”
This catalogue is remarkable for the large
number of Latin medical, and English Roman
Catholic books printed abroad, which it
contains. The English portion has also
some interesting books, such as the “Great
Bible” of 1541, the Tyndale of 1549, a
Chaucer of 1532, the Dives and Pauper of
Wynkyn de Worde of 1496, Gower's Works,
1532. There are some of Bunyan's books,
including the Holy War, but no sign of the
Pilgrim's Progress, nor as far as we can trace
had any copy of this latter work appeared
152
Book Auctions in England
up to this date in an auction. It has, also a
number of the productions of the poets
and dramatists of the period, and is of a
much more varied character generally.
“On Thursday the 26th of this instant
November, 1685, at the Auction-House in
Ave Mary Lane, over against the Black
Swan, will be exposed to Sale to Book-
sellers, part of the Stock of Mr. Richard
Davis, Bookseller, of Oxford, by way of
Auction.” This is a trade sale to booksellers
only of surplus copies of books published
or purchased by Davis. The catalogue has
2 pp. folio only, containing forty-seven dif-
ferent works. It is noticed in Cooper's list as
the fifty-third auction. Discount was allowed,
on purchases for cash, 3%; two months, 2% ;
three months, 1%, after which none. Of the
three sales of Davis's huge stock-in-trade we
have spoken elsewhere.
On Monday, August 30th, 1686, was sold
a library of an eminent physician lately de-
ceased. It is described as “ Bibliotheca
Medica et Mathematica Anglo-Latina, cujus-
dam Med. Doct. Clariss. nuperrime defuncti,
cum plurimis Libris e regionibus Vicinis turi
Modernis tum Antiquis refertissima.” “This
auction," says the preface, "contains the
Library of an eminent physician lately de-
ceased, improved with great variety of the
Works of the most modern and celebrated
Writers in Physick, Chymistry, and Chirurgery,
many of which, as they are really scarce and
In the Seventeenth Century.
153
valuable, having not hitherto been exposed
to Sale this way; if therefore the Curiosity
and Usefulness of the Books will not court
the Custom, and recommend them to the
Choice of the ingenious of that noble pro-
fession, I despair of using any other motives
that will in probability be effectual.”
The Sale was held " at the Auction-House
in Ave-Mary Lane, over against the Black
Swan.” No name of auctioneer is given,
but the sale was probably conducted by
Christopher Wilkinson of the Black Boy
in Fleet Street. The catalogue has only
24 pages, containing 1109 lots. Nearly all
the books are either original productions or
new editions of the century. The catalogue
was distributed in the two University cities.
We now come to the most important, as
well as one of the most extensive private
libraries sold by auction in the seventeenth
century. It is entitled “ Bibliotheca Angle-
seiana, sive Catalogus Variorum Librorum in
quavis Linguâ et facultate insignium, quod
cuin ingenti sumptu et sumina diligentia sibi
procuravit Honoratis. Arthur Comes d'An-
glesey Privati olim Sigilli Custos et Carolo
Secundo à Secretarioribus Conciliis.” The
catalogue seems to have been compiled and
the preface written, and probably the sale
undertaken, by Thomas Philipps, who de-
scribes himself on the title as a Generosum
olin economum prædicto Comite." The pre-
face is extremely interesting, and worthy of
154
Book Auctions in England
being transcribed in full. “This Catalogue
presents you with the so much famed and
celebrated Library of the Rt. Hon. Arthur
Earl of Anglesey, late Lord Privy-Seal de-
ceased. And although I am abundantly
sensible that it's needless to recommend it;
however, it may not be improper, and perhaps
not unacceptable to the Ingenious, to have
a passant (sic) account of this so much
desired Collection of Books. The Noble
Lord for above thirty years passed, was
generally known to be extremely curious
in collecting whatever occasionally was offered
to him, or he upon his enquiry met with,
that was rare and choice in all sorts of learn-
ing, and in whatsoever language. His great
inclination this way, occasioned his spending
a great part of his time, that he could pos-
sibly spare from the Weighty and Public
Affairs he was interested in, to settle and
maintain a correspondence with all sorts of
learned men abroad; by which way a great
accession was made to his Library, they
frequently presenting, and at his request
procuring very great curiosities in several
faculties. Neither was he content to buy
Single Books and lesser parcels, but pur-
chased many Libraries for the sake of some
choice and valuable books that he was not
before furnished with ; hence arose the great
number of his Books, and those duplicates
of many considerable ones, as appears in the
ensuing Catalogue. It would be too great
In the Seventeenth Century.
155
a trespass on the reader's patience, and
exceed the limits of an auction preface to
remarque the whole. The Divinity part
contains variety of Bibles, Fathers, Church-
History, and the Works of the most eminent
first Reformers, etc. The Historical com-
prehends Historians of all ages and nations ;
and of our own and the neighbouring
Nations, scarce anything that hitherto is
extant of them wanting. I might also
observe that the Geographici, Philologici,
Lexicographici, and those other Books of
Pomp and State, describing particular famous
Houses, with the Collection of Coins, might
deservedly challenge the intelligent reader's
Observance. The Physick, Philosophy,
Mathematics, Civil, Canon, and Common
Law are not contemptible, not to mention
the Books of moment in the French, Italian,
Spanish; and that vast Collection of Pam-
phlets of all sorts, containing all the re-
markable ones relating to Government, etc.
The whole Library being really considerable
for number as well as scarcity, that many
Persons of Honour, etc. (though possessed
of very great Libraries of their own) had
frequent recourse to this for the perusal of
many out of the ordinary road of learning,
not elsewhere to be found. Thus much
was thought fit to be communicated to the
world, by one who had the honour for many
years to be imployed in his Lordship's
Service."
156
Book Auctions in England
The catalogue is divided into two parts,
foreign and English, of which the former
occupies 98 pp. and the latter 77 pp.;
comprising the extremely large number of
7000 lots, representing probably upwards
of 30,000 volumes. It is classified into
“Theologici, Geographici et Historici, Philo-
logici, Literatores, etc.," “ Medici, Philoso-
phici, Mathematici, Juridici, Canon and
Civil, Common and Statute Law," “ Gallici,
Italici, Hispanici, Belgici et Germanici,
English Divinity, English Miscellanies, viz.,
History, Philology, etc.; “Bound volumes
of Tracts, etc. ;” “Bundles of Stitcht Tracts,
etc. ;” “Manuscripts, and Collectio Pic-
turarum.”
The sale began on Monday, October 25th,
1686. It was held “at the Sign of the
Black Swan over against the South Door of
St. Paul's Church (amongst the Woolen-
Drapers) in St. Paul's Churchyard, the first
five days of each week from nine o'clock to
twelve, and from two to six." The catalogues
were charged 6d. each, which method the
auctioneer (like one of his predecessors)
says is “taken by direction of the learned,
for the better accommodation, and more
prudent distribution than formerly of Copies
to them.” This sum was to be allowed (if
demanded) to any one buying books up to
the value of ten shillings. The contents of
the library were on the whole of a similar
character to the smaller collections of the
In the Seventeenth Century.
157
period, to which we have already drawn
attention. Even this extensive library is
remarkable for the absence of any consider-
able number of the productions of the
fifteenth-century presses, the few occurring
having evidently been obtained more for the
contents than for any typographical interest.
Indeed, it was not until the succeeding
century that interest was drawn to the
History of Printing. We have here Ockham
on the Sentences, Lugd. 1495 ; Rob. Holkot
on the same, 1497 ; Fasciculus Temporum of
1482 ; Rob. Whittington's Grammar, printed
by Wynkyn de Worde (to which no date
is attached), and that is all !! There is not
any edition of Shakespeare or Milton; but
a large number of rare early voyages and
the old Chronicles. Two singular entries
are: “Eleven Auction Catalogues of Books
-viz., Seaman, Manton, Kidner, Worsley,
Digby, Button and Owen, Godolphin and
Philipp, Sangar, Edwin, Paget, and N.
Lloyd”; “Twelve Auction Catalogues of
Books-viz., Smith, Stubb, etc., by Parkhurst,
Outram, Digby, Charnock, Watson, Rogers,
Manton, Seaman, with three others"; show
ing that Lord Anglesey was a diligent buyer
at the various sales of the period. Amongst
the Manuscripts, of which there are 33 lots,
occur “ Apocalypsis Jesu Christi, Lingua
Germanica, cum figuris, pulchre in Carta
conscripta ” ; “ Biblia Sacra Latina S.
Hieronymi, pulcherrime scripta in mem-

158
Book Auctions in England
branis”; “ Valores omnium Possessionurn
tam Spiritualiuin quam temporalium in
Comitatu Devoniensi, pulcherrime in mem-
branis conscripta”; “ Geoffrey Chaucer, the
Ancient English Poet, his Workes, most
curiously written upon vellum, and the great
letters guilded, with flourishes in gold and
colours" ; "An Ancient Chronicle of England,
in Old English, fairly writ upon vellum.”
On the whole it must have been a famous
sale, to which the writer is unfortunately
unable to affix any prices. It is made more
memorable, too, from the discovery of the
Earl's note in his copy of the Eikon Basilike,
attributing the work to Bishop Gauden.
Our next catalogue introduces us to the
library of another Minister of Charles II.,
in the person of the Honourable Henry
Coventry, sometime his Secretary of State,
which included also the library of Sir
William Coventry. The title to this cata-
logue is in English: "A Catalogue of Books,
of the several Libraries of the Honourable
Sir William Coventry, and the Honourable
Mr. "Henry Coventry, sometime Secretary of
State to King Charles II., containing a very
good collection of most excellent Books in
Divinity, History, Philology, Matters of
State, etc., in Greek, Latin, Italian, French,
Spanish and English, to be sold by Auction
at the late dwelling-house of Mr. Secretary
Coventry at the upper end of the Hay-
market, Peccadilly (sic), on Monday, May
In the Seventeenth Century.
159
9th, 1687." The auctioneer's name is not
attached, but most likely William Cooper had
the management of the sale, as his name
appears first on the title amongst those
booksellers from whom catalogues might
be had. The preface is very short: “We
need not here to preface any Encomiums to
these Libraries : the Catalogue itself will
sufficiently supply that defect, but only to
acquaint the gentlemen, that these Books
are in very good condition as to their
Binding, being most of them curiously bound
and gilt backs, and many of the Books of
Maps in Colours." The catalogue is not a
fourth as large as that of the Earl of
Anglesey, comprising only 44 pp., con-
taining about 2000 lots. The catalogue is
most remarkable for having the first entry
of the first folio Shakespeare ever sold by
auction. It includes also a long series
of the Elzevir Classics ; but all the books
are of the general character of the writings
of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
On Monday, November 21st, 1687,
Benjamin Walford and Thomas Bentley,
booksellers, began the sale of an important
and extensive collection of books, which
included what the auctioneers call the
“main part” of the library of William
Cecil, Lord Burghley. As Cecil died in 1598,
it is of course easy to eliminate those books
which he could not himself have purchased,
and a full half of the catalogue is occupied
160
Book Auctions in England
by works published after his death. The
preface says that many of the MSS. which
appear in the catalogue contained Cecil's
manuscript remarks on them; the compiler
has not, unfortunately, thought proper to
particularise them. The title is : “ Bibliotheca
Illustris. ; sive Catalogus Variorum Librorum
in quavis Linguâ et facultate insignium,
Ornatissimæ Bibliothecce Viri cujusdam
prænobilis ac honoratissimi olim defuncti,
libris rarissimis tam typis excusis quàm
Manuscriptis refertissimce.”
The preface says: “If the Catalogue, here
presented, were only of Common Books, and
such as were easie to be had, it would not
have been very necessary to have prefaced
anything to the Reader; But since it appears
in the World with two circumstances, which
no Auction in England (perhaps) ever had
before; nor is it probable that the like
should frequently happen again, it would
seem an oversight if we should neglect to
advertise the Reader of them. The first is
that it comprises the main part of the Library
of that famous Secretary William Cecil, Lord
Burleigh ; which considered must put it out
of doubt that these Books are excellent of
their kind and well-chosen. The second is,
that it contains a greater number of Rare
Manuscripts, than ever yet were offered
together in this way, many of which are
rendered the , more valuable by being re-
mark'd upon by the hand of the said great
In the Seventeenth Century. 161
ENCIALIDITEITE
Man.” The sale was held at the sign of the
Bear in Ave Maria Lane. The catalogue
contains 94 pp., representing some 3800 lots.
The books consist of foreign and English
Theology, Medical, Mathematical and His-
torical Works, sixteenth-century editions of
the Classics, a large number of French,
Italian and Spanish books. The English
books are nearly all of the seventeenth
century, and too late to have formed part
of Cecil's own library; but amongst them
we find The Flower of the Commandments,
by Wynkyn de Worde, 1510 ; The Golden
Legend, in English, by the same, 1512;
The Life of Christ and of the Virgin
Mary, 1512; The Harber of Battails,
or the Faites and Armes of Chivalry, by
William Caxton, 1490. The second edition
of the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1497, and Le
Miroir de la Rédemption, Paris, 1483, to-
gether with the Caxton mentioned above,
are the only representatives of fifteenth-
century presses. The most important part
of the catalogue is the manuscripts, of which
there are 249 in Latin, French, and English,
all of which may well have formed part of
Cecil's own library. Although we are told
in the preface that many of these were
annotated by the great Secretary himself,
no particulars, unfortunately, are given as to
which they were; and there are no prices
to the writer's copy of this catalogue. The
following are the most important of the
P
II
162
Book Auctions in England
manuscripts, which it would be interesting to
trace to their present destination, where still
in existence. The very meagre description
of them in the catalogue is much to be
regretted. “ Biblia Sacra, MS. antiquissiina
cum Epistola Sti. Pauli ad Laodicenses, folio
magno in pergamena”; “ Polychronicon Vetus,
MS. per Radulphum Higden, nunquam
Latino impressum, folio magno in perga-
mena”; “ Chronicon Britannia, per Gal-
fridum Monumetensem, in pergamena”;
“ Bartholomæus Anglus de Proprietatibus
Reruin, in pergamena”; “ Ven. Beda de
Gestis Angloruin, in pergamena”; “ Quatuor
Evangelia, MS. antiquum in pergamena”;
“ Wilhelmus Malmesbu!riensis de Gestis
Reguin Anglia, in pergamena”; Gyraldi
Cambrensis Historia Hibernia, in perga-
mena”; “Roger de Hovenden, Historia
Anglorum post Bedam”; “ Biblia Sacra cum
interpretationibus Nominum Hebræorum, etc.,
in pergamena”; Hora Diurne B. M.
Virginis ad usum Sarum, in pergamena”;
“Papirii Statii Thebaides, exemplar vetus-
tissimum, in pergamena”; “ Giraldus
Cambrensis Historia, in pergamena”; “ Con-
stitutiones provinciales Angliæ, in perga-
mena”; “ Itinerariuri Joannis de Mandeville
ex territorio Sti. Albani proto-martyris
Angloruin, in pergamena ” ; Gower (Joannis),
Chronicon Angliæ quod dicitur Vox Clamantis
de insurrectione rusticorum contra Nobiles
Latino Carmine descriptum, in pergamena”;
In the Seventeenth Century. 163
“ Henrici VII. Receptio Maximiliani et Caroli
ejus filii, in pergamena”; “ An Old Chronicle
of England, in English, in pergamena.”
" Psalterium Græcum, MS. antiquissimum,
in pergamena”; “ L'Histoire du Roy Arthur,
avec des figures dorées, folio grand, in perga-
mena”; “ Le Chronique de Jean Froissart
des Guerres de France et d'Angleterre,
folio grand, avec des belles figures en
parchemin "; " Boethius de Consolatione
Philosophiae, en françois, avec figures en
parchemin”; “ L'Exile du Compte d'Artois,
et comine il a perdue sa Cause en Parlement
l'année 1336, avec figures, en parchemin ”;
“ L'Histoire de la Vie de St. Edward le
Confesseur, poème françois, avec des figures
anciennes, en parchemin”; “A Book of
Chronicles clyped Brute, being a history of the
Kings of England from Brute to K. Henry V.,
upon vellum"; "Wiclif's Book of Postils or
Sermons, in Old English upon vellum ;
“A Psalter in Old English, very fairly written
upon vellum”; “ The History of England
in Old English Verse, upon vellum”; “ The
Epistles and Gospels according to the Church of
Sarum in Old English"; "The Lady Anne
Cecil's French Grammar in English and
French”; “A Poem in Old English, fairly
written upon vellum”; “ The Acts of the
Apostles, the Epistles and the Apocalypse, by
Wicklif upon vellum"; "An Ancient Treatise
of the Anatomy of Humane Bodies, fairly
written and gilded upon vellum." Besides
164
Book Auctions in England
these are many Codices of the other monkish
chroniclers, some interesting original political
MSS., a number of fine Heraldic Visitations,
Armorials, Pedigrees, etc. In the “ Libri
Omissi” at the end occurs a fourth folio
Shakespeare.
Our next catalogue introduces us to the
sale of the stock of Robert Scott, who is
styled on the title “Bibliopola Regii
Londinensis." Robert Scott was to the
London literary men and collectors of that
period what his contemporary Richard Davis
was in Oxford, and Mr. Quaritch is in our
own day. He was one of the largest buyers
of libraries from the Continent, and largely
patronised by the nobility, clergy and literary
men of his time. The most interesting
preface prefixed to the catalogue shows how
indefatigable he was in his business, and
how wide his knowledge of books. "This
Catalogue contains the celebrated Collection
of Books which hath been made at several
times with great expense from most parts of
the learned world by the person mentioned
on the Title-page; and though I might with-
out the censure of formality and personal
fattery, represent him to the world as the
only person of his time for his extraordinary
knowledge in Books, as also for his most
unparalleled industry to procure and buy up
the choicest of all kinds, yet his sufficient
manifestations to the Nobility and Gentry in
his Trade and Business prevent any further
In the Seventeenth Century.
165
character. It would be a pleasing task to
glance at the Variety and great Choice of
the valuable and voluminous, as well as
Scarce and Curious Books that are couch't
under the various heads of this incomparable
Catalogue, which considered together, cannot
be equalled in most of the Shops of Europe.
In Short, the Whole is referred to the perusal
and censure of the intelligent Gentlemen,
the buyers, with this further remark that it
cannot be reasonably supposed that there
will appear a Person in their time of so
great Ambition and indefatigable Diligence
to Oblige the Lovers of learning.” The sale
began on Monday, February 13th, 1687-8 at
the sign of the Bear in Ave Maria Lane, and
continued for seven hours on each of the
first five days of each week. The catalogue
extends to no less than 176 pp., comprising
7040 lots, which would represent some
25,000 volumes, an enormous quantity for
a bookseller of that period to amass for
the purpose of retailing. The contents are
classified into Latin Theology, Ecclesiastical
and Ritualistic Books of the Roman-Catholic
Church, Juridical, Miscellaneous, Medical
and Philosophical, Mathematical, French,
Italian, and Spanish, English Theology and
Miscellanies, Books of Prints, and Manu-
scripts. It is remarkable that by far the
greater number of books in this catalogue
are productions of the same century in which
the auction was held, those printed before
166
Book Auctions in England
the year 1600 being represented by not
more than I per cent. of the whole ; and
there is also an entire absence of the fifteenth-
century productions. It is also worthy of
note that the foreign books occupy the
first 162 pp., leaving only the last 16 pp.
for the English portion. Benjamin Walford
was the auctioneer at this sale.
Two curious single-day catalogues were
issued on March 12th and 13th, 1688.
They consist of only 4 pp. each, the first
containing 166 lots and the second 199 lots
only. They have no titles, but the following
heading commences the first page of the
March 12th sale: “A Catalogue of valuable
Books, all in folio, with some Curious and
Fair Manuscripts, will be sold by Auction
on Monday the 12th of March next, between
two and three in the afternoon, at the
Golden Anchor, an upholsterer's amongst
the Woolen-Drapers in St. Paul's Church-
Yard.” Then follow three conditions. The
books are English and foreign, all (except
two) of the seventeenth century, of the usual
theological and historical character. The
“ Curious and Fair” manuscripts are ten,
" with some not mentioned,” most of which
are very interesting and would produce large
prices if sold now. There is (1) a peculiar
and important entry of “Ovid's Metamor-
phoses, translated by Will. Caxton 1480 in
the 20 year of the Reign of K. E. the 4."
This work was only in recent years printed
In the Seventeenth Century.
167
for the Roxburghe Club; the MS. being
in the Pepysian Library at Cambridge.
(2) “ The Troy Buke, translated by the Monk
of Bury (Lydgate); (3) Genealogia Doinini
nostri Jesu Christi cuin Observationibus ad
totius Historia Sacræ intelligentiam utilissimis,
in Rotulis Membranaceis pulcherrimæ de-
scripta ” ; (4) “ Genealogia Magna Britan-
nice Regum ad Henricum Sextum deducta,
Rotulis Membranaceis Summa cum cura
(adjunctis Observationibus Selectissimis)
depicta ; a Tergo habetur Genealogia nobi-
lissima Perceiorum Familia"; (5) Bulla
Johannis Papæ contra Michaelein de' Cesena
Ordinis fr. Minorum Ministrum Generalem
Avinione data”; (6) Officium B. Mariæ
Virg., pulchris characteribus cum literis
majusculis deauratis, et imaginibus initiali-
bus insertis, in membranis descriptum”;
(7) " Aliud antiquus cum imaginibus quam-
plurimis pulchre depictis”; (8) “Aliud
etiam cum imaginibus litterisque initialibus
pulchre depictis." The heading of the
second catalogue is : “ This Catalogue will
be sold by Auction the 13th of March next
(no year) between two and three o'clock in
the afternoon. Conditions as usual. The
Books to be paid for and fetcht away within
three days after the Sale.” No place of
selling is given, but as it appears to have been
appended to the previous catalogue, it was
probably held at the same place in St. Paul's
Churchyard. The books are of the same
168
Book Auctions in England
character as in the former catalogue, and all
after the seventeenth century.
On Monday, April 2nd, 1688, was com-
menced the sale of the library of the
reverend and learned Mr. Robert Wallis,
late Rector of Elsborough in the county
of Bucks, consisting of variety of scarce and
valuable books in most sorts of learning.
The sale was held at The Unicorn in Pater-
noster Row, against the Queen's Head
Tavern. There is no name of the auctioneer
and no preface. The catalogue has 28 pages,
with about 1400 lots. The books are nearly
all English and Latin Theology, of the six-
teenth and seventeenth centuries. Amongst
them is the following MS., which should be
of interest: “ Liber Monachorum Beatæ
Mariæ Virginis de Thani, manuscriptus
pulcherrime super pergamenum.”
On April 24th, 1688, Benjamin Walford
held a sale of Latin, French, and English
books, " to be sold in Numbers to the Book-
sellers of London and Westminster.” The
sale was held at the Bear in Ave Mary Lane,
near Ludgate Street. It has no preface or
conditions, and dates are only appended to
the foreign books. The catalogue has 28
pages, containing 1312 lots, all productions
of the seventeenth century.
On Monday, April 30th, 1688, was sold a
collection of “ Latin, French, and English
books, consisting of Divinity, Physick,
Travels, Romances, Volumes of Tracts, etc.,
In the Seventeenth Century.
169
at Wellington Coffee-House on the Back-
side of the Royal Exchange, between the
Crown and Ship Taverns in Threadneedle
Street.” This is an ordinary catalogue of
40 pages, containing 2000 lots. In this
catalogue appears for the first time the rare
first edition of Burton's Anatomy of Melan-
choly, 1621, 45. 6d. There is also Wood's
New England's Prospect, 1629, 35. 6d. ;
Castell's Discovery of America, 1644, 25. 6d.;
History of the Bucaniers of America, 1684,
35. 4d. ; and Relation of the Plantation of
New England, 1623, 25. 6d. There is also
a remarkable volume containing eleven of
the plays of Shakespeare, some of which, at
least, must have been the original 4tos, for
125. A first entry also appears of an early
though not the first edition of Bunyan's
Pilgrim's Progress (1680).
The next catalogue in the writer's posses-
sion is of “ Valuable and Scarce Books, most
English, .consisting of Divinity, Physick,
History, Law, Travels, Romances, etc.,
which will be sold by Auction on Monday
the 17th Day of September, 1688; at the
Three Half-Moons in St. Paul's Church-
Yard among the Woollen-Drapers.” This
sale was held between three and four o'clock
in the afternoon. The catalogue contains
14 pp., numbering 720 lots. All the books
in it are the production of the same century
in which they were sold by auction.
We now come to one of the most cele-
170
Book Auctions in England
brated collections of books and MSS. and
engravings sold by auction in the seventeenth
century. It was regarded by the contem-
poraries of the noble owner as the richest
and most extensive of any library brought
together by a nobleman of the period. It
is that of Richard Maitland, fourth Earl
(afterwards Duke) of Lauderdale, whose
translation of Virgil was praised by Dryden.
The title is as follows: “ Catalogus Libroruin
instructissimæ Bibliothecæ nobilis cujusdam
Scoto-Britanni, in quavis Lingua et facul-
tate insignium ; quibus adjicitur, figurarum
Manu-delineaturuin, necnon Tabularum ære
incisarui per celeberrimos Artis Chalco-
graphicis Magistros Collectio refertissima.”
The preface is very interesting, and gives us
a curious reason of the Earl for disposing of
his collections in this manner. We tran-
scribe it in full. “After so many considerable
Essays of this Nature, it were in vain to
offer the present Catalogue to the ingenious
of this Age, did it not appear extremely
valuable in all its faculties, and in the most
polite sort of learning exceed any that has
gone before it; the main part thereof con-
sisting of the Library of a Person of Quality,
who in his Travels beyond Seas made himself
very well acquainted with the most eminent
Authors of all Sciences, and was curious in
collecting both the best editions and the
fairest copies, which, considered with their
binding, do far excel any books that have
In the Seventeenth Century.
171
hitherto been exposed to publick Sale. I
shall not here endeavour to characterize the
several parts of this incomparable Catalogue,
but leave the whole to the Censure of the
Candid and Judicious Perusers, with this
assurance, that there will not again appear
together such an intire Collection of the
most considerable Historians of all Ages and
Nations, both ancient and modern. The
latter part of the Catalogue contains a most
admirable Collection of Drawings both of
History and Architecture, curiously designed
in colours by the most eminent masters of
Europe, with several thousands of Italian
and other prints ancient and modern, being
of the best proofs carefully preserved and
well conditioned, all which were collected
at vast expense and great care by the Same
Person of Quality. Who being willing to
give the same pleasure and satisfaction to
the Lovers of such curiosities as he hath
had in the enjoyment of this excellent
collection, is resolved to expose them to
publick Sale by way of Auction, in the
same manner and under the same conditions
that Sir Peter Lely's were formerly sold.”
The sale took place at the sign of the Bear
in Ave Maria Lane, beginning on Tuesday,
October 30th, 1688, the auctioneer being
Benjamin Walford the bookseller. The
catalogue should consist of 156 pages,
pp. 149 to 156 being occupied with the prints
and drawings. The writer's copy of the cata-
172
Book Auctions in England
logue wants these last pages, which perhaps
were not issued. It is curious to find that in
another catalogue of the library of a certain
learned Knight sold by Walford on October
28th in the next year (1689) these en-
gravings and drawings are again mentioned.
Walford says in his Preface: “That nothing
might be wanting to compleat this incom-
parable Catalogue (this auctioneer's Cata-
logues were always incomparable), I have
joyned the remaining part of my Lord Mait-
land's Curious Prints and Drawings proposed
to have been sold in our last Auction, but
for several reasons adjourned to this present
opportunity.” The writer's copy of this
catalogue also wants the leaves containing
the prints; and it is doubtful whether,
after all, the collection was ever brought to
the hammer. The printed books in the 1688
catalogue number 6370 lots, representing
some 20,000 volumes, the large majority
of which are foreign. The classification is
into Latin Theology, Roman Catholic
Literature, Juridical, Miscellanies, Medical,
Mathematical, French, Italian and Spanish
books, English Divinity, and Miscellanies,
and Manuscripts. In this vast and im-
posing collection of books, mostly gathered
together on the Continent, the productions
of the fifteenth century presses are repre-
sented by four books only, the earliest
of which was the Ecclesiastical History of
Ruffinus printed at Mantua in 1479. It is
112 the Seventeenth Century.
173
very evident, from all the auction catalogues
of the seventeenth century, that the time of
the early printers was “not yet.” The
English books are mostly of the seventeenth
century; but we have a Bible of 1540,
Erasmus's New Testament of 1549, King
Henry VIII's. Necessary Doctrine, 1553,
Turner's (Dodonæus) Herbal : Coln 1568,
Fabricius' Chronicle, 1542, and a very few
other late sixteenth-century productions.
But the chief interest of this catalogue
centres in the manuscripts, of which there
are descriptions of five English, six Latin,
six French, seven Italian, and three Persian.
The most remarkable of these are : “ The
Works of Sir Geoffry Chaucer, curiously writ
upon vellum and gilded, very ancient”; and
"P. Terentii Afri Comædiæ Sex, pulcherrimæ
Scriptæ in pergamena cum Cottalis MSS.”
In the writer's copy of this catalogue
occurs another list of 107 MSS., printed upon
4 pp. Svo, but whether sold by auction with
the rest he is unable to discover. The list is
headed : “ Bibliotheca Manuscripta Lauder-
daliana, sive Catalogus Librorum Manuscrip-
torum in quo reperiuntur Varii Authores
Historiæ Anglicanæ et Scotiæ, et alii
variis linguis facultatibusque insig. nondum
impressi a Bibliotheca Ducis Lauderdaliæ."
From this list we select those which appear of
most interest.“ Wickleef's Serinon upon the
Evangelists, Epistles and Psalms, on vellum,
in very old English; Homilies on the Gospels,
174
Book Auctions in England
in Old English, upon vellum; Biblia Sacra S.
Hieronymi in pergamena, 1312;" " Chronicle
of Scotland, ancient MS. upon paper, large
folio”; “ Chronicle of Scotland, written upon
paper by Tho. Forman (Fordun) in
Scotch”; “Hector Boethius his History of
Scotland, in Scotch, upon paper”; “ Ancient
Laws of Scotland, upon paper”; “ Several
Poems written by R. Maitland and others" ;
Legends of the Saints, in Old English verse,
on vellum;" History or Chronicle of England
in Old English Verse from W. the Con-
queror unto the latter end of King Henry
the 8. upon paper; Lib. IV. Evangelistaruin,
in pergamena, An 1016 ante Conquest.
hujus Angliæ, cum imaginibus Evangelistis ;
" Officiui B. Virginis Mariæ, pulcherrime
conscriptum in pergamena cum characteri-
bus magnis deauratis, et imaginibus curiosis
depictis ” ; “ Liturgia Latinè, pulcherrime in
pergamena conscripta cum figuris curiosis
depictis”; “ Livre de Chace, que fist le
Conte de Foix, finely written on vellum";
“A MS. of Old English Poetry, containing
The Complaint of God, the Mirrour of
Mankind,' the Seal of Mercy,' 'the 9
Lessons dirige that is ecliped Petty,' and
several other treatises on vellum.” These
manuscripts, or some of them, would pro-
bably be now found dispersed in various
libraries.
Of the later catalogue of Walford, of
which mention is made above, and on the
In the Seventeenth Century.
175
title of which Lord Maitland's prints are
advertised, little more need be said except
that no name of owner is given either on
the title or in the preface. It has 130 pp.,
numbering over 5000 lots, the contents
being of the same kind as in the previous
one. It contains in the English Part The
Tavernier Bible of 1535, Edward VI. Cominon
Prayer, 1549, some Books of Coverdale,
Cranmer, Bonner, Gardiner, Higden's Poly-
chronicon, a second folio Shakespeare, the
Works of Ben Jonson, Beaumontand Fletcher;
the first edition of Florio's Montaigne, and
a large number of American and other
pamphlets.
On Monday, January 21st, 1688-9, was
sold “at the Three Half-Moons amongst the
Linen Drapers in St. Paul's Churchyard.”
a collection of English and Latin Books of
Divinity, History, Physick, Law, Travels,
volumes of Tracts, etc. This is an anonymous
catalogue of 20 pp., with an “Appendix "
of 8 pp., to be sold at the same place on
Monday the 28th inst. The whole contains
1400 lots, of the usual miscellaneous
character.
On Wednesday, May 8th, 1689, John
Bullord, the London bookseller of St. Paul's
Churchyard, began the sale of a “Bibliotheca
Selectissima Generosi Angliæ nuper defuncti.”
The sale was held at Sam's Coffee-House in
Ave Maria Lane, beginning at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon. This catalogue has two
176
Book Auctions in England
Appendices of English books to be sold on
Friday, May 24th, at the same place and time.
It contains some old English books, since
become exceedingly rare, and of great price.
We have fortunately some contemporary
prices in this catalogue, which it will be
interesting to note. Sir Thomas More's
Latin Works, 1566, 45. 11d.; Holinshed's
Chronicles, 1587, EI 16s. od.; Hall's Chron-
icle, 1550, Ios. 2d.; Dugdale's Monasticon,
£3 Ios. 9d.; William Salesbury's Introduction
to the British Tongue, 1567, IS. ; Defence of
Peace printed by Robert in 1535; and
Treatise of the Donation of Constantine to
Pope Sylvester, printed by T. Godfray, n. d.,
35. rod.: The Ordinary of Christian Men,
printed by Wynken de Worde, 1506, 45.;
Bonner's Profitable and Necessary Doctrine,
1540, 35. 2d.; Homilies, 1540, 25. 6d.;
Deterininations of the University of Italy
and France that it is so unlawful for a
inan to marry his Brother's Wife that the
Pope cannot dispense therewith, n.d., 25. 6d.;
Bishop of Winchester's Declaration in answer
to George Joye, 1546, IId.; Bale's Acts of
the English Votaries, 1550, IId.; several
treatises by John Knox and others 25. ; The
Primer in English for the Use of Salisbury,
1558 IS. These prices clearly indicate
the low estimation in which English books
of the previous century were held at that
period.
Between the date of the above catalogue
In the Seventeenth Century.
177
and December of the same year were held
at least seven book auctions; but these were
all evidently of the surplus stock of the
booksellers, and are of no particular interest;
but we may note that in a catalogue of
December 2nd, 1689, was included a collec-
tion of News-Letters from 1638 to 1660,
formed by Sir Bulstrode Whitelock, in 32
volumes 4to.
On Monday, February 3rd, 1689-90, John
Bullord sold books which included some from
the libraries of pensioner Fagel and Stephen
Le Moyne the learned critic, many of the
latter being profusely annotated by Le Moyne
himself. The catalogue consists chiefly of
editions of the Greek and Latin classics by
the Elzevirs, Aldi, Stephanus and other Con-
tinental printers. It has only 28 pp., com-
prising only about 1100 lots. The auction
was held at Sam's Coffee-House in Ave
Maria Lane.
A lapse of nearly a year now occurs be-
tween the last auction catalogue and the
next one in possession of the writer. This
latter consists of a catalogue of a general
collection of books from the libraries of two
learned Theologians and a Physician deceased.
The auctioneer was John Bullord, and the sale
was held at Tom's Coffee-House, on Ludgate
Hill, on Monday, December 8th, 1690. The
auctioneer in his preface deprecates “fulsome
recommendations of poor Catalogues exposed
to sale," and goes on to say that these latter
I 2
178
Book Auctions in England
“have in a great measure defeated the honest
design of those few that are fair and just.
For the reader having been frequently imposed
upon by such specious promise of Rareties
and Curiosities, grows jealous of such vain
representations and expects nothing the more
in the Catalogue, for anything he finds in
the advertisement to the Reader.” Besides
the ordinary books, this catalogue contains the
famous collection of tracts and pamphlets
formed by the well-known secretary of state,
Tohn Rushworth. The Catalogue is only
printed to page 68, and there is an advertise-
ment on the back of the title to the effect
that “the remaining part of this Catalogue
from p. 68 near printed will be suddenly
distributed viz. the Libri Omissi, the English
and Manuscripts." This portion is not in
the possession of the writer. Amongst other
rarities occuring in this catalogue are the
first edition of the first part of Don Quixote,
Lisbon, 1605; the New Testament in Basque
printed at La Rochelle in 1571; the Indian
Bible of John Eliot, Cambridge, 1685;
Catechismi Edwardi Sexti, anno 1552.
The next catalogue we have introduces us
to the sale of the stock of an unfortunate
bookseller, who falling into difficulties had
to dispose of it for the Benefit of his creditors.
All the business connected with the sale is
stated in the interesting preface. “I shall
not,” says Benjamin Walford, the auctioneer,
“ entertain you with long Harangue in praise
In the Seventeenth Century.
179
of Auctions, nor of the excellency of the
Books contained in the following Catalogue;
they will both sufficiently recommend them-
selves to the promoters and lovers of learning;
but to prevent any Scruple that may arise
concerning the property or right of the Books
now exposed to Sale. I thought fit to adver-
tize you, that by an amicable Composition
between Mr. Adiel Mill and his Creditors,
all the Right that ever the said Mill had in
this Affair or Stock of Books, is now wholly
devolved upon Sir William Turner, Kt, and
Alderman of the City of London, Mr. William
Carbonell Merchant, and Mr. Robert Scott
Bookseller, assignees of the Commissioners
in a Commission of Bankrupt awarded against
the said Mill; and this Sale is now made
and held by the Direction and Appointment
of the said Assignees, for the benefit of all
the Creditors of the said Adiel Mill.” The
sale took place on February 9th, 1690-1, at
the Bear in Ave-Maria Lane. The title in-
troduces us to an established French Bookseller,
who carried on business in the Strand, whose
name was “Mons. Calloüe.” The catalogue
has 75 pp., comprising over 3000 lots, a
respectable number, though showing that
Mill was not to be compared with the larger
booksellers such as Scott, Davis, and Pitt.
The books are of the same general character as
appear in most other catalogues of the period,
consisting chiefly of what were at that time
modern books, that is, books of the latter
180
Book Auctions in England
part of the sixteenth and those of the seven-
teenth centuries up to the date of the cata-
logue.
We have now a hiatus in the series of
catalogues, though several libraries were
probably disposed of during the year 1691,
as appear from advertisements of sales in
the London Gazette of that date. Our next
record is of a sale which took place on
March 15th, 1692. It is Part 4 of the
stock of Littlebury the bookseller. Of the
three former parts of this stock we have
unfortunately no record, but a fifth part of
the same stock was sold on November 29th
of the same year. The sales were held at
Tom's Coffee-House near Ludgate, and the
auctioneer was John Bullord, the bookseller.
The fourth part consisted of foreign books,
chiefly of the Greek and Latin writers; the
fifth of “a Miscellaneous Collection of Books
in diverse Languages and Sciences, whereof
many were lately brought over from Italy.”
“The Books," says the auctioneer, "were in
so good condition as does not often occur,
both in respect to the paper and the binding
of them.” The two parts have only 1140
Nos. between them, and have no special
interest attaching to them.
On Wednesday, November 9th, 1692, a sale
of books was held at Oxford “in Gratian
et commodum Celeberrimæ Academic Oxoni-
ensis," at "the Auction-House” near the
Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The
In the Seventeenth Century.
181
books are described on the title as “ Libri in
Omne facultate insignium.” The sale was
held from 1 o'clock until 5 in the afternoon,
and the auctioneer was probably John Howell
the Oxford bookseller. The catalogue con-
tained 2482 lots, and an appendix to it was
sold at the same place on the 28th of the
same month, which comprised 116 lots only.
It was probably a bookseller's speculation,
as no name of ownership is indicated. In
the catalogue a Latin Bible of 1497 is de-
scribed as being printed "in litera primitiva,”
and it contained " A Choice MS. of the See
of Worcester from its foundation to 1486."
On April 18th, 1692, Nathaniel Rolls
began the sale of a “ Bibliotheca Ornatissima ;
or a Catalogue of excellent books as well
Greek, Latin, etc., as English in all faculties,
as also of divers extraordinary and Choice
Manuscripts." Rolls' Preface to this Cata-
logue (which has no name of ownership), is
deprecatory. He adopts the negative style
in praising this collection, which was usual
to the auctioneers of the period when
the venture was a trade one, such as this.
“ Although,” he says, “it has been customary
to usher in undertakings of this nature with
insignificant and tedious Communications
which served only to tire the reader's Patience
and stagger his belief, and may perhaps be
expected now upon a Collection which may
justly challenge the precedency of what has
lately been presented to the World, yet being
182
Book Auctions in England
resolved to proceed in quite contrary methods
to what has been formerly used, and to man-
age the whole with that Candour and Sin-
cerity as shall leave no room for exception.
I shall not make use of that advantage which
this Collection would afford me, only desire
the ingenious and learned to be their own
judges, not doubting that upon an impartial
view they will find curiosities sufficient notonly
to invite them but to exert a generosity that
may further encourage your Humble Servant
N. Rolls.” The catalogue contains 68 pages
of books, comprising 3062 Nos., and 4 pages
of MSS. of an ordinary character. The sale
was held" at Wills' (late Rolls'), Coffee House
over against the North Door of St. Paul's in
St. Paul's Churchyard.”
A curious anonymous catalogue was issued
in 1692. It has no title, consisted of 4 leaves
only, with a heading on the first page “A
Catalogue of Books in English, Latin, Greek,
etc., in all volumes which will be Sold "
(Here is left a blank space for place of sale
and date), “where attendance will be given
for about 10 days. There will be also sold
other Valuable Books not herein mentioned."
It is an alphabetical catalogue of authors
printed in double columns, and contains about
300 lots not numbered. It was probably a
bookseller's private venture.
On May 5th, 1696, John Howell, the
Oxford bookseller, held a sale in the Univer-
sity city of a collection of books which included
In the Seventeenth Century.
183
the library of the Rev. George Ashwell, for-
merly fellow of Wadham College, “whose
desire it was," says the auctioneer, that it
might meet with this method of Sale.” The
sale was held at the “ Auction House” in
Ship Lane by St. Michael's Church, from one
in the afternoon until five. The catalogue
contained 2917 lots of ordinary modern books
of the period, including a Purchas's Pilgrims
on large paper and some books of drollery.
On February 18th, 1698, was sold in Lon-
don “the Mathematical and Physical parts
of the famous Library of Sir Charles Scarburgh,
Kt., M.D., consisting of a Compleat Collec-
tion of Mathematical Books in all Languages,
all curiously bound." Christopher Bateman
was the auctioneer, and the sale was held at
his warehouse at the Bible and Crown in
Middle Row, Holborn. The catalogue con-
tained 1097 lots, and included also some old
Law Books, and a few works of the Early
English Reforniers.
On Wednesday, March ist, 1698-9, John
Bullord began the sale of the “Bibliotheca
Andertoniana” in the city of Oxford, It was
held at Bannister's House near Northgate.
The catalogue contained 1322 lots, chiefly
Theological and Miscellaneous, English and
Foreign. On the title is the advertisement
of the sale of Oxlad's stock, mentioned
below.
On Wednesday, March 15th, 1698-9, we
are again introduced to an Oxford auction,
184
Book Auctions in England.
namely of the stock of Oxlad the Oxford
bookseller, advertised in Anderton's sale cata-
logue. It was held at Bannister's House
near Northgate, and the auctioneer was Benj.
Shirley, the London bookseller. The Cata-
logue contained Theology, Philology, History,
Geography and Miscellaneous English and
Foreign, and English Physick. It contained
2304 lots.
Again in Oxford in 1699-1700, on March
IIth, was sold the library of the Rev. Robert
Whitehall, Vice-Principal of New College.
The sale was held in Mrs. Weaver's Dancing
School, and the auctioneer was Benj. Shirley.
The catalogue has 40 pages and 1707 lots.
The contents are Theology and Miscellaneous
English and Foreign, of the ordinary kind.
We now come to the last catalogue which
has any connection with the period of which
we write. It is that of the library of the
Rev. Wm. Hopkins, prebendary of Worcester
Cathedral. The sale was held in Oxford at
the School of Dancing near Northgate. It
is of interest only as containing more speci-
mens of the presses of the Elzevirs and
Stephans than usual. The catalogue com-
prised 2047 lots. The auctioneer was John
Bullord, and the sale commenced on Feb-
ruary 10th, 1700-1.
ullu.
Q
CHAPTER IV.
DR. BERNARD'S LIBRARY, 1686.
R. BERNARD'S library deserves
separate treatment, both from its
extent and representative character,
and from the fact that in it we are
introduced to a considerable number of the
productions of Caxton and the other early
English printers, indicating the growth of
interest in the first productions of the
English press.
It was one of the most extensive and
perhaps the most interesting of the private
libraries sold by auction in the seventeenth
century. Dr. Francis Bernard was Fellow
of the College of Physicians, and Physician
to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Strange to
say, no reference is made by Oldys in his
Notes on Libraries, edited by Mr. Thoms,
to this remarkable man and indefatigable
collector, though his library was equal
both in quantity and quality to Richard
Smith's, whose library was sold in 1682.
Bernard's library has, however, formed matter
for eulogy by Dr. Dibdin, and some notice
185
186
Book Auctions in England
of it will be found in Clarke's Repertorium,
as well as in Richard Gough's meagre list
of seventeenth-century book-auctions.
The preface to the original catalogue gives
interesting details of Dr. Bernard, and also
throws a side-light on the characteristics of
an enthusiastic book-collector of the period.
We transcribe this extremely valuable preface
in full.
"The Character of the Person whose
Collection this was is so well known that
there is no occasion to say much of him,
nor to any man of Judgment that inspects
the Catalogue of the Collection itself.
Something, however, it becomes me to say
of both, and this I think may with truth
and modesty enough be said, that as few
men knew Books, and that part of learn-
ing which is called “Historia Literaria'
better than himself, for there never yet
appeared in England so choice and valuable
a Catalogue to be thus disposed of as this
before us, more especially of that sort of
Books, which are out of the Common Course,
which a man may make the business of his
life to collect, and at last not be able to
accomplish. A considerable part of them
being so little known even to many of the
learned buyers, that we have reason to
apprehend this misfortune to attend the Sale,
that there will not be competitors enough to
raise them up to their just and real value.
Certain it is this Library contains not a few
In the Seventeenth Century.
187
which never appeared in any auction here
before; nor indeed, as I have heard him say,
for aught he knew, and he knew as well as
any man living, in any printed Catalogue in
the world. I could wish, for the benefit of
the Sale, and for the instruction of those who
know them not, that I were myself able to
name them. But because there may, perhaps,
be some who are not well acquainted with
his character, and not much better with
books, may wonder to see so many here
that may seem scarcely worth preserving,
let them take this for an excuse, that in
all vast collections there will be always too
many of this kind; but let them beware that
they do not despise all those which they do
not know, and some too which they may
fancy they do; for let them know, that it
was very seldom he bought any book without
some particular reason. For if any man did,
he certainly knew what we call the secret
history of Learning so well, that if there were
but one single passage in an Author, for
which it was to be valued, it never escaped
him. So that if he had but taken the
trouble upon himself of setting down in
the vacant leaf of many of the Books the
reasons which he had to buy them, what
they contained that was remarkable or worth
knowing, and which was to be met with in
no other author (on which sort of learning
he was knowing to a miracle), it had become
not only a very great advantage to the Sale,
188
Book Auctions in England
but a singular piece of service to the future
possessors, and perhaps to learning in general ;
and this Omission, some of his particular
friends were complaining of to him but very
few days before his death, himself concurring
in the complaint, but lamenting too, that it
was now too late.
“We must confess that being a person who
collected his Books for use, and not for
ostentation or ornament, he seemed no more
solicitous about their dress than his own;
and therefore you'll find that a gilt Back or a
large Margin was very seldom any induce-
ment to him to buy. It was sufficient that
he had the Book. Though considering he
was so unhappy as to want Heirs capable of
making that use of them he had done, and
that therefore they were to be dispersed after
this manner, I have heard him condemn his
own negligence in that particular, observing
that the garniture of a Book was as apt to
recommend it to a great part of our modern
Collectors, (whose learning goes not beyond
the Edition, the Title page, and the printer's
Name) as the intrinsic Value could. But
that he himself was not a mere Nomenclator,
and versed only in title pages, but had made
that just and laudable use of his Books,
which would become all those that set up
for Collectors, I appeal to the Letterati of
his acquaintance who conversed most fre-
quently with him ; how full, how ready and
how exact he was in answering any Question
In the Seventeenth Century.
189
that was proposed to him relating to learned
men or their writings, making no Secret of
anything that he knew, or anything that
he had; being naturally one of the most
communicative men living both of his
Knowledge and of his Books. True it is,
that having formerly suffered not a little by
the easiness of his Temper, he grew towards
the declension of his days a little more
reserved and tenacious of the latter, especially
towards a Sort of Men, whose fidelity in
restoring, or officiousness in lending, he
thought he had reason to suspect. Certain
I am that if he had assumed that humour,
which was mistaken for moroseness, earlier,
we had not miss'd so many valuable Books,
whose names only now remain in the
Manuscript Catalogue; though it must at
the same time be acknowledged that he
had an infelicity of a worse nature, which
contributed not a little to the incompleatness
of the Catalogue as 'tis now presented. But
although there are not all the Books which
ought by right to have been here; yet this I
affirm, that there is not any Book added, of
which he was not possessed at the time
of his Death. As for the Books of his own
faculty, tho' it be not an entire Collection
(for who could, or rather, who would, have
one in Physick?) yet it may be said, that it
is infinitely the best and the largest that ever
yet appeared in these Islands; and from
hence the Gentlemen of his own Profession
190 Book Auctions in England
(I mean the learned part of them who are
still of opinion that Books and reading
may be of some use to them in the Art
of Healing) may be supplied with almost
everything necessary or useful in it. And
give me leave to say this of him upon my
own knowledge, that he never grudged his
money in procuring, nor his time and labour
in perusing, any Book which he thought
could be any ways instructive to him; and
having the felicity of a memory always
faithful, always officious, which never forsook
him, though attacked by frequent and severe
sickness, and by the worst of diseases, old
age, his desire of knowledge attended him
to the last, and he pursued his Studies with
equal vigour and application to the very
extremity of his life.
“It may here be expected that some
Apology should be made for the Errors and
Imperfections of the Catalogue, but the
reasons that occasioned them, not being to
be given without some violation of Good
Nature or Good Manners, we must only
in general beg the learned and judicious
Reader's excuse, and by way of Compensa-
tion, assure him, that all imaginable Care
shall be taken in the Sale, that nothing shall
be offered him unbecoming a Gentleman and
a Scholar."
Dr. Bernard was therefore, as we see from
this preface, possessed of all the characteristics
which attend the enthusiastic and learned
In the Seventeenth Century.
191
book-lover in all ages and nations under the
sun, combining a voracious appetite for col-
lecting, with an immense desire for increase
of knowledge. The picture of him, with his
extraordinary memory“always faithful, always
officious, which never forsook him," and in
his extreme old age still desiring and acquir-
ing knowledge, "pursuing his studies with
equal vigour and application to the very
extremity of life," would serve well for the
“grand old man” of our time, one of the
greatest of Englishmen, Mr. Gladstone.
The title of the catalogue describes the
library as being “a large collection of the
best Theological, Historical, Philological,
Medicinal and Mathematical Authors in
the Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French,
German, Dutch and English Tongues.” It
is a thick post octavo, the first issued in
this form, containing 450 pages, with an
average of 30 lots to each page, representing
the extraordinary number of 13,950 lots !!!
a library of some 50,000 volumes. This is
a remarkable testimony to the vigour of the
intellectual calibre of the sixteenth and seven-
teenth centuries, as well as to the spread of
varied learning, and the activity of the
presses of the period. Out of the 450 pages,
however, only 74 contain English books.
Foreign Theology occupies 31 pp., Foreign
Law 9 pp., Mathematics 26 pp., Medicine
125 pp., Philology, 151 pp., Italian, Spanish,
and French, 34 pp. Considering the extent
192
Book Auctions in England
of the catalogue, the small number of the
productions of the fifteenth-century presses
is remarkable. The writer's copy of this
very interesting catalogue is fortunately
priced by a contemporary hand, and we are
therefore able to give authentic information
as to the prices of second-hand books at that
time. We begin, then, with what few speci-
mens of the fifteenth-century presses appear
in the catalogue, excluding the Caxtons until
we come to the English portion.
Bracketed together appear first a Fasciculus
Temporum, 1488, and Lombardica Legenda
Aurea, 1486, which realised 25. 6d. Then
we come to the Repertorium Morale of
Berchorius, 1499, 25. ; Lactantius, Venet.
1493, 35. rod.; Acta Coristantiensis Concilii,
1499, 6d.; Biblia Sacra Vulgata, Venet.
1483, 25. 6d.; Interpretatio Hebraicorum
Nominum Biblia, Paris, 1473, 4d.; Decreta
cum Glossis, Venet. 1477, IS. 6d. ; Arrestuin
Parliamenti Tholosani in Casu Matrimoniali,
Paris, 1488, 4d.; Modus legendi Abbrevia-
turas in utroque Jure, 1493, and two others,
25. ; Arati Phenomena, Venet., Aldus, 1499,
and four others, 16s. 6d. ; Eschuydi Astro-
Logiæ summa Anglicana, 1489, 95. 6d.;
Hermetis Centiloquium, Venet. 1496, 55.;
Isidori Hisp. Liber Etyinologiarum, Venet.
1483, and Albohazen Haly de Judiciis Astro-
rum, ib., 1485, Is. 6d.; Jo. Regiomontani
Ephemerides Augusta, 1488, IS.; G. Bonati
Tractatus Astronomia, August. 1491 (no
In the Seventeenth Century.
193
bid); Abdelazii de Judiciis Astrorum, 1491,
Is. 8d. ; Abrahami Judæi de Nativitatibus,
Venet. 1485, and two others, 6d. ; Avicenna
de Partibus, 4 vols., Lugd. 1499, 8s. 6d.;
Chr. Barziziż Praxis Medicinæ, Max Papiæ,
1494 (no bid); Crescentius de Agricultura,
Lovan. 1473, IS. Iod.; G. Placentinus de
Saliceto, Venet. 1490, IS. 2d. ; Arculani
Practica, Venet. 1497, IS.; Petrus de la
Certata, Chirurgia, Venet. 1492, Is. 6d.;
Abumeron Avenzoar, Venet. 1480, and two
others, 145. 6d.; Alberti Magni de Animali-
bus, Venet. 1495, and Aristotelis de Natura
Animalium, ib. 1498, Is. 8d.; Almansoris
Liber, Ferrara, 1493, and Lumen Apothe-
cariorun, Venet. 1496, 25. 8d.; P. de Cres-
centiis, Opus Ruralium, Lovan. 1474, Is. 6d.;
Vincentii (Berchoriz), Opus Naturale, Colon.
1494, IS. ; Celsus, Venet. 1497, and Aulus
Gellius, ib., 1496, £i gs. 6d. ; Dioscorides,
Venet., Aldus, 1494 ; Nicander, Theriaca, ib.,
1499, and Procli Sphæra, ib., £i 75. 6d.;
Magnini Regimen Sanitatis, Lovan., 1482,
IS. ; Ant. Zeni de Natura Humana, Venet.
1498, 25. 2d.; B. de Gordonio, Lilium
Medicina, Venet. 1496, and Ægidius de
Cognoscendis Urinis, ib., 1494, IS. Id. ;
Thomaso Bovio Melampigo contra C. Geli,
Venet. 1485, 6d; Mundini Anatomia, Papill.
1478, 2s. 2d.; Vales de Tharanta, Practica,
Lugd. 1490, 7d.; Suidas, Lexicon Græcè,
Mediol. 1498, £i os. 6d.; Homeri Opera
a B. Nerlio, 2 vols., Florent. 1488, £I 125. ;
13
194 Book Auctions in England
Juvenal, Venet. 1494, and Seneca of the
same date, Is. ;. Guarinus Veronensis,
Vocabularius brevilogus, Basil. 1482, 15.; Alb.
de Eyb, Summa Oratorum, etc., Rom. 1475,
Ios. 6d.; Tortelli Cominentarium Grainina-
ticorum Opus, Vicent. 1479, 175. 6d. ; Maii
de Priscorum proprietate Verborum, 1490,
195. 6d.; Dionysii Novarienses Comment.
Linguæ Latina, 1488, £ 1 os. 6d. ; Macrobius.
Brixiæ, 1485, and Nonnus Marcellus, Venet.
1498, ki 25. 6d. ; Aristophanes, Venet.,
Aldus, 1498, 135.; Juvenal, Tibullus, Catullus
and Propertius, Venet. 1488, £ I IOS.; Bar-
tholomæus Anglicus De Proprietate Rerum,
August. 1491, 45. ; Another edition, Colon.
1481, 5s. ; Jacobi Magni Sophologium, Paris,
1475, Is. 6d.; Vincentiż (Berchorii) Speculum
Historiale, Colon. 1494, 35. 8d.; Politiani
Opera, Venet. Aldus, 1498, 175. ; Theodori
(Gaza) Introductivae Grammatices et de
Mensibus Apolloniż de Constructione, and
Herodiani de Numeris, Græcé, Venet. 1495,
£l os. 6d.; Brydenbach, Itinerarium Terræ
Sancta, first edition, Mogunt. 1486, 45.;
Boetius de Consolatione, 1498, 25. 7d.;
Diogenes Laertius, Venet. 1475, and two
others, 16s. ; Papinus Statius, Romæ, 1475,
and another, £r is.; Anselmi Opera, Norimb.
1491, and two others, Is. 6d.; Terentius,
Tarvisii, 1477, EI IIS. ; Josephus Latinè,
Venet. 1481, IS. 6d.; Justinus, Romæ,
1472, and another, Is. 10d. ; Cicero ad
Atticum, Romæ, 1470, 35. 3d. ; Chronicon
In the Seventeenth Century.
195
Nureinbergense, 1493, 75. ; Horatius, 1498,
IOS ; Alexander Grammaticus and Æsop,
Venet. 1482, 6s.; Dialogus Creaturarum
Moralizatus, Goudæ, 1480, 35. 6d. ; Calder-
inus in Juvenalem, Lugd. 1495, Is. 5d. ;
Æneas Sylvius Epistola, Lugd. 1497, Is. 6d. ;
Ciceronis Officiorum libri, Mogunt. 1466,
ti 135.; Æsopus Moralizatus, Davent.
1496; and three others, 3s. 6d. ; Sabellicus.
Orationes, Venet. 1490, IS. 2d.; Tractatus de
Lamiris et Pithonicis mulieribus, Const. 1489,
IS.; Dialogus Creaturaruin, Antw. 1491,
IS. ; Jo. Regiomontanus de Calendario, 1476,
IS. 6d.; Vita et Processus Sancti Th. Becket,
super Libertate Ecclesiastica, Paris, 1495,
45. 8d.; Alani Doctrinale, Davent. 1492,
and Nigri Ars Epistolandi, ib., 1493, 6d. ;
Loinbardica Historia, 1488, Is. 2d. ; Ficinus
de triplici Vita, 1488, Is. iod.; Le Romant
des Chevaliers de la Table Ronde, par Gaultier,
2 vols., Rouen, 1488, 175.; Plinio, Historia
Naturale, Venez. 1481, 55. 2d.; These are
all the books printed before 1500 occurring
in this catalogue.
But the chief interest connected with this
vast collection of books of course centres in
the number of Caxton's productions which
are contained in it. One or two stray
specimens of his press, which somehow
wandered into previous catalogues, have
already been noted, the largest number occur--
ring in Sir K. Digby's sale. But in this library
we are able to record no less than twenty-two.
196
Book Auctions in England
works of his, of which we here give the titles
and prices realised: (1) Bartholomæus
(Glanville) De Proprietate Reruin, in English,
1471, £ 1 25.; (2) Thensignements and Teach-
ings of the Knight of the Tower, 1483, 55. 4d.;
(3) Cathon, 1483, 35. ; (4) Jason and the
Golden Fleece, n.d., 35. 6d., (5) Recueil of the
Histories of Troy (W. de Worde), 1502, 35. ;
(6) Golden Legend (imperfect), n.d., 25. 2d.;
(7) Chronicle of England, n.d., 45. ; (8)
Doctrinal of Patience, 1489; and (9) Chastis-
ing of God's Children, n.d., the two together,
55. ; (10) Book of Chesse Moralized, n.d.,
Is. 6d. ;(11) History of Godfrey of Bulloigne,
1481, 45. ; (12) History of Troy, 1500, 35.;
(13) Sayings of the Philosophers, n.d., 55. 4d.;
(14) Hilton's Scale of Perfection, 1494, Is. 6d.;
(15) Chastising of God's Children, 1494,
IS. Jod. ; (16) Higden's Polychronicon, n.d.,
45. ; (17) Cicero of Old Age, n.d., 45. 2d.;
(18) The Golden Legend, n.d., 8s.; (19)
History of Troy, 1471, 35. ; (20) Malorie's
King Arthur, 1485, 25. 10d. ; (21) Lydgate's
Troy Book (imperfect), n.d., Is. 8d. ; (22)
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (imperfect),
1487, 45. 2d.
The number of books and pamphlets
relaiing 10- America, and relations of early
voyages in this catalogue is also very remark-
able, of which the following are worthy of
note :--Smith's History of New England,
Virginia, etc., 1624, 45. 2d; Hakluyt's Voyages,
2 vols., 1598, 195.; Laws of the Massachusetts

In the Seventeenth Century. 197
Colony, 1672, 135. 60.; Thomas Morton's
History of New England, 1615, 8d.; A De-
scription of New France, 1609, rod. ; Orders
and Constitutions for the Summer Islands
(“the still-vexed Bermoothes "), 1622, 15. 6d. ;
Wood's New England's Prospect, 1635, and
three others, 5s. 8d.; Pets' New England's
First Fruits, 1643 ; Sheppard's Clear Sun-
shine of the Gospel in New England, 1648;
Ward's Sun-rising of the Gospel in New Eng-
land, 1647 ; Winslow's Glorious Progress of
the Gospel in New England, 1649; Whit-
field's Light Appearing and Further Progress
in New England, 1651-2 ; History of New
England, 1654: Lechford's News from New
England, 1642; the nine rare works in one
lot, 55. 2d.; Cortez's Conquest of the West
Indies, 1596: and Lopez' Conquest of the
East Indies, 1582 : the two together, IS. IId.;
Hubbard's Present State of New England,
1677, 15.; Whitbourne's Discoverie of New-
foundland, 1623; Wood's New England's-
Prospect; F. de Quiros' Terra Australis,
1617; Schouten's Voyage, 1619; Smith's
Voyages and Discoveries in Virginia, 1624;
Proceedings of the English Colony in Virginia,
1606 to 1612; the six together, 45..20.; Piga-
fetta's Report on Congo, 1597, 6d.; Model of the
Government of East New Jersey, 1685, is. 8d.
Of English literature before 1600 the cata-
logue contains a fair sprinkling; but it is
evident, from the extremely small sums
realised for the various books, that they
198
Book Auctions in England
were regarded at that period more as curi-
osities than, as at present, gems of English
genius. We have already noted the low
prices obtained for Caxtons, and proceed now
to give prices of some of the most notable
productions of other English presses. These
prices exhibit a remarkable contrast between
the position our sixteenth-century writers held
in the literary world at that period and what
they do in the present century. “ Life of
Christ, in an old black-letter, Winken de
Word,” n.d., 75. rod. ; Holinshed's Chronicles,
1587, £1 ios. 6d. ; Gower's De Confessione
Amantis, 1554, 25. 64; Batman on Bartho-
lomew de Proprietatis, 1582, Is. 6d.; Bar-
clay's Ship of Fools, 1570, IS. 10d.; Grafton's
Chronicle, 1589, 6s. Iod.; Fabian's Chronicle,
1533, 45. rod.; General and Rare Memorials
pertaining to Navigation, 1577, 75. 4d.;
Apuleius' Golden Ass, 1566, 4d. ; Twyne's
Physick against Fortune, 1579, 8d.; Matt.
Sutcliffe's Laws of Arms, 1593, 4d.; Lavater,
Of Ghosts and Spirits Walking by Night,
1596, iod.; France's Lover's Logick, 1588,
4d.; Rich. Mulcaster On the English Tongue,
1582; Proclamation of the States General for
Spanish Goods to be Prize, 1599; Exhorta-
tion to Resist the King of Castile, 1598; John
Dee's Monas Hieroglyphica, 1568; Prince of
Orange's Apology against the King of Spain's
Edict, 1581; Richard of Bury's Philobiblon,
1599: the six works together, 25. Iod.;
Gentlemen's Academy in Hawking, Hunting,
In the Seventeenth Century. 199
and Arinory, 1595, IS.; Hardyng's Chronicle,
1545, 35. 6d. ; Lydgate's Book in Honour and
Praise of the Virgin Mary, 1531, Is. 70.;
King James, his Poetical Exercises at Vacant
Hours, Edin. 1591, 5d.; Second Book of
the Battles fought in our Age, 1587; and
Las Casas' Cruelties of the Spaniards in the
Indies, 1583, IS.; Art of English Poesie
(Puttenham's), 1589, Iod.; Clark's Tryal of
Bastardie, 1534, Is. 6d; Powell's History of
Wales, 1584, Is. 5d.; The Ship of Fools in
this World, printed by Wynkyn de Worde,
1517, IS. ; Hitchcock's New Yeares Gift for
England, 1580, 4d.; The Kalendar of the
New Legend of England, etc., 1517, 25. 11d.;
Tusser's Husbandry, 1590, 4d.; Rainold's
Overthrow of Stage Plays, 1599, 4d. ; Fro.
bisher's Voyages to Carthage, 1578, 25.;
Bishop Fisher on the Penitential Psalms,
Wynkyn de Worde, 1509, 4d.; King James
Essays of an Apprentice in the Divine Art of
Poetry, Edin., 1585, 4d.; Ascham's Toxo-
philus, 1589, and six others, 6d.; Robinson's
Order of the Round Table, 1583, 4d.; Blande's
Bait for Momus, 1589, 6d. ; Painter's Second
Tome of the Palace of Pleasure, 1567, 4d.;
Stubbes' Anatomie of Abuses, 1585, 8d.; Cox
On Magical Sciences, 1560; Letter concerning
a Maid within the City of Chester with a
Horrible Kind of Torture and Sickness, 1564;
Examination of J. Walsh concerning Witch-
craft and Sorcery, 1566; Disclosing of a late
counterfeited Possession by the Devil in two
200
Book Auctions in England
Maidens within the City of London, n.d.;
Dialogue of Witches in foretime, named Lot-
tellers, 1575; Terrible and Strange Wonder
that hapned in the Church of Bungay, 1577;
Detection of Three Witches, 1579 ; Apprehen-
sion of Certain Witches, 1582; Life and Death
of one Stubbe Peeter, a Sorcerer, 1590 ; and
Jo. Darrell's Apology proving the Possession
of W. Summers, 1599: the ten exceedingly
rare pieces together, 45, 6d.; Poems with
the Tragedy of Cleopatra, 1594; Venus and
Adonis (Shakespeare's), 1596; Diana (of
H. Constable), 1596 ; Cynthia, with Sonnets,
1595; Griffin's Fidessa, 1596; Diella, with
the Love of Don Diego and Ginevra, 1596;
The Poei of Poems, 1596; and The Tragedy
of Sir Rich. Greenvile, 1596: the eight works
in one lot, Is. 5d.; John Knox's Appellation
and Letter to the Regent, Geneva, 1588, 4d.;
Queen Margaret of Navarre's Godly Medita-
tion of the Christian Soul, 1548; Supplication
to King Henry VIII., 1544; Norton and
Sackville's Tragedy of Gorboduc, 1565; and
four others in one lot, 25. ; Henry VIIIth's
Necessary Doctrine, 1553; and three others,
35. ; Tye's Translation of the Acts, 1553, 6d.;
Shakespeare's Poems, 1640, 15.; and so on.
The great bulk of the foreign books, being
of a professional character, are not of suffi-
cient interest to modern book-lovers to
necessitate detailed mention; and we need
only say that the total sum realised for this
vast collection was in round numbers £ 5000
In the Seventeenth Century.
201
-a sum which upon Prof. Masson's com-
putation of the value of money at that period
would now represent the substantial amount
of £15,000. The highest sum realised for
one book in this sale was £so for a Bp.
Walton's Polyglot Bible, and the lowest-the
sum which most frequently oocurs in the
catalogue-4d., for several interesting items
which have already been referred to. As no
sum occurs below 4d., we may conclude that
that was the lowest at which a bidding might
be started, increasing by penny biddings up
to a pound, and sixpenny ones after that sum
had been reached.
The sale was held at Dr. Bernard's own
house in Little Britain, and began on Tues-
day, Oct. 4th, 1688. The auctioneer's name
is not given, but it was probably Benjamin
Walford the bookseller, whose name appears
in the imprint of the title, as one of those
from whom catalogues could be obtained, a
sum of 25. 6d. being charged for each. Below
the conditions of sale, however, it is stated
that "any gentlemen who cannot be present
at the sale may direct their commissions to
be left for Mr. Thomas Hargrave at Tom's
Coffee House near Ludgate, and they shall
be faithfully executed." This may mean
that Hargrave conducted the sale; but as
his name does not come into notice else-
where as an auctioneer of the period, it is
much more likely that a recognised auctioneer
like Walford should sell the library.
SOY
YE
CHAPTER V.
· JOHN DUNTON'S IRISH BOOK AUCTIONS.
OHN DUNTON ("Honest John"),
that erratic, restless, rambling genius,
Printer, Publisher, Bookseller, Auc-
tioneer and Author, always, though
with the most pacific and friendly intentions,
getting into hot water with his fellow-trades-
men, although not the first to introduce
book-auctions into Dublin, is the first of
whose auctions there we have any account.
He was a great sea traveller. He had, he
himself tells us, “crossed the sea half a
dozen times, visited America, and been four
months together on the ocean." In 1686 we
find him in Boston printing and publishing
sermons and pamphlets by Cotton and In-
crease Mather and others, in the imprint
of one of which he describes himself as
“ lately arrived from London.” We do not
know whether he held auctions of books
there, but we know that he did in Holland
and Belgium. Of his auction catalogues none
are known to the writer, but his Dublin
202
Book Auctions in England.
203
auctions brought him into quarrelsome con-
tact with another bookseller already residing
there, one Patrick Campbell. This quarrel
gave rise to an extraordinary production of
544 pp. 8vo, which he entitled “The
Dublin Scuffle, being a Challenge sent by
Tohn Dunton Citizen of London to Patrick
Campbell Bookseller in Dublin," 1699.
Most of the book is occupied by Dunton's
doings in Ireland, the visits he paid to
different acquaintances, his rambles in
country places, and a curious episode re-
garding a certain Dublin citizen's wife; but
we shall only notice those portions which
deal with his auctions. He arrived in Dublin
on April 8th, 1698, but did nothing in the
way of business until June 24th, on which
date he drew up and published " An Account
of the Three Auctions to be held in the
City of Dublin, in a letter to the Wise,
Learned and Studious Gentlemen in the
Kingdom of Ireland, but more especially to
those in the City of Dublin. Gentlemen,
though the Summer be a time for rambling,
and the Season of the Year invite all men
abroad, that love to see foreign Countries,
yet 'twas not this alone, but the good accept-
ance the way of Sale by Auction has met
with from all lovers of books, that encouraged
me to bring to this Kingdom of Ireland
a General Collection of the most valuable
pieces in Divinity, History, Philosophy,
Law, Physick, Mathematicks, Horsemanship,
204
Book Auctions in England
Merchandize, Limning, Military Discipline,
Heraldry, Musick, Fortification, Fireworks,
Husbandry, Gardening, Romances, Novels,
Poems, Plays, Bibles and School-Books, that
have been printed in England since the
dreadful Fire in London in 1666 to the
present Time.
“In this General Collection of Books
you'll find that many a good book has lain
asleep, as not being known, and when a
Book is not published, it cannot be nourished
by the favourable acceptance of the World,
I might instance in Mr. Turner's History
of the Remarkable Providences, which have
happened in this Age,' of which there is
near a thousand disposed of in London, and
scarce twenty of 'em sold in Ireland, though
by viewing the contents of this Work (which
are given gratis at Dick's Coffee-House in
Skinner Row) 'twill evidently appear there is
not a more useful book.
“Now Gentlemen, as Books are the best
furniture in a house, so I see no reasons
why others with myself should not think
their variety the most excusable prodigality;
and therefore as the good success Auctions
have met with, with my natural love of
travelling (as appears by my venture of this
nature to New England, Holland, and other
parts in the year 1686) put me upon this
Undertaking, so I hope you will give it
incouragement in some proportion to my
great expense in purchasing and bringing
In the Seventeenth Century. 205
over so large a Collection; and indeed,
Gentlemen, as this sale is designed for your
profit, as well as my own, so it seems of
right to challenge your protection, which
if it receives, I shall not value what some
little prejudiced people can do to discourage
it. . . . Gentlemen, having said thus much
of Auctions and the Collection of Books
I have brought into this Kingdom, I would
have no man displeased if he finds not all
he expected in my first catalogue, for if he
has patience his expectation will be fully
answered; but the great variety of Books
I have brought over have rendered it im-
possible to have them all bound time
enough for my first Sale. I have therefore
divided them into three Auctions, the first
of which will begin July 7, 1698. There
will be a distinct Catalogue for every Auction,
and when printed (of which publick notice
will be given) will be delivered gratis at
Dick's Coffee-House (the place of Sale)
and at the Coffee-Houses in Limerick, Cork,
Kilkenny, Clonmel, Wexford, Galway and
other places, so that those that live at a
distance may send their commissions to
their relations in Dublin, or to my friend
Mr. Richard Wilde, and they shall have
their orders faithfully executed, for as this
countrey is obliged to his universal knowledge
in Books for the goodness of the Collection,
so to his care and fidelity is committed the
charge of the whole undertaking."
206
Book Auctions in England
Dunton then goes on to assure his intend-
ing patrons of the honesty with which he
intends to conduct his sales, “thinking it
unjust to advance the Rate upon them by
any underhand Bidding."
But Dunton had hardly got fixed at Dick's
Coffee-house, and issued the above adver-
tisement of his auctions, when a quarrel
arose between him and a rival bookseller,
Patrick Campbell, who, apparently jealous
of the encouragement being given by the
literary men and the ministers of Dublin to
his enterprise, compelled him to remove to
other premises, by meanly offering double
rent to the proprietor of the room which
Dunton had engaged for his business. He
appears, however, to have held his first
(and perhaps his second) auction on Dick's
premises. Of the second auction Dunton
says little or nothing ; but on his removal to
Patt's Coffee-house he issued “An Account
of my Third Auction in Dublin, to be held
at Patt's Coffee-House, over against St.
Michael's Church in High St., on Monday,
November 7th, 1698, with my reasons for
removing thither.” In this advertisement he
sets out the causes for removal thus : “One
Patrick Campbell, designing himself to keep
an Auction of Books there, and thinking that
the Room where Gentlemen had found such
fair usage in my Auction would give a Repu-
tation to his, takes it over my head, pressing
Dick to the bargain by those moving Argu-
In the Seventeenth Century.
207
ments of a double price or going to another
place, and easie Dick, finding that 'twas the
law of Auctions, that he who bids most is
the buyer, lets him have it without being so
fair as to cry Ten Shillings once, ten shillings
twice, either to myself or Mr. Wilde, to whom
he promised the refusal.” “Ten shillings”
refers to the rent of the room, which was
double the sum paid by Dunton. In this
notice, we learn that this agent of Dunton's,
Richard Wilde, was the first to introduce
book auctions into the capital city of Ireland,
and was, says Dunton, “the means of bring-
ing Mr. Thornton's formerly, and mine now."
Dunton in this notice gives us the interesting
information that in this venture of his, he
had brought "near Ten Tun” of books to
Dublin, which he valued at £1500, “and
£200 more could I approve of Setters”
(i,e. men employed to enhance the biddings).
Dunton finishes this advertisement with an
expression of the hope that "the candid
treatment the gentlemen buyers have found
in my Two Auctions will invite them to visit
my third. . . . You will find that I have yet
divers good Books, as Doctor Barrow's Works,
Josephus' History in English, Rawleigh, the
best editions, Milton's Political Works, and
many others. You will also find I have
several excellent Law Books, such as the
Irish Statutes in folio, and the Year Books
of the best edition, etc. Also a collection
of Scarce Pamphlets on most subjects; and
208
Book Auctions in England
when my Catalogue of Manuscripts is pub-
lished (it containing great variety of Curious
Subjects never yet in print), I sha'n't doubt
the company of ingenuous persons, but this
being my last sale for the year 1698, and
my time of Imbarkation for London being
very soon, I can allow but two days after
the Auction is ended, for the taking away
what you buy in it.”
Dunton describes this sale as “such an
Auction of New Books as never was sold in
Ireland before," and finishes by pathetically
appealing to buyers to "pay up” promptly
for their purchases. Notwithstanding his
differences with his opponent Campbell, and
his removal to a rival coffee-house, Dunton's
third auction seems to have met with a con-
siderable amount of patronage. He declares
his auction at Patt's “was crowded with
generous buyers," and then announces that
he has “proceeded so far in the disposing
my whole venture as to come to what I call
(the word Auction being worn threadbare)
my farewell Sale."
He advertises this “farewell Sale” as fol-
lows:-“Though my three Auctions are now
ended I have yet variety of Books left, so I
design to try your generous biddings a fourth
time. The Sale shall begin the following
Monday at three in the Afternoon at Patt's
Coffee-House in High St., and shall end
December the first, neither will I exceed that,
resolving (God willing) to embark for London
In the Seventeenth Century. 209
December 5th. 'Tis true I have Books
enough to continue the Sale much longer,
but Native Countrey has Charms in it and I
am very desirous to be at home. And there-
fore December 5th I shall bid you all fare-
wel; for though when my fourth Sale is over,
I shall still have quantities left, yet all that
is then remaining I'll lump to the Booksellers
of Dublin (to whom you must give higher
rates, of which the Sale of the French Book
of Martyrs is a late instance), or if we can't
agree, the same ship that brought them
hither, will be able to carry them back. The
Conditions of this last Sale are that whatever
is bought till Thursday night be all paid
the following Fryday, and for what has
been bought in my three past Auctions, 'tis
expected they should be all fetcht away by
Saturday the 26 instant.” To this advertise-
ment Dunton thought fit to append an
“Attestation” as to his conduct of his Sales,
signed by Richard Wilde, Heneage Price,
George Larkin, and William Robinson.
It was to the following effect :-" That
being all of us present at Mr. John Dunton's
Three Auctions in Dublin, and having seen
the management thereof every day, we do
attest that as all was carried on and managed
with the greatest candour and sincerity imagin-
able by Mr. Dunton, so the generality of
those gentlemen that bought his books, have
acknowledged in our hearing, that they had
all the fair dealing they could desire; and
210
Book Auctions in England
we can more particularly affirm, that Mr.
Dunton's Demeanour during his whole
Auctions, has been such as has given content
to all the gentlemen there; for whereas in
other auctions it is common to have Setters
to raise the value of the books, in Mr. Dun-
ton's Auctions we are sure there were none
from the beginning to the end, Mr. Dunton
having absolutely declared against it as not
fair or honest."
Dunton's " positively last appearance" did
not come to an end with his "farewell Sale."
On December 12th, 1698, he issued a notice
of his intention to have yet one more (but
not in the "way of Auction”), which he called
“The Packing Penny.” He says : “Though
my three Auctions and farewell Sale are now
ended, yet I have quantities of Books left,
which (for a Packing Penny) I'll sell at very
reasonable rates (the Sale to begin Tuesday,
December 13th, in the morning and to end
the same evening). I shan't sell these re-
maining Books by way of Auction, but at
such easie rates as shall be agreed upon
between Mr. Wylde and the buyer." He
then breaks off into a denunciation of those
unjust people who, “considering I had no
Setter in any of my four Sales were yet so
unjust as to buy what they won't pay for,"
and what was worse, “maliciously and
ignorantly discouraged those worthy gentle-
men and clergymen that were disposed to
furnish themselves with good Books ” at his
In the Seventeenth Century.
211
auctions. This usage Dunton characterises
as “unbecoming anything of a Christian,
who by setting up as a banterer, contrary
to Christianity spoils his neighbour's fair
Market, making good what Solomon so long
ago observed. It is nought, it is nought
saith the buyer, but when he is gone he
boasteth."" He then proceeds to threats of
legal proceedings against his defamers, giving
notice to the world " that as I act upon the
fairest and justest bottom that can be in this
last Sale; so I am resolved to vindicate my
proceedings, and in order thereunto, if I
can have but good proof, that either without
doors, but more especially at my Sale, of
any persons, that shall take the liberty to
spoil my market, I am resolved to bring
Actions of Damage against those persons
that shall be guilty of such notorious actions."
Dunton's first auction in Ireland began
July 7th, 1698. We cannot say how many
days' sale he held in all his five auctions
between that date and his departure for
England at the end of December. He him-
self tells us, however, that during that period
he disposed of books to the value of £1500.
As to the books he sold, they consisted of
the current literature of the period—that is,
books printed since the Great Fire up to his
own time, including some printed by himself.
In the “Dublin Scuffle” he specifies many
of the books he sold, and they are representa-
tive of all the best writers of his time in all
212 Book Auctions in England
the branches of literature, including the plays
of Shakespeare, Jonson, Beaumont and
Fletcher, Dictionaries and Histories, Hus-
bandry Books and Theology, and as he justly
says, books of such a character that it
" could not be thought the gentlemen of
Ireland, who are owned to be very ingenious,
would give £1500 for a parcel of Trash
(as my venture was called by some selfish
people).”
Dunton's venture appears, on the whole,
to have commended itself to the reading
public of Ireland, and he cites various testi-
monies from eminent Irishmen of his time,
as to the beneficial effect of his sales. Thus
Col. Butler, M.P. (of Ireland), to whom
the “Dublin Scuffle" is dedicated, tells him
that he had been, by his undertakings in
book auctions a great benefactor to the
country," and a clergyman said that he
had “ done more service to Learning by his
Auctions than any one single man that had
come into Ireland these hundred years ” ;
and the Bishop of Clogher (Dr. Clayton)
testified to his “justice and fair dealing”in
his auctions. But there were members of
the bookselling fraternity of his day who,
apparently jealous of his success, called his
books “trash,” and the auctioneer “a grand
sharper." These he flagellates in several
pages of quaint indignation, and says of one
T. F. (Thomas Faulkner) that "Copy from
Heaven would be a foolish paper to him, if
In the Seventeenth Century.
213
he were not the Bookseller.” He says of
another fellow-tradesman that "he struts like
a Turkey-Cock at a red petticoat and is very
saucy to every Book that he don't print
himself.” But he is very satisfied with the
general verdict, and is desired “by some of
the best quality” to make an annual auction
of books in Ireland,
Dunton characteristically finishes his ac
count of his Irish auctions by “A farewell
to those that have bought what they won't
pay for.” “If you won't be just,” says he,
“I will persuade you to it, and to that
purpose I have agreed in the lump with an
honest Lawyer and Two Bailiffs, who will
fear nothing in the just execution of their
office . . . then pray be honest in a few
days, that even Lawyers and bailiffs may be
kind to ye. . . Neither do I serve the City
of Dublin as you have served me, for of
£400 odd I have expended in it I have
Receipts from all I have dealt with to a very
halfpenny.” To those who had patronised
his auctions (and paid for their purchases)
he declares that, “if in my next ramble I
meet with such men as you, men so refined
from all mixture of our grosser elements,
men so spiritualized before their time, I shall
ramble to Scotland to good purpose and
despise the Proverb of a Rolling Stone."
He concludes by giving “particular cha-
racters” of his patrons, who included the
Bishop of Clogher, the Rev. John Jones,
214
Book Auctions in England.
Tutor in the University, Dr. John Stern
of St. Nicholas, Dean Trench, Dean Sing,
Archdeacon Handcock, Dr. Bolton, Dean
Francis, Rev. Mr. Fisher, Chaplain to the
Earl of Meath, Col. Butler, and other
Members of the Irish House of Commons,
and numerous private gentlemen.
Chronological List
215

CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF BOOK AUCTIONS IN ENGLAND
IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY AS FAR AS KNOWN
TO THE AUTHOR.
DATE.
OWNER.
PLACE OF SALE.
AUCTIONEER.
1676, Oct. 31... | Lazarus Seaman, D.D.
1676-7. Feb. 6 | Rev. Thos. Kidner...
1677-8, Feb. 18 ) Rev. Wm. Greenhill ..
1678, Mar. 25 | Thos. Manton, S.T.D.
1678, May 13... Benj. Worsley, D.D....
Warwick Lane
... ...
Little Britain ...
Bread Street ...
King St., Covent Garden
Paternoster Row ... ...
W. Cooper.
W. Cooper.
Z. Bourne.
W, Cooper.
rJ. Dunmore and
R. Chiswell.
1
se
...
1678, Nov. II Jo. Godolphin, J.U.D.
Owen Phillips, A.M.
S. Bartholomew's Close... W. Cooper.
1678, Nov. 25 D. Gisbert Voetius ... Bartholomew's Close ... Moses Pitt.
1678, Dec. 2 ... 1 Brooke, Lord Warwick i
Rev. Gab. Sangar ... ]
Warwick Lane ...... Nath. Renew.
1678-9, Feb. 24 | Moses Pitt, Bookseller ... Petty Canons Hall M. Pitt.
1679, June 2 ... , Stephen Watkins, Dr.)
Thos. Shirley, Rich. Paternoster Row
W. Cooper.
| Chiswell, Bookseller
1679, Nov. 15 l Sir Edw. Bysshe ... ... | Ivy Lane ... ... ... ... | Jo. Dunmore.
216
Book Auctions in England.
DATE.
OWNER.
PLACE OF SALE.
AUCTIONEER.
1680, Mar, 29 Jon. Edwin, Bookseller... | Warwick Lane
E. Millington.
1680, April 19 Sir Kenelm Digby
Paternoster Row
Anonymous.
1680, Oct. 4 ...
Stephen Charnock, D.D. Cornhill ...
Anonynious.
1680, Oct. 8. | Thomas Watson, D.D. Cornhill.
| Anonymous.
1680, Nov. 22 Abel Roper, Bookseller Pope's Head Alley .... Anonymous.
1680, Nov. 29 | Dr. H. Stubb, Dr Dil)
lingham, Dr. Thos.
T. Parkhurst.
Vincent, Dr. Canton,
and John Dunton
1680-1, Feb. 14 Edward Palmer, Esq. Kirby St., Hatton Garden Anonymous.
1680-I, Feb. 21 | Dr. Thos. Jessop
Dr. Thos. Castell
Warwick Lane ...... E. Millington.
1680-1, Mar. 21 | Dr. Samuel Brooke ... ... Little Britain ... ... ... | W. Cooper.
1681, May 30... | Dr. Geo. Lawson, Dr. )
Geo. Fawler, Dr. Owen (
| E. Millington.
Stockdon, and
| Warwick Lane ...
Dr. ?
Thos. Brooks ... ... ]
1681, June 6 ... | Peter Cardonell ...
Little Britain
| W. Cooper.
1681, July 4 ... | Rev. Thos. Lloyd
Ivy Lane ...
J. Dunmore.
1681, Oct. 24... | Nathaniel Paget, M.D. Little Britain
W. Cooper.
1681, Nov. 7 ... Radulph Button, S.T.P.
Thankfull Owen, S.T.P. } Ivy Lane ...
E. Millington.
Rev. D. Wm. Hoel ...
1681, Dec. 5 ... | Henry Parker of Gray's Inn | Ivy Lane ...
... | E, Millington.
Chronological List.
217
1681, Dec. 5 ... [ Chr. Wilkinson .....
Th. Dring, Bookseller
1681, Dec. 12... Rev. Canon Wm. Out-
ram ...
| Warwick Lane ...... | Wm. Cooper.
Dr. Thomas Gataker
1681-2, Feb. 23 | Robert Croke, Esq. ... ...
1682, May 15...
Richard Smyth, Esq. ...
S. Bartholomew's Close... | R. Chiswell.
1682, June 19...
Walter Rea, Esq. ... ...
Little Britain ...... Wm Cooper.
1682, Nov. 30 John Parsons, Middle
Temple ... ... ... ..
Ave Maria Lane ...... E. Millington.
1682, Dec. 4 ... | John Humphry of Rowell, 1
| Co. Northants, and Exchange Alley, Cornhill Wm. Cooper.
others ...,
1682-3, Feb. 12 | John Arthur and others . Ave Maria Lane ...... | E. Millington.
1683, April 2 ... | Sam. Wilson, a Scot... ...
1683, April 23 | Rev. Dr. Whateley of
Banbury ......... | Pope's Head Alley ... ... | E. Millington
Simon Rutland, M.D. J
1683, April 30 | Brian Walton:
St. Paul's Churchyard ... Sam. Carr.
1683, June 21 Rev. Dan. Rogers of?
Haversham, Bucks
Exchange Alley ... ... | Cooper and Mil-
1683, July 22 ... | John Collins, Esq. of Gray's Flying Horse Court, gron.
Fleet St. ... ... ...) E. Mlllington.
1683, Nov. 16 | Rev. Chas." Adams of
Chelmsford, ... ... ... Black Boy, Chelmsford Anonymous.
fChester
218
Book Auctions in England.
AUCTIONEER.
E. Millington.
Justice Thos. Raymond,
etc. ... ... :
1683-4, Mar. 20 | Gaspar Gunter, M.D. Ave Mary Lane .. ... | E. Millington.
1683-4 Mar. 24 | Rev. Rich. Chase, T.B.
Ch. Bathurst, M.D. ... Little Britain ... ... ... W. Cooper.
Anonymous.
1684, May 26... | Dr. John Owen, Dean of
Christ Church, Oxon. ... Ave Mary Lane ... E, Millington.
1684, June 16... Fr. Kendon, Bookseller...
1684. Aug. 8 ... | John Gellibrand and Thos.
Simmons ... ... ... ...
Tunbridge Wells
E. Millington?
1684, Sept. 8 ... | Anonymous, Bibliotheca
Sturbitchiana ... ... ...
Stourbridge Fair
E. Millington.
1684, Nov. 3 ... | Sir John Moor, Master of
Ordnance ... ...
Ave Mary Lane ... ... | E. Millington.
Rev. Doct. Thomas Lye ! | Pope's Head Alley ... ... | Anonymous.
Benj. Broeckhuysen, M.D. } | Little Britain ... ... ... w. Cooper.
DATE.
OWNER.
PLACE OF SALE.
1683, Dec. 3 ... | Dr. John Lloyd of North
Minms, Herts...
Ave Mary Lane
Geo. Tonstall, M.D.
1684, May 2... Matth. Smallwood, Deaní | Gresham College,
of Lichfield ... ... ]
Bishopsgate ... ...
| Thos. Jennings ... ...
168.
and others ... ... ...s
Chronological List.
219
1684-5 Feb. 16 | Dr. John Warner, Bishop
of Rochester .....
Ave Mary Lane ...... E. Millington.
1685, April 28 | Dr. Rich. Lee of Kings
Hatfield, Herts, ...,
Hatfield ... ...
Anonymous.
1685. May 25 Rev. Doct. Ambrose Atfield Ave Mary Lane
E. Millington.
1685, Sept. 8 ... Anonymous, Bibliotheca
Stubrigiensis ...
Stourbridge Falr
E. Millington.
1685, Oct, 19... Thos. Parkhurst, Bookseller Pope's Head Alley ... Anonynious.
1685, Nov. 1o Bibliotheca Nobilis Angli... Pope's Head Alley ...
E. Millington.
1685, Nov. 18 Peter Husbar, City Merchant Boar's Head, Cornbill E. Millington.
1685, Nov. 26 Rich. Davis, Oxford Book-
seller (quire stock) Ave Mary Lane ...
1685, Nov. 30 Moses Pitt, Bookseller ... | Petty Canons Hall E. Millington.
1685, Dec. I ... Rev. Dr. Stokes, and others
Little Britain ... ...
Wm. Cooper.
1685, Dec. 1O... Moses Pitt's Bibles
... ...
Ave Mary Lane ... .. !
E. Millington.
1685-6, Feb. 8 Rich. Chiswell, Bookseller | Pope's Head Alley ... ... E. Millington.
1685-6, Feb. 18 Catalogue of Law Books ... Ave Mary Lane ... ... E. Millington.
1685-6, Feb. 25 Catalogue of Law Books | Lyon's Coffee House,
(1 sheet) ... ...
Doctor's Commons ... Anonymous.
1686, Mar. 29 Rev. Obadiah Sedgwick . | Trumpington, Camb.
1686, April 12 Dr. Christ. Terne, F.R.S. 1
Dr. Thos. Allen, F.S.S. | Ave Mary Lane ...... E. Millington.
Dr. Rob. TalborPyretiatrus
1686, April 19 | Richard Davis, Oxford il
Cooper and Mil-
| Bookseller (Part 1)
Oxford
jl oxiora
... ... ... lington.
220
Book Auctions in England.

.
DATE.
OWNER,
PLACE OF SALE.
AUCTIONEER.
1686, May 5 ... | Bibliotheca Anglicana,
( sheet) ... ... ...
1686, May 17...
...
Wm. Whitwood ...
Trumpington, Camb.
1686, May 19... Bibl. Baconiana, Fr. Bacon,
sheet) ... ... ...
1686, June 14... | John Bradford and Wm.
Cooper, Booksellers
1686, June 24...
Sir Richard Weston ......
1686, June 30... | Edmund Castell, D.D. ... Cambridge ... ... ... | E. Millington.
1686, July 13 ... Catologus Librorum Medi-
corum
1686, Aug. 30 Bibliotheca Medica (Anony-
mous)
Ave Mary Lane ...... | Anonymous.
1686, Oct. 4 ... 1 Richard Davis,
... Pri
Oxford
Bookseller (Part 2) ... Oxford .....
Cooper and Mil-
lington.
1686, Oct. 25... | Arthur, Earl of Anglesey St. Paul's Churchyard Thos. Philipps ?
1686-7, Feb. 14 | Anonymous, (Viri Cujus-
dam literati) ...
Little Britain ... ... ... W. Cooper.
1687, April 18 | Anonymous, -. (Bibliotheca
Selectissima) ...
St. Paul's Churchyard ... E. Millington.
1687, May 19...
1687. May 19... | Sir Wm. and Mr. Henry |
1 Coventry ... ... ... ... !
rket ....: | w. Cooper,
.
Chronological List.
221
field and Sussex ... ... Pope's Head Alley ... ... E. Millington.
1687, June 20... Sir Edw. Wray of Barling,
Co. Linc. ...
Little Britain ... ... ... | w. Cooper.
1687, July 12 ... | Anonymous, (Bibliotheca
| Latino-Anglica) ...... Ave Mary Lane ... E. Millington.
1687, Oct. 31... Rev. Doct. Thomas Jacomb St. Paul's Churchyard .... E. Millington.
1687, Nov. 21 | Wm. Cecil Lord Burghley 1
IT. Bentley, and
and others ...
11 B. Walford.
1687, Nov. 21 | Rev. Preb. Sill i
Dr. Cornelius Callow }
St. Paul's Churchyard ... E. Millington.
1687-8, Jan. 19 Books in Quires (to Book-
Montpelier ... ... St. Paul's Churchyard ... E. Millington.
1687-8, Feb. 13 | Robert Scott, Bookseller ... Ave Mary Lane ... B. Walford.
1687-8, Mar. 12 | Anonymous (Citizen of
London) .......... St. Paul's Churchyard .. E. Millington.
1687-8, Mar. 12 | Valuable “Books, (Anony-
Elsborough, Co. Bucks Paternoster Row ... ... Anonymous.
1688, April 24 | Anonymous (Latin, French
and English Books) ... / Ave Mary Lane ... ... | B. Walford.
1687, June 13... | Rev. Dr. Maynard of May-
Ave Mary Lane ......
sellers only). .... Little Britain ... ... ... W. Cooper ?
1687-8, Feb. I | Monsieur Massauve of
St. Paul's Churchyard ...
1687-8, Mar. 13 | Anonymous, (4 pp.) ....
mous) (4 pp.) .... ... ...
1688, April 2 ... Rev. Rob. Wallis of
222
Book Auctions in England.

PLACE OF SALE.
AUCTIONEER.
..
... |
1688, April 30 Anonymous, (English and
Latin Books) ...
1688, April 30 | Anonymous, (Latin, French,
and English) ...
1688, June 11... Dr. Wm. Gulston, Bp. of
Bookseller (Part 3) ...
1688, Sept. 17 | Anonymous (Valuable and
Scarce Books)...
1688, Oct. 30.... Maitland, Earl of Lauder-
dale ... ... ... ;
1688-9, Jan. 2 | Anonymous (English and
Latin Books).
1689, May 8 ... Anonymous (Bibliotheca
Selectissima) ... ... ...
1689, Aug. 5 ... Rev. Dr. Carter, Arch-
deacon of St. Albans...
1689, Aug. 21 Anonymous, (Catalogus
Librorum)
1689, Aug. 21 Anonymous, (Latin and
DATE.
OWNER.
Bristol ... ...
1688 June 25 ... | Richard Davis, Oxford
English Books) ...
1689, Sept. 9 ... | Anonymous, (English and
| Latin Bocks)
how
Paternoster Row
E. Millington.
Threadneedle Street Anonymous.
Ave Mary Lane ...... E. Millington
Oxford ... ... ... ... Wm. Cooper.
St. Paul's Churchyard ... Anonymous.
Ave Mary Lane ...... B. Walford.
St. Paul's Churchyard ... Anonymous.
Ave Mary Lane ...... John Bullord.
St. Albans ......... E. Millington,
Ave Mary Lane ......
St. Paul's Churchyard ... | Anonymous.
St. Paul's Churchyard ... 1 Anonymous.
Chronological List.
223
1689, Sept. 23 | Anonymous (Choice Books) | St. Edmondsbury Fair ... , E. Millington.
1689, Oct. 9 ... 1 Anonymous, . (Bibliotheca
Theologico-Miscellanea) Ave Mary Lane ....... G. Ravenshaw,
1689, Oct. (?) 21 | Anonymous, (Latin and
English Books) ... ...
1689, Oct. 28 ... Maitland, Earl of Lauder-
dale (Collectio Secunda) Ave Mary Lane ... B. Walford.
1689, Nov. 6 ... | Anonymous, (Books, and
Books of Prints) ... ... Pope's Head Alley ... Anonymous.
1689, Dec. 2 ... | Anonymous (Considerable
Books) ... .
Pope's Head Alley ... Anonymous.
1689, Dec. 16... | Mrs. Oliver of Norwich ...
Norwich ... ... ...
E. Millington.
1689-90, Feb. 3 Caspar Fagel and Steph.
Le Moyne
Ave Mary Lane ...... Jo. Bullord.
1690, Dec. 8 ... | Anonymous, (Bibliotheca
Generalis) ... ...
Ludgate Hill ...
...
Jo, Bullord.
1690-91, Feb. 2 Rev. Dr. Thos. Cudworth
St. Paul's Churchyard E. Millington.
1690-I, Feb. 9 Adiel Mill, Bookseller ... Ave Mary Lane
Benj. Walford.
1692, April 18 Anonymous (Bibliotheca
Ornatissima) ... ... ...
St. Paul's Churchyard ... Nat. Rolls.
1692, May 9 ... | Anonymous (Ancient and
Modern English Books) Abingdon ...
E. Millington.
1692, Mar. 15 | Littlebury, (Bibliotheca
Littleburiana, Part 4) ... Ludgate Hill ... Jo. Bullord.
1692, Nov. 9 ... | Anonymous, (Catalogus
Librorum)
... | John Howell.
Oxford
.
..
224
Book Auctions in England.

DATE.
OWNER.
PLACE OF SALE.
AUCTIONEER.
...
1692, Nov. 29 Littlebury, (Bibliotheca
Littleburiana, Part 5) ... Ludgate Hill ...
Jo. Bullord.
1693, Feb. 22... Elias Ashmole...
St. Paul's Churchyard ...
1696, May 5 ... | Rev. G. Ashwell
Oxford ... ... ... ... John Howell.
1697, Oct. 25... | Dr. Edward Bernard,
Savilian Professor ... Oxford
E. Millington.
1697, Nov. 28 | Dr. Michael Harding Oxford
...
E. Millington.
1698, June 29... | Geo. Levinz, M.D. ... ... Oxford
E. Millington.
1698, Oct. 4 ... | Francis Bernard, M.D. Little Britain
Anonymous.
1698-9, Feb. 18 Sir Charles Scarburgh Middle Row, Holborn G. Bateman.
1698-9, Mar. I | Anderton, (Bibliotheca
Andertoniana)
Oxford
Jo. Bullord.
1698-9, Mar. 15 | Francis Oxlad, Oxford
Bookseller ... ... Oxford
Benj. Shirley.
1699-1700 Mar.11| Rev. Rob. Whitehul....
Oxford
Benj. Shirley.
1700-1. Feb. Io | Rev. Prebendary Wm.
Hopkins ... ... ... ... ! Oxlord
... ! Jo. Bullord.
:
:
:
INDEX.
ABBOTT'S Defence of Will | Almansoris Liber, 1493, 193.
Perkins, g.
American Physician, 1672,
Abdelazii de Judiciis Astro-
119.
rum, 1491, 193
Americana, 16, 30, 60, 93,
Abingdon Sale, 111-13.
104, 136, 197.
Abrahami Judæi de Nativi. I Anglesey (Rt. Hon. A.,
tatibus, 1485, 193.
Earl of) Library, xxxvi-
Abumeron Avenzoar, 193.
vii, 154.
Acta Constantiensis Con- | Anselmi Opera, 1491, 194.
cilii, 1499, 192.
Antonini Arch. Florent.
Adam's (C.) Library, 145. Chronicorum Opus, 1586,
Addison (L.) Life of Ma 133.
homet, xix.
Apuleius' Golden Ass, 1566,
Ægidius de Cognoscendis 198.
Urinis, 1494, 193.
Arati Phenomena, 1499, 192.
Æneas Sylvius Epistolæ, Arculani Practica, 1497.
1497, 195.
Ariosto, Orlando Furioso
Æschylus Stanleii, 1664, 132.
Æsopus Moralizatus, 1496, - Two Tales, 29.
195.
Aristophanes, 1498, 194.
Alani Doctrinale, 1492, 195.
Aristotelis de Natura Ani-
Alberti Magni de Animali malium, 1498, 193.
bus, 1495, 193.
- Organon, 1523,55.
Albobazen Haly de Judiciis - Aldus, 1498, 17, 98.
Astrorum, 1485, 192.
Arrestum Parl. Tholosani
Aldus, xliii, 99, 100.
in Casu Matrimoniali,
Alexander Grammaticus 1488, 192.
and Æsop, 1482, 195. Arthur (Rev. John) Library,
Allen (T.) Library, 86.
57.
225
15
23.
226
Index.
Ascham's Schoolmaster, 1 Basille's (1.6. Th. Becon)
1570, 135.
Pathway unto Prayer, 27.
-- Toxophilus, 1545, 64, - Potation, 27.
135
Basson (Thomas), Auc-
-- 1589, 199.
tioneer, 1.
Ashmole's Order of the Bateman (Christopher),
Garter, 1672, 134.
Auctioneer, xxv, 183.
Ashwell (Rev. G.) Library, Batman (Bartholomew), de
183.
Proprietatis, 1582, 198.
Atfield (Dr. A.) Library, 76. Bathurst (C.) Library,
Atlas major sive Cosmo xli, 25.
graphia Blaveana, 1665, Battles, Second Book of,
132.
1587, 199.
Auctions:Time occupied in Bay Psalm Book, American,
selling, 18.
1640, 61.
Augustini Opera, 1556, 54 ; Beaumont's Poems, 1653,
1569, 131.
135.
- Opus Quæstionum, Beaumont and Fletcher,
1497, 125.
Works, 1647, 125, 134.
Aulus Gellius, 1496, 193. Becket, Vita et Processus
Avicenna de Partibus, 1499, S. Th., 1495, 132, 195.
193.
Bedæ Opera, 1612, 131.
Bentley (T.), Bookseller,
BACON (LORD), 14.
XXV, 159.
- Advancement of Learn Berchorius, Repertorium
ing, 6.
Morale, 1499, 192.'
Essays, xix.
Bernard (Dr. E.) Library,
Bale's Acts of English xxiv, XXXV, 113.
Votaries, 1550, 176.
Bernard (Dr. F.) Library,
Ball's Trial of the Church 185.
Way in New England, Berners (Dame Juliana)
1644, II.
Treatise of Hawking, etc.,
Barclay, Ship of Fools, W. 1496, 130.
de Worde, 1517, 199. Bible, Antwerp Polyglot,
1570, 198.
II9.
Baronii (Card.) Annales, -- Doway, 1633, 135.
131.
- Eliot's Indian, 1685, 5,
Bartholomæus De Prop. 60, 178.
Rerum, Caxton, 1471, 196.
First Hungarian, 1608,
1481, and 1491, 194.
119.
Barzizii Praxis Medicinæ, --- First Welsh Transla-
1494, 193.
tion, 1588, 119.
Index.
227
T
:1
Bible, Le Gay Polyglot, 119. , Breton (N.), 14.
- Taverner, 1535, 175.
Briggs (Phil.), 10.
- 1540, 173.
Britain's Bowre of Delights,
-“The Great,” 1541, 151. 30.
-Tyndale's, 1549, 109,151.
Britannia Nova, 1609, 14.
- printed by Field, 1661, Broeckhuysen (Dr. B.)
97.
Library, 27, 28.
Bibles, Sale of, 81-3.
Brooke, Lord Warwick,
Biblia Sacra Vulgata, 1483, Library, 124.
192.
Brooke (Dr. S.) Library,
- cum glossis N. de Lyra, 16.
1498, 131.
Brooks (T.) Library, 50-51.
- 1497, 181.
Brown's Elegy on Milling-
- Antwerp, 1534, 48.
ton, xxxi.
- Hebraica, Plantin, 54.
Brydenbach, Itiner. Terra
Bilson's Redemption of Sanctæ, 1486, 194.
Mankind, 1599, 55.
Bullord (John), Auctioneer,
Blande's Bait for Momus,
xxiii, 175, 177, 180, 183, 184.
1589, 199.
Bunyan's Works, 60.
Boccaccio, De Præclaris -Holy War, 151.
Mulieribus, 1487, 97.
_ Pilgrim's Progress,
Daretas and Dictus, 1680, 169.
Lydgate, 14.
Sighs from Hell, 1675,
- Fall of Princes, 14, 24, 141.
123.
Burnet's “Life of Hale,"
Boethii Scotorum Historia, xviii.
133.
Burton's Anatomy of
Boetius de Consolatione, Melancholy, 1621, 169.
1498, 194.
Bury's Philobiblon, 1599,
Bohemiarum Rerum 198.
Scriptores Freheri, 1602, Butler's Hudibras, 1663-4,
133.
135.
Bonati Tractatus Astrono Button (R.) Library, 53.
miæ, 1491, 192.
Bysshe (Sir E.) Library,
Bonner's Profitable and xxxvi, xlı, 128, 144.
Necessary Doctrine, 1540, Byzantinæ Historiæ
176.
Corpus, 1648, 10, 143.
Boorde (And.) Library, 15. Byzantine Historians, 1644,
Bouchet, Le Chevalier sans II9.
Reproche, 1527, 134.
Bourne (Zachary), Auction-1 CALDERINUS in Juvenalem,
eer, XXV, 116.
1495, 195.
228
Index.
Callon (Dr. C.) Library, 98. | Caxton, Chronicle,25,27,123.
Calloủe (Monsieur), Book Dives and Pauper, 1493,
seller, 179.
143.
Calvin, Works, 1671, 48, 143. - Legenda Aurea, 1484,
1617, 54.
97.
Camden, Annales, 1615-27, - Ovid, 166.
133.
- Virgil's Æneads, 1990,
- Britannia in French, 23.
1662, 132.
- Vitæ Patrum, 1495, 25.
Campbell (T.), Bookseller, Cecil (W., Lord Burghley)
203-206.
Library, xxxix, 159.
Capgrave's Nova Legenda
Celsus, 1497, 193.
Angliæ, 1515, 97.
Cervantes' Don Quixote,
Capley, Fig for Fortune, Ist Part, ist Edit., 178.
29.
- 2nd Part, ist Edit., 123.
Cardani Opera Omnia, 1663, - 1608, 134.
132.
Chace (Dr. R.) Library,
Carr (Samuel), Auctioneer, xli, 25.
xix, 144.
Charnock (Dr. S.) Library,
Carter (Dr. E.) Library, 105. XXXV, 137.
Cassandri Opera, 1616, 131. Chastising of God's Chil-
Castaneda, Discovery and dren, Caxton, 1494, 196.
Conquest of East India, Chaucer, 1597, 134.
1582, 13.
- Boetius de Consola-
Castell (Dr. E.) Library, tione, I4.
xxiv, XXXV, 88.
- Canterbury Tales,
Lexicon, 8, 119.
Caxton, 1487, 196.
Castell's Discourse on Chiswell (R.), Bookseller,
America, 1644, 125, 169.
XXV, Xxxviii, 15, 38, 118.
Castle (Dr.) Library, 49. Christ, Life of, W. de
Cato, Caxton, 1483, 196.
Worde, 198.
Catullus, 1604, 133.
Chronicle of England, Cax-
Cave's Primitive Christi ton, 196.
anity, 1673, 55.
Chronicum Chronicorum,
Cawton (Mr.) Library, I 1. 1493, 125, 132.
Caxtons, xli, xliii, 14, 17, Chronicon Nurembergense,
23, 25, 27, 97, 119, 123, 1493, 195.
143, 161, 166, 196.
Chrysostom, Works, 16, 49,
- Book of Chesse mora 106, 119.
lised, 196.
Cicero ad Atticum, 1470, 194,
- Cato's Book of Man - Officiorum libri, 1466.
ners, 1483, 17.
195.
Index.
229
Cicero, Old Age, Caxton, 196. 1 Cranmer's Answer to Bp.
Civil War Tracts, 145, 177.
Gardiner, 1551, 134.
Clark's Tryal of Bastardie, Crescentius de Agricultura,
1534, 199.
1473, 193
Clavell, Bookseller, xvii. - Opus Ruralium, 1474,
Coffee House Jests, 1677, 193.
135.
Crispin, xliii, 100.
Coke's Reports, 57.
Critici Sacri, 1660, 119, 131,
Colinaus, 100.
139.
Collins (John) Library, 61. Cudworth (Dr.) Library,
Columna, Hist. Trojana, 133. XXXV, ITO.
Congo, Report of the King Cynthia, with Sonnets,
dom of, 1597, 135.
1595, 200.
Constable, Diana, 1596, 200.
Cooper's Thesaurus Lin-
DAN (D.), Bookseller, 46.
guæ, 1573, 133.
Daniel's Poems, 1609, 140,
Cooper (William), Auctions,
Darrell's Apology, 1999, 200.
xvii, 2 et seq., 116, 117, 124,
Davenant's Works of
137, 139-43, 159.
Poetry, 1673, 134.
Cooper's Publications, xxiv, Davis (R.), Bookseller,
· xxvii.
xviii, xxiv, xxviii, xli, 22,
Cooth (John) Library, 76. 30-37, 152, 179.
Corneille's Cid, 1st ed., De Bry's Voyages, 25, 64,
123
102.
(Pet. Th.) Œuvres, Declaration of the State of
1664, 134.
Virginia, 1612, 14.
Corona Virtutum, 1613, 55.
Decreta cum glossis, 1477,
Corpus Juris Civilis, 1575, 192.
Dee's Monas Hieroglyphica,
Cortes, Conquest of the 1568, 198.
West Indies, 1596, 197. Defence of Peace, 1535, 176.
Cotton's Conference at Bos De l'Orme, Nouvelles In-
ton, 1646, 20.
ventions de bien Bastir,
Coventry (Sir W.) Library, 1578, 134.
xl, 41.
Determinations of the
Coventry (Hon. H.) Library, University of Italy and
158.
France, 176.
Coverdale's Confutation of Dialogus Creaturarum Mor-
Standish, 1540, 27.
alizatus, 1480, 195.
Old Faith, 1541, 27.
1491, 195.
Cox, Magical Sciences, 1560, | Diamond most precious, 29...
199.
Diella, 1596, 200.
133.
230
Index.
Digby (Sir K.) Library, | EADMERI Cant. Monach.
xxxvi, xxxix, 130.
Hist. Novorum, 1623, 133.
- on Bodies and Souls, Edward VI.'s Catechism,
1644, 134.
1552, 178.
Dillingham (Dr.) Library, - Injunctions, 26.
141.
- Prayer Books, 1549-52,
Diogenes Laertius, 1664, 6, 8, 20, 97, 175.
132.
- Year Books, 57.
Dionysii Novarienses Com Edwin (Jonathan), Book-
ment. Ling. Lat. 1488, 194. seller, xxxv.
Dioscorides, 1494, 193.
Edwyns (J.), Bookseller, 46.
Disclosing of a late counter Eikon Basilike, Authorship
feited Possession by the of, xxxi.
Devil, 199.
Eliot, Indian Bible, 1685,
Doctrinal of Patience, Cax-
5, 60, 178.
ton, 1489, 196.
Elizabeth, Prayer Book, 20.
Donation of Constantine to Elzevirs, xi, xii, 1, 130, 159,
Pope Sylvester, 178.
184.
Dousa (George), xvii.
Erasmus's Paraphrase, 1516,
Dousa (G. & J.), I.
142.
Drayton's Barons' Wars, Eschuydi Astrologia, 1489,
35.
192.
- Polyolbion, 143.
Esquemeling, Buccaneers
Du Cange's Glossarium, 57.
of America, 1684, 169.
Dugdale's Works, 23.
Etiennes, The, xliii.
- Baronage, 1675, 134.
Eusebius, Cambridge
_ Monasticon, 43, 48, 119,
Translation, 1683, 35.
133, 176.
Eustathius in Homerum
- Warwickshire, Ir.
Gr., 1542, 132.
Dullingham, Plain Perci Evelyn (John), xx, xxiii.
vall, 29.
Exhortation to Resist the
Dunmore (John), Auc King of Castile, 1598, 198.
tioneer, xix, 53, 56, 118, Eyb, Summa Oratorum,
128, 343
1475, 194.
Dunton (John), Auctioneer,
xv, xvii, xxiii, xxvi, xxix, FABIAN'S Chronicle, 1509,
Ali, 46, 141, 147, 202 ct 64; 1559, 135; 1589, 198.
seg.
Fabricius' Chronicle, 1542,
- Description of New 173.
York, 1670, 120.
Fagel, Library, 177. .
Dublin Scuffle, 203. Fasciculus Temporum, 1482,
Dutch Tutor, 1674, 56.
97, 157 ; 1488, 192.
Index.
231
Fawler (G) Library, 50,
51.
Ficinus de triplici Vita,
1488, 195.
Fisher's Confutation of
Luther, 1523, 26.
Fisier, Penitential Psalms,
W. de Worde, 1509, 199.
Fletcher's Purple Island,
16:3, 135
Flower of the command-
meats of God, W. de
Woide, 1521, 13.
Foxe's Martyrs, 1569, 58.
1671, 55.
--JOI, 48, 134.
- 1664, 35.
Frampton, Joyſull Newes,
1596. 135, 141.
France, Lover's Logick,
7588, 19
Francia, Nova, 1621, 11.
Fraunce's Imanuel, 29.
Froben, xlii.
Frobisher, Voyages to
Carthage, 1578, 64, 199.
Froissart, 1415, 60.
Fust, xliii.
GAGE's English American,
Gauden (Bishop), xxxi.
Gaultier, Table Ronde, 1488,
195.
Gaza, Introductivæ Gram-
matices, 1495, 5, 194.
Geddes, Jenny, Prayer
Book, 1637, 6.
General and Rare Me-
morials, 1577, 198.
Gentlemen's Academy, 1595,
199.
Gerard's Herbal, Johnson,
1636, 68, 125.
Gering, xliii.
Germanicorum Rerum
Scriptores M. Freheri,
1600-11, 132.
Godfrey of Bulloigne, Cax-
ton, 1481, 196.
Godly Primer, 1535, 26.
Godolphin (Dr. John)
Library, 12.
Godolphin (Lord Justice)
Library, xxxv.
Golden Fleece, 1626, 141.
Golden Legend, Caxton,
196.
Gordon, Lilium Medicina,
1496, 193.
Gorges, America painted to
the Life, 1659, 35.
Gower's Works, 1532, 151.
Confessio Amantis,
1554, 27, 198.
Grafton's Chronicle, 1589,
198.
Granville's De Proprietati-
bus Rerum, 1535, 8.
Greene's Euphues, 7587,
- Notable Discovery of
Coosenage, 1591, 6.
1648, 13.
- Survey of the West
Indies, 1648, 11, 125.
Gardiner, Stephen, Answer
to the Deviish Direction
of, 1547, 13.
Gardiner's (G.)Description
of America, 1051, 18.
Gardiner's Oration, 1536,
13.
Garner's Mysteries Un-
veiled, 1646, 55.
30.
232
Index.
Greenhill (Rev. W.) Library, | Hartlib’s Reformed Vir-
xxiii, 116.
ginian Silkworm, II.
Gregorii Magni Opera, 1533, Heart of New England, 20.
131.
Henry VIII.'s Articles,
Gregorii Nysseni Opera, 1533, 97.
1638, 131.
— Bible, 1541, 58.
Grenville, Tragedy of Sir . - Mass Book, 1543, 35.
R., 1596, 200.
- Necessary Doctrice,
Griffin's Fidessa, 1596, 200. 1553, 6, 8, 13, 173, 200.
Grotius, Opera, 1679, 48. - Primer, 1536, 35.
Grynæus, Novus orbis Hermann of Cologie's
Regionum, 1555, 119.
Christian Reformation,
Gryphius, xliii, 100.
1548, 27.
Guarinus Veronensis. Vo Hermetis Centiloquium,
cab. brevilogus, 1482, 194. 1496, 192.
Guberlethi Pathologia, 1615, Herodiani de Nuneris,
- 48.
1495, 194.
Guevara, Dial of Princes, Herrera, Indias Occiden-
1568, 140; 1582, 135.
tales, 1601, 134.
Guiana's Plantation, Publi Heywood (J.) Epigrams
cation of, 1632, 23.
upon Proverbs, 136.
Gulston (Dr. W., Bishop of -- (Thos.) Hierarchy of
Bristol) Library, XXXV, the Angels, 143
104.
Hieronymi Open Erasmi,
Gutenberg, xliii.
Gyraldi Opera, 1580, 132. Higden's Polychronicon,
125, 144, 175, :96.
HAKLUYT'S Discovery of Hilton's Scale oPerfection,
Florida, 1609, 119.
Caxton, 1494,27, 196.
— Voyages, 1594, 119; Histories of Troy (W. de
P598, 196; 1599, 125, 135, 140.
Worde), 1505, 196.
Hall's Chronicle, 1550, 176. Hitchcock's New Year's
Hall's Occasional Essays, Gift, 1580, 139.
1646, 139.
Holkot on the Sentences,
Harcourt's Voyage to 1497, 157.
Guiana, 1626, 23.
Holland's Herūologia, 5.
Harding (Rev. Dr. M.) Holinshed's Chronicle,
Library, 115.
1577, 135, 143.
Hardyng's Chronicle, 1545, - 1586, 55, 59.
13, 199.
- 1587, 43, 176, 198.
Hariot's Narration of Homeri Opera, Nerlio, 1488,
Virginia, 1590, 125.
193.
1516, 131.
Index.
233
53.
Homer, Chapman's, 125. | James I., Essays in Poetry,
Homilies, 1540, 176.
. 1585, 199.
Hooker's History of New _ Poetical Exercises,
England, 1552, 98.
1591, 199.
Hopkins (Rev. W.) Library, Jason and the Golden
184.
Fleece, Caxton, 196.
Horæ ad usum Romanum, Jennings (T.) Library, 146.
1520, 91.
Jobson's Golden Trade,
Horatius, 1498, 195.
1623, 23, 120.
Howel (Rev. W.) Library, John of Wittenhorst, 1.
Jonson's (Ben) Works, ist
Howell's German Dyet, complete ed., 93 ; 1616-40,
1653, 56.
135.
Howell (John), Auctioneer, - Execration against
181, 182.
Vulcan, 136.
Hubbard, Present State of - Sejanus, 1605, 18, 23.
New England, 25, 143, Josephus Latinè, 1481, 194.
197
Josselyn's New England's
Humphry (John) Library, Rarities, 1672, 20.
23.
Two Voyages, 1674, 252
Hushar (Peter) Library,
35.
XXXVI, 77.
Junii et Tremelii Scholia,
1515, 66.
Justinus, 1472, 194.
INDIANS' Conversion in
New England, 1653, 11.
Justini Martyris Opera,
Interpretationes Hebraico-
1636, 131.
Juvenal, 1494, 194.
rum Nominum Bibliæ,
Tibullus, Catullus and
1473, 192.
Isidori Hisp. Liber Etymol.,
Propertius, 1488, 194.
1483, 192.
Itinerarium Portugallen-
KALENDAR of the New
sium
Legend, 1517, 199.
in Indiam, 1508,
Keble's Statutes, 1681, 57.
91.
Kidner (Rev. T.) Library,
xxiii, 7.
JACOBI Magni Sopho Killigrew's Comedies, 1664,
logium, 1475, 194.
143.
Jacomb (Dr. T.) Library, Kircher's Concordance, 54.
XXXV, 94.
- Mundus Subterraneus,
Jacques V., Navigation de, 1670, 133.
1583, 134.
- Edipus Ægyptiacus,
James I., Dæmonologie, 15., 1652, 133.
234
Index.
Knight of the Tower, 1 Linschoten, Voyages to the
Thensignements, etc., of Indies, 135.
the, Caxton, 1483, 196. Littlebury, Bookseller, 180.
Knox's Appellation, 1588, Lloyd (John) Library, 63.
200.
Lloyd (Rev. N.) Library,
- on Predestination, 1560, 143.
13, 97.
Lock's Present Practice of
Musick Vindicated, 1673,
LABBE and Cossart, Coun 56.
cils, 16.
Lodge, Fig for Momus, 29.
Lactantius, 1493, 192.
Lombardica Historia, 1488,
La Fontaine, Cupidon et 195.
Psyche, 1669, 134.
Lombardica Legenda
Lambarde's Perambulation Aurea, 1486, 192.
of Kent, 1596, 11.
London Directory, 1677, 104.
Langii Polyanthea Nova, London Gazette, 1665-81,
1607, 54.
43.
Langland's Piers Plowman, Lopez, Conquest of the
1550, 135.
East Indies, 1582, 197.
Las Casas, Cruelties of the Lopez, Report on the King-
Spaniards, 1583, 199.
dom of Congo, 13.
Laud's Prayer Book, 1551, 8. Lucæ Brugensis Comment.
Lauderdale (Lord) Library, in IV. Evang., 1606, 132.
xxxvi.
Lucianus Bourdelotii, 1015,
Lavater, of Ghosts, 1596,
132.
198.
Lumen Apothecariorum,
Law Books, 62.
1496, 193.
Lawson (G.), Library, 50, Luttrell (Narcissus), xxi.
51.
Lydgate's Troy Book, Cax-
Lechford, News from New ton, 196.
England, 1642, 197.
Virgin Mary, 1531, 199.
Lee (Dr. R.), Library, 148. Lye (T.) Library, 146.
Legend of Charles, Card. of
Lorrain, 1577, 135.
MACAULAY (Lord), xvi.
Le Mayne (S.) Library, 177. Macrobius Brixiæ, 1485, 194.
Letter concerning a maid, Maii de Priscorum prop
1564, 199.
Verborum, 1490, 194.
Levinz (Dr. W.) Library, Maitland (Richard, Earl of
XXX, 115.
Lauderdale) Library,
Lindsay's Dialogue of Mon xxxix, 170.
archy, 29.
Malampigo contra Geli,
Lindsay's Poems, 1581, 135. 1 1485, 193.
Index.
235
29.
Malorie's King Arthur, 1485, 1 xxxvii, 22, 31, 35,4 6-57,
196.
123.
Manton (Dr.) Library, xxi, 1 Milton (J.), xxix, xxx, P.L.
xxxiv, 9-11.
Manual of Prayers, 1539, Milton's Paradise Lost, ist
ed., 1667, 11, 20, 43, 44, 102.
Manuscripts, 25, 136, 137,
1698, 14, 135.
157, 167, 173.
- Poems, 1645, 35.
- in Lord Burleigh's Miroir de la Rédemption,
Library, 162-3.
1483, 161.
Marbeck, Common Prayer Mirrour for Magistrates,
noted, 1550, 6, 64.
1587, 35; 1610, 141.
Marcus Aurelius, Gataker,
Model of the Governnient
1652, 55.
of East New Jersey, 1685,
Marguerite of Navarre, 197.
Godly Meditation, 200. Modus legendi Abbrevia-
- Heptameron, 1559, 126 ; turas, 1493, 192.
1560, 92 ; 1574, 134.
Molière, Plays, ist editions,
Mariana, Hist. General de 134.
España, 1650, 134.
Montaigne, Florio, 175.
Martin's Marriage of Moor (Sir Jonas) Library,
Priests, 1554, 18.
73.
Mary's (Queen) Primer, More (Sir T.) Works, 1557,
1555, 6.
125, 135.
Maunsell (Andrew), Book - Latin Works, 1566, 176.
seller, xvii.
Moresimi de Metallorum
Massauve (Monsieur) Causis, 1593, 48.
Library, xlii, 99.
Morland's Churches of
Maynard (Rev. Dr.) Library, Piedmont. 1658. 11.
92.
Morton's New England,
Mede (John) Works, 55. 1615, 197.
Melanthonis Opera Theo - New England's Memo-
logica, 1606, 132.
rials, 1669, 98.
Micæus, 100.
Mulcaster, English Tongue,
Middleton, History of 1582, 198.
Heaven, 29. .
Mundini Anatomiæ, 1478,
Mill (A.) Library, xli, 193
179.
Musculus, Works, 143.
Miller (William), Book-
seller, 147.
NAVIGATIONÆ primæ in
Millington (E.), Auctioneer, American Columbi, etc.,
xxi, xxiii, xxiv, xxvi-xxxi, 1 1616, 23.
236
Index.
Neumeister, xliii.
New England's First Fruits,
II.
History of, 1628-52, 35.
1654, 197.
Jonas, 1647, II.
- Plantation, 120.
- Prospect, 197.
- Relation of the Planta-
tion of, 1623, 169.
New France, Description of,
1609, 197.
New Southern Discovery,
1617, 119.
Newcastle (Duke of), Horse-
manship, 4.3.
— Méthode de dresser les
Chevaux, 1658, 134.
News from the North, 29.
Nicander, Theriaca, 1499,
193.
Nigri Ars Epistolandi, 1493,
195.
Nonnus Marcellus, 1498,194.
Norden, Vicissitudo
Rerum, 29.
North West Fox, 1635, 23,
135.
Northbrook's Treatise
against Idleness, 29.
Norton and Sackville's
Tragedy of Gorbuduc,
1565, 200.
Novus Orbis Regionum,
etc., 1532, 133; 1555, 5, 91.
Nuremburg Chronicle, 1493,
23, 29; 1497, 161.
| Oliver (Mr.) Library, 108.
Orange (Prince of),
Apology, 1581, 198.
Orders for the Summer
Island, 1622, 197.
Ordinary of Chrystians, 144.
Ordinary of Christian men,
W. de Worde, 1506, 176.
Ortus Sanitatis, 1491, 125.
Ovid's Metamorphoses,
Caxton, 1480, r66.
Owen (Dr. John) Library,
XXXV, 64.
Owen (T.) Library, 53.
Oxlad, Bookseller, 184.
PAGET (Dr. N.) Library, 19.
Painter's Palace of Plea-
sure, 1567, 199.
Palmer (E.) Library, 48.
Pannartz, xliii.
Papinus Statius, 1475, 194.
Papists' Lamentation, 1546,
13.
Parker (Henry) Library, 56.
Parkhurst (Thomas), Auc-
tioneer, XXV, xli, 142,
150.
Parkinson's Herball, 125.
Theatre of Planets,
1640, 135.
Parsons (John) Library, 57.
Parvus (Mich.), 100.
Pembroke's Yvychurch, 29.
Pepys (S.), xx, xxiii.
Petowe, Hero and Leander,
29.
Petit, xliii.
Petrarchæ Opera, 1581, 133-
Petri Martyris Opera, 143.
Petrus de la Certata, Chi
rurgia, 1492, 193.
OCKHAM, On the sentences,
1495, 157.
Oldenburgh, H., xxxvi.
Oldys (W.), xxxvi, xxxviii.
Index.
237
Procli Sphæra, 193.
Progress of the Gospel
among the Indians, etc.,
1660, 20.
Prynne's Histrio-Mastix,
3625, 8.
Purchas's Pilgrims, 1625-6,
13, 23, 25, 35, 64, 119, 125,
135, 183.
Puttenham, Art of English
Poesie, 1589, 199.
Pets' New England's First
Fruits, 1643, 197.
Phillips (Dr. Owen)
Library, 12, 13.
Philipps (T.), xxxi.
Philopatri Responsio, Eliz.,
** 1593, 133.
Pigafetta's Report on
Congo, 1597, 197.
Pilgrimage of Perfection,
1531, 135.
Pinto, Voyages, 1663, 135.
Piso, de Indiæ utriusque re
Naturali, 1658, 133.
Pitt (Moses),Bookseller, xii,
xix, xli, 120, 126, 179.
Placentinus de Saliceto,
1490, 193.
Plantin, xliii, 1oo.
- Biblia Hebraica, 54.
Pliny, Historia Naturale,
1481, 195.
Plot's Natural History of
Oxfordshire, 128.
Plutarch Gr. et Lat., 1624,
QUIROS' Terra Australis,
1617, 197.
132.
Poem of Poems, 1596, 200.
Poems with Cleopatra, 1594,
200.
Poli de Concilio, et Refor-
matio Angliæ, 1562, 132.
Politiani Opera, 1498, 194.
Pollard (A.W.), xvi.
Poor Knights' Palace, 30.
Pope, xliv.
Powell's Wales, 1584, 199.
Prayer, Common, “Jenny
Geddes," 1627, 143.
Processionale ad Usum
Ecclesiæ Sarisb., 1530, 132.
Proclamation of the States
General, 1599, 198.
RABELAIS' Cuvres, 1547, 43.
Ralegh, Newes of Sir
Walter, 119.
Life and Tryal, xix.
Discovery of Guiana, 16.
Ramusio, Navigations, 1563,
134.
Ranew (N.), Bookseller,
XXV, 124.
Rapheleng, 1.
Ravenshaw (Samuel), XXV.
Raymond (Justice), XXXV.
Raymond (T.) Library, 63.
Rea (Walter) Library, 20,
22, 23, 40.
Recchi Hist. Plantarum
Mexicanorum, 1651, 133.
Regimen Sanitatis, 1482,
193.
Regiomontanus de Calen-
dario, 1476, 195.
Ephemerides Augustæ,
1488, 192.
Reynolds' Overthrow of
Stage Plays, 1599, 6, 199.
Robinson's Round Table,
1583, 199.
238
Index.
60.
Rogers (Rev. D.) Library, | Scarburgh (Sir C.) Library,
183.
Rogers' Seven Treatises, Scarron's Novels, 35.
1610, 55.
Schoeffer, xliii.
Rolls (N.), Auctioneer, 181. Schouten’s Voyage, 1619,
Roman Missal, Moravus, 135, 197,
1486, 26.
Schrevelius' Greek and
Ronsard, Odes, 1573, 126. Latin Lexicon, 1668, 55.:
Roper (Abell), Bookseller, Scott(R.), Bookseller, xviii,
xli, 140.
38, 164, 179.
Royal Adventurers, 1667, Seaman's (Dr.) Library,
120.
xxiii, xxiv 6,7.
Ruffinus' Ecclesiastical His Seidelii de Morbis incura-
tory, 1479, 172.
bilibus, 48.
Rutgers (John) Library, Seneca, 1494, 194.
xvii.
Sweynheym, xxxvii.
Rutland (Dr. S.) Library, Shakespeare ist folio,
59.
xli, xliii, 43, 102.
-- end folio, 44, 119, 135,
SABELLICUS Orationes, 143, 175.
1490, 195.
- 3rd folio, 119.
Sale Catalogues, xy.
— 4th folio, 35, 73, 79, 93,
Salesbury's Introd. to the 104, 164.
British Tongue, 1567, 176. - quartos, 16.,.
Saligniaco, Itinerarii Terræ -'s Poems, 1640, 64, 200.
Sanctæ, 133.
- Rape of Lucrece, 136.
Salviani de Aquatilium - Venus and Adonis,
Animalium Historia, 1554, 1596, 200.
134.
Shepherd's Historical
Sangar (Dr. G.) Library, Narration, 1648, 11.
124.
Sheppard's Clcar Sunshine,
Sarotti's Catalogue, 39.
1648, 197.
Sarum Antiphonale, 142. Sherley (Dr. T.) Library, 15.
Breviary, 1556, 119. Shirley (B.) Auctioneer, 184.
of Paris, 1556, 39. Sidney's Shepbeard's Cal-
- Primer, 1558, 176.
endar, 1597, 135.
- Missals, 25, 26, 64. Sill (Rev. Dr. W.) Library,
Sayings of the Philosophers, 98.
Caxton, 196.
Simon's Critical Enquiries,
Scaliger, I.
70.
Scandiam, Orlando Inanio Simplicity's Defence, 1646,
rato, 29.
13.
Index.
239
Stuckii Antiquit. Conviva-
lium, 1597, 133.
Sturbitchiana Bibliotheca,
70.
Suarez, Opera, 48.
Suidas, Lexicon Græce,
1498, 192.
- Lex. Gr., Emilii Porti,
1619, 132.
Supplication to King Henry
VIII., 1544, 200.
Sutcliffe's Law of Arms,
1593, 198.
86.
Skelton's Orator · Regius, i
1512, 27.
Smallwood (Rev. Dr. M.)
8.
Talbor (Dr. R.) Library,
Taylor, T. (The Water Poet}
Works, 15, 23.
Tears of the Indians, 1656,
98.
Tears of Repentance, 1653,
Terentius Tarvisii, 1477,
194.
Terne (Dr. C.) Library, 86.
Terrible and Strange Won-
der in Bungay Church,
*1577, 200.
Testament, New, Erasmus',
1549, 173.
- in Basque, 1571, 178.
- Tyndale, 1538, 107.
Thuani Historia, 132.
Tomsoni Explanatio, 1583,
54.
Tonstall (G.) Library, 25.
Tooke (Benjamin), Book-
seller, XXV, 128; 130.
Tortelli Comment. Gram.
Opus, 1479, 194.
Touches, Les, et les Bigar-
Library, 146.
Smith's (G.) History of Vir-
gioia, 1624, 18, 39, 60, 192,
197 ; 1632, 140.
Smith's New England's
Trial, 1622, 13.
Smith (W.), Chloris, 30.
Smyth (R.) Library,
xxxvi, xxxvii.
Speculum Orient, 1619, 133.
Speeches and Passages of
the Great Parliament,
1640, 56.
Speed's Chronicle, 97. .
Spelmanni Concilia, 1639-64,
133.
_ Glossarium, 1664, 133.
Spiras, The, xliii.
Stephanus, 100
- Thesaurus 1572, 133,
143.
Sterline's Poems, 1637, 35.
Stockdan (O.) Library, 50,
51.
Stokes (Dr.) Library, 28.
Stourbridge Sales, 71-73.
Strabo's Geography by
Casaubon, 1620, 54.
Strada de Bell. Belgica,
1640, 132.
Straparole, Facétieuses
nuits, 1560, 126.
Strigelii Hypomnemata, 54.
Stubbe, Peter, Life and
Death of, 1590, 200.
Stubbes' Anatomie of
Abuses, 1585, 199.
Stubbs (Dr. H.) Library,
141.
rures, 1588-97, 134.
240
Index.
Tractatus de Lamiis, 1489, | WALFORD (Benj.), Auc-
195.
tioneer, XXV, 159, 168, 171,
Trade Sales, 78, 126.
178, 201.
Troy, History of, Caxton, Waller's Lyrick Poems,
1471 and 1500, 196.
1645, 18.
Tunstall (Dr. G.) Library, Wallis (R.) Library, 168.
sli.
Walsh, J., Examination of,
Turner's Herbal, 1568, -73. 1566, 199.
Turner's Remarkable Pro Walton (Brian) Library,
vidences, 204.
XXX, 144.
Tusser's Husbandry, 1490, his Polyglot Bible, 10,
199.
54, 119, 201.
Twyne, Physick against - Isaac, Compleat Angler,
Fortune, 1579, 198.
1655, 64; 1661-2, 135; 1668,
Tye's Translation of the 98, 141.
Acts, 1553, 200,
- "Life of Hooker,” xix.
Tyndale's Parable of the Ward's Sun-rising of the
Wicked Mammon, 1549, Gospel, 1647, 197.
30.
Warner (John, Bp. of
Testament of 1538, 107. Rochester) Library,
- Treatise of Christian XXXV, 75.
Obedience, 1549, 30.
Watkins (Rév. S.) Library,
15.
Watson (T.) Library, 139.
Webster's History of
Witchcraft, 80, 128.
Wells's Art of Shadows,
1638, 56.
Weston (Sir R.) Library,
xxx.
Whately (Rev. Dr.) Library,
59.
VALES de Tharanta, Prac-
tica, 1490, 193.
Vascosan, xli, 100.
Vega (G. de La), Hist. de
Peru, 1609-17, 134.
Vincent (T.) Library, 141.
Vincentius Bellovacensis.
- Speculum Naturale, 1494,
193.
— Speculum Historiale,
Whitbourne's Newfound-
1494, 194
Virgil by Ogilby, 1658, 132.
Virginia, Good Speed to,
1609, 13.
Virginia, Proceedings of the
English Colony in, 1606-
12, 197
Voet (Gisbert) Library, 121.
Vulcan, 1.
land, 1623, 197.
Whitehall (Rev. R.)
Library, xxv, 184.
Whitfield's Light appear-
ing, 1651-2, 197.
Whitlock (Sir B.) Library,
177.
Whittington's Grammar,
W. de Worde, 157.
Index.
241
Wilkinson (C.), Auctioneer, | Worsley (Dr. B.) Library,
146, 150, 153.
xvii, 117.
Williams' Indian Grammar, Wray (Edward) Library,
1643, 104.
43.
Winchester's Answer to Wynkyn de Worde's Dives
George Joye, 1996, 176. and Pauper, 1496, 151.
Winslow's Glorious Pro-
Flower of the Com-
gress, 1649, 197.
mandments, 1510, 161.
Witches, Apprehension of Ordinale, 1508, 39.
Certain, 1579, 200.
Sarum Breviary, 1.509,
- Detection of Three, IS.
1582, 200.
- Dialogue of, 1575, 200. ZAMORENSIS Speculum
Wither's Abuses, 1613, II. Humanæ vitæ, 100.
Wood's New England's Zarlino, Istituzioni e Di-
Prospect, 1629, 169.
most. Harmoniche, 1573,
Wood's New England's 134.
Prospect, 1635, 197.
Zell (Ulric), xliii.
Wood's Prospect of New Zeni de Natura Humana
England, 1639, II, 120
1498, 193
Elliot Stock, Paternoster Row, London.
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我也是一个从一章​:
PG",
:
TE
性​。
:
时
​主要是
​民事聲​!
表
​....
性 ​,
是
​一
​,
:::::.....
緣人的故
​、
世代行
​,
小林
​生
​:
年十
​,
A
,
是一家教
​*
*
其中​:
,
STERCES
一上車​,
”
S
天世
​其
​.
...
「
”
.
女上
​.
...
,,
44
ITTIris,
Frie的​,不是
​在
​:
:
:
--
NET
,
中学​。
在众多​,
(
Nia
中
​青青​:每年5
的
​,公主
​量
​F4了
​了
​;
我我我
​,
,,
,
,
he
13
,
生
​心
​其中​,
等我​,
于计
​再者​,
其实​,
“我
​学社
​中等
​會在一
​T
''
生
​