Excerpt from Maggs Bros: Books, Prints Autographs

One of those who visited this empty room, touched deeply by the loss which had befallen the world of letters, was, we may well suppose, Thomas Bodley, an undergraduate of Magdalen who had matriculated in 1559. On leaving the University Bodley entered the diplomatic service, and in 1596 retired with a considerable reputation. On his retirement, which was largely due to the jealousy existing between Burleigh and the Earl of Essex, his thoughts returned to the despoiledlibrary. I concluded at he writes, to set up my stafi at the library-door in Oxon being thoroughly perswaded, that in my Solitude, and Sur cease from the common-wealth Affairs, I could not busy myself to better purpose, than by reducing that Place (which then in every Part lay ruined and wast) to the publick use of Students. In 1598 Sir Thomas Bodley wrote to the vice-chancel lor offering to refurnish and endow what had once been the University Library. The re-fitting occupied two years, the gathering together of books commenced in 1600, the first Librarian, Thomas James, was appointed in the next year, and the Library was formally opened in 1602. Gifts, both of books and money flowed in from all quarters, among the first benefactors being the Lords Buckhurst, Huns don, Montacute, Lisle, and Lumley. A kind of epidemic of book-giving set in, and those who had few or no books of their own to give, gave those of others. Thomas James laid toll on College libraries, principally New College, and became an honoured benefactor. Thomas Allen gave 20 mss. Of doubtful provenance, one having been stolen from New College only two years previously. The Dean and Chapter of Exeter gave, with questionable legality, forty-seven of their mss., many of them very precious, one being a Missal given to the Cathedral by Bishop Leofric in the reign of Edward the Confessor, the alienation of which still rankles inthe minds of the successors of the original donors. James I. Also expressed a wish to share in Bodley's good work, and promised him a choice of books from the Royal collections: he took great care, however, to allow it to remain a good intention, and found means to prevent its realization. The King gave, however, at a later date, two copies of his own works. The record of all these and Subsequent donations will be found entered in two large massively bound registers, which repose on the Librarian's table, and which are familiar to most Bodleian Visitors. Sir Thomas Bodley gave much thought to the compilation of his Register, and drafted a title for it himself, although as he informed Thomas James 1118 Latin was rusty for the want of using. Great care was taken to ensure its safe arrival from London, whence it was dispatched packed up in a coflin of boards, with paper thick about it, and hay between it and the boards.

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