Notices of Archaeological Publications.
That good work which the late Dr. Maitland ably performed in regard to the "early printed books in Lambeth Library," Mr. Kershaw has done carefully and well for "the illuminated MSS., and some of the illustrated books which have never been specially described," in that famous collection. Mr. Kershaw's volume, however, contains more than a description of these rarities. Eighteen pages of it are occupied by "Notes on the Library," and by an "introductory" chapter on "the significance of illuminated MS.S. in their relations to history, symbolism, and practical uses." Then follows a concise explanation of the terms Missal, Breviary, Gradual, Psalter, and Hours, and allusions to certain examples of these classes of Service books now existing at Lambeth. The "Notes" afford some interesting details respecting, e.g. the foundation of the Archiepiscopal Library by Archbishop Bancroft, in 1610; its augmentation by his successor, Abbot; its loss, by plunder, of the books and MSS. of Arch- bishop Laud,[1] in 1644; the removal, after that Primate's impeachment, of its remaining volumes to Cambridge at the suggestion of Selden; their reclamation by Archbishop Juxon, in 1660–63; and their rein- statement at Lambeth by Archbishop Sheldon, in 1678. The Library, we are informed by Mr. Kershaw, has been subsequently increased by the bequests of Archbishops Sheldon, Tenison, Seeker, Manners-Sutton, and Howley, and now comprises 1,300 volumes of MSS. (which are divided into seven sets or series, named after their respective donors) and, altogether, nearly 30,000 books which, in 1828, were deposited by Archbishop Howley in his Palatial Banqueting Hall, which was rebuilt by Archbishop Juxon soon after the Restoration. In addition to the above particulars, the "Notes" contain a graceful tribute to the ser-
- ↑ One of the mortal crimes alleged by Prynne against Laud, was the offence of having "twentie two small Popish Houres of our Lady, Breviaries, Manualls, Prayer bookes, standing altogether in a blinde corner of his study," and "severall loose pictures in tine vellum . . . . gloriously and curiosly guilded and set forth with most exquisite colours, some having one, others, two or three pictures apeece in them, of Christ and the Virgin Mary inseverall shapes and formes, with glories about their heads, and sometimes crosses on their backs, and the Holy Ghost in form of a dove; pretty babies for young children to play with, but most insufferable puppets, for an old childish superstitious Archbishop seriously to dote on, if not to reverence, adore, and kindle his private devotions by." Canterburie's Doome, fol. 1645, p. 66.
