262 C. 30. Anno quinto Ann^e Reginse. A. D. 1706. Trnffees for ma- uaging the Li- brary. Cotton Houfe purchafed by the Queen for 4500I. Cotton HouTe and GardenSs&c. veiled in the Queen, her Heirs, &c. mofl ufeful Manufcripts, written Books, Papers, Parchments, Records, and other Memorials, in moft' Languages, of great Ufe and Service for the Knowledge and Prefervation of our Conflitution both in Church and State ; which Manufcripts and other Writings were procured, as well from Parts heyond the Seas, as from ieveral private Colleflors of fuch Antiquities within this Realm, and are generally efleemed the befl Collection of its Kind now any where extant ; and that the faid Library had been pre- ferved and very much augmented faid Sir John Co. that the faid Si _^ . . was content and" willing that the faid Manfion Houfe and Library fliould continue in his Family and Name, and not be fold or otherwife difpofed or imbeziilcd, and that the faid Library fliould be Itept and preferved by the Name of the Coitoman Library^ for publick Ufe and Advantage, it is enacted, That from and after the Death of the faid Sir 'John Cotton the Grandfather, the faid A^Ianfion Houfe, with the Gardens, and all other Appurtenances, and alfo all the faid Library or Colleclion of Manufcripts, writ- ten Books, Papers, Parchments, Records, and other Memorials mentioned and named in a Schedule then and now remaining in the faid Library-, together with all Coins, Medals, and other S.arities and Curiofities in the faid Library then and now contained, be fettled, limited, and veiled in the Truftees therein 'after named, to have, hold, and enjoy, to them and their SuccelTors -br ever, to the Ufes, Li- tents, and Purpofes therein mentioned (that is to fay) As for the faid Houfe, Gardens, and Appurte- nances, other than the Room where the faid Library then v/as, or then after might b-; lodged, and a convenient Way, Pafiage, and Refort to the fame, at the Will and Difcretion of the Heirs of the Fa- mily, and the Library therein after mentioned, to the only proper Ufe and Behoof of the faid now Sir ■ John Cotton the Grandfon and Heir of the late Sir John Cotton, and after his Deceafe, to the firft and every the Son and Sons of his Body to be begotten, and the Heirs Male of the Body of fuch Son or Sons iffuing fucceffively, with other Remainders as therein are particularly mentioned, P^emainder to the right Heirs of the faid Sir John Cotton (nbw living) Grandfon and Heir of the faid late Sir John Cotton, for ever; and as for and concerning the faid Library and Room wherein the fame then was, or fiiould be contained, together with a convenient Pafiage for reforting thereunto, upon this Truft and Confidencej that the faid Truftees and their Succeflbrs lliould and would, from Time to Tin-e, and at all T'imes tliereafter, as Occafion fhould require, infpedl, confult, and take care of the faid Library, and other Particulars above mentioned, and alfo make and appoint fuch Orders and Rules as they fhould think proper for the reading and ufing the fame, and for their better Prefervation ; and to the Intent or Pur- pofe that the faid Truftees, or the major Part of them, fhould nominate and appoint a good and fuffi- cicnt Perfon, well read in Antiquities and Records, to have the immediate Care and Cuilody of the faid Library. And it is thereby further enadted. That the faid Houfe, with the Appurtenances, and the Library, and other Particulars aforefaid, fhould never be fubjedl or liable to any judgments, Statutes, Recognizances, or any other Incumb ances, nor fliould ever be lold or aliened, forfeited, or forfeitable, upon any Account or Pretence whatfoever; and further that the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper for tlie Time being, the Honourable Robert Harlcy Efquire, then Speaker of t'le Houfe of Commons, the Honourable the Speaker of the Houfe of Commons for the Time being, the Lord Ci-.ief Juftire of the Kin^ Bench for the Time being, Sir Robert Catton oi Hatley St. George in the County o^ Ciimiri^ge Knight, Phillip Cotton of Connins;ton in the faid County Efquire, Robert Cotton oi Giddin in the County oi Huntington Efquire, and TViUia?ji Hanbury, of the Inner Temple London Efquire, fhall be the Truftees, to and for the Purpofes aforefaid ; and in cafe of the Deceafe of any of the aforefaid iaft recited four Perfons, the faid SW John Cotton the Grandfon, or other Heir Male of the faid Family, who ;hould be in Pofieffion, or intitled to the Poffeffion of the Manfion Houfe, by virtue of the Limitations therein recited, fhould nominate and appoint one or more tit Perfons to fucceed him or them, and fupply the Place of him or them fo dying. And whereas fince the making of the faid AiSl very little hath been done in purfuancc thereof, to make the faid Library ufeful to the Publick, except what has been lately done at her Majefty's Charge, and there is no Way or Paflage to it fet out as the A61 did direft, nor can there be any Pafiage to the fame but through the beft Rooms of the Houfe, which would render th.e Houfe wholly ufelefs to the Family, fo that the Library cannot be reforted unto; nor have any Orders or Rules been appointed for reading or ufing the fame, and thereby the Publick is wholly deprived of the Benefit and Advantage defigned by the Aft ; and the Place wherein the Library was then contained, was a narrov/ little Room, damp, and improper for preferving the Books and Papers; and the Condi- tion thereof having been humbly reprefented to the Queen's moft Excellent Majefty, her Majefty, to the Intent fo great a Treafure of Books and Manufcrips, fo generoufly given for the publick Service, might not remain any longer ufelefs, and in Danger of perifliing for want of due Care; and that it may be in her Majefty's Power to make this moft valuable CoUecStion ufeful to her own Subjedts, and to all learned Strangers, did give Diredtions for treating with the faid Sir John Cotton, for the Purchafe of the faid Cotton Houfe and Gardens, and an Agreement has been made for the purchafing the Inheritance thereof, for the Sum of four thoufand five hundred Pounds, which her Majefty hath dircfted to be paid oh the invefting the Inheritance of the Premifies in her Majefty, her Heirs and SuccefTors, which can- not be done but by Aft of Parliament, the faid recited A6t having direfted it may not be fold or alien- ed :' May it therefore pleafe your moft Excellent Majefty, at the humble Suit and Petition of the f ;id Sir John Cotton the Grandfon, that it may be enafted ; and be it enafted by the Qi^ieen's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament afiTembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That the faid Capital Mefi"uage, caWz'A Cotton Houfe, and the Gardens and Buildiirgs ufed and enjoyed with the fame, with their Appurtenances, fliall be
