A. D, 1753. Anno vicefimo fexto Georgii II. C. 22, • 499 be contained, together with a convenient Paffage for rcforting thereunto, upon tliis Trufl: and Confidence, that the faid Trultees and their Succ<.iI"ors ihould from Time to Time, and at all Times thereafter, as Occafion fhould require, infpefl:, confult and take care of the faid Library, and other Particulars above- mentioned, and alfo make and appoint fuch Orders and Rules as they ihould think proper for the reading and ufmg the fame, and for their better Prefervation, and to the Intent and Purpofe that the faidTruftees or the major Part of th:m, fhould nominate and appoint a good and fufficient Perfon, well read in Anti- quities and Records, to have the immediate Care and Cullody of the laid Library: And whereas by an Aft made in the hfth Year of the Reign of Qiieen Ame, intituled. An Ail for tbd better feciimg her Ma- s Ann. c, 30., jefly's Purchnfe of Cotton Houfe /« Weflminfter; reciting the faid former Act made in the twelfth and thirteenth Year of the Reign of Klmg JFilliam the Third; and alfo reciting, that fmce the makin'"> of the faid A& very little had been done in purfuance thereof to make the faid Library ufeful to the Publick ' except what had been then lately done at her Majefty's Charge, and that there was no Way or PalTage to it fet out, as the faid Ac't did diredt, nor could there be any Way or Paflage to the fame, but througa the bell Rooms of the Ploufe, which would render the Houfe wholly ufelefs to the Family, fo that tiic Library could not be reforted unto; nor had any Orders or Rules been appointed for readino- or ufinp- the fame, and thereby the Publick was wholly deprived of the Benefit defigned by the faid A&; and thai the Place wherein the faid Library was then contained was a narrow little Room, damp and improper for preferving the Books and Papers; and that herMajefty, to the Intent fo great aTreafure of Books and Manufcripts, fo generoufly given for the publick Service, might not, remain any longer ufelefs, and in danger of perifhing for want of due Care, and that it might be in her Majefty's Power to make that molt valuable Colleftion ufeful to her own Subjeds, and all learned Foreigners, had given Direflioni for treating with the faid Sir Jo'fm Cotton for the Purchafe of the faid Cotton Houfe and Garden; and thac an Agreement had been made for the Purchafing the Inheritance thereof for the Sum of four thoufand and five hundred Pounds, which her Maj:fi:y had direfted to be paid on the invefting the Inheritance of the Premifles in her Majefty, her Heirs and Succeffors, which could not be done but by A£t of Parlia- ment, the faid recited A<St having directed it might not be fold or aliened; it was therefore enacted, That the faid Capital MefTuage called Cotton Houfe, and the Garden and Buildings ufed and enjoyed with the fame, with the Appurtenances, fhould be vefted in her Majefty, her Heirs and Succeflbrs : And it was thereby further enadled and declared. That a convenient Room fhould be built iij or near Part of the faid Ground thereby intended to be vefted in her Majefty, as her Majefty, her Heirs and Succeffors fhould, by Writing under the Sign Manual, appoint; in which Room, when built, all the faid Manu- fcripts, written Books, Papers, Parchments, Records and other Memorials, and alfo all Coins, Adedals, and other Rarities and Curiofities in the faid Library contained, fliould be lodged and there remain to all Pofterity; and that the faid Room, when built, fliould for ever be called and known by the Name of the Cottonian Library; and that from the Building thereof, the faid Library fliould be managed and diredted by the Truftees therein named, as Truftees to and for theUfe of the Publick for ever: And whereas although the publick Faith hath been thus engaged to provide for the better Reception and more conve- nient Ofe of the Cottonian Library, a proper R.epofitory for that Purpofe ha'th not yet been prepared; for the want of which the faid Library did, in the Year oi' our Lord one thoufand {c'<i hundred and thirty- one, fufter by a Fire, which confumed the Ploufe wherein the fame v/as then placed, and what remains of the faid Library ftill continues in the Room, to -which upon the Occafion of the faid Fire it was removed; and Perfons defirous to view and confult the Treafure of Books and Manufcripts therein con- tained, cannot conveniently refort thereunto: AnAv}e.x<i-is Arthur Edwards, late oi?)?i t George Hano-'SNin of Arthur ver Square in the County of Middlefex Efquire, being defirous to preferve for the publick Uf; the faid "-dwards, Eiij; Librar}^, and to prevent the like Accident for the future, did by his laft Will and Teftament, bearing Date the eleventh Day of 'June in the Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-eight, and duly proved in the Prerogative Court oi Canterbury, give, devife and bequeath unto the Truftees of the iaid Library the Sum of feven thoufand Pounds (if his Eftedls real and perfonal, not before difpofed of by that his Will and Teftament, fliould, after the Deceafe of Miftrefs Elizabeth Alj lies, amount to fo much) to ere£f in a proper Situation fuch a Houfe as might be nioft likely to preferve that Library a-; much as can be from all Accidents; but if it fliould ib happen that before this Part of his Will could take place there fhould be erefted fuch a proper Building for this Ufe, then he did give, devife and be- queath the aforefaid Sum of feven thoufand Pounds to the faid Truftees, to be employed in purchafing fuch Manufcripts, Books of Antiquities, ancient Coins, Medals and other Curiofities, as might be worthy to increafb and enlarge the faid Lilsrary; and did alfo thereby give to the laid Truftees of the faid Library, to be placed in fome By-room or Corner thereof, all his Books, and the Cafes in which they were then placed, and alfo his Pidlures in his faid laft Will aiid Teftament defcribed; which Books, Book Cafes and Pictures, he did delire and require might be delivered and given as foon after his Deceafe as might be, to be placed in the faid Library;■ and Vi'hich, with the Approbation of the faidTruftees, have been placed according to fuch Defire in the faid Library;* Be it ena.6ted by the Authority aforeiaid. That when and as foon as the faid Legacy of feven thoufand Pounds fliall on the Deceafe of the faid iiV/zaZ'!;//) The Legacy cf Milki become -payable to the Truftees of the Cottonian Library, the farne fliall be paid to the Truftees by7o°° ""the this Act appointed, for the Purpofes herein after mcniioned, or to fuch Perlon or Perfons as by the faid btt" MUief 'm' Truftees, or the major Part of them in any General Meeting afTeinbled, fliall be authorized to receive tire 1,^' ,„ii^j I'vths -fame, to be applied by the f.dd Truftees hereby appointed, either towards erecting or providing a proper Truftees ep- , Repofitory for the Cottonian Library; or if fuch Repofitory fliall be eredled or pivnided before the faid po'^tei bj tiiij Legacy fliall become payable as aforefiiid, towards purchafing fuch Manufcripts, Books of Antiquities, *-'-^-
- uicii;nt Coins, Mcd.ds, and other Curiolities, as may be worthy to increafc and enlarge the faid Library;
S f f 2 and
