, and the chaining of them in "the Library Chamber for the common
use of the Fellows."

The Register of Merton College, Oxford, contains many interesting entries
which shew that these directions respecting the choice and loan of books
were faithfully observed. I will translate a few of them[275]:

On the twenty-fourth day of October [1483] choice was
made of the books on philosophy by the Fellows studying
philosophy.

On the eleventh day of November [1483], in the Warden's
lodging, choice was made of the books on theology by the
Fellows studying theology[276].

On the eighteenth day of March [1497] choice of books on
logic was held in the Common Hall[277].

The next entry is particularly valuable, as it proves that all the books
on a given subject, no matter how numerous, were occasionally distributed:

On the twenty-sixth day of the same month [August, 1500]
choice was made of the books on philosophy. It was found
that there were in all 349 books, which were then
distributed among the Fellows studying philosophy[278].

In 1498 (14 December) the Warden wished to borrow a book from the
library, whereupon a record of the following formalities was drawn
up[279]:

On the same day a book of College Orders (on the second
leaf _ter posita_) was taken out of the library with the
consent of all the Fellows. And leave was given to the
Warden, in the presence of the four senior Fellows, to
make use of it for a season. As a caution for this book
the aforesaid Warden deposited a certain other book,
viz. S. Jerome's commentary on Matthew and the Epistles
of Paul (on the second leaf _sunt_). This book lay in
our possession as caution for the other book of College
Orders[280]; but, because this book was an insufficient
caution, there was deposited with it as a supplementary
caution another book, namely: Jerome on Isaiah,
Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.

The Warden kept the book for a year, at the expiration of which we find
the following entry[281]:

On the last day but one of the same month [1499] the
Warden returned to the Vice-Warden the book of College
Orders (on the second leaf _ter posita_) which he had
had out of the library for his own use for a season on
depositing a sufficient caution.

Whereupon the Vice-Warden returned to him his cautions,
namely, the commentary of S. Jerome on Matthew (sec