the catalogue, gives the letters used to
mark the desks, and the number of manuscripts on each.

A 13 | AA 13 | AAA 15
B 21 | BB 16 | BBB 16
C 13 | CC 19 | CCC 17
D 18 | DD 18 | DDD 19
E 17 | EE 21 | EEE 17
F 20 | FF 17 | FFF 29
G 18 | GG 18 | GGG 24
H 16 | HH 17 | HHH 29
I 16 | II 23 | III 25
K 17 | KK 21 | KKK 29
L 22 | LL 21 | LLL 23
M 21 | MM 20 | MMM 26
N 18 | NN 20 | ----
O 14 | OO 13 | 269
P 19 | PP 23 |
Q 22 | QQ 27 |
R 14 | RR 26 |
S 14 | SS 28 |
T 21 | TT 24 |
----| ----|
334 | 385 |

These totals give a general total of 988 manuscripts, which, divided by
50, makes the average number for each desk, as stated above, 19.76.

Further, my theory is supported by the positive evidence of a description
of this library (unfortunately without date) quoted by M. Delisle: "Les
livres estoient couchez et enchaisnez, sur de longs pupitres, et une allee
entre deux[329]." It is obvious that the English system of placing each
lectern between a pair of windows could not have been maintained here.

At Queens' College, Cambridge, the catalogue, dated 1472, enumerates 192
volumes, divided over 10 desks and 4 half-desks, each called a step
(_gradus_). There were (avoiding fractions) 8 books on each half-desk, and
15 on each complete desk; so that by comparing the plan (fig. 50) and
elevation of a desk (fig. 51) with the views of the library at Zutphen, a
good idea of a college library in the fifteenth century can be obtained.

Before I leave the lectern-system, I will describe two eccentric specimens
of it. The first is still to be seen at Trinity Hall, Cambridge; the
second once existed at the University of Leyden.

[Illustration: Fig. 66. Elevation of a book-desk and seat in the Library
of Trinity Hall, Cambridge.]

[Illustration: Fig. 65. General view of the Library at Trinity Hall,
Cambridge.]

[Illustration: Fig. 68. A French Library of 1480.

From MS. 164 in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.]

The library of Trinity Hall is thoroughly medieval in plan, being a long
narrow room on the first floor of the north side of the second court, 65
feet long by 20 feet wide, with eight equidistant windows in each
side-wall, and a window of four lights in the western gable. It was built
about 1600, but the fittings are even later, having been added bet