ral
Trunks, and by one or two in a week sent them to a trusty Friend in
Surry, who safely preserv'd them; and when the Army was Westward, and
fearing their Return that way, they were sent to London again; but the
Collector durst not keep them, but sent them into Essex, and so
according as they lay near Danger, still, by timely removing them, at a
great charge, secur'd them, but continu'd perfecting the Work.

'And for a further Security to them, there was a Bargain pretended to be
made with the University of Oxford and a Receipt of a Thousand Pounds
given and acknowledg'd to be in part for them, that if the Usurper had
found them out, the University should claim them, who had greater Power
to struggle for them than a private Man.

'All these Shifts have been made, and Difficulties encounter'd to keep
the Collection from being embezel'd and destroy'd; which with the great
Charges of collecting and binding them, cost the Undertaker so much that
he refused Four Thousand Pounds for them in his Life time, supposing
that Sum not sufficient to reimburse him.'

And in another account, at one time prefixed to the catalogue of the
collection, it is stated that 'not thinking them safe anywhere in
England, he at last took a resolution to send them into Holland for
their more safe preservation. But considering with himself what a
treasure it was, upon second thoughts, he durst not venture them at sea,
but resolved to place them in his warehouses in form of tables round
about the rooms covered over with canvas, continuing still without any
intermission his going on; nay, even then, when by the Usurper's power
and command he was taken out of his bed, and clapt up close prisoner at
Whitehall for seven weeks' space and above,[41] he still hoping and
looking for that day, which, thanks be to God, is now come, and there is
put a period to that unparallelled labour, charge and pains he had been
at.

'Oxford's Library Keeper[42] (that then was) was in hand with them,
about them a long time, and did hope the Publick Library might compass
them; but that could not be then effected, it rising to so great a sum
as had been expended on them for so long a time together.'

After Thomason's death a trust was appointed under his will to take
charge of the tracts, and one of the trustees, Dr. Thomas Barlow,
Bodley's librarian from 1652 to 1660, afterwards Bishop of Lincoln, had
them for a long time in his custody, as appears from a letter address