or a Book of Hours printed on vellum
by Julian Notary in 1503. Among the manuscripts the _Iliad_ sold for six
hundred and twenty pounds, the Wakefield Miracle-Plays for one hundred
and forty-seven pounds, and the _Pontificale Innocentii IV._ for one
hundred and twenty-seven pounds, one shilling. The drawings, prints,
etc., belonging to Towneley were sold by King of 38 King Street, Covent
Garden, in May 1816 for fourteen hundred and fourteen pounds, five
shillings and sixpence; and his magnificent collection of Hollar's works
was disposed of by the same auctioneer for two thousand one hundred and
eight pounds, eleven shillings and sixpence in May 1818. John Towneley
was not the only collector of his family. Charles Towneley, his nephew,
formed a celebrated collection of marbles, coins, gems, and drawings,
now in the British Museum; and Christopher Towneley, who was born in
1604 and died in 1674, was the collector of many of the old manuscripts
disposed of in the second sale of the Towneley library which occurred in
1883 after the death of Colonel John Towneley, when in default of a male
heir the estates devolved on his daughters and those of his elder
brother, Colonel Charles Towneley.

The second sale of the Towneley library took place in June 1883. The
printed books were sold on the 18th and seven following days, and the
manuscripts on the 27th and following day, by Sotheby, Wilkinson and
Hodge. There were two thousand eight hundred and fifteen lots of printed
books, which realised four thousand six hundred and sixteen pounds,
three shillings; and two hundred and fifty-one lots of manuscripts, for
which the sum of four thousand and fifty-four pounds, six shillings and
sixpence was obtained. Among the printed books the very rare _York
Manual_, printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1509; the _Pilgrymage of
Perfection_ of 1531, by the same printer, with the Towneley arms worked
in silver on the covers of the binding; and a large paper copy of
Nichols's _History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester_, in eight
volumes, were the most deserving of special notice. These sold
respectively for fifty-nine pounds, twenty-seven pounds, ten shillings,
and two hundred and thirty-five pounds. The two principal manuscripts in
the sale were a _Vita Christi_, beautifully illuminated by Giulio Clovio
for Alexander, Cardinal Farnese, for which Mr. Quaritch gave two
thousand and fifty pounds, and the collection of Wakefield Plays, which
was a