College, Cambridge.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 14: Sloane MSS. 325, f. 2.]

[Footnote 15: _Autobiographical Notes_ by Sir T. Smith.]

WILLIAM CECIL, LORD BURGHLEY, 1520-1598

William Cecil, Lord Burghley, a relation of whose life would be the
history of England during the reign of Elizabeth, was born in 1520 and
died in 1598. This great statesman, who at the age of sixteen delivered
a lecture on the logic of the Schools, and at nineteen one on the Greek
language, found time amid the cares and anxieties attendant on his high
position to form a library, which Strype tells us was a very choice one.
The same authority also mentions that he gave many books to the
University of Cambridge, 'both Latin and Greek, concerning the canon and
civil law and physic.' In 1687 a considerable portion of his printed
books and manuscripts was sold by auction. The title-page of the sale
catalogue reads 'Bibliotheca Illustriss: sive Catalogus Variorum
Librorum in quavis Lingua et Facultate Insignium ornatissimae Bibliothecae
Viri Cujusdam Praenobilis ac Honoratissimi olim defuncti, Libris
rarissimis tam Typis excusis quam Manuscriptis refertissimae: Quorum
Auctio habebitur Londini, ad Insigne Ursi in Vico dicto Ave-Mary-Lane
prope Templum D. Pauli, Novemb. 21, 1687. Per T. Bentley and B. Walford,
Bibliopolas. Lond.'; and in the Preface we read:--'If the catalogue,
here presented, were only of Common Books, and such as were easie to be
had, it would not have been very necessary to have Prefac'd any thing to
the Reader: But since it appears in the World with two Circumstances,
which no Auction in England (perhaps) ever had before; nor is it
probable that the like should frequently happen again, it would seem an
Oversight, if we should neglect to advertise the Reader of them. The
first is, That it comprises the main part of the Library of that Famous
Secretary William Cecil, Lord Burleigh: which consider'd, must put it
out of doubt, that these Books are excellent in their several kinds and
well-chosen. The second is, That it contains a greater number of Rare
Manuscripts than ever yet were offer'd together in this way, many of
which are rendred the more valuable by being remark'd upon by the hand
of the said great Man. This Auction will begin on Monday the 21st day of
November next 1687, at the sign of the Bear in Ave-Mary-Lane, near the
West-end of St. Paul's Church, continuing day by day the first five days
of every Week, till all the