in the second the book.
The third section of the catalogue, ruled in double columns, has a
heading in Latin, to this effect: "Catalogue of the authors whose books
are to be found in the Library of Norwich, who either illustrated the
whole book of Sacred Scripture or any part of it with their most
illuminating annotations or commentaries. The column towards the left
indicates the authors who have written on the whole Book, the other
indicates those who have written on any part of it." Following the names
of the authors are the class and book numbers.

At the meeting on July 11th, 1659, "The library keep brought in a
Catalogue of the bookes & Benefactors names fairly written in a parchment
booke; For the wrighting wherof hee pd to the cleark 7s; For the repaymt
of wch monye it was aggreed every minister should pay viijd: wch monye
was paid by as many as were then present." This catalogue or "Donation
Book" is a folio volume measuring 14 3/4 by 9.5 inches, and is bound in
rough calf, with three small brass clasps. Later, in the Minute Book it
is generally referred to as the Vellum Book. In it are entered in
chronological order the names of the donors, the date of each gift, brief
author and title entries of the books, and frequently their date and
place of publication. The entries are all very clearly written, from the
date of the first donation in 1608, the year of inauguration, to 1737.
Facsimiles of the title-page, with the initials "J.S." in the lower
corners, and two typical pages face this page. The lettering of these
pages is characteristic of the period, and shows the decadence of the art
of manuscript writing.

[Picture: The Vellum Book. Title-page and two other pages of the
Donation Book begun in 1659]

In the "Extracts from the Court Books of the City of Norwich, 1666-1688,"
edited by Mr. Walter Rye, there is one on Jan. 15, 1669, stating that
"Mr. Thos. Morly, clerk, keeper of the Library of the City, brought in a
catalogue of all the books there," but there is no reference to this in
the Library Minute Book. On January 12th, 1673, however, the ministers
"did appoynt yt Mr Norgate should agt their next meeting bring in a
Catalogue of the Bookes to be dd to the Court and yt he shall see yt the
Bookes given to the Library in his time be fayrely written in the
Vellam-booke appoynted to yt purpose." It is evident, therefore, that
reports regarding the stock of books had to b