he sixtieth
anniversary of the opening of the present Public Library, which will take
place on March 16th, 1917. Norwich occupies a unique place in the
history of libraries: it has the distinction of having established in
1608 one of the earliest provincial public libraries, if not the first in
England, and it was the first municipality to adopt the Public Library
Act, 1850. It is hoped, therefore, that the following sketch, besides
giving local readers and archaeologists a detailed account of an
important Norwich institution, will form an interesting chapter in the
history of British Libraries.

The compilation has been made from the recently discovered Minute Book of
the old Public Library, covering the period 1656-1733, from annual
reports and other official records, and from notes accumulated since
1911. The work has been done under difficulties due to the abnormal
conditions caused by the Great War, and I am conscious that imperfections
have resulted; for these I crave the reader's indulgence.

I am grateful to the Dean of Norwich (the Very Rev. H. C. Beeching, D.D.,
D.Litt.) for his kind help in several matters, for many suggestions, and
for reading the galley proofs. To Mr. Walter Rye I am indebted for
reading the proofs, and for assistance. Thanks are also due to Mr. F.
Johnson, the Assistant City Archivist, for consulting the City Records
and providing me with some extracts; and to Mr. F. R. Beecheno, the
historian of the parish of St. Andrew's, for assistance and information.
My obligations to Dr. Montague Rhodes James, the Provost of King's
College, Cambridge, and Mr. A. W. Pollard, M.A., of the British Museum,
are acknowledged in the text. For any errors in the book I am solely
responsible.

_January_, 1917.
GEO. A. STEPHEN.

INTRODUCTION.

In mediaeval times the making, collecting, and preserving of books, as
well as the maintenance of learning, were almost exclusively confined to
monastic institutions, some of which lent books to laymen, and thus
became the public libraries of the surrounding district. As to the
literary life of Norwich in the fifteenth century, the late Dr. Jessopp
wrote: "Whatever may have been the case in other dioceses, it is certain
that the bishops of Norwich during the fifteenth century were resident in
their see, and that they were prominent perso