BOOK III. Chapter XX. Town Libraries of Scotland. the University of Glasgow. The earliest records in the Archives of the University of Glasgow which throw light on the foundation University and and growth of its Library date from the year 1475. John Laing, then Bishop of Glasgow, gave various philosophical treatises-"Pedagogio Glasguensi ad usum The Library of et utilitatem Regencium in ibi pro tempore existencium," as did also Duncan Bunch, Principal of the College. Eight years later occurs a similar but more extensive gift by Master John Brown, "formerly a Regent in the said College. The first direct entry of printed books occurs as late as 1577, when the College purchased the works of St. Augustine, of Cicero and of Aristotle, together with the "Bible of Govan and College," and "The hail Actes of Parliament." In the "Catalogus Librorum Communis Bibliotheca Collegii Glasguensis," begun in 1578, George Buchanan appears as the donor of a series of Greek authors, and James Boyd, Bishop of Glasgow, as the bequeather of an important collec tion of the works of Fathers, Schoolmen, and Reformers. To the list of books left to the College by Bishop Boyd is appended a note of certain other works similarly bequeathed, but "not received from the Executors." Peter Blackburn, "at his departing to Aberdeen," gave several books, together with "Ane new General Cart, stentit upon buirdes, sett out by Gerardus Jode of Antwerp." Archibald Crawford, Mark Jameson, John Cunyngham, David Dickson, John Blackburn, and John Lawson also occur as benefactors during subsequent years. In 1619, John Howieson, Minister of Camburlang, bequeathed his Library, consisting chiefly of Biblical Early benefactors. BOOK III. Chapter XX University and Town Libraries of Scotland. Subscriptions in 17th century for works and writings of the Reformers, cum librorum ab ... This project and the subscription which was set on a new Library. foot to carry it into effect appear to have enlisted a wide-spread sympathy, both throughout Scotland and at the English Court. The list of subscribers is entitled, BOOK III. Chapter XX. University and Town Libraries of Scotland. "An inventorie of the voluntar contributions of the soums of money gevin or promised to be gevin for the building of a Commoun Librarie, ... furnishing thairof with Books and utherways inlarging the fabrick of the said Colledge," &c. The Archbishop's gift is the first recorded. The names of a large proportion of the Scottish nobility and gentry appear for various sums, as do also those of several corporate towns. In 1633, “His Majestie's contribution was gratiously granted at Setoun"—that is, it was granted on paper-in these words:"Charles R. It is our gratious pleasure to grant for advancement of the Librarie and Fabrick of Carolinian prothe College of Glasgow the soume of Two hundred wellian performpounds sterling." But, although the Regents "humblie did beseek the Lordis of Exchequer to ... ordaine them to be payit of the said soum," and obtained both the ordinance they sought, and a subsequent precept from the Lords of Council at Edinburgh, the royal subscription remained unpaid. When the fact was stated to Cromwell he paid the two hundred pounds which had been promised by Charles twenty-one years before. What sort of answer such a representation would have received from the second Charles may be inferred from his conduct to Meares in the matter of the Thomason collection. The entry I have quoted from the subscription-book is now followed by the note, "This soume was payed by the Lord Protector Anno 1654," and also by another entry which records the payment, in 1656, "by the Trustees for Sequestrat Estates" of a thousand marks which had been subscribed by James, Marquess of Hamilton, in 1631. mise and Crom auce. BOOK III. Chapter XX. Town Libraries of Scotland. But the greatest benefactor to the new Glasgow University and Library was Zachary Boyd, who gave sums amounting in the aggregate to £20,000 of Scottish money, and also bequeathed to the College his own Library. This eminent liberality is gratefully acknowledged by an inscription on the front of the College building. In 1641, Thomas Hutcheson mortified a sum of 2000 marks that the interest of it might be bestowed on a “qualified young student, being ane Maister of Arts, who sal be receavit Bibliothecarius of the Universitie." Three years afterwards, a similar mortificaBenefaction of tion by Margaret Graham, otherwise Boyd, (a name of good omen to Glasgow University,) is recorded, the interest whereof "may be yearlie employed in buying so many as the rent may reach unto of the choysest bookes which the College had not before, and these being bought, that the said Margaret Grayham's name Margaret Boyd. be stamped upon the covering of every book." There were also to be written within the book these words: "Anno... emptus est hic liber pretio Bibliotheca Collegii Glasguensis," &c. ... et additus Rules were enacted "concerning the Bibliotheck," in December 1659, for the purpose of regulating the purchase, stamping, entry, and loan of books; and also the payments to be made yearly by every bursar towards the maintenance of the Library.1 Then ensues a list of donations, varied in character, and extending over a long series of years. Amongst them may be noticed two copies of Walton's Polyglott Bible; the one given They are printed at length in the Munimenta Universitatis Glasguensis, iii, 431-433 (Bannatyne Club, 1854). BOOK III. Chapter XX. Town Libraries of Scotland. (with many other valuable books) by Mr. John Snell, of Ufton, in Warwickshire, in grateful remembrance of University and his pupilage at Glasgow; and the other by Alexander, Earl of Eglinton. Queen Anne gave Rymer's Foedera, (as far as that work had then been published,) in 1710; a worthy bookseller at Boston, in Massachusetts, sent the missionary works of John Eliot, the "Apostle of the Indians;" and shortly afterwards, Dr. Increase Mather transmitted a series of his own books. There are also interesting records in the Quæstors' accounts of occasional purchases made at this period; as, for example, "For ane old parchment MS. being Clement of Langtoun's Harmony of the Evangelists, Englished by Wicliffe £66;" and "to Mr. Ruddiman, Under Library Keeper of the Advocats Library, for the writing [transcripts] of... Balfour's Annalls and his Vitæ Pont. St. Andreæ, £76." In 1712, and again in 1715, new Regulations were established with a view to check certain abuses which had grown up in connection with the borrowing of books, without limiting too stringently the facilities afforded to students. At later periods similar efforts were renewed, but apparently with small result. The Report of 1830 states that in the year 1827, books borrowed by various Professors of the University at dates beginning with the years 1803, 1801, 1796, and 1790 respectively, were still unreturned. To the account of one Professor there stood in the Library Register, in October 1827, no less than 844 volumes, some of which had been borrowed in 1801. Yet, at this time, the two Regulations which follow were professedly in Regulations of 1712 and 1715. respecting the loan of books. |