The church-history of Britain from the birth of Jesus Christ until the year M.DC.XLVIII endeavoured by Thomas Fuller.

That many precious Books were embezeled at the dissolution of Abbeys, to the irreparable losse of learning.

THe English Monks were bookish of themselves, and much inclined to hoord up monuments of learning. Britain, (we know) is styled Another world, and in this contradistinction (though incomparably lesse in quan∣tity) acquits it self well in proportion of famous Writers, producing almost as many Classical School-men for her Natives, as all Europe besides. Other ex∣cellent Books of forraign Authors were brought hither, purchased at dear rates; if we consider that the Presse (which now runs so incredibly fast) was in that Age in her infancie, newly able to goe alone, there being then few Printed Books, in comparison of the many Manuscripts. These, if carefully collected and metho∣dically compiled, would have amounted to a Librarie, exceeding that of Ptolo∣mie's, for plenty; or many Vaticans, for choicenesse, and rarity. Yea, had they been transported beyond the seas, sent over, and sold entire to such who knew their value, and would preserve them, England's losse had been Europe's gain, and the detriment the lesse to Learning in generall. Yea, many years after the English might have repurchased for pounds, what their Grand-fathers sold for fewer pence into forraign parts.

2. But alas! those Abbeys were now sold to such Chap-men, in whom it was questionable, whether their ignorance, or avarice were greater, and they made havock, and destruction of all. As Broakers in Long-lane, when they buy an old suit, buy the lineings together with the out-side: so it was conceived meet, that such as purchased the buildings of Monasteries, should in the same grant

have the Libraries (the stuffing thereof) conveyed unto them. And now these ignorant owners, so long as they might keep a Lieger-book, or Terrier, by directi∣on thereof to finde such stragling acres as belonged unto them, they cared not to preserve any other Monuments. The covers of books, with curious brasse bosses, and claspes, intended to protect, proved to betray them, being the baits of cove∣tousness. And so, many excellent Authors, stripp'd out of their cases, were left naked, to be burnt, or thrown away. Thus Esop's cock, casually lighting on a pearl, preferr'd a grain before it; yet he left it as he found it; and, as he reaped no profit by the pearl, it received no damage by him. Whereas these cruell Cormorants, with their barbarous beaks, and greedy claws, rent, tore, and tat∣ter'd these inestimable pieces of Antiquity. Who would think, that the Fathers should be condemn'd to such servile employment, as to be Scavengers, to make clean the foulest sink in mens bodies? Yea, which is worse, many an antient ma∣nuscript Bible cut in pieces, to cover filthy Pamphlets: so that a case of Dia∣mond hath been made to keep dirt within it; yea, the Wisemen of Gotham, bound up in the Wisdome of Solomon.

3. But hear how John Bale, a man sufficiently averse from the least shadow of Popery, hating all Monkery with a perfect hatred, complained hereof to King Edward the sixt.a Covetousnesse was at that time so busie about private commodity, that publick Wealth in that most necessary, and of respect, was not any where regarded. A number of them, which purchased those superstitious mansions, reserved of those Library-books, some to serve their jakes, some to scour their candlesticks, and some to rub their boots; some they sold to the Grocers, and Sope sellers, and some they sent over sea to the Book binders, not in small number, but at times whole ships full. Yea, the Universities of this Realme are not all clear in this detestable fact. But cursed is that belly, which seeketh to be fed with so ungodly gains, and so deeply shameth his na∣turall Countrey. I know a Merchant-man (which shall at this time be namelesse) that bought the contents of two noble Libraries for fourty shillings price, a shame it is to be spoken. This stuffe hath he occupied instead af gray paper, by the space of more than these ten years, and yet he hath store enough for as many years to come. A prodigious example is this, and to be abhorred of all men, which love their Nations, as they should doe. Yea, what may bring our Realm to more shame, and rebuke, than to have it noised abroad, that we are despisers of learning? I judge this to be true, and utter it with heavinesse, that neither the Britains, under the Romans, and Saxons; nor yet the English people under the Danes, and Normans, had ever such damage of their learned monuments, as we have seen in our time. Our posterity may well curse this wicked fact of our Age, this unreasonable spoil of Englands most noble anti∣quities.

4. What soul can be so frozen, as not to melt into anger hereat? What heart, having the least spark of ingenuiry, is not hot at this indignity offered to litera∣ture? I deny not, but that in this heap of Books there was much rubbish. Legi∣ons of lying Legends, good for nothing but fewell, whose keeping would have caused the losse of much pretious time, in reading them. I confesse also, there were many volumes full fraught with superstition, which notwithstanding might be usefull to learned men; except any will deny Apothecaries the priviledge of keeping poison in their shops, when they can make antidotes of them. But be sides these, what beautifull Bibles? rare Fathers? subtile School-men? usefull Historians, antient, middle, modern? what painfull Comments were here a∣mongst them? what monuments of Mathematicks? all massacred together; seeing every book with a crosse was condemned for Popish; with circles, for con∣juring. Yea, I may say, that then holy Divinity was prophaned; Physick it self, hurt; and a trespasse, yea, a riot committed on the Law it self. And, more par∣ticularly, the History of former times, then, and there received a dangerous wound, whereof it halts at this day; and without hope of a perfect cure, must go a cripple to the grave.

5. Some would perswade us, that in all this there was a smack, or tast of Ana∣baptistical fury, which about this time began in Germany, where they destroyed the stately Libraries of Munster, and Osnabrude. Indeed, as the wicked tenants in the Gospel, thought themselves not safe in▪ and sure of the vineyard, till they had killed the heire, that so the inheritance might be their own; so the Ana∣baptists conceived themselves not in quiet possession of their Anarchie, and suf∣ficiently established therein, whilst any learning did survive (which in processe of time might recover its right against them) and therefore they bent their brains to the final extirpation thereof. But I am more charitably inclined to conceive, that simple ignorance, not fretted & embossed with malice, or affected hatred to learn∣ing, caused that desolation of Libraries in England: though perchance some there were, who conceived these books, as thec garment spotted with sin, had contracted such a guilt, being so long in the possession of superstitious-owners, that they de∣served as an anathema, to be consigned to a perpetual destruction.

6. Some will say, that herein I discover an hankering after the onions, and flesh-pots of Egypt, and that the bemoaning the losse of these monuments, is no better than Lot's wives looking back, with a farewell-glance to the filthy City of Sodome. To such, I protest my self not to have the least inclination to the favour of Monkery. But enough. For, I know, some back-friends of learning there be, that take it ill, that we have jogg'd them in this discourse, and therefore we will let them alone to be setled quietly on the lees of their own ignorance, praying to God, that never good Librarie may lie at the mercy of their disposal; lest ha∣ving the same advantage, they play the like prank, to the prejudice of Learning and Religion.

Notes

• English Libra∣ries excellently furnished.
• The miserable martyrdome of innocent Books.
• John Bale la∣mentably be∣moaneth th••••∣massacre.
• a

  In his Decla∣ration upon Le∣land's Journall, Anno 1549.
• Learning recel∣veth an incura∣ble wound by the losse of books.
• N▪ Anabapti∣sticall humour but down-right igno••anc•• the cause thereof.
• c

  Jude v. 23.
• ••ullen disposi∣tions c••uslesly agrieved.