The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury
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CHAPTER XVIII
SHOWETH THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED SO GREAT STORE OF BOOKS FOR THE
COMMON BENEFIT OF SCHOLARS AND NOT ONLY FOR OUR OWN PLEASURE
Nothing in human affairs is more unjust than that those things
which are most righteously done, should be perverted by the
slanders of malicious men, and that one should bear the reproach
of sin where he has rather deserved the hope of honour. Many
things are done with singleness of eye, the right hand knoweth
not what the left hand doth, the lump is uncorrupted by leaven,
nor is the garment woven of wool and linen; and yet by the
trickery of perverse men a pious work is mendaciously transformed
into some monstrous act. Certes, such is the unhappy condition
of sinful nature, that not merely in acts that are morally
doubtful it adopts the worse conclusion; but often it depraves by
iniquitous subversion those which have the appearance of
rectitude.
For although the love of books from the nature of its object
bears the aspect of goodness, yet, wonderful to say, it has
rendered us obnoxious to the censures of many, by whose
astonishment we were disparaged and censured, now for excess of
curiosity, now for the exhibition of vanity, now for intemperance
of delight in literature; though indeed we were no more disturbed
by their vituperation than by the barking of so many dogs,
satisfied with the testimony of Him to whom it appertaineth to
try the hearts and reins. For as the aim and purpose of our
inmost will is inscrutable to men and is seen of God alone, the
searcher of hearts, they deserve to be rebuked for their
pernicious temerity, who so eagerly set a mark of condemnation
upon human acts, the ultimate springs of which they cannot see.
For the final end in matters of conduct holds the same position
as first principles in speculative science or axioms in
mathematics, as the chief of philosophers, Aristotle, points out
in the seventh book of the Ethics. And therefore, just as the
truth of our conclusions depends upon the correctness of our
premises, so in matters of action the stamp of moral rectitude is
given by the honesty of aim and purpose, in cases where the act
itself would otherwise be held to be morally indifferent.
Now we have long cherished in our heart of hearts the fixed
resolve, when Providence should grant a favourable opportunity,
to found in perpetual charity a Hall in the reverend university
of Oxford, the chief nursing mother of all liberal arts, and to
endow it with the necessary revenues, for the maintenance of a
number of scholars; and moreover to enrich the Hall with the
treasures of our books, that all and every of them should be in
common as regards their use and study, not only to the scholars
of the said Hall, but by their means to all the students of the
before-named university for ever, in the form and manner which
the following chapter shall declare. Wherefore the sincere love
of study and zeal for the strengthening of the orthodox faith to
the edifying of the Church, have begotten in us that solicitude
so marvellous to the lovers of pelf, of collecting books wherever
they were to be purchased, regardless of expense, and of having
those that could not he bought fairly transcribed.
For as the favourite occupations of men are variously
distinguished according to the disposition of the heavenly
bodies, which frequently control our natural composition, so that
some men choose to devote themselves to architecture, others to
agriculture, others to hunting, others to navigation, others to
war, others to games, we have under the aspect of Mercury
entertained a blameless pleasure in books, which under the rule
of right reason, over which no stars are dominant, we have
ordered to the glory of the Supreme Being, that where our minds
found tranquillity and peace, thence also might spring a most
devout service of God. And therefore let our detractors cease,
who are as blind men judging of colours; let not bats venture to
speak of light; and let not those who carry beams in their own
eyes presume to pull the mote out of their brother's eye. Let
them cease to jeer with satirical taunts at things of which they
are ignorant, and to discuss hidden things that are not revealed
to the eyes of men; who perchance would have praised and
commended us, if we had spent our time in hunting, dice-playing,
or courting the smiles of ladies.
CHAPTER XIX
OF THE MANNER OF LENDING ALL OUR BOOKS TO STUDENTS
It has ever been difficult so to restrain men by the laws of
rectitude, that the astuteness of successors might not strive to
transgress the bounds of their predecessors, and to infringe
established rules in insolence of licence. Accordingly, with the
advice of prudent men, we have prescribed the manner in which we
desire that the communication and use of our books should be
permitted for the benefit of students.
Imprimis, we give and grant all and singular the books, of which
we have made a special catalogue, in consideration of affection,
to the community of scholars living in ---- Hall at Oxford, as a
perpetual gift, for our soul and the souls of our parents, and
also for the soul of the most illustrious King Edward the Third
from the Conquest, and of the most pious Queen Philippa, his
consort: to the intent that the same books may be lent from time
to time to all and singular the scholars and masters of the said
place, as well regular as secular, for the advancement and use of
study, in the manner immediately following, that is to say:
Five of the scholars sojourning in the Hall aforesaid shall be
appointed by the Master thereof, who shall have the charge of all
the books, of which five persons three and not fewer may lend any
book or books for inspection and study; but for copying or
transcribing we direct that no book shall be allowed outside the
walls of the house. Therefore, when any scholar secular or
religious, whom for this purpose we regard with equal favour,
shall seek to borrow any book, let the keepers diligently
consider if they have a duplicate of the said book, and if so,
let them lend him the book, taking such pledge as in their
judgment exceeds the value of the book delivered, and let a
record be made forthwith of the pledge and of the book lent,
containing the names of the persons delivering the book and of
the person who receives it, together with the day and year when
the loan is made.
But if the keepers find that the book asked for is not in
duplicate, they shall not lend such book to any one whomsoever,
unless he shall belong to the community of scholars of the said
Hall, unless perhaps for inspection within the walls of the
aforesaid house or Hall, but not to be carried beyond it.
But to any of the scholars of the said Hall, any book may be lent
by three of the aforesaid keepers, after first recording,
however, his name, with the day on which he receives the book.
Nevertheless, the borrower may not lend the book entrusted to him
to another, except with the permission of three of the aforesaid
keepers, and then the name of the first borrower being erased,
the name of the second with the time of delivery is to be
recorded.
Each keeper shall take an oath to observe all these regulations
when they enter upon the charge of the books. And the recipients
of any book or books shall thereupon swear that they will not use
the book or books for any other purpose but that of inspection or
study, and that they will not take or permit to be taken it or
them beyond the town and suburbs of Oxford.
Moreover, every year the aforesaid keepers shall render an
account to the Master of the House and two of his scholars whom
he shall associate with himself, or if he shall not be at
leisure, he shall appoint three inspectors, other than the
keepers, who shall peruse the catalogue of books, and see that
they have them all, either in the volumes themselves or at least
as represented by deposits. And the more fitting season for
rendering this account we believe to be from the First of July
until the festival of the Translation of the Glorious Martyr S.
Thomas next following.
We add this further provision, that anyone to whom a book has
been lent, shall once a year exhibit it to the keepers, and
shall, if he wishes it, see his pledge. Moreover, if it chances
that a book is lost by death, theft, fraud, or carelessness, he
who has lost it or his representative or executor shall pay the
value of the book and receive back his deposit. But if in any
wise any profit shall accrue to the keepers, it shall not be
applied to any purpose but the repair and maintenance of the
books.
CHAPTER XX
AN EXHORTATION TO SCHOLARS TO REQUITE US BY PIOUS PRAYERS
Time now clamours for us to terminate this treatise which we have
composed concerning the love of books; in which we have
endeavoured to give the astonishment of our contemporaries the
reason why we have loved books so greatly. But because it is
hardly granted to mortals to accomplish aught that is not rolled
in the dust of vanity, we do not venture entirely to justify the
zealous love which we have so long had for books, or to deny that
it may perchance sometimes have been the occasion of some venial
negligence, albeit the object of our love is honourable and our
intention upright. For if when we have done everything, we are
bound to call ourselves unprofitable servants; if the most holy
Job was afraid of all his works; if according to Isaiah all our
righteousness is as filthy rags, who shall presume to boast
himself of the perfection of any virtue, or deny that from some
circumstance a thing may deserve to be reprehended, which in
itself perhaps was not reprehensible. For good springs from one
selfsame source, but evil arises in many ways, as Dionysius
informs us. Wherefore to make amends for our iniquities, by
which we acknowledge ourselves to have frequently offended the
Creator of all things, in asking the assistance of their prayers,
we have thought fit to exhort our future students to show their
gratitude as well to us as to their other benefactors in time to
come by requiting our forethought for their benefit by spiritual
retribution. Let us live when dead in their memories, who have
lived in our benevolence before they were born, and live now
sustained by our beneficence. Let them implore the mercy of the
Redeemer with unwearied prayer, that the pious Judge may excuse
our negligences, may pardon the wickedness of our sins, may cover
the lapses of our feebleness with the cloak of piety, and remit
by His divine goodness the offences of which we are ashamed and
penitent. That He may preserve to us for a due season of
repentance the gifts of His good grace, steadfastness of faith,
loftiness of hope, and the widest charity to all men. That He
may turn our haughty will to lament its faults, that it may
deplore its past most vain elations, may retract its most bitter
indignations, and detest its most insane delectations. That His
virtue may abound in us, when our own is found wanting, and that
He who freely consecrated our beginning by the sacrament of
baptism, and advanced our progress to the seat of the Apostles
without any desert of ours, may deign to fortify our outgoing by
the fitting sacraments. That we may be delivered from the lust
of the flesh, that the fear of death may utterly vanish and our
spirit may desire to be dissolved and be with Christ, and
existing upon earth in body only, in thought and longing our
conversation may be in Heaven. That the Father of mercies and
the God of all consolation may graciously come to meet the
prodigal returning from the husks; that He may receive the piece
of silver that has been lately found and transmit it by His holy
angels into His eternal treasury. That He may rebuke with His
terrible countenance, at the hour of our departure, the spirits
of darkness, lest Leviathan, that old serpent, lying hid at the
gate of death, should spread unforeseen snares for our feet. But
when we shall be summoned to the awful judgment-seat to give an
account on the testimony of conscience of all things we have done
in the body, the God-Man may consider the price of the holy blood
that He has shed, and that the Incarnate Deity may note the frame
of our carnal nature, that our weakness may pass unpunished where
infinite loving-kindness is to be found, and that the soul of the
wretched sinner may breathe again where the peculiar office of
the Judge is to show mercy. And further, let our students be
always diligent in invoking the refuge of our hope after God, the
Virgin Mother of God and Blessed Queen of Heaven, that we who for
our manifold sins and wickednesses have deserved the anger of the
Judge, by the aid of her ever-acceptable supplications may merit
His forgiveness; that her pious hand may depress the scale of the
balance in which our small and few good deeds shall be weighed,
lest the heaviness of our sins preponderate and cast us down to
the bottomless pit of perdition. Moreover, let them ever
venerate with due observance the most deserving Confessor
Cuthbert, the care of whose flock we have unworthily undertaken,
ever devoutly praying that he may deign to excuse by his prayers
his all-unworthy vicar, and may procure him whom he hath admitted
as his successor upon earth to be made his assessor in Heaven.
Finally, let them pray God with holy prayers as well of body as
of soul, that He will restore the spirit created in the image of
the Trinity, after its sojourn in this miserable world, to its
primordial prototype, and grant to it for ever to enjoy the sight
of His countenance: through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE END OF THE PHILOBIBLON OF MASTER RICHARD DE
AUNGERVILLE, SURNAMED DE BURY, LATE BISHOP OF
DURHAM THIS TREATISE WAS FINISHED IN OUR
MANORHOUSE OF AUCKLAND ON THE 24TH
DAY OF JANUARY, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND
FORTY-FOUR, THE FIFTY-EIGHTH
YEAR OF OUR AGE BEING EXACTLY
COMPLETED, AND THE ELEVENTH
YEAR OF OUR PONTIFICATE
DRAWING TO AN END;
TO THE GLORY
OF GOD.
AMEN.
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