onograph devoted to the building is still
one of the most useful books of reference on the subject. The drawing
here reproduced from Britton's "Salisbury," shows the work before its
restoration by Bishop Denison; but it has been chosen because it
suggests the peculiar beauty of the place better than any photograph.
From the cloisters a very charming glimpse of the spire may be
obtained.

[Illustration: THE CLOISTERS.
_From a Photograph by Messrs. Poulton._]

[Illustration: THE CLOISTERS, LOOKING NORTH.]

The =Library= occupying the upper story that extends over part of the
eastern arcade is an important collection, its manuscripts alone
filling a hundred and eighty-seven volumes. These (with one
exception, bequeathed by Bishop Denison, a splendidly illuminated
breviary _circa_ A.D. 1460, containing among other specially
interesting matter the order of service for the installation of the
Boy-bishops,) have been in the possession of the dean and chapter at
least four hundred years, and range in date, according to the best
authorities, from the ninth to the fourteenth centuries.

Among the most important is (No. 150) A Psalter, of the Gallican
Version, on vellum, 160 folios, tenth century. The decorations of this
MS. are somewhat rude, the initials and colouring throughout being
chiefly in red. Internal evidence fixes its date about A.D.
969. A Psalter (No. 180) on 173 folios, contains in parallel columns
the Gallican and Hebrew of Jerome's translation, and other matter,
with ornamental initials and devices; a Lectionary on vellum, 190
folios (No. 153) is a finely written manuscript, with elaborate
initials in gold and colours, this is about A.D. 1277. A
fifteenth century "Processional for the Use of Sarum," on vellum, 50
folios (No. 148) contains some entries that throw light on various
local customs, as for example, the distribution of the carpet used in
the enthronement of the bishop, which was laid from _ostio hospicii
agni_ to the altar in the treasury. The unique "Tonale secundum usum
Sarum" bound with an "Ordinale secundum usum Sarum" (No. 175) is of
the fourteenth century, on 214 folios of vellum. In a volume (No. 39)
is a copy of the Gospel of Nicodemus in an English version beginning,
"Whanne Pylatus was reuler and justyse of ye Jewerye, and Rufus and
Leo were consuls." Another book of more than ordinary interest is
Chaucer's translation of Boethius' "De Consolatione Philosophiae," on
vellum in dou