such as are students. I conceave it will not onely
be most usefull, but likewise a great ornament to Citie and Dioces." He
goes on to ask the clergy to give either "a booke or y'e price of a
booke," and tells them not to "inquire what bookes we have or what are
wanting, ffor if we have double we can exchange them." Thoroughly
business-like and considerate, the bishop also says: "If any man's weake
estate and povertie be such that he can neither give booke, nor price of
booke, yet in manners and courtisie (seeing his diocesan require it), I
doe expect that he should excuse himselfe, and I will take the least
excuse, without any further inquirie, as lovingly as if he had given the
greatest gift." He was tender-hearted to his curates, for he says,
"Neither doe I write this to Curates or Lecturers, unlesse themselves
please to bestow; only I do expect from them that they acquaint the
parsons and vicars, and returne their answers unto mee."

This, then, was the beginning of the Cathedral library. Later, in 1648,
after troublous times in Gloucester, when even the cathedral itself was
in danger, Thomas Pury, jun., Esq., with the help of Mr Sheppard,
Captain Hemming, and others, made this library at considerable expense,
and, as Sir Robert Atkyns quaintly observed, "encouraged literature to
assist reason, in the midst of times deluded with imaginary
inspiration."

In 1658, after the "late Cathedrall Church of Gloucester had been
settled upon the Maior and Burgesses for publique and religious uses,
the Common Council vested and settled the library on the Maior and
Burgesses, and their successors _for ever_." The Restoration, however,
in 1660, made still another change, and the library then became the
property of the Dean and Chapter.

Sir Matthew Hale was a liberal benefactor to the library.

Owing to the damp in the Chapter-House, which for many years had to
serve as the library, the books, in 1743, were removed into the south
ambulatory of the choir. This was done by order of the Dean and
Chapter, but the Chapter-House was apparently in use as a library in
1796, when Bonnor was making the drawings for his "Perspective
Itinerary." In 1827 new and lower cases for the books were fitted, and
the Chapter-House was used up to 1857 as the Cathedral library. Since
that time the old monastic library has been restored to its original
use.

The #Chapter-House# is entered from the east alley of the cloister
through a Norman archway