the devotion of a saint.

[Footnote 271: We will first notice COBHAM, Bishop of
Worcester: who "having had a great desire to show some love
to his mother the university of Oxford, began, about the
year 1320, to build, or at least to make some reparations
for _a Library_, over the old congregation house in the
north church-yard of St. Mary's; but he dying soon after,
before any considerable matter was done therein, left
certain moneys for the carrying on of the work, and all his
books, with others that had been lately procured, to be,
with those belonging to the university (as yet kept in
chests) reposed therein." Some controversy afterwards
arising between the University and Oriel College, to which
latter Cobham belonged, the books lay in dreary and
neglected state till 1367; when a room having been built for
their reception, it was settled that they "should be reposed
and chained in the said room or solar; that the scholars of
the University should have free ingress and regress, at
certain times, to make proficiency in them; that certain of
the said books, of greater price, should be sold, till the
sum of _l._ 40 was obtained for them (unless other remedy
could be found) with which should be bought an yearly rent
of _l._ 3, for the maintenance of a chaplain, that should
pray for the soul of the said bishop, and other benefactors
of the University both living and dead, and have the custody
or oversight of the said books, and of those in the ancient
chest of books, and chest of rolls." Wood's _Hist. of the
University of Oxford_, vol. ii., pt. ii., 911. Gutch's edit.
WILLIAM REDE, or READ, bishop of Chichester, "sometimes
Fellow (of Merton College) gave a chest with _l._ 100 in
gold in it, to be borrowed by the Fellows for their relief;
bond being first given in by them to repay it at their
departure from the college; or, in case they should die, to
be paid by their executors: A.D. 1376. He also built, about
the same time, _a Library_ in the college; being the first
that the society enjoyed, and gave books thereunto." Wood's
_History of the Colleges and Halls_, p. 15, Gutch's edit. In
Mr. Nicholl's _Appendix to the History of Leicester_, p.
105, note 20, I find some account of this distinguished
literary character, taken from