ut it is impossible
to enumerate all of them. Gabriel Barbar, in the name of the Society of
Virginia, gave 11 vols. in 1614, in which year, says Blomefield, "the
Lords of the _privy council_, by letters dated the 22nd of _March_,
desired the city to given [sic] encouragement to a _lottery_, set on foot
for the benefit of the _English Virginia_ plantation, . . . and by
another letter dated 21 Dec. 1617, they desired them to assist Gabriel
Barbor, &c in the management of a running _lottery_, to be by them kept
in Norwich." {20a} In 1618 Thomas Atkins, Merchant of Norwich, gave
seven volumes and 5 pounds for books.
During the mayoralty of Thomas Cory, 1628-29, the City of Norwich gave a
copy of the second edition of John Minsheu's "The Guide into Tongues"
(London: John Haviland, 1627) for which twenty shillings were paid. {20b}
This work is still of value as a dictionary of Elizabethan English. In
1659 the City also gave a set of the famous English Polyglot Bible,
edited by Bryan Walton, in 6 vols., (London, 1657)--a work which was a
fine scholarly achievement of the Church of England at a time of great
depression.
In 1658 Joseph Paine, Alderman of Norwich, who was Mayor in 1660, gave
one book and 20 pounds for the purchase of books. In the Minute Book the
donation is described thus under date Dec. 13, 1658: "Mr. Whitefoot, Mr.
Harmar, and Dr. Collings made report to ye rest of the Brethren mett this
day That Mr. Joseph Paine Alderman of the City of Norwich uppon Munday
preceding this meeting, sent for ye 3 minrs. aforesaid to his house, and
there did give into the hands of Mr. John Whitefoot one of the aforesaid
minrs. twenty pounds declaring it his mind that it should be laid out at
the discretion of ye 3 minrs. aforesaid together with Mr. George Cock to
bee added to them to buy such bookes with it as they shall judge most fit
for ye City Library."
The ministers evidently desired to mark especially their appreciation of
Paine's gift. On February 9th, 1662/3 "The brethren taking notice that
no bookes were yet markd as the guift of Sr Jos. Paine, and Mr. Whitefoot
acquainting the brethren that he had procured printed paps to this
purpose--Ex Dono Dni _Josephi Paine_ militis hujus Civitatis praetoris,
they ordered that some of those papers should bee affixed to the 9 vol.
of ye Criticks: wch cost 15l & to the 4 vol. of Gerard's Comon places wch
cost 3l 13s & to the 2 vol. of Theophilact. wch cost 1l 02s: in all 19
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