racts," 2 vols. (London, 1753), and "Forms of Prayer"
(1706). Dr. Peter de Laune, a minister of the French Church in Norwich
during the early years of the seventeenth century, presented to the
Library a copy of his translation of the English Prayer Book into French,
entitled "La Liturgie Angloise; ou, le livre des prieres publiques"
(London: John Bill, 1616). His name is not printed in the book, but the
copy in the Library bears on the title-page the following inscription
which was probably written by him: "Liber bibliothecae publicae
Nordouicensis ex dono doctoris Petri Launaei quo authore Anglicanae haec
ecclesiae liturgia facta est Gallicana." {38} This book is the first
French edition of the English Prayer Book entered in the Catalogue of the
British Museum. Francis Mason's "Vindiciae Ecclesiae Anglicanae," is the
work of an Archdeacon of Norfolk, who is remembered for his vigorous
defence of the authority of the church, which earned for him the title of
"Vindex Ecclesiae Anglicanae." Another preacher with the memorable title
"Apostle of Norwich," procured by a great reputation, was John More,
minister of St. Andrew's Church, Norwich, whose posthumous work "Table
from the Beginning of the World to this Day" (Cambridge, 1593) is in the
Library. "An Explanation of the Epistle of St. Jude" (London, 1633) is a
series of sermons preached in the parish church of North Walsham by
Samuel Otes, rector of South Repps, Norfolk, who was chaplain to the Lord
Chief Justice Hobart. Reference has already been made to the works of
Humphrey Prideaux, Dean of Norwich. Anthony Sparrow, Bishop of Norwich,
who was born in Suffolk, published "Rationale upon the Book of Common
Prayer" (London, 1661), which was often reprinted and is still of some
value, and a companion volume "Collection of Articles, Canons," etc.
(London, 1684). Last but not least to be mentioned is the "Increpatio
Barjesu" (London, 1660) of Matthew Wren, who was successively Bishop of
Hereford, Norwich and Ely. It is a volume of polemical interpretations
of Scripture, in reply to the Racovian catechism--a copy of which was in
the Library--written during the author's imprisonment in the Tower, and
edited by his son Matthew.

Many of the books have autographs of their former owners, and some have
inscriptions and annotations. Edward Lhuyd's "Archaeologica Britannica"
contains some notes made by George Borrow, who also wrote an English
translation of some Arabic i