143 



NOTES AND QUEKIES. 



[2nd s. N" 112., Fkd. 20. '58. 



Bodleian, in a letter to Mr. Gough, dated Nov. 10, 

 1779, says, "We have a MS. catalogue of most of 

 Rawlinson's manuscripts, &c.; but when it will be 

 printed I cannot say. The revenue of our press, 

 by some late determinations in parliament, has 

 sunk very much, and will not admit our under- 

 taking any unsaleable works. Thus, I fear, our 

 Catalogue will remain unprinted, at least for some 

 time." 



To Dr. Rawllnson the friends of literature are 

 under lasting obligations as a collector of old 

 manuscripts, many of which he preserved from 

 destruction by invariably purchasing all that were 

 offered for sale. About fifty volumes of Pepys's 

 MSS. which remained at York Buildings, were 

 ultimately lost to Magd.ilene College, Cambridge, 

 but were fortunately obtained by Dr. Rawlinson, 

 and included in his bequest to the Bodleian. 

 Rawlinson's MS. collections for the continuation of 

 Wood's AthencB Oxonienses enabled Dr. Bliss to 

 enrich the last edition of that useful work with 

 much valuable matter; and the additional minutes 

 or memoirs to the Life of Anthony Wood, from 

 the year 1673 to 1695, were taken from a MS. 

 written by Rawlinson from Wood's pocket Al- 

 manacks. In this collection also will be found the 

 literary correspondence of that learned ritualist, 

 Charles Wheatly, which some day or other may 

 be thought worthy of publication. To Rawlinson 

 we are indebted for that interesting Dia.ry, ReliquicB 

 Hearniance, the Doctor having paid one hundred 

 guineas to the widow of Dr. William Bedford for 

 this curious document and Hearne's other manu- 

 scripts. Here, too, are to be found collections for 

 a history of those remarkable men — the Non- 

 jurors — which seem to have escaped the researches 

 of Mr. Lathbury when he wrote his History of the 

 Nonjurors* One of Rawlinson's earliest and fa- 

 vourite pursuits was that of Topography, and like 

 a wise student he not only made Notes, but printed 

 his Queries for circulation among the literary 

 brotherhood. As long as Curll kept to this line of 

 literature, it is not to be doubted but that he re- 

 ceived considerable patronage and assistance from 

 the Doctor.f 



* The lovers of English literature are greatly indebted 

 to the Nonjurors; for to the labours and researches of 

 Dr. Rawlinson, Thomas Hearne, and Thomas Baker, Coll. 

 Joan, socius ejectus, we must add those of Dr. George 

 Hickes, Jeremy Collier, Charles Leslie, Henry Dodwell, 

 and Thomas Brett. There were giants in those days; 

 what are we with our Parlour, Cabinet, and Family li- 

 braries ? 



t Since the above was written, I find that the Eev. F. 

 C. Hingeston has discovered among the Rawlinson MSS. 

 (Poet., 118.) a copy of Capgrave's Life of St. Katharine, 

 probably written at the end of the fifteenth century, and 

 which belonged at one time to Sir Henry Spelman, who 

 has written on the fly-leaf at the beginning a curious in- 

 troductory notice. See Capgrave's Chronicle, xxix. and 

 335., just published under the direction of the Master of 

 the Rolls. 



Dr. Rawlinson died at Islington on April 6, 

 1755, and was burled in the north aisle of St. 

 Giles's church, Oxford. In his will, dated June 

 2, 1752, he says — 



" I do give and bequeath unto the Chancellor, Masters 

 and Scholars of the University of Oxford, whether by that 

 or by any other name, title or distinction legally reputed 

 or known, and to their successors ; all and singular my 

 manuscripts in whatsoever language or of whatsoever 

 kind, whether bound or unbound or on paper, vellum or 

 otherwise (save and except all private papers and letters ; 

 and also, all books, slips, papers, or writings of accompts, 

 or relative thereto) to be reposited and placed in the 

 Bodleian library ; there, or in such other place as the}' in 

 their discretion shall deem and conclude most proper for 

 the public utility, use, and benefit of the said University 

 and its members; and also of all others, properly and 

 with leave resorting and applying thereto with a view to 

 the public good. And I do request and desire the Chan- 

 cellor, Masters and Scholars aforesaid to keep the same 

 separate and apart from every other collection, and to 

 be particularly careful thereof, more especiallj' of those 

 relating to themselves, and extracted from their public 

 registers ; of which they will find I have made large 

 collections." 



In the Fourth Codicil he farther adds — 



" Whereas I have made large collections wrote in 

 books, and have had other papers communicated to me 

 by persons now living and by others since dead, and have 

 also copies of University registers, all relating to my con- 

 tinuation of Wood's AthencB Oxon. and History of the 

 City of Oxford, and greatly improved by me with several 

 drawings of publick buildings relating to the latter, and 

 have also made collections for an account of the clergy 

 and laity non-compliers after the 5'ear one thousand six 

 hundred and eighty -eight, and have also purchased 

 several little pocket volumes mostly bound in parchment 

 or vellum, and wrote or collected by the late Mr. Thomas 

 Hearne ; I do hereby give the same to the University of 

 Oxford : and also my manuscript note books of my travels 

 contained in eight or more pocket Volumes ; and do 

 order and direct they be separated from the rest of my 

 manuscripts given to the said University, and that they 

 be closely and together locked up in one or both of my 

 red Russia leather trunks, and with the rest of my manu- 

 scripts sent to Oxford, and the key or kevs thereof to be 

 delivered to and kept by the Vice-Chancellor of the Uni- 

 versity for the time being ; the trunks to be kept in some 

 dry place he shall appoint, and not to be opened till seven 

 years after mj' decease." 



Having occasion a few years since to consult the 

 Rawlinson collection, I made a Note o'f several 

 papers which passed under my eye ; but meagre 

 as is my list, its publication may probably be of 

 some utility to those engaged in historical and 

 literary researches. 



Rawlinson 3ISS. A. 



Nos. 1. to 67. Secretary Thurloe's Papers, 1638 to 1660. 



193. The Duty of the Principal Officers of His Majesty's 

 Navy jointly considered. By the Earl of Northumber- 

 land, dated Nov. 14, 1640. 



275. Letters and original papers to Dr. W. Wake, Bp. 

 of Lincoln, afterwards Abp. of Canterbury. 



289. Alphabetical List of Early English Printers, with 

 the dates of their Works, in the handwriting of Thos. 

 Rawlinson. Also a great number of original and other 

 documents of various kinds between the leaves. 



