The Library. 16V* 



which, after his death, passed into the possession of the celebrated 

 Bilibald Pirckheimer, of Nuremberg, who died in 1530. This portion 

 was purchased by Howard's grandfather, Thomas, Earl of Arundel, 

 during his embassy at Vienna ; and it consisted of a great number of 

 printed books and many rare and valuable manuscripts.* It may be 

 mentioned that several of the books, which are still in the Society's 

 possession, contain Bilibald Pirckheimer's book-plate, designed by 

 Albrecht Diirer. 



An entry in the Council Minutes of May 18, 1681, shows that the 

 Arundel Library was at that time kept separate from the other books, 

 and it probably remained so for many years. The volumes were 

 afterwards, however, distributed according to subjects, and in process 

 of time many were disposed of. Sales of books were made in 1713. 

 1745, and at subsequent dates. On June 20, 1872, the Council, 011 

 the recommendation of the Library Committee, resolved " to dispose 

 of superfluous books from the collection of works on * Miscellaneous 

 Literature, " and these probably included many 'Arundel books.' 

 The most valuable of the printed books of purely literary interest 

 retained by the Society were in 1883 collected together, under the 

 superintendence of the Treasurer, Sir John Evans, in a case made 

 for the purpose. They include a copy of Caxton's Chaucer, and two 

 volumes, printed on vellum, by Fust and Schoeffer, named the * Liber 

 Sextus Decretalium cum glossis ' (A.D. 1465), and Cicero's * Officia 

 fc Paradoxa ' (A.D. 1466) ; a very perfect example of Albrecht 

 Diirer's ' Historia Marise, Passio Domini, et Apocalipsis,' in one 

 volume (A.D. 1511); a copy of the 'Nuremburg Chronicle'; a very 

 fine copy of ' Euclidis Elementa,' Editio Princeps (Venetiis. 

 Ratdolt, 1482) with illuminated initials: a number of Editiones 

 Principes of the Latin Classics, including many Aldines, a large col- 

 lection of Luther's and of scarce Reformation tracts, and many other 

 works of literary or typographical interest. 



The bulk of the Aruudel Manuscripts was sold to the Trustees 

 of the British Museum in 1830 for the sum of 3559, the proceeds 

 being devoted to the purchase of scientific books ; these Manuscripts 

 a.re still kept in the British Museum as a separate collection. A 

 catalogue of all the manuscripts and printed books originally given 

 to the Society by Henry Howard of Norfolk was printed in 1681, and 

 a copy of the same is in the Society's Library. 



The scientific books in the Library probably number about 60,000 

 volumes. In the purchase of books, special attention has for many 

 years past been paid to scientific serials ; and the collection of Journals 

 and of the Transactions of Scientific Societies is now a very large 

 one. The Council annually votes a sum of 400 for the purchase 

 and binding of books. 



* Weld's ' History,' TO!. 1. p. 196. 



