14 



Acts and Votes, fyc. 



mil in. con- William the Third, intituled, An Act for the 

 c7uonian he better settling and preserving the Library kept 

 Ubrary. ^ ^ House at Westminster, called Cotton 

 House, in the Name and Family of the Cottons, 

 for the Benefit of the Publicity reciting, That 

 Sir Robert Cotton, late of Connington, in the 

 County of Huntingdon, Baronet, did, at his 

 own great Charge, and by the Assistance of 

 the most learned Antiquaries of his Time, 

 collect and purchase the most useful Manu- 

 scripts, written Books, Papers, Parchments, 

 Records, and other Memorials, in most Lan- 

 guages, of great Use and Service for the 

 Knowledge and Preservation of our Con- 

 stitution both in Church and State; and 

 further reciting, That the said Library had 

 been preserved with the utmost Care by Sir 

 Thomas Cotton, Son of the said Sir Robert, 

 and by Sir John Cotton, then living, Grand- 

 son of the said Sir Robert; and had been 

 very much augmented by them, and lodged 

 in a very proper Place in the said Sir 

 John's ancient Mansion House at West- 

 minster, for publick Use and Advantage ; it 

 was enacted, That the said Mansion House, 

 with the Garden, and all other Appur- 

 tenances, and also the said Library, should 



