X 
INTRODUCTION. 
manuscripts* which had been gradually collected 
by the Sovereigns of these Realms* from Henry 
VII. down to William III.; since whose time 
it has been continued* and is still annually in¬ 
creasing* by the privilege annexed to it of being 
supplied with a copy of every publication entered 
in Stationers’ Hall.* His Majesty was also 
pleased* at the same time, to transfer to the 
Museum* the reversion of the salary of <£*300 a 
year* annexed to the patent office of King’s Li¬ 
brarian* which had been once held by the learned 
Dr. Bentley* and afterwards by his son ; who 
transferred it to Claud Amyand* Esq.* by whom 
it was retained till his decease in the year 1775. 
Besides the books immediately collected by 
the Sovereigns* and principally by Henry VIII.* 
from the opportunities which offered at the 
dissolution of the monasteries* this collection, 
which* at the time when the Museum Act 
passed* consisted of about 2000 MSS. and 
upwards of pOGO printed books* contains the 
library of Archbishop Cranmer* and those of 
Henry Fitzalan Earl of Arundel* and his 
son- 
* This privilege has, of late, become very unproductive, partly 
owing to the frauds of many of the publishers, and still more so 
to the unfavourable construction of the laws respecting literary 
property. 
