James, "that nine-tenths of the books
have ceased to exist. To be sure, it is no news to us that
thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of manuscripts
were destroyed in the first half of the sixteenth century;
but the truth comes heavily home when we are confronted
with the actual figures of the loss sustained in one small
corner of the field. We may fairly reckon that what
happened in the case of the Austin Friars at York happened
to many another house situated like it, in a populous centre,
and thus enjoying good opportunities for acquiring books."[2]
[1] Fasciculus I. W. Clark dicatus, 16, and cf. 96.
[2] Fasciculus I. W. CIark dicatus, 16, 17.
But the loss may be--and has been--exaggerated.
In some instances a good part of a library was preserved.
The Prior of Lanthony, a house in the outskirts of
Gloucester, saved the books of his little community. From
him they passed into the hands of one Theyer; later,
possibly through Archbishop Bancroft, they found an
ultimate resting-place in Lambeth Palace. During this
interval many of them were perhaps lost or sold, but to-day
some one hundred and thirty are known certainly to have
come from Lanthony, or may be credited to that place
on reasonably safe evidence.
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