" Among
the books he found were sermons by Gregory and Aelfric
in Anglo-Saxon, Terence, and "Dantes translatus in
carmen Latinum." Very few books belonging to the
old library before the Dissolution have survived. Some
are in the British Museum, the Bodleian, and certain
collegiate libraries; and several manuscripts remain in the
hands of the Dean and Chapter. Among them are three
manuscripts known as Liber albus I, Liber ruber II, and
Liber albus III, which contain an extremely valuable series
of documents.[1]
[1] L. A. R., viii. 372; Canon Church's account of the library,
in Archaeologia, lvii. pt. 2, is very full and interesting.
Section VIII
In the York fabric rolls appear from time to time
expenses for writing, illuminating, and binding church
books; but we know little or nothing about the Chapter
library, if such existed. William de Feriby, a canon,
bequeathed his books in 1379. Between 1418 and 1422,
a library was built at the south-west corner of the south
transept. The building is in two floors, and the upper
appears to have been the book-room; it is still in existence.
In the rolls are several references to the building.
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