iiijd. yerely....
The sated library is a house appointed by the sated Maior
and cominaltie for . . . resorte of all students for their
education in Divine Scriptures."[2] Stow, writing in 1598,
spoke of it as "sometime a fayre and large library, furnished
with books.... The armes of Whitington are placed on
the one side in the stone worke, and two letters, to wit,
W. and B., for William Bury, on the other side." Wealthy
citizens came forward with pecuniary aid then as they have
ever done. William Chichele, sometime Sheriff, bequeathed
"xli to be bestowyed on books notable to be layde in the
newe librarye at the gildehall at London for to be memoriall
for John Hadle, sumtyme meyre, and for me there while
they mowe laste."[3] This was in 1425. Eighteen years
later one of Whittington's executors, named John Carpenter,
made this direction in his will: "If any good or rare books
shall be found amongst the said residue of my goods,
which, by the discretion of the aforesaid Master William
Lichfield and Reginald Pecock, may seem necessary to the
common library at Guildhall, for the profit of the students
there, and those discoursing to the common people, then I
will and bequeath that those books be placed by my
executors and chained in that library that the visitors and
students thereof may be the sooner admonished to pray for
my soul" (1442)[4] But this library, like so many others, did
not survive the disastrous years of mid-sixteenth century.
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