Books were
extremely costly. The medieval book-buyer paid more for
his book on an average than does the modern collector of
first editions and editions de luxe, who pays in addition
several guineas a volume for handsome bindings. The prices
we have tabulated will fully bear out this statement. But
even more striking evidence of the high value set upon
books is the care taken in selling or bequeathing them.
To-day a line or two in a wealthy man's will disposes of
all his books. He commonly throws them in with the
"residue," unmentioned. In the manuscript age a testator
distributed his little hoard book by book. Often he not
only bequeaths a volume to a friend, but determines its fate
after his friend's death. For example, a daughter is to
have a copy of the Golden Legend, "and to occupye to hir
owne use and at hir owne liberte durynge hur lyfe, and after
hur decesse to remayne to the prioress and the convent of
Halywelle for evermore, they to pray for the said John
Burton and Johne his wife and alle crystene soyles (1460)."[1]
A manuscript now in Worcester Cathedral Library bears
an inscription telling us that, likewise, one Thomas Jolyffe left
it to Dr.
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