His
successor, Ralph Gubiun, also gave a number of MSS. Robert de Gosham,
the next abbat, gave "very many" books, which he had caused to be
written and sumptuously bound for the purpose. And Abbat Simon, who
followed in 1166, created the office of historiographer to the abbey,
repaired and enlarged the scriptorium, and kept two or three of the
cleverest writers constantly employed in transcription, and ordained
that for the future every abbat should maintain at least one suitable
and capable scribe. Among the many choice MSS. added by Abbat Simon was
a beautiful copy of the Bible specially written with the greatest care
and exactness. In addition he presented the library with all his own
precious collection. Another liberal benefactor was John de Cell, a man
of vast learning in grammar and poetry, and also a practitioner in
medicine. Being unfit for household management, he committed the secular
affairs of the abbey to his prior Reymund, by whose zeal many noble and
valuable books were transcribed for the library. And so grew in
magnitude and importance the great collection which supplied Roger of
Wendover and Matthew Paris with materials for their famous histories.
St. Alban's, indeed, was at one period perhaps the most noted of all the
English centres of book production.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186