books (1336) some fifty years after the statutes were given by
the founder's wife.[3] Four years later Sir William de
Felton presented to the college the advowson of the
Church of Abboldesley, so that the number of scholars
could be raised, each could have sufficient clothing, receive
twelvepence a week, and possess in common books relating
to the various Faculties.[4] The earliest reference to the
library of Exeter College, or Stapledon Hall, occurs also
about half a century after its foundation: in 1366 payment
was made for copying a book called Domyltone--possibly
one of John of Dumbleton's works. Oriel College either
had a library from its foundation, or the regulations of
1329 were drawn up for Bishop Cobham's books, which
Adam de Brome had redeemed. In 1375 Oriel certainly
had its own library of nearly one hundred volumes, more
than half of them being on theology and philosophy, with
some translations of Aristotle, but otherwise not a single
classic work; a collection to be fairly considered as
representative of the academic libraries of this period.[5]
Queen's College was one of those to which Simon de Bredon,
the astronomer, bequeathed books in 1368, nearly thirty
years after its foundation.[6] "Seint Marie College of
Wynchestr," or New College, made a better start than any
house (1380). The founder, William of Wykeham, endowed
it with no fewer than 240 or 243 volumes, of which
135 or 138 were theology, 28 philosophy, 41 canon law,
36 civil law; somebody unnamed, but possibly the founder,
presented 37 volumes of medicine and 15 chained books
in the library; and Bishop Reed--also the good friend of
Merton--gave 58 volumes of theology, 2 of philosophy,