and Magdalen Colleges, library rooms were included when
the college buildings were first erected. Magdalen's library
was copied from All Souls: the windows in it were "to be
as good as or better than" those in the earlier foundation.

[1] Willis, iii. 410.

[2] Hist. MSS. 2nd Rep., 141a.



Section III

Towards the end of the fifteenth century the beginning
of the sad end of all this good work may be traced. Some
part of the collections disappeared gradually. In 1458
books were chained at Exeter College, because some of
them had been taken away. When volumes became
damaged and worn out, they were not replaced by others.
Some were pledged, and although every effort was made
to redeem them, as at Exeter College in 1466, 1470,
1472 and 1473, yet it seems certain many were permanently
alienated. Others were perhaps sold, or given
away, as John Phylypp gave away two Exeter College
manuscripts in 1468.[1] The University library was in
similar case. When Erasmus saw the scanty remains of
this collection he could have wept. "Before it had
continued eighty years in its flourishing state," writes
Wood of the library, "[it] was rifled of its precious treasure!
by unreasonable persons. That several scholars would,,