1671 catalogue of manuscripts

Canterbury Cathedral Archives CCA-DCc/LA/1/16 is a paper document of 14 leaves in a folded parchment wrapper with the inscription The Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Library of Christ Church Canterbury. Over 80 manuscripts are listed on leaves 2 to 11. The remainder of the booklet contains lists of two sets of coins and medals from the collections of Dr Meric Casaubon subscribed by canon John Bargrave with the dates 1671 and 1679.

The catalogue has the date 1671 on f.11^v in the subscription Per Dr Johan[nem] Bargraveo Vicedecano [sic] 1671. It is possible that it was drawn up by Elisha Robinson who was Bibliothecarius in 1669 when a payment was made To Mr Robinson for a paper booke to write a Catalogue for the Bookes in the Library — [£]0–3–4'. No catalogue of the printed books has survived from this date: it is possible that it had not been completed by Elisha Robinson by the time of his death in 1670.

The catalogue includes the books of William Somner which had been purchased from his widow in 1669; this may have been the reason for the instruction to the library keeper to draw up a new catalogue.