William Bray

William Bray (died 1644) was a Canon of Stall I at Canterbury Cathedral (1638). He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and became a chaplain to Archbishop Laud. In 1643 Parliament deprived him of his living of St Martin in the Fields; he was imprisoned and his library confiscated.

William Bray's bequest

His gifts to the Chapter Library are recorded in the Benefactors' Book (f. 106^r):

transcription	publication date	current shelfmark
Gulielmus Bray sacræ The: Dr et Canonicus Cantuariensis dedit
King Charles his declaration concerning Scottish tumults.	1639	W/H-4-42	in 1649 inventory
[erased: 5 words in a different hand and ink]
Les Libertez De Leglise Gallicane par M. Pierre Pithou, Aduocat &c. fol.		W/D-5-14	?in 1649 inventory
Preuues Des Libertez de leglise Gallicane fol:	?1639	?W/D-5-15	?Traitez des droits et libertez de l'eglise gallicane
A booke of common prayer set foorth in the reigne of King Edward the 6th An: D[omi]ni 1549 fol	1549	W2/A-8-12	1649 inventory: 'two comon prayer books'
Another Booke of common prayer set forth in ye reigne of K. Edward the 6th An: Do[mi]ni 1552. fol	1552	?W2/A-8-13
[the same hand, with a different pen and different ink:]
Mathæi Parisiensis opera excus: Lond: 1640 fol:	1640	W/E-6-15	in 1649 inventory
Montacutium de originib: Ecclesiast: fol:	1640	W/C-3-33	in 1649 inventory
Viccars his Decapla in Psalmos. fol:	1639	W/B-4-15	in 1649 inventory
Seldenum de Iure naturali et Gentium. fol:	1640	Not found.	Crossed through in 1649 inventory.

These books are not found in the 1638 List of printed books. Many of the books would seem to have been printed and acquired in or around 1640 and had the letters 'C C C' stamped in gold on the boards. A number of the books were listed in the inventory made in 1649 for the removal of the library to London but several do not seem to have survived.

Wikipedia

Shelfmark W/H-4-42

Charles I, King of Great Britain and Ireland. Large declaration concerning the late tumults in Scotland, from their first originalls: together with ... the seditious practices of ... the Covenanters.
London: 1639.

Inscription (20c) on slip pasted on front free endpaper: This book was presented to the Library by William Bray, D.D. Chaplain to Abp. Laud, Preb. Of London 1631 Canon on Canterbury 1632 died 1644. see Catalogus Benefactorum MS E.40 Press Mark Y.14.27 He also gave Edward VI's Prayer Books for 1549 & 1552 Matthew Paris 1640 fol. and other books.

Binding with C C CANT: in gold-tooled lettering on either side of royal coat of arms (both boards).