“There did lie on the High Altar an excellent fine book, very richly covered with gold and silver, containing the names of all the benefactors towards St. Cuthbert’s Church, from the very original foundation thereof, the very letters of the book being for the most part all gilt, as is apparent in the said book till this day.  The laying that book on the High Altar did show how highly they esteemed their founders and benefactors; and the quotidian remembrance they had of them in the time of Mass and divine service.  And this did argue not only their gratitude, but also a most divine and charitable affection to the souls of their benefactors as well dead as living, which book is yet extant, declaring the said use in the inscription thereof.” *

* The Ancient Rites and Monuments of the Monastical and Cathedral Church of Durham, collected out of ancient manuscripts about the time of the Suppression.

These examples may suffice as a glimpse into the nature of this treasure-house, but where so much is rare and costly, it is not easy to make a selection that shall be fairly representative.

With regard to the peculiar designation of the places occupied by the books, Sir Robert Cotton arranged them in fourteen presses, each press being surmounted by a bust of one of the twelve Roman emperors, the two last supporting those of Cleopatra and Faustina.  The contents of each press were placed in boxes or portfolios, or were bound up in volumes, each box, portfolio, or volume being designated by a letter of the alphabet, each document having a special number.

After the death of its founder the library remained for some time in sequestration, to the great annoyance of the new baronet, Sir Thomas Cotton, who complained bitterly that he was shut out from his study, the best room in his house.  A schedule was at length drawn up, consisting of a large vellum roll still extant in the collection, showing that it contained nothing that did not belong to him, and ultimately he gained admission.

Sir Symond D’Ewes made no secret of his opinion that Sir Thomas was “wholly addicted to the tenacious increasing of his worldly wealth, and altogether unworthy to be master of so inestimable a library.”  We cannot altogether agree with this verdict, since Sir Thomas avenged himself by lending D’Ewes his father’s collection of coins; and it is but fair to add that he appears in general to have been no less liberal, one might almost say careless, in lending than his father.  Rancour may, however, have set in later on, for Dugdale, writing to D’Ewes in 1639 says, “I am in despair to obtain the books of Sir Thomas Cotton which you desire.”  Richard James, librarian, fell under the same condemnation as his master, for D’Ewes describes him as “a wretched mercenary fellow.”

Sir Thomas Cotton died in 1662, and was succeeded by his eldest son, John, who was somewhat of a scholar.  Some respectable Latin verses written by him occur among Smith’s MSS. at Oxford.  He married Dorothy, daughter and coheiress of Edmund Anderson, of Stratton in Bedfordshire, and it appears that during the civil war the library was removed to that place for greater safety.  This was the beginning of its wanderings and vicissitudes, which lasted nearly a hundred years.