The first document, taken in connection with that referred to by Mr.
Hunter would seem to establish the existence of a system of
interchanging the literary wealth of monastic establishments, and
thereby greatly extending the advantages of their otherwise scanty
stores. Both are executed with all the legal forms used in the most
important transactions, which would support the opinion of their not {23}
being special instances: but they are, in either case, curious and
satisfactory evidence of the care and caution exercised by the monks in
cases where their books were concerned; and one cannot but regret that
when the time came that the monasterias were destined to be dissolved,
and their books torn and scattered to the winds, no attention was paid
to Bale's advice for the formation of "one solemne library in every
shire of England."

JOSEPH BURTT

[1] The information given of this house by Dugdale is very
scanty. It could surely be added to considerably.

[2] London, 1831. quarto. See also a Paper by Mr. Halliwell in
the _Archæologia_, xxvii. p. 455., and Sir Francis Palgrave's
Introduction to _Documents and Records illustrating the History
of Scotland_, pp. xcvi.--cxvi., for extracts from the
historical chronicles preserved in the monasteries, &c.

[3] The formula of this date, "anno R.R.E. septimo," would at
first sight be considered to refer to the preceding reign; but
the list is merely a memorandum on the dorse of a completely
executed instrument dated A.D. 1300, which it is highly
improbable that it preceded. The style of Edward II. is often