John Leland had a commission under Henry VIII. to travel and collect
books; his Itinerary is a chief book for English topography. Of Joscelin
we shall have occasion to speak below.

With all his advantages, however, Parker was weighted with the care of
the churches, at a time, too, when that care was unusually heavy; and to
this, as in duty bound, he gave his first thought. Though his example
could not be exceeded, his collections were surpassed, and that by a
gleaner who came after him. Of all book collectors the greatest was
Robert Bruce Cotton, the founder of the Cottonian Library. He was born
at Denton, in Huntingdonshire, and educated at Trinity College,
Cambridge. Cotton's antiquarian tastes declared themselves early; the
formation of a library and museum was his life-long pursuit. Not that
his interests were all confined to this. He wrote on the revenue, warned
King James against the strained exaction of tonnage and poundage,
especially in time of peace; and he counselled the creation of an order
of baronets, each to pay the Crown £1,000 for the honour. In this way he
became a baronet himself in 1611, having been knighted at the king's
accession. Under Charles I. he was molested for his opinions, because he
dared to disapprove of government without parliaments; and he was
touched in his most sensitive part when his own library was sealed
against him. He died 6th May, 1631, and was buried in Conington Church,
where his monument may still be seen.

His library was further enlarged by his son, Sir Thomas Cotton; and it
was sold to the nation by Sir John Cotton, the fourth baronet, in 1700.
It was lodged in Ashburnham House, in 1731, when a disastrous fire
consumed or damaged many valuable books.[14] Annexed by statute to the
British Museum in 1753, it was moved thither in 1757.