Presbyterian party, of which the great majority of his fellow-citizens were members.

As a Presbyterian he was of course in entire sympathy with the Parliament and its Army during the Civil War, 1642-1646. But when in 1647 and 1648 the power began to pass from the Parliament and the Presbyterians into the iron hands of the leaders of the New-Model Army, he, with the mass of the citizens of London, changed his attitude and became an ardent advocate of the "personal treaty" with the King. Space will not permit me to offer here any general remarks on the historical value or bearing of this collection, a subject far too wide and important to be treated of in a mere preface, but the mention of the "personal treaty" gives me the opportunity to point out the evidence which the tracts of the years 1647 and 1648 afford as to how confident was the expectation entertained by the Presbyterian citizens of London of the success of the negotiations with the King both before and during the discussions at Newport. If space permitted, it would be easy to give many instances; it is however sufficient merely to read through the titles of the tracts issued during these two years to verify this fact, on which hardly sufficient stress has been laid by any historian of the period. It is unnecessary to say that these hopes and expectations were abruptly cut short by Pride's Purge, 6th December, 1648, one of the many instances in history in which the sword has proved mightier than the pen.

On the 21st May, 1647, Thomason issued a printed catalogue entitled, Catalogus Librorum diversis Italiae locis emptorum Anno Domini 1647, a Georgio Thomasono Bibliopola Londinensi apud quem in Caemiterio D. Pauli ad insigne Rosae Coronatae prostant venales. Londini typis Johannis Legatt, 1647. The catalogue is preceded by a Latin preface, which if written by Thomason himself shows him to have been a very creditable Latin scholar. The preface is to this effect:

:

"Courteous Reader. The following is a catalogue of books brought over from Italy, of the greatest use, if I am not mistaken, to all who are interested in theology, medicine, philology or belles lettres. I have spared no expense in my attempt to satisfy your needs and to gratify your curiosity. You will find here more Rabbinical and Oriental books and manuscripts than have ever before been collected together, and in addition to these the principal educational and medical writers and the chief authorities on mathematics, history and languages. There are two points to which I would call your attention at the outset. First, no books from Italy have reached this country for the last nine years, nor are any of this class likely to come here in the future. Secondly, I thought it best to have the catalogue printed without regard to subjects, that you may, in your own interests as well as in mine, read through the entire list."

The works in this Catalogue consist of printed books published during the sixteenth and the earlier years of the seventeenth centuries,

with a few manuscripts in Oriental Languages.

There are in all 1970

books and manuscripts; 1302 of which are in Latin; 294 in Italian; 36 in Spanish; 6 in Scandinavian Languages; 300 in Hebrew and 32, including manuscripts, in Arabic, Coptic, Persian, Syriac and Turkish. In March 1647 it was

"Ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, that the sum of £500 be charged upon and forthwith paid out of the receipts at Goldsmiths' Hall (where the Committee for Compounding' sat) unto Mr. George Thomason, Stationer, for buying of the said Thomason a Library or Collection of Books in the Eastern Languages of very great value, late bought out of Italy and having been the Library of a learned Rabbi there, according to the printed catalogue thereof; and that the said Library or Collection of Books be bestowed upon the Publick Library in the University of Cambridge. And the acquittance or acquittances of the said George Thomason shall be a sufficient discharge to the Treasurers at Goldsmiths' Hall for payment of the said £500 accordingly, and it is especially recommended to the Committee at Goldsmiths' Hall to take care that present due payment may be made of this sum accordingly, that the Kingdom may not be deprived of so great a Treasure nor Learning want so great Encouragement. And Sir Anthony Irby is particularly appointed to take care of this Business.

"Ordered, That Sir Anthony Irby do from this House take notice to Mr. Thomason of his good Service in his Purchase and bringing over from Italy the Parcel of Books in the Eastern Languages; and to give him the Thanks of this House for his good Affections therein to the Encouragement of Learning in this Kingdom.

"Ordered, That Mr. Selden and Mr. Lightfoote do take care that the University of Cambridge may have the said Books and that they may be preserved for them according to the Printed Catalogue."

(Journals of the House of Commons, Vol. V. 572.)

The books were accordingly sent to Cambridge. The late Henry Bradshaw describes them as a "collection of Hebrew Books which had formerly belonged to an Italian Rabbi, Isaac Praji. The books were brought down and soon made available for use. This was the foundation of our Hebrew Library" (Bradshaw, Collected Papers, 1889, p. 195).

Five hundred pounds was a handsome sum of money for some three hundred Hebrew books, but the period was one of financial embarrassment and confusion, and Thomason found it no easy matter to obtain the money promised to him.

On the 31st March, 1648, the Committee for Compounding ordered the sum to be paid from the two and four months' assessments for the Scots Army before Newark.

On the 25th Sept. Colonel Humphrey Matthews of Castle Menech, Glamorgan, was admitted to compound for delinquency, and £500 of his fine was ordered to be paid to Thomason.

On the 13th Oct. a fresh order was given to him, which seems to have been as futile as the two preceding. Finally on the 16 Nov. he was granted interest at the rate of eight per cent. on the still unpaid capital.

(Proceedings of the Committee for Compounding, pp. 133, 807, 809, 1856.)

It is to be hoped that the absence of any further entries in the Proceedings of the Committee shows that Thomason either received his money or remained content with eight per cent. interest.

In the late autumn of 1647 an incident occurred which Thomason has thus recorded on the fly-leaf of a volume dropped in the mud by King Charles I. It will be observed that the note is written after the Restoration.

"Memorandum that Col. Will. Legg and Mr. Arthur Treavor were imployed by his Mâtie K. Charles to gett for his present use a pamphlet which his Mâtie had then occasion to make use of, and not meeting with it, they both came to me having heard that I did imploy my selfe to take up all such things from the beginning of that Parlement, and finding it with me, tould me it was for the kings owne use. I tould them, all I had were at his Mâtie command and service, and withall tould them if I should part with it and loose it, presuming that when his Mâtie had done with it, that little account would be made of it, and so I should loose by that losse a limbe of my collection, which I should be very loth to do, well knowing it would be impossible to supplie it if it should happen to be lost, with which answer they returned to his Mâtie at Hampton Court (as I take it) and tould him they had found that peece he much desired and withall how loath he that had it was to part with it he much fearing its losse; wheruppon they were both sent to me againe by his Mâtie to tell me that upon the worde of a kinge (to use their own expressions) he would safely returne it, thereuppon immediately by them I sent it to his Mâtie who having done with it and having it with him when he was going towards the Isle of Wight (11-13 Nov. 1647) let it fall in the durt, and then callinge for the two persons before mentioned (who attended him) delivered it to them with a charge, as they should answer it another day, that they should both speedily and safely return it to him, from whom they had received it, and withall to desire the partie to goe on and continue what had begun, which booke together with his Mâtie signification to me by these worthy and faithfull gentl" I received both speedily and safely.

Which volume hath the marke of honor upon it, which noe other volume in my collection hath, and very diligently and carefully I continued the same, until the most hapie restoration & coronation of his most gratious Mâtie Kinge Charles the Second whom God long preserve. Geo. Thomason."

There are fourteen tracts in the volume thus honoured, but of these twelve are sermons, newspapers or satirical pamphlets. It may be assumed that the tract which Charles I. desired to see was either The Reasons of the Lords and Commons why they cannot agree to the Alteration and Addition in the Articles of Cessation offered by His Majesty. With His Majestie's gratious Answer thereunto. April 4, 1643, or A Declaration concerning the present Treaty of Peace between his Majesty and Parliament, April 7, 1643.

There is sufficient evidence in the tracts for the years 1647 and 1648 to show that Thomason served during those years as a member of the Common Council of the City of London. On the 24th June, 1647, an

anonymous pamphlet in the Presbyterian interest is accompanied by a printed letter from the author to George Thomason, begging him to present, or to read it, during a meeting of the Common Council (Vol. I. 523). On the 8th April, 1648, a summons to attend a meeting of the Common Council is addressed "to Mr. Thomason St. Pauls Churchyard"; and on the 20th May an Order of the Committee of the Militia of London is addressed to "Mr. George Thomason, Common Councill Man" (Vol. I. 607, 623).

There is unfortunately no list, printed or in manuscript, of the Members of the Common Council during the Civil War or Commonwealth, so it is impossible to say by what ward he was elected. It is, however, certain that he, with the other Presbyterian members who formed the majority of the Common Council in 1648, was excluded by an Ordinance of Parliament passed on the 20th Dec. 1648 (a fortnight after Pride's Purge) forbidding the election to any office in the City of all those who had subscribed to any engagement or petition for the personal treaty with the King.

In April 1651 Thomason was arrested and imprisoned at Whitehall under the charge of being concerned in the affair known as the "Love Plot." Many Presbyterian gentlemen, citizens of London and ministers, were concerned in this conspiracy, the main objects of which were to join the Scotch in the restoration of Charles II. as a Covenanting Monarch and to secure the establishment of Presbyterianism in England. The evidence against Thomason rested on the confession and examination of Thomas Coke of Drayton, a younger son of Sir John Coke, Secretary of State 1625-1638. Coke, who had acted for some years as a Royalist agent, was declared by an Ordinance of the 20th March, 1651, an attained traitor unless he surrendered himself within four days. He evaded arrest for some days, but was taken prisoner on the 29th March. To save his life he gave information to the Council of State and furnished full lists of the leaders of the conspiracy throughout the country and of the London merchants, tradesmen and ministers who had taken part in it. Coke's confessions are printed in the Thirteenth Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission (MSS. at Welbeck, Vol. I. pp. 576-604). According to his evidence, Thomason had taken a leading part in delivering letters written by Charles II. from Breda to the London Presbyterian ministers. Coke asserted, moreover, that he had been told by Alderman Bunce at Rotterdam "that he need not looke after any other persons in the Citie of London, for the management of affaires there, more than Thomazon and Potter (an ex-officer, then an Apothecary in Blackfriars), for that they knew the affections of most of the citizens and allso of the ministers." In a letter of the Council of State to Parliament it is stated that "Mr. Thomas Cooke's information hath been made use of

against Captain Potter and Mr. Thomasin solely discovered and apprehended upon his information."

The following entries from the Proceedings of the Committee for Compounding,' page 2769, and the Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1651, pp. 218, 219, 230, give the history of Thomason's arrest and release.

11 April, 1651. Committee for Compounding. "The County Committee of London ordered to seize, inventory and secure Thomason's estate both real and personal."

27 May. Council of State. "Mr. Thomason to be bailed, one bond of £1,000 with two sureties in £500 each, on the usual terms, after taking his oath as to the truth of the examinations that have been taken."

2 June. Committee for Compounding. "The Council of State having taken security for his appearance and good behaviour request the Committee for Compounding to take off its restraint formerly ordered."

3 June. Committee for Compounding. "The restraint taken off and the bond taken by the County Committee to be delivered to him."

14 June. Council of State. "Declaration that the Council having taken security of Geo. Thomason of London, Stationer, for his appearance and good abearance, think fit that he be in the same condition as he was at the time of their order for securing his estate and that he be permitted to enjoy the same, any letter from hence notwithstanding and that intimation hereof be given to the Commissioners for Sequestration."

Thomason was not included in the indictment against Christopher Love, nor was he called as a witness at his trial, which took place in June and July, 1651. Considering the serious nature of the charges brought against him, he was fortunate in escaping with some weeks of imprisonment and some unpleasant enquiries and researches. The fact was, that so many important and reputable Presbyterians were implicated that the Council probably considered it the wiser course to confine the prosecution to Love and a few of his principal confederates who had, for the most part, made good their escape from England.

Although no certain information can be obtained, I think it highly probable that it was during the course of the Love Conspiracy, perhaps immediately after hearing of Coke's arrest, that Thomason sent the whole of his collection, as far as it then existed, to the care of Dr. Barlow, at the Bodleian, and obtained from him the document described in the Advertisement given below, which could be produced to prove that a sale had actually taken place and might thus prevent the confiscation of his treasure. The fact that he had for some years been in the habit of sending books to Oxford may well have facilitated this method of securing his collection. Presumably he sent the remainder to Oxford at different times.

However this may have been, it is interesting to note that Thomason's imprisonment in no way impeded the progress of his collection. During the months of April, May and June, 1651, there is no diminution in the