462
NOTES AND QUERIES. [io* s. HI. JCXE 17, 100*
The conjectured date, however, lies between
1426 and 1429. The scholars of King s Hall
were, according to modern notions, fellow
rather than scholars, and could doubtles
obtain leave of absence ; but it seems un
likely that the future bishop held such a
scholarship in conjunction with his known
appointments at Winchester.
The vexed question at what college or hall at Oxford the bishop had studied is distinct from that with which I have been dealing. Nearly a column of the ' D.N.B.' (lx. 86) is devoted to support the theory that he had a fellowship at New College, for which, not having been a scholar at Winchester, he was not qualified. It is difficult to treat very seriously the suggestion that Beaufort as visitor of the college, dispensed with the qualification. He had no such power of dispensation ; any attempt to assert it would have been stoutly resisted ; there is no evidence whatever that the attempt was made : and the suggestion does not meet the cardinal objection to the theory, namely, that the admission of Waynflete as fellow has not been found in the college records, which, so far as fellowships are concerned, is happily complete. If Waynflete was at New College, he was more probably there as chorister, lay- clerk, or chaplain ; and even if he was not a member of New College m his youth, his regard for that college in later years can be explained. As Bishop of Winchester, he was visitor of the college at a period when visitorial functions were of importance ; and it was the college to which all his best pupils migrated when they left Winchester. The article in the ' Dictionary is slightly marred by the omission of all reference to the fact that Waynflete was head master at Winchester. He was there for a little over eleven years, and left in 1441 to become first head master at Eton.
As bearing upon the question who was the William Waynflete, LL.B., mentioned at the beginning of this note, it may be added that Waynflete, when appointed Bishop of Winchester in 1447, was a bachelor of divinity (see the king's letter, in 'Vitse Selectorum aliquot Virorum,' 1081, p. 64). H. C.
SIR THOMAS PHILL1PPS AND HIS
LIBRARY.
IN Yr Haul for October, 1873, there is a somewhat slovenly, but very interesting sketch of this odd personage and his famous library. It is from the pen of John Row- lands ("Giraldus"), once a National School master at Llandebie, and for some time
Sir Thomas's librarian. From this sketch I
have picked out and rearranged all that is
of general interest. It will, I hope, form an
acceptable supplement to the very meagre
and lifeless notice in the 'D.N.B.' :
"After the death of Lord Northwick, Thirlestane House, Cheltenham, was to let, and Sir Thomas Phillipps took it, and at once began to remove hist library thither an operation that occupied two years. The collections were conveyed in an omni- bus, twice a week, under the charge of two men. Some eight years afterwards I received an invita- tion from Sir Thomas to go and see him at Thirle- stane. I immediately complied with the summons, and found myself in the streets of Cheltenham before the inhabitants of that fashionable town had turned out. On reaching Thirlestane and ring- ing the bell, I was told by the maid who opened the- door that her master was in, and that I should see him immediately. Presently there appeared a little dot of a man, with ruddy face and long, unkempt hair and beard. After mutual greetings, I was taken to his room, which was filled with books and papers. At the close of a longish interview I was invited to see the library, which, in the owner's eyes, was a sort of consecrated chamber. The books were in boxes, which were reared one on the other, the lids all locked, and hinged at the lower end so as to open outwards and downwards. When, we had spent a considerable time over the books and portfolios of pictures, we came to an agreement that I should be librarian, and in about two months- I entered upon my duties. Thirlestane was an enormous building, surrounded on all sides by high walls, like a prison, and it had but few visitors. Sir Thomas Phillipps was one of the most eccentric characters of his time. At Middle Hill he had main- tained a large establishment, but at his wife's death/ he had broken it up, and devoted himself wholly for the rest of his life to antiquarian research. He- employed on the premises a printer and a book- binder, and printed mauy ancient manuscripts. His three daughters were compelled to prepare- the materials for the compositors from dawn to dark a very irksome task for young girls.. The library kept ever growing until the mansion of Middle Hill was filled from basement to attics. As- Middle Hill was getting too small for his books, he determined to remove them to Oxford. He hired a house there, and bought an omnibus in London to- transport his collections ; but the plan was suddenly abandoned. As he claimed descent from the Phil- lipses of Cilsant, he held Wales in high respect. At one period of his life he used to spend much of his- tinie in Wales, whither he would travel in the old- fashioned way in a carriage and four. He spent six months at Haverfordwest, arranging the manuscript ollections of Picton Castle. Having determined to present his library to Wales, he took Manorbier Castle, Pembrokeshire, a place entirely unfit for the- contemplated purpose. He changed his mind, and the books are to remain where they are but no Romanist is to see them. He was fond of every one who bore the name of Phillips, and many jersons of that name claimed relationship with lim. It would take a pretty stout volume to relate all his eccentricities. He bought books and pictures at absurd prices wherever he could get hold of them. He sent a man out to Nineveh to search for emains in the track of Layard a commission.
