Reading Between the Lines: Parish Libraries and Their Readers in Early Modern England, 1558–1709 (Library of the Written Word: Handpress World 98, 120)

This book provides an overview of the establishment and use of parish libraries in early modern England and includes a thematic analysis of surviving marginalia and readers'marks. This book is the first direct and detailed analysis of parish libraries in early modern England and uses a case-study approach to the examination of foundation practices, physical and intellectual accessibility, the nature of the collections, and the ways in which people used these libraries and read their books. Contents 8 Acknowledgements 12 Figures and Table 13 Introduction 16 Part 1 Evolution 34 Introduction to Part 1 36 Chapter 1 Pre-Reformation Clerical Libraries 39 Chapter 2 Founders and Users of Post-Reformation Parish Libraries 46 1 The Founders of Post-Reformation Parish Libraries 46 2 The Users of Post-Reformation Parish Libraries 48 3 Conclusion 50 Chapter 3 Post-Reformation Parish Library Books 51 1 Types of Books in Post-Reformation Parish Libraries 54 2 Continental Books in Post-Reformation Parish Libraries in England 56 3 Conclusion 60 Chapter 4 The Spread of Post-Reformation Parish Libraries 62 1 The Chronological Spread of Parish Libraries in Post-Reformation England 62 2 The Geographical Spread of Parish Libraries in Post-Reformation England 66 3 Conclusion 67 Part 2 Establishment 68 Introduction to Part 2 70 Chapter 5 The Parish Libraries of Grantham, Ripon, Gorton and Wimborne Minster 73 1 The Francis Trigge Chained Library, Grantham, Lincolnshire 74 2 Ripon Minster Parish Library, Ripon, Yorkshire 78 3 The Gorton Chest Parish Library, Manchester, Lancashire 82 4 The Wimborne Minster Chained Library, Wimborne Minster, Dorset 85 Chapter 6 Parish Library Users and Usability 93 1 Housing a Parish Library and Their Locations within Parish Churches 101 2 Conclusion 105 Chapter 7 Collecting Books and Compiling a Collection 106 1 Establishing Libraries by Monetary Gift or Bequest 106 2 Establishing Libraries by Gifting or Bequeathing Specific Books 115 3 Later Augmentations 122 4 The Cost of Early Modern Second-Hand Books 129 5 Conclusion 135 Chapter 8 Parsing the Collections of Early Modern Parish Libraries 136 1 Authors’ Confessional Identities 138 1.1 The Francis Trigge Chained Library 139 1.2 Ripon Minster Parish Library 141 1.3 The Gorton Chest Parish Library 143 1.4 Wimborne Minster Chained Library 145 2 The Publication Dates of Parish Library Books 148 2.1 The Francis Trigge Chained Library 148 2.2 Ripon Minster Parish Library 150 2.3 The Gorton Chest Parish Library 152 2.4 Wimborne Minster Chained Library 154 3 The Publication Locations of Parish Library Books and Links to the Continental Book Trade 156 3.1 The Francis Trigge Chained Library 156 3.2 Ripon Minster Parish Library 159 3.3 The Gorton Chest Parish Library 162 3.4 Wimborne Minster Chained Library 163 4 The Language of Books in Parish Libraries 166 4.1 The Francis Trigge Chained Library 166 4.2 Ripon Minster Parish Library 167 4.3 Wimborne Minster Chained Library 169 5 Genres of Books in Early Modern Parish Libraries 171 5.1 The Francis Trigge Chained Library 171 5.2 Ripon Minster Parish Library 175 5.3 The Gorton Chest Parish Library 178 5.4 Wimborne Minster Chained Library 183 6 Conclusion 186 Part 3 Readership 188 Introduction to Part 3 190 Chapter 9 Anti-Catholicism 195 1 The Errors, Changes and Corruptions of the Catholic Church 197 2 False Worship, Images and Idolatry in the Catholic Church 207 3 Guidance for Identifying the True and Uncorrupted Church 211 4 Conclusion 212 Chapter 10 The Importance of Scripture 214 1 Scripture as the Word of God 216 2 Interpreting and Understanding Scripture 221 3 Accessibility of the Scriptures 225 4 Conclusion 227 Chapter 11 Sin, Repentance and Salvation 228 1 Sin 229 2 Repentance and Salvation 233 3 Conclusion 244 Chapter 12 Godly Living and Death 245 1 Godly Living in Early Modern Protestantism 247 2 Godly Dying and Suicide in Early Modern Protestantism 260 3 Conclusion 265 Conclusion 266 Appendix 1 List of Books in the Gorton Chest Parish Library 270 Appendix 2 List of Books in the Turton and Walmsley Parish Libraries 280 Turton 280 Walmsley 281 Appendix 3 List of Books in the Stone and Gillingham Donations to Wimborne Minster Chained Library 283 William Stone’s Donation 283 Roger Gillingham’s Donation 295 Bibliography 306 Index 343