SION COLLEGE LIBRARY CATALOGUE

Catalogus impressorum librorum in Bibliotheca Collegii Sionensis'. An author catalogue of printed books in Sion College Library, without shelfmarks. Records books of all sizes, although folios are not noted as such. The catalogue is written in several hands and was used and added to over a period in the late 17th century. The latest book recorded was published in 1694 (f. 57r), plus one addition of a book printed in 1698 (f. 20r). The catalogue does not appear to include the books from George Berkeley, 1st Earl of Berkeley, received in 1699. Possibly the new catalogue which was ordered to be made following the appointment of William Lewis as Librarian in 1680; see E.H. Pearce, 'Sion College and Library' (London, 1913), pp. 256-7. It was used during the Librarianship of William Nelson, 1682-1704. In October 1697 the Governors of Sion College instructed Nelson to take his catalogue of the Library to Mr. Chiswell, the bookseller, who had offered to give books not already in the Library (London Metropolitan Archives, Sion College Court minutes vol A, p. 503). The catalogue passed to Nelson's successor Samuel Beardmore, Librarian 1704-8. At ff. 30v-31r are scribbled signatures of members of the Nelson family (George and John Nelson) and of Samuel Beardmore. At f. 1r is the name: 'George Nelson, 1704'. George Nelson, nephew and executor of William Nelson, was reported in May 1704 to have delivered up the keys of the Library and the Library catalogue (London Metropolitan Archives, Sion College Court minutes vol A, p. 543).

Sion L40.2/E114, seemingly a catalogue of books of Berkeley provenance, has hands in common with this manuscript and may have been used to supplement it from 1699. One of the principal hands is also found in Sion L40.2/E62/3 which may have served in the same way.

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