December 1646: Ordinance to prevent the Committee of Oxford from seizing any of the Libraries, &c. belonging to any of the Masters, Students, &c. of the University.

December, 1646

[8 December, 1646.]

Whereas it is conceived, by the Masters, Readers, Professors, Scholars, and Officers, of the University of Oxon (in regard of the unhappy Condition the said University was lately in), that Seizures and Sale will be made of the Libraries, and Books, Mathematical Instruments, and other Things necessary for their Studies, to the great Discouragement of Learning, and the undoing of that ancient and famous University: It is Ordered and Ordained, by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, That no Seizures, Sale, or Alienation, shall be made, by any Committee within the said County, nor by any other Person whatsoever, of any Libraries, Books, Mathematical Instruments, Globes, and other Necessaries belonging to the Chambers of any Master, Reader, Professor, Scholar, or Officer, within the said University, or any of them, until the Pleasure of both Houses shall be further signified therein: Provided always, and be it Ordained, That the Committee for Sequestrations in the said County of Oxon do and shall take Inventories of the Libraries, Books, Mathematical Instruments, Globes, and other Necessaries, belonging to the Chambers of any the Masters, Readers, Professors, Scholars, and Officers, in the said University, which are liable to Sequestration; and leave the same, so inventoried, in the several Hands of the Persons with whom they do now remain, to be made Use of by them; they respectively giving Security to the said Committee, that the said Libraries, Books, Mathematical Instruments, Globes, and other the Necessaries as aforesaid, shall not be embezzled; but shall be forthcoming, to be disposed of, at the Pleasure of both Houses of Parliament.