THAT WE HAVE GATHERED SUCH A MULTITUDE OF BOOKS FOR THE COMMON ADVANTAGE OF SCHOLARS, AND NOT ONLY FOR OUR OWN PLEASURE

OTHING more unjust is to be found among men than that those things which are performed justly are perverted by the slanders of the malignant. And so one endures the reproach of a sin where rather he has a right to look for honour. Many a thing is done with single eye, nor does the left hand disclose itself to the right, the lump is corrupted by no leaven, nor is the garment woven of woollen and linen, and yet by the arts of perverse men a pious work is deceitfully transformed into something monstrous. It is no doubt the reprobate condition of our sinful nature that, not alone in deeds that are morally doubtful, it inclines to the worse construction, but oftentimes depraves by a wicked interpretation those things that bear the aspect of uprightness. For although the love of books by a clerk seems honourable from the very nature of the object, yet in some marvellous way it exposed us to the condemnation of many, through whose open amazement we were thought ill of, now for our superfluity of curiosity, now for our greediness in material things, now for our appearance of vanity, and now we were censured for the intemperateness of our love for letters. And indeed their revilings moved us no more than the barking of little dogs, being content by His witness alone, to whom the heart and the reins are open to be searched. For, since the final intent of a secret desire lies hidden from men and is open only to God, the Inspector of hearts, they deserve to be rebuked for their perverse temerity in that they so easily write a sinister inscription over human actions whose fontal principle they cannot see. For the intent in matters of conduct holds the same place as principles in speculation, or as suppositions in mathematics, as witness the prince of philosophers in the Seventh of his Ethics. Wherefore, just as the truth of a conclusion appears from the evidence in the premises, so oftentimes in matters of conduct moral excellence is stamped on a deed by the intent of an honest purpose, where otherwise the deed itself should be judged indifferent, so far as concerns morals.

We, however, while yet awaiting a suitable time under God, have long cherished within our heart a deeply-rooted intention of founding as a perpetual charity and endowing with the necessary revenues a Hall in the reverend University of Oxford, the chief nurse of all the liberal arts, and to supply it when occupied by numerous scholars, with the treasures of our books, that each and all of our books may become common, so far as pertains to their use in study, not only to the scholars of the said Hall, but through them to all the students of the above-named University forever, after the form and manner which the following chapter will declare. Wherefore, a sincere love of study and zeal for confirming the orthodox faith to the edifying of the Church have begotten in us this anxiety so amazing to the lovers of money. Hence, careless of expense, we gathered books wherever they were to be sold, and where they were not to be bought, we had them fairly copied.

Now the tastes of men are variously determined according to the influence of the heavenly bodies to which the mixed composition of our nature is often obedient. Hence, some choose to give themselves to architecture and others to husbandry, and others again to hunting, or navigation, or war, or sports. Thus, under the influence of Mercury, books became the object of our honourable desire, and this we have directed under the auspices of right reason, over which no stars hold sway, to the honour of the Supreme Majesty, that where our mind found the tranquility of peace, there the worship of God might most devoutly arise.

Then let our detractors cease. Let not the blind presume to judge of colours, nor bats to cavil at the light, nor those that have beams in their own eyes to pluck out motes from the eyes of others. Let those cease defaming that of which they are ignorant and discussing hidden things that are not open to human search, who haply would have commended us with a friendly affection had we given our leisure to hunting wild beasts, or throwing dice, or to courting the favours of mistresses.