has bin missing this three weeks, ’tis desired that he that has it would be pleased to restore it, and not to do any such thing as is contrary to w^t he hath subscribed.”  By 1716 the members had considered it desirable to allow the borrowing of books for home reading, and on May 7th, 1716, occurs the following record of the petition of the members to the City Court:

“This Society having requested y^e Court to give leave y^t an order might be made to render y^e Library more usefull it was accordingly ordered by y^e Court

“Norwich.  At an Assembly held the third day of May Anno Dnj 1716

“The Petition of y^e Clergy about y^e Books in ye Library is now agreed to, so as such care be taken by y^e Library-keeper y^t there be no loss of y^e Books.

P Cur: Chappell.

“The Articles or Conditions of borrowing any book out of y^e Library are order’d to be written in y^e first leave of a Register to be provided for y^e use of y^e Society.”

“These Articles or Conditions are fortunately written at the end of the Minute Book, and are as follows:

“First, That every Person taking out any Book, shall enter y^e same into a Book to be provided for y^t purpose.

“2^dly: That He shall be obliged to return ye same Book or Books w^thin one month from y^e time of borrowing, & enter y^e return of y^e s^d Book in a Column of y^e Register opposite to that wherein ye borrowing of y^e s^d Book is mention’d.

“3^dly: That No Person shall have above y^e Number of three

Books (from this Library) at one time, unless y^e leave of y^e Society be first Ask’d & obtain’d.

“4^thly: That if any damage be done to any Book, He in whose hands it is shall make it good, & to prevent disputes, if y^e Book be damag’d before taken out of y^e Library it shall be shown to y^e Under=library=Keeper.

“5^thly: That there be some Persons appointed to assist ye Upper Library Keeper in calling over y^e s^d Books y^e first Monday of January next, & so yearly & every year, & y^t y^e Library Keeper shall have power to send for & call in such Books as are y^tt abroad, & every person in whose hands any Books have been above y^e limited time of one Month at such days of calling over y^e s^d Books shall forfeit two shillings & six pence to be applied to such use as y^e Society shall adjudge proper.

“6^thly: That No Person shall be admitted to y^e use of this Library, (Those of this Court excepted) Nor have y^e liberty of borrowing any Book from y^e s^d Library who are not already, or shall not hereafter be admitted to y^e use of y^e s^d Library according to y^e usages & Customs of the Society Now in great measure entrusted w^th y^e Care & Charge of y^e Books of y^e s^d Library, except such Person shall first give unto y^e s^d Library y^e sum of fourty shillings or Books to y^t value.

“7^thly: Tis agreed y^t there be two fair Catalouges made, One to be & remain w^th y^e Court of this City, & y^e other to be kept in y^e Library, y^t y^e Library Keeper do get y^e s^d Catalouges made w^th all convenient speed, y^t y^e Books be rang’d into some method & order, y^t y^e Library Keeper shall take in such assistance as is wanting, & his charge & trouble be allow’d according to y^e discretion of y^e Society.”

These rules show that borrowers were permitted to record the books they borrowed, that they were allowed to retain them for a month, that damaged books should be reported to the Under Library Keeper before being taken away, and that a stocktaking fine of 2s. 6d. was provided for in the event of books not being returned in the January of each year.

The Minutes between 1716 and 1731 chiefly record formal matters, and little of note regarding the administration of the Library.  On February 7th, 1731, “It was then unanimously agreed that the Members meet for the future on the first Tuesday

in every Month at two o’Clock in y^e afternoon.”  On the 7th of the following month two delinquent borrowers were dealt with: “Whereas the Rev^d M^r. Francis Johnson took some time since the Works of Bishop Bull in 4 volumes 8^vo out of this Library, & has return’d only y^e 1^st, 3^rd & 4^th Vol^s & instead of y^e 2^d Sherlock on providence, it Was then Order’d, that that sh^d be return’d him again, & that he be requir’d either to send back y^e s^d 2^d vol. or take the remaining three, & send an entire Sett.  Order’d likewise that M^r Morrant be requir’d to return B-p. Stillingfleets Origines Sacrae, being y^e 2^d vol. of his works, Long since taken out by Him.”

The regulations for the administration of the Library were again revised in 1732/3 by the City Council: [11]

“At an ASSEMBLY held on Feb. the 24th, 1732/3. the Right Worshipful the MAYOR, Sheriffs, Aldermen, and Common-Council this Day assembled, for the better Regulation of the Publick Library, have unanimously appointed the following ORDERS to be observed, upon Pain of Exclusion from the said Library.

“ORDERED, That the Catalogues already printed be Six Hundred; and that one Half of them be kept in the Town-Clerk’s Office, to be delivered out to the Members of the Corporation; and the other Half be left in the Library, to be delivered out to the Subscribers.

“ORDERED, That the Books in the said Library be Annually called over, in the first Week of June, in the Presence of the Chamberlain; and that such books as are found to be Duplicates, be sold by the Chamberlain and Library-Keeper; and that the Money arising by Sale thereof, be laid out in the Purchasing of such Books as shall be thought proper by the said Subscribers.

“ORDERED, That after the said Annual Call is finished, the Subscribers to the said Library, upon their next Monthly Meeting, have Liberty to choose a Library-Keeper for the Year ensuing.

“ORDERED, That on the Reception of any Book or Books given to the said Library, the Donor’s Name shall be written

on the inside Cover of the Book, and that the Library-Keeper shall Register the same in the Vellum Book.

“ORDERED, That no Person shall have more than Three Books out of the said Library at one Time, nor keep them longer than one Month, without the Consent of the Majority of the Subscribers present at their Monthly Meeting: And that an Account of every Book Lent, and the Return thereof, be duly made and enter’d in a Book for that Purpose.

“ORDERED, That