Updated Saturday morning
Lambeth Palace Library is one of the earliest public libraries in England, founded in 1610 under the will of Archbishop Richard Bancroft. In celebration of its 400th anniversary in 2010, the Library is opening a fascinating exhibition to the public in the Great Hall of Lambeth Palace.
The exhibition will run from 17 May – 23 July 2010. Find out more and buy tickets at Treasures of Lambeth Palace Library Exhibition: Summer 2010
There are several press previews, some with pictures.
Stephen Bates in The Guardian Lambeth Palace to exhibit 400 years of religious and royal treasures
Chris Smyth in the Times Palace unveils historic hoard of a sticky-fingered prelate
Paul Harris in the Mail Palace of treasures: Archbishop of Canterbury’s exhibition tells Britain’s story
London SE1 community website See Lambeth Palace Library treasures at 400th anniversary show
Press Association Royal and religious documents shown
Update
Christopher Howse in the Telegraph A tortoise and the hair of the prophet
The Lambeth Palace exhibit sounds wonderful. I’d love to see it. If I weren’t so far away….
Chris Smyth refers to Archbishop Bancroft’s “extremely sticky fingers”, but the stickiness of Bancroft’s fingers was minor compared to those of Archbishop Parker, a century earlier. The books from Parker’s library, including the St Augustine Gospels, wound up at Corpus Christi, Cambridge, not at Lambeth.
“James I wrote a blunt rejection in the margins of a plea for lenience for Puritans: “Too great a toleration of you in queene Elizabeth’s tyme hath made you to be prikkels in our sydes.”
-Times Blog, on the Treasures of Lambeth Library-
This little gem from Church History should give cause for some reflection in today’s struggles within the Church of England. Methinks certain Evangelical Prelates, like Winchester, the former ABC, and the former Rochester could take note!