Steal not this book!

While on the hunt for something else entirely, I came across a French New Testament that was translated from the Vulgate and published in Paris in 1727. The book itself is rather battered; it came to the College from the library of Barham Hall and has obviously been handled extensively. The remains of what would have been some very pretty gilt decorations on the spine are just barely still visible.

But it isn’t the book itself that is of note. On the flyleaf facing the title page is a rather lovely inscription that reads:

Steal not this Book

for fear of Shame

for him Doth So

Book curses like this, intended to prevent theft in libraries, are fairly well documented in the Middle Ages, but are more unusual in the eighteenth century. As we continue to explore our special collections, we shall see whether any more turn up!

Genny Grim

Librarian