Bodley, SIR THOMAS

Bodley, SIR THOMAS, the restorer of the library originally established at Oxford by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, was born at Exeter, March 2, 1545. His family, being forced to flee from England during the persecutions of Mary, settled at Geneva, where Bodley studied languages and divinity under the most distinguished professors of that city. On the accession of Elizabeth he returned to England and completed his studies at Oxford, where he took the degree of M.A., was afterwards elected a proctor, and officiated as public orator. He applied himself to the study of Hebrew, and four years spent abroad enabled him to become proficient in modern languages. He was now employed by the queen in diplomatic missions to Denmark, France, and Holland, and returned to his favourite city, Oxford, in 1597, where he devoted himself to literature, especially to the extension of the university library, now called the Bodleian (q.v.), in Bodley's honour. In collecting rare and valuable books from many parts of Europe, Bodley expended a very large sum, and also left an estate for salaries to officers, repair of the library, and purchase of books. He was knighted by King James, and died at Oxford, January 28, 1613. Having no family, he made the university his chief heir. Bodley's autobiography, extending to the year 1609, together with a collection of his letters, has been published under the title Reliquiae Bodleianæ (1703).