Volume II 1603-1660 - The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

INTRODUCTION. xxxiii
of Sir Henry Savile,' the distinguished editor of S. Chrysostom's
works, and a member of this society.
The granting of the patent to the benchers gave a stimulus to
the rebuilding of the inn, as it had promoted the repairs and restoration
of the church. The first difficulty to be met was the insufficient
accommodation in the hall. This could not contain the barristers,
students, and other fellows of the society, whose numbers were
steadily increasing. The use of the library as an additional diningroom
had to some extent met the requirements, but the experiment
did not give satisfaction, and in July, i6o6, it was ordered that there p. 2 I
should be no further dining or supping in the library, " in regard it is
meant to be kept sweet and cleanly for the exercise of learning and
receiving of noble personages at the feasts in the reading times."
The treasurer was at the same time authorized to order another table
to be placed in the hall when in his discretion it should become
necessary. In February, 1607-8, a committee was appointed to P. 35
" consider of a place to be newly builded at the lower end of the hall,
for such gentlemen to dine and sup in as cannot have place in the
hall and to consider how the said may be made answerable to the
without any prejudice to the chambers thereunto adjoining."
Certain plans for a proposed building near the hall door had been p. 31
made in 1607 at a cost of 205. And these appear to have been
adopted, for in the accounts for November, i6o8, is a payment by the
treasurer of I 29 7s. id. for building the new library and repairing p. 38
the old, which was afterwards referred to as the "upper library," it being P. 53
situate at the eastern end of the hall, but at a higher level than the hall
itself. In accordance with the usage of the time the books in the new P• 45
library were fastened by chains and padlocks to the iron rods on the
desks. In June, 1609, an order was made, probably also to relieve the p. 43
pressure on the hall, that the parliament should be held in the library
whenever the benchers should think fit. In November, 161o, payment
was made of £88 i6s. 8d. for altering the parliament house and P. 53
new-building the pastry. In 1620 the end of the hall was again p. 118
found defective and a committee was appointed with power to amend
it together with the kitchen and buttery. A new leather chair was P. 53
provided for the treasurer in the upper library at a cost of I is., and
two large curtains for the window at 32s. A new hearth was put in p. 70
. library
"State Papers Dorn. Jac.," vol. xxviii., No. 84 ; "Dic. Nat. Biog.," vol. ix., p. 88.