Charles Townshend, Viscount Townshend (1674–1738)
Letter to Vice-Chancellor Thomas Sherlock
London, 20 September 1715

This unassuming letter of just two sentences informed the University that King George wished to give them Bishop Moore’s collection. A Cambridge man himself (of King’s College) who had known Moore while he was Bishop of Norwich, it was known as early as May that Townshend had persuaded George to give the books to Cambridge, but this formal announcement was delayed until September. The price paid, according to a treasury order dated 24 October, was £6450 (6000 guineas); this order reached the University Archives by sheer luck, having been purchased as part of a batch of Exchequer records (at £8 a ton) by a London fishmonger in 1840. For a full transcription of the letter, click “Extended captions”.

UA CUR.31.2.26(1)