As I got among the books of the sixteenth century, I was much more gratified with the result of my researches.  I will begin with a very choice article:  which is nothing less than a copy of the Complutensian Polyglott, purchased by Eckius, in 1521, of the celebrated Demetrius Chalcondylas—­as the following coeval ms. memorandum attests:  “Rome empta biblia ista P Eckium P xiiij ducatis largis a Demetrio Calcondyla anno 1521; mortuo iam Leone Papa in Decembri.”  The death of Leo is here particularly mentioned, because, during his life, it is said that that Pontiff prohibited the sale of the work in question.  The copy is fair and sound; but both this, and a duplicate copy, wants the sixth volume, being the Dictionary or Vocabulary.  The mention of Eckius leads me to notice a little anecdote connected with him.  He was, as you may have read, one of the most learned, most eloquent, and most successful of Luther’s antagonists.  He was also the principal theological Professor in the University of Ingoldstadt.  They preserve at Landshut, brought from the former place, the chair and the doctor’s cap of their famous Anti-Lutheran champion.  You see both of these in one of the principal apartments of the Public Library.  I was requested to sit in the chair of the renowned Eckius, and to put his doctorial bonnet upon my head.  I did both:—­but, if I had sat for a century to come, I should never have fancied myself Eckius ... for more reasons than one.

The Sub Librarian, who is a Catholic, (Professor Siebenkees being a Protestant) has shewn great good sense in preserving all the tracts, which have fallen in his way, both for and against the Lutheran controversy.  You go between two small book-cases, or sets of shelves, and find Luther in front, and Eckius and his followers in the rear of you; or vice versa.  A considerable number of rare and curious little pieces of Erasmus and Melancthon, are mixed in this collection, which is far from being small either in number or value.  In this interesting collection, I saw a good copy of Ross’s work against Luther, of the date of 1523, which appeared to me to be printed by Pynson.[82] It had the autograph of Sir Thomas More—­("Thom^{9} mor^{9}”—­) who indeed is said to have been the author of the work.  This very copy belonged to Eckius, and was given to him by the author, when Eckius came over to England in 1525:  the fact being thus attested in the hand-writing of the latter:  “Codex iste dono datus est mihi Johanni Eckio ab illius autore in Anglia, dum visendi cupidus in Insulam traiecissem, 1525, Augusto x.”  The worthy Professor next put into my hands what he considered to be an absolutely unique copy of Der Veis Ritter, in 1514, folio:  adding, that no other copy of the adventures of the White Knight, of the same date, was known to bibliographers.  I assented to the observation—­equally from courtesy and sheer ignorance.  But surely this is somewhat difficult to believe.