Catalogue description WILLIAM POLHILL: BIBLIOGRAPHY

An extensive bibliography, mainly of printed books from the fifteenth to the early eighteenth century, but also including numerous manuscripts. With dictionaries or encyclopedias of natural history. Compiled by William Polhill (c.1648-1722), B.A. Oxon 1669, Vicar of Willingdon, Sussex, 1673-78, Rector of Bowers Gifford, Essex, to 1722 and Vicar of Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, 1698-1722. A monumental inscription at St. Michael, Bishop's Stortford, says of him: 'Theologiae artium et scientiarum studiosissimus exegit sibi ex eruditis laboribus monumentum'. No publications by Polhill have been traced, and this collection, originally in some 109 volumes, appears to be the monument of his learned labours to which the inscription refers. Polhill is identifiable as the author of this work by fragments of letters addressed to him, together with fragments of a draft of his will, which he re-used for rough notes. These are found loose amongst the collection. Sion L40.2/E119-120. 2 vols. Paper covers. Anonymous English works, arranged A-Z by titles or subjects. The majority of the entries record manuscripts in the Bodleian, the Cotton Library and in a large number of episcopal and private collections. Found loose in E120 is a fragment of a draft of Polhill's will. Sion L40.2/E121. 1 vol. Vellum binding. 'Bibliotheca scriptorum Arabicorum qui apud Europaeos inveniuntur. Inceptum Maii 3 1703'. Works by Arabic authors, arranged A-Z. Includes numerous manuscripts in the Bodleian and other libraries. Sion L40.2/E122-124. 3 vols. Paper covers. 'Bibliotheca Belgica'. Works by authors from the Low Countries, arranged A-Z. Sion L40.2/E125-128. 4 vols. Paper covers. 'Bibliotheca Gallica'. Works by French authors, arranged A-Z. Sion L40.2/E129-135. 7 vols. Paper covers. 'Bibliotheca Germanica'. Works by German authors, arranged A-Z. Sion L40.2/E136. 1 vol. Paper covers. 'Bibliotheca Germanica anonyma'. Anonymous works by German authors, arranged A-Z by titles or subjects. Sion L40.2/E137. 33 vols or fascicules, in one box. 'Bibliotheca Graeca'. Works by Greek authors, arranged A-Z. Sion L40.2/E138. 24 vols or fascicules, in one box. 'Bibliotheca Graeca Christiana'. Works by Christian Greek authors, arranged A-Z. Lacks volume or fascicule one. This was already missing when recorded by William Clements, Sion College Librarian 1762-99 (see Custodial history field). Vol two begins with author Andreas. Sion L40.2/E139-140. 2 vols. Vellum bindings. 'Bibliotheca Graeca et Latina'. Works by Greek authors, arranged A-Z. Sion L40.2/E141. 1 vol. Vellum binding. 'Bibliotheca Hebraica'. Works by Hebrew authors, arranged A-Z. Found loose are fragments of a minute of a meeting of the trustees for the charity of Bishop's Stortford, 18 Aug. 1703. Sion L40.2/E142-143. 2 vols. Paper covers. 'Bibliotheca Hispanica'. Works by Spanish authors, arranged A-Z. Sion L40.2/E144-148. 5 vols. Paper covers. 'Bibliotheca Italica'. Works by Italian authors, arranged A-Z. Sion L40.2/E/149. 1 vol. Vellum binding. 'Bibliotheca Persicae spicilegium; Bibliotheca Chinensis; Bibliotheca Syriaca; Libri Samaritanorum; Scripta Armenorum; Libri Indorum; Bibliotheca Turcica, Aethiopica, Coptica, Chaldaica, Russica'. Found loose are fragments of letters to Polhill. Sion L40.2/E150. 1 vol or fascicule. Paper covers. 'Collections concerning quadruped animals, trees, shrubs, herbs, sea plants, roots...'. Comprises a dictionary of quadrupeds A-Z, and a dictionary of trees A-K only. The remainder is wanting. Inserted loose is a fragment of a draft of Polhill's will. Sion L40.2/E151. 5 fascicules. Paper covers. A dictionary or encyclopedia of birds, arranged A-Z. Sion L40.2/E152. 5 fascicules. Paper covers. A dictionary or encyclopedia of fish, arranged A-Z. At the end of the fifth fascicule is a separate dictionary of 'testaceous fish and crustaceous animals', arranged A-Z. Sion L40.2/E153. 1 vol or fascicule. Paper covers. 'Serpents'. A dictionary or encyclopedia of snakes, arranged A-W.

Sion L40.2/E52 is a further manuscript in the hand of Polhill.

Sion College

Open

In his will proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in 1722, William Polhill bequeathed his manuscripts and collections to his nephew Robert Polhill, but, if the latter was not to be educated as a clergyman, then to Sion College (National Archives, PROB 11/584; copy in Lambeth Palace Library: MS Facsimile 14). A description of the collection, in the hand of William Clements, Sion College Librarian 1762-99, is found in Sion L40.2/E96. He recorded 108 volumes, with shelf marks Forulus B 22-73 and C 26-81, and noted that one further volume was missing. In 1960 Sion College transferred to the College of Arms eleven volumes containing Polhill's genealogical and heraldic collections (shelf marks B 51-61 in Clements' description). See also Sion College correspondence in Sion L40.2/E173/4). Amongst uncatalogued material transferred from Sion College to Lambeth Palace Library in 1996.