Arthur Throckmorton ca.1557-1626

Arthur THROCKMORTON ca.1557-1626

Biographical Note

Son of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, of Beddington, Surrey. Matriculated at Magdalen College, Oxford 1571, but did not graduate. He inherited extensive estates from his father in 1571, and was knighted in 1596. MP for Colchester 1589, he held various other local administrative offices.

Books

Throckmorton bequeathed all his books to Magdalen College, saving only "such English bookes" as his wife "shall best like of", to keep for herself. It seems that she retained all his English books, as the College received only books in other languages, and ca.230 volumes remain there today. They include books in French, Italian and Spanish as well as Latin, many acquired by Throckmorton while travelling abroad; the subject coverage is wide-ranging and includes theology, geography, law, literature, history, fencing and astronomy. Some books were inherited from his father, and carry his ownership markings. Others were bought by Throckmorton during a European tour in 1580-82, or brought back from the siege of Cadiz in 1596, in which he participated. Examples: many in Magdalen College.

Characteristic Markings

The books received from Throckmorton were systematically inscribed by the College, "Ex dono Arthuri Throkmorton militis 1626". Many of the smaller books have simple parchment bindings but there is a wide range of other binding types, reflecting the origins of the books.

Sources

• Will of Sir Arthur Throckmorton, The National Archives PROB 11/149/663.
• The History of Parliament, Arthur Throckmorton.
• Jayne, S. Library catalogues of the English renaissance. Godalming, 1983, 153.
• Morgan, P. Oxford libraries outside the Bodleian. 2nd edn, Oxford, 1980.
• Rhodes, D. E., Some English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish book-collectors in Italy, 1467-1850, in Rhodes, D. E. (ed), Bookbindings and other bibliophily: essays in honour of Anthony Hobson, Verona, 1994, 247-76, p.257.
• Rowse, A. L. Ralegh and the Throckmortons, 1962.
• The life and library of Arthur Throckmorton, Magdalen College, Oxford.