John Rouse
Encyclopedia
John Rouse (1574–1652) was an English librarian, second librarian of the Bodleian in Oxford, and a friend of John Milton
.
, matriculated at Oxford in 1591, and graduated B.A. from Balliol College on 31 January 1599. He was elected Fellow of Oriel College
in 1600, and received his M.A. 27 March 1604.
On 9 May 1620 he was chosen chief librarian of the Bodleian Library
, a post he discharged with great vigour and acumen until his death. At that time he occupied 'Cambye's lodgings', also written 'Camby's', once a part of St. Frideswide's Priory as a medieval tenement. He afterwards sold the property to Pembroke College
, as a residence for the master.
Rouse annotated a collection of Robert Burton
’s books which were given to the Bodleian Library by testamentary disposition on Burton’s death, and two of his inscriptions are cited by Alan H.Nelson as supplying independent confirmation that, for this learned bibliographer
, William Shakespeare
was identified by a contemporary as the author of Burton’s copies of two of Shakespeare’s narrative poems. The inscriptions read.
About 1635 Rouse formed a friendship with Milton; Barbara Lewalski considers they met in Horton
, where Milton was studying. He asked the poet for a complete copy of his works for the library, and Milton in 1647 sent two volumes to Oxford, the prose pamphlets carefully inscribed in his own hand 'to the most excellent judge of books,' and a smaller volume of poems which was stolen or lost on the way. To this circumstance we owe Milton's mock-heroic ode To John Rouse (dated 23 January 1646-7) inserted in a second copy, preserved at the Bodleian.
In 1645 he refused to lend King Charles
the 'Histoire Universelle du Sieur d'Aubigné' because the statutes forbade the removal of such a book. Christopher Arnold
, professor of history at Nuremberg, and Lambecius both complimented him. He died on 3 April 1652, and was buried in Oriel College Chapel. Rouse wrote a dedicatory preface to a collection of verses addressed to the Danish proconsul, Johan Cirenberg (Oxford, 1631). He also issued an appendix to the Bodleian Catalogue in 1635. His portrait hangs in the Middle Common Room of Oriel College.
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
.
Life
He was born in NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, matriculated at Oxford in 1591, and graduated B.A. from Balliol College on 31 January 1599. He was elected Fellow of Oriel College
Oriel College
Oriel College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford...
in 1600, and received his M.A. 27 March 1604.
On 9 May 1620 he was chosen chief librarian of the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, a post he discharged with great vigour and acumen until his death. At that time he occupied 'Cambye's lodgings', also written 'Camby's', once a part of St. Frideswide's Priory as a medieval tenement. He afterwards sold the property to Pembroke College
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
, as a residence for the master.
Rouse annotated a collection of Robert Burton
Robert Burton
Robert Burton may refer to:* Robert Burton , Master of University College, Oxford, England * Robert Burton , English scholar and vicar* Robert Burton, Sr. , printing industry executive...
’s books which were given to the Bodleian Library by testamentary disposition on Burton’s death, and two of his inscriptions are cited by Alan H.Nelson as supplying independent confirmation that, for this learned bibliographer
Bibliographer
"A bibliographer is a person who describes and lists books and other publications, with particular attention to such characteristics as authorship, publication date, edition, typography, etc. The result of this endeavor is a bibliography...
, William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
was identified by a contemporary as the author of Burton’s copies of two of Shakespeare’s narrative poems. The inscriptions read.
- Venus and Adonis by Wm Shakespear Lond. 1602
- The rape of Lucrece by Wm Shakespear Imp{er}fet..
About 1635 Rouse formed a friendship with Milton; Barbara Lewalski considers they met in Horton
Horton, Berkshire
Horton is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It is located between Windsor and Staines. Horton was transferred from Buckinghamshire to Berkshire in 1974. Through the Horton parish flows the Colne Brook which runs to the River Thames from the River Colne.The village name is a common...
, where Milton was studying. He asked the poet for a complete copy of his works for the library, and Milton in 1647 sent two volumes to Oxford, the prose pamphlets carefully inscribed in his own hand 'to the most excellent judge of books,' and a smaller volume of poems which was stolen or lost on the way. To this circumstance we owe Milton's mock-heroic ode To John Rouse (dated 23 January 1646-7) inserted in a second copy, preserved at the Bodleian.
In 1645 he refused to lend King Charles
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
the 'Histoire Universelle du Sieur d'Aubigné' because the statutes forbade the removal of such a book. Christopher Arnold
Christopher Arnold
Christopher Arnold may refer to:* Chris Arnold , former Major League Baseball Player* Christoph Arnold , German astronomer...
, professor of history at Nuremberg, and Lambecius both complimented him. He died on 3 April 1652, and was buried in Oriel College Chapel. Rouse wrote a dedicatory preface to a collection of verses addressed to the Danish proconsul, Johan Cirenberg (Oxford, 1631). He also issued an appendix to the Bodleian Catalogue in 1635. His portrait hangs in the Middle Common Room of Oriel College.