Writing in 1857 Henry Harrod remarked that "If the view engraved by King
correctly represents this house, it was by no means an ornamental
feature; still it was as good as the far more pretentious structure which
has replaced it." {50b}
In regard to the building of this house Kirkpatrick gives an extract from
a record of 34th Henry VIII, showing that the city granted to John Kempe,
the chaplain, "in consideration that he, of his benevolence hath bestowed
about the buylding of a lodgyng with three chambers, over the porch of
the house, late the black friars, now the common hall of the city, and on
either side of the same porch, above sixty pounds;--that, therefore, the
said J. Kempe shall have the same lodgyng, with the office called the
_Chapleyn of the Chappell_, belonging to the said hall called, _St.
John's Chapel_, with all the oblacions; also, liberty of the garden and
yard called the prechyng-yard." {51}
The first of the few entries in the Minute Book regarding the library
rooms shows that the books were not too well protected from the elements,
for on 10th August, 1657, "Mr. Collinges gaue an acct of 1s. laid out for
coale and wood for the drying of ye bookes harmed by ye raine.
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