'
It has been said that Richard de Bury had not much depth of learning; and
it has been a favourite theory for many years that his book might have
been written for him by his secretary, the Dominican Robert Holkot. The
matter is not very important, since it is certain, in spite of ancient
and modern detractors, that Richard de Bury or 'Aungerville' was a most
ardent bibliophile and a very devoted attendant in the 'Library of
Wisdom.' He was the son of Sir Richard Aungerville, a knight of Suffolk;
but in accordance with a fashion of the day he was usually called after
his birthplace. He was born at Bury St. Edmunds in the year 1287: he was
educated at Oxford, and afterwards took a prominent part in the civil
troubles, taking the side of Queen Isabel and Edward of Windsor against
the unfortunate Edward II. He was appointed tutor to the Prince, and soon
afterwards became the receiver of his revenues in Wales. When the Queen
fled to her own country, Richard followed with a large sum of money,
collected by virtue of his office; and he had a narrow escape for his
life, being chased by a troop of English lancers as far as Paris itself,
where he lay concealed for a week in the belfry of the Minorites' Church.
When his pupil came to the throne many lucrative offices were showered on
his faithful friend. Richard became Cofferer and Treasurer of the
Wardrobe, and for five years was Clerk of the Privy Seal; and during that
period he was twice sent as ambassador to the Pope at Avignon, where he
had the honour of becoming the friend of Petrarch.
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