William Bagge 1622-1657

William BAGGE 1622-1657

Biographical Note

Born at Shipdham, Norfolk, son of William Bagge, currier. BA Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge 1641, MA 1644, MD 1655; junior fellow 1646, senior fellow 1651, Dean 1654, President (i.e. deputy to the Master) 1655-57. Surviving correspondence suggests that Bagge must have been an able and diplomatic administrator, promoted to a senior position in the College at a relatively early age, and during a time of much uncertainty when fellows had been both ejected and intruded.

Books

By his will, Bagge divided his estate between his parents and brother Ralph; the latter gave his books to Gonville & Caius, to fulfil an intention which Bagge had apparently expressed but not formalised. The books are mostly medical and it is not known to what extent Bagge may have had a wider collection. The College accounts note the sum of 2s 6d paid to the porters in 1658 for carrying the books to the Library.

Characteristic Markings

The most noteworthy feature of Bagge’s books is the fact that most of them are lined with manuscript pastedowns cut up from letters to Bagge from various correspondents, mostly relating to College business. This was presumably done after the books were received by the College, taking the letters as a readily available source of manuscript waste.

Sources

• Gonville & Caius MS 816.
• Brooke, C. A history of Gonville and Caius College, 1985.
• Venn, J. & J. A. Alumni Cantabrigienses. Cambridge, 1922.