Tower of the Five Orders at Bodleian Library

Oxford Inscriptions: Bodleian Library: Tower of the Five Orders

This sculpture is on the fourth storey of the inside of the Tower of the Five Orders facing the Schools Quadrangle of the Bodleian Library. It was sculpted by John Clark in the early seventeenth century and depicts an enthroned King James I presenting copies of his published works as follows:

Fame (Fama) with a bronze trumpet stands on the King's right and is receiving a book inscribed
HAEC HABEO QUAE SCRIPSI (“I have these things that I have written”)
The University kneels on the King's left and is receiving a book inscribed
HAEC HABEO QUAE DEDI (“I have these things that I have given”)

On a canopy above the King is his motto BEATI PACIFICI (“Blessed are the Peacemakers”, from Matthew 5:9), which was the motto of James I.

Above that again is a blindfolded Justice carrying a sword and scales, flanked by Peace holding two doves and Plenty holding fruit.

The main inscripion underneath the sculpture reads:
REGNANTE D. IACOBO REGUM DOCTISSIMO MUNIFICENTISSIMO OPTIMO HAE MUSIS EXTRUCTAE MOLES. CONGESTA BIBLIOTHECA ET QUAECUNQUE ADHUC DEERANT AD SPLEN DOREM ACADEMIAE FELICITER TENTATA COEPTA ABSOLUTA. SOLI DEO GLORIA.	In the reign of the Lord James, most learned, most generous, and the best of kings, this massive tower was erected to the Muses. The library was collected together and whatever was until now lacking for the magnificence of the University was happily planned, begun, and completed. To God alone the glory.

On the outside of the Tower of the Five Orders facing Catte Street are the initials TB (Thomas Bodley):

TB on outside of Tower of the Five Orders

Catherine Cole: “The Building of the Tower of Five Orders in the Schools' Quadrangle at Oxford” (Oxoniensia, 1968)