The collection had been assembled by the 17th - century antiquarian Robert Vaughan .
Collection contained an early version of the Canterbury Tales , mystery plays in Cornish and many early Welsh manuscripts , including twelve manuscripts of the Welsh laws of Hywel Dda .
The collection had been assembled by the 17th - century antiquarian Robert Vaughan and it contained an early version of the Canterbury Tales , mystery plays in Cornish and many early Welsh manuscripts , including twelve manuscripts of the Welsh laws of Hywel Dda .