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In Appendix F. Mr. Dimock has printed two documents, containing indulgences issued by St. Hugh and other bishops to those who contributed to the works at the Translation of minster. Along with them is the account St. Hugh. of the translation of St. Hugh in 1280. These documents are commented on by Mr. Dimock at greater length than usual. It is to be noted that Edward I. and his queen Eleanor, with Edmund earl of Lancaster, for a moment nominal king of Sicily, were all present at the ceremony. As the body of St. Hugh had been waited on by kings at its first burial, so it was again at its translation. Edward and Edmund had once had a share in the translation of Edward the Confessor, together with their fathers, the kings Richard and Henry. Thus the first king of the foreign stock who became wholly English, and the first Englishman who accepted even a nominal foreign crown, joined together to do honour, first to an English king who became in heart a stranger, and then to a foreign bishop who became in heart one of the truest of Englishmen.

I have thus done what I could to finish the imperfect work of my deceased friend. It is possible that I have here and there lighted on some points which would not have struck him. On the other hand, it is much more certain that he would have been able to throw much light on many matters on which I am quite unable to throw any. Mr. Dimock was a master of manuscripts, and he knew the local history of Lincoln better than any other man. To me a manuscript becomes practically useful only when it is changed into the more every-day shape of a printed book. And to me the history of Lincoln, though one of the most important and interesting of local histories, is valuable only as a part of the history of England. I have necessarily approached the subject from one side, while Mr. Dimock would have approached it from another. At the same time it is always useful to insist

on the truth that the general history of any country is very largely made up of the particular histories of its cities and districts. A man who works at the history of Lincoln or any other local history, as it ought to be worked at, as Mr. Dimock worked at it, is directly working at general history also. Being asked, as I have been, to finish Mr. Dimock's work, I have necessarily done it in my own way, which is necessarily not the same as his way. It would have been far better both for me and for all other students of English history, if we had had these valuable local materials fully commented on by one who was qualified above all other men to deal with them as local materials. Mr. Dimock would have put into the hands of the general historian of England a complete and thoroughly finished offering made by the history of Lincoln to the history of England. All that I have done, all that I could undertake to do, is to mark such points as strike a student of the general history of England in the course of what may be called an occasional visit to the history of Lincoln.

Somerleaze, Wells,
July 27th, 1877.

EDWARD A. FREEMAN.

The printing of this volume was commenced towards the end of the year 1868, under the direction of the late Master of the Rolls, with the sanction of the Lords Commissioners of H.M. Treasury, but in consequence of the continued illness of the late editor, the Rev. J. F. Dimock, there was considerable delay in passing it through the press. Unfortunately, Mr. Dimock did not live to complete his task, which to him had been a labour of love, for he was one of those ripe and devoted scholars whose energies never flagged, and whose accuracy and skill won universal confidence. The loss of such a

trustworthy scholar will be widely felt and not easily replaced. Mr. Dimock had finished the text and index of the volume, and written the preface as far as page liii. At the request of his family, his tried and valued friend Mr. E. A. Freeman has completed the work. The mere announcement of this fact is sufficient voucher for the value and accuracy of the addition. Mr. Freeman is widely known and appreciated as and appreciated as an accomplished scholar in the field of historical literature, but he has brought more than his usual scholarly knowledge to bear on this subject, and has laboured zealously for the honour of his friend.

24th Sept. 1877.

T. DUFFUS HARDY,

Deputy Keeper of the Public Records.

GIRALDI CAMBRENSIS

VITA S. REMIGII.

VOL. VII.

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