at Tothill Fields and Chelsea College, were dismissed, on their own or each other's security, not to act against the commonwealth of England (pp. 431, 438, 441, 443, 447, 458, 463, 471, 475, 480). A few brief notices must suffice to indicate other notabilia in the present volume. The literary notices are but scanty. The books and MSS. at St. James's Palace, which had been left in such neglect as to be a prey to rain and dust, and also to rats and mice, were ordered to be transferred to Whitehall, to the keeping of Council, and were placed under the charge of Commissioner Whitelock (pp. 468, 469). On the death of Thomas May, the Parliamentary historian, a committee was appointed to consider of some person fit to succeed him. This was in January 1651, but the stirring events which soon intervened prevented further proceedings-history was being acted, not written-and nothing more transpired until October 1651, when Cromwell, Whitelock and Lisle, the two Commissioners of the Great Seal, Major-General Harrison, and Sir Gilbert Pickering, were formed into a committee "to consider "of some fit person to write the history of these times, "and to take the care and oversight thereof; and to con“sider likewise of a fit encouragement for the person or persons so employed, and how it may be raised and "paid." The articles of the surrender of the Scilly Isles, on March 23rd, 1651, by Sir John Grenville, who held them for the King, to Admiral Blake and Col. Clarke, are given in full (pp. 214-217). The isle of St. Mary, which held out the longest, surrendered early in June (p. 239). There are several important papers relating to coinage, resulting from a proposition made by Pierre Blondeau, a ་ Frenchman, to undertake the coining even of the smaller moneys with inscriptions round the edge, which the English moneyers of the Mint in vain endeavoured to rival; and this gave rise to much discussion on the subject (pp. 174, 175, 184, 231–233, 313, 461, 487–489). In concluding these remarks, I must acknowledge the zealous and valuable services of G. J. Morris, Esq., B.A., Clerk of the Record Office, and Mr. G. W. Thompson, transcriber, in the preparation of the present volume. 100, Gower Street, January 29th, 1877. M. A. E. G. |