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An important series of State Papers collected by Sir James Balfour :

Vol. I. contains 53 pieces, from 1594 to the death of Queen Elizabeth.

Vol. II. contains 98 pieces, from 1608 to 1623.
Vol. III. contains 13 papers.

Vol. IV. contains 51 papers, several of them printed, between 1623 and 1629.

Among other volumes of Sir James Balfour's is one entitled Prince Charles' Negotiations in Spain," and "Negotiations with Spaine, regnant. Jacobo 6 et "Carolo." Neither of these titles of Balfour's describes correctly the contents of the volume, which commences with a collection of important letters and papers connected with the Lord Sempill's mission to Spain in 1599, and contains also papers relating to the expedition of Prince Charles to Spain, and at the end some documents regarding the taking of a Spanish ship, St. Ambrose, at Leith, 1622. (33, 1, 10.)

Others are entitled "Negotiations with Denmark and Norway, regnant. Jac. 6 et Carolo." (Sir J. Balfour.) (33, 1, 11.)

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"Negotiations with the Kinges of Polland, Sweden, as lykwayes with divers German princes, and Imperiall tounes and citties, regnant. Jacobo 6 et "Carolo." (33, 1, 12.)

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opus compilatum est pro honore Domini Jhesu et "instructione illustrissimi principis Jacobi quarti "Scotorum regis, et sui populi."

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The work is in Scotch and concludes, "Writtin and completit in Edinburgh be thi humyl orator Johne of "Irland, greit and promovit in Parys the yer of the "Incarnacioun, a thousand four hundredth and nynty "yeris." In the middle occur the Orisoun to the Blessed Virgin of Chaucer, and two Latin poems of the author on the Conception.

18, 7, 6, is Johannis de Grimestone Liber Locorum Communium in ordine alphabetico, A.D. 1372, 8vo. vellum, cont. ffol. 166.

The volume contains a variety of common places, chiefly on religious or moral subjects, under 143 heads, according to the original table of contents. The extracts are in Latin, but they are interspersed with scraps of English verse and devotional hymns, more especially under the 109th head " de passione," evidently by the writer of the MS. His name and date thus appear at the end of the table of contents on fol. 9: "Orate p' a'i'a fr'is Joh'is de Grimestone qui sc'psit ist' "librum cu' magna solicitu', anno D'ni 1312. Aue Ma' "p' a'i'a sua p' amor' Dei.”

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A folio volume (33, 3, 16), in the hand-writing of Sir R. Sibbald, contains a repertory of all the manuscripts relating to the History of Scotland, "Geographicall,

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Naturall, Civile, or Ecclesiasticall and Politicall, "known to or belonging to the Writer."

Copies, in the hand-writing of the Laird of Macfar lane's amanuensis, of letters of Kings, Queen Mary, Regents, and other persons of distinction, and other documents in favour of or addressed to the family of Mure of Rowallan, during the reigns of James 4, James 5, Mary, and James 6, containing in particular many im. portant and interesting letters of Queen Mary after her escape from Lochleven, her defeat at Langside, and flight into England. 28 pages, folio, imperfect.

The original letters are not known to be preserved. The copies are unbound in a drawer of the Librarian's table.

One of Queen Mary's is from Bowton, 1st Jan. 1568, to Rowallane, mentioning the proceedings at the conference, and exhorting him to fidelity.

Several volumes contain papers and correspondence of James Anderson, the compiler of Diplomata Scotia. (29, 1, 2, 29, 3, 10; 29, 3, 5; 29, 3, 4.)

Books on Medicine and Alchemy. One is "Hippo"cratis aphorismi Hibernice," in a hand of the 16th century. (18, 2, 11.)

Books of classics.

Notes on Lectures at Louvain and other places. Oriental MSS.

Miscellaneous.-Among which is "Ragionamento di "Carlo 5, Imperatore tenuto al Re Philippo suo figli"volo," and written and presented to King James 6 by Giacomo Castelvetri, who in the dedication speaks of his attachment to Sir Philip Sidney, and of Queen Elizabeth's high value for the Italian language. Folio, on paper. Written at Edinburgh, 1592; presented to the Library by Sir R. Sibbald.

NORTHERN MSS.

Icelandic and other codices of laws, sagas, &c. The detailed Catalogue of these was prepared by Mr. Thorlief G. Repp, a native of Iceland, and for some time assistant librarian in the Advocates' Library.

Chartularies and records of Scottish religious houses and bishoprics.

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Most of these have been printed by the clubs, The following volume, with the exception of a slight extract, is yet unprinted. It is entitled Compota Episcopatus Dunkeldensis, 1506-17.” Folio, paper, 218 leaves. It is said to be an interesting record of the household and official accounts of the Bishop of Dunkeld for the period, giving a very minute view of the style of life and manners of the Church dignitaries before the Reformation.

General Hutton's Collections.

Copies of records and correspondence regarding the history and antiquities of the religious houses of Scotland.

One volume of the Catalogue is devoted to Law manuscripts.

Another is filled with works of Genealogy and Heraldry.

34, 3, 11, is styled Sir Lodovick Stewart of Kirkhill, Advocate, his collections, with several valuable additions of Bulls, Charters, &c., after p. 351. All preceding that page being Sir Lewis's collections, and the rest out of the valuable collections of Mr. Richard Hay, Channon-regular of the Abbey of St. Genevieve's, Paris, and Prior of St. Piermont, a most worthy gentleman of Scots extract, well known by his admirable collections, pp. 433.

Collections about families of Scotland from their own Charters by Sir George Mackenzie (34, 3, 19), and by Sir Patrick Lyon of Carse. (34, 3, 14.)

Heraldic MSS. of Sir David Lyndesay of the Mount, the Lord Lyon. (31, 3, 20; 31, 4, 3; 31, 5, 2.)

Original Charters.-This volume of the Catalogue contains a detailed description of original Charters and documents collected by Sir James Balfour and pasted into a volume. (15, 1, 18.)

Woodrow's Collections.-The collections of the Rev. R. Woodrow relating to the Church and State of Scotland are of the most miscellaneous character, and, as I have said, there is a separate inventory to them.

There have been recently added to the Library the MSS. collections of the late Mr. John Riddel, Advocate, and Mr. James Dennistoun of Dennistoun. The former are principally illustrative of points of genealogy of Scotch families and of questions of Consistorial Law, and the latter are mainly materials illustrating the history of the county of Dumbarton.

The manuscripts in the Advocates' Library have always been made available to literary research, and many of the State papers and letters (especially those connected with Scottish history) have been printed.

If they had not been already so largely used in printed works, I would have ventured to suggest to the Commission, as a work of great public utility, the calendaring of all this class of stray unconnected papers, of which the student cannot ascertain the bearing except by reading the whole.

In the meantime the present Report may serve to indicate the general character of this great collection, and to suggest whether any steps should be taken for rendering its contents more generally known to historical students in England.

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are together with a few other Gaelic MSS. now deposited in the Advocates' Library.

A Catalogue of these has been prepared by Mr. W. F. Skene, from which it appears that the MSS. consist mainly of Genealogies, Poems, and Tales, with Medical and Astrological treatises.

JOHN STUART.

REPORT ON THE RECORDS OF THE CITY OF EDINBURGH.

I have examined the Records of the Corporation of Edinburgh, and in doing so have received every facility from Mr. J. D. Marwick, the City Clerk.

Most of our great towns sprang out of villages, in the neighbourhood either of a Religious House or a place of Strength.

Edinburgh was at first a hamlet of Angles, placed on the sloping ridge of rock, upon the summit of which King Edwin pitched his "brugh." It formed part of the Northumbrian Kingdom for four centuries after its foundation, and its church (dedicated to St. Cuthbert) was subject to the Bishop of Lindisfarne.

In the early part of the 11th century, Lothian with its Castle was added to the Kingdom of the Scots, and about a century later, when King David 1 granted a Charter founding the Abbey of the Holy Rood, he refers to his Burgh of Edinburgh, and to his garden, close to the Castle.

Edinburgh derived some importance from another circumstance in its early history, viz., from its having been constituted one of the "four burghs" (a sort of burghal Parliament or Court), which for some centuries had considerable influence in the adjustment of commercial relations and questions; and various rights, honours, and immunities were conferred on it by Charters from King Robert 1, James 2, James 3, and James 4, the originals of which, as well as that of King David 1 to the Abbey of the Holy Rood, are in the Archives of the City.

The other Records now remaining in these are scarcely of such value or general interest as might have been anticipated, from the early importance of the place, and its having been the theatre of many stirring events for several centuries.

I learn from Mr. Marwick that he has already transmitted, for the information of the Commission, a printed copy of an Inventory of the Records of the City of Edinburgh.

Referring to this document, I may state that the Council Records which form its first branch contain the proceedings of the Town Council. Amid much that is merely formal, there are occasional entries of considerable historical interest, arising from the events and the actors to which they refer.

There are many details here, and in the Register of Accounts, of the receptions and intercourse of the Sovereigns, Nobles, Ambassadors, and Men of Learning, selections from which are in the course of being printed by Mr. Marwick, for the Burgh Record Society.

The Register of Burgesses and Guild Brethren, under the second head of the Inventory, is of course mainly occupied with the names of the ordinary Burgesses of the City; but occasionally persons of this and other countries, of distinction and importance, were admitted as Honorary Burgesses, whose names are preserved in this Record, and it is frequently referred to in genealogical inquiries, both Scotch and English.

Besides these Records there are eight quarto volumes containing letters of the 17th and 18th centuries, which form a very miscellaneous and unconnected series.

They were selected from masses of papers which had accumulated in the City offices, but many of them have no connexion with Edinburgh, being the correspondence of North Country families, such as Menzies of Kinmundy, in Aberdeenshire, and Gordon of Park, in Banffshire.

The letters in general are merely formal, without any historical or general interest.

Those in the seventh volume are mostly written by Lord Hyndford and his Lady, and relate to the South Sea Scheme.

It does not appear to me that any step on the part of the Commission is required with regard to the Records now reported upon.

Humbly reported by JOHN STUART.

H.M. General Register House, Edinburgh, 31st July 1869.

REPORT ON THE RECORDS OF THE CORPORATION OF GLASGOW.

27th July 1869.

I this day inspected these Records, having met with Mr. Angus Turner, one of the City Clerks; Mr. Andrew Cunningham, the Registrar of Burgh Sasines; and Mr. Wm. W. Watson, the City Chamberlain.

These gentlemen reported that, apart from the Records, there are no documents in the Collections of the Burgh of a historical character, such as letters or papers illustrating the condition of society or the progress of

commerce.

Glasgow was not erected into a Royal Burgh until the time of Charles 1, and it is thus without any of those early Royal Charters of Privilege and incorporation, which occur in the collections of many Scotch burghs of comparatively secondary importance, but of greater antiquity.

Its history, therefore, being rather one of recent development than of a historical existence, the town is destitute of those masses of correspondence and miscellaneous papers of general interest which are found in many of the burghs to which I have referred.

Of the Records of Glasgow the volumes containing the Minutes of the Town Council begin in 1573, but are not quite continuous from that time.

A volume of selections from them, embracing the period from 1573 to 1581, was printed for the Maitland Club in 1832, and another volume of Extracts was printed for private circulation in 1868, under the superintendence of Mr. Watson, the City Chamberlain.

The other Records of any age comprise the Chartulary (in duplicate) of the Collegiate Church of St. Anne, founded in the year 1528, on the south side of the Trongate; a volume of vellum of 53 folios, which was printed for the Maitland Club in 1846; and

A series of Records of Sasines and Notarial Writs of a miscellaneous character, beginning in 1555, relating generally to the business of the citizens, and useful for incidental illustrations of genealogy.

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There is also a volume entitled "Inventorie of the Wrytes and Evidents concerning the Brugh of Glasgow, Anno 1696," and another, which contains copies, made in 1790, from the Public Records in Edinburgh, of Charters by the Crown, and Acts of the Scotch Parliament in favour of the City of Glasgow. Humbly reported by

H.M. General Register House,
Edinburgh, 31st July 1869.

JOHN STUART.

T

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IRELAND.

REPORT FROM J. T. GILBERT ON THE MANUSCRIPTS IN THE POSSESSION OF THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF CHARLEMONT.

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

THE Manuscripts of the Earl of Charlemont, inspected by me, consist of one folio and 14 quarto volumes of correspondence.

The folio contains an autobiographical account of the political life of James, first Earl of Charlemont, a nobleman distinguished by his attachment to literature and art, as well as by the part which he took in the public affairs of Ireland during the latter half of the 18th century.

This memoir is written entirely in his own hand, for his sons Francis, James, and Henry, to whom it is addressed in a brief preface, containing the ensuing passages:

"The following sheets were written solely for your information and instruction. A part of them contains an authentick tho' imperfect account of the most important transactions that ever happened in Ireland, or, perhaps, respecting its own internal interests in any other country, but they also contain, what will to you be still more interesting, and it may be more instructive, an accurate, true, and impartial account of your father's principles and conduct, and, as it were, the political history of his heart

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"Let my errors claim your indulgence, and remember, with some degree of gratitude, a life which has entailed no disgrace upon you. Tho' your fortune may, from my follies and mischances, have decreased in my hands, I have left you your family honours uncontaminate, and, what is still of more consequence, I have left you a name, a character to support. When you shall peruse these crude productions of my few vacant hours, your father will probably be in his grave! From thence I call upon you! and shall conclude this address by assuring you that, if departed souls have any knowledge of what passes here below, you can by no other means so essentially delight my spirit as by ardently loving and with the utmost of your abilities serving your country.-Receive this as the last and dearest recommendation of your most sincerely affectionate father, Charlemont."

The narrative commences at the period when Lord Charlemont, after having passed 11 years on the continent, returned to Ireland in 1755. From that date the author gives an account of public affairs in Ireland in which he largely shared, both as a Member of the House of Lords there and as Commander of the Irish Volunteers.

The autobiography extends to 1783, and would appear to have been compiled about 10 years before the author's death in 1799.

Appended to the autobiography are, also in the hand of Lord Charlemont, an account of the plague at Messina in 1743; a description of a storm which he encountered at sea between Rhodes and Malta, with observations on the latter island and its inhabitants; and anecdotes of David Hume, with whom he was intimate at Turin.

The author evinces throughout a deep attachment to truth, and records matters which came to his knowledge, creditable even to those whom he held up to his children as examples of the ill results of deviations from duties to society and country.

From these writings it would appear that Lord Charlemont has yet scarcely received the appreciation which he merited, either as a delineator of character, or as an independent politician, devotedly attached to what he regarded as the true interests of Ireland.

The Earl's friend, Francis Hardy, member of the House of Commons of Ireland, had access to these papers, and used them for his Memoirs of the political and private life of Charlemont, published in 1810.

Proximity, however, to the times and persons noticed in this autobiography would appear to have deterred Hardy from giving in full many interesting portions of it, in which Lord Charlemont, for the instruction of his children, candidly set down his estimate of public men with whom he was conversant.

On a leaf in front of the autobiography the following is inscribed in the author's hand :—

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The correspondence consists of about 1,200 original letters, the earliest of which is one written by William, second Viscount Charlemont, in 1707, to the Earl of Mount Alexander.

The next letter in order of time is dated 1745, from which period the correspondence extends almost continuously to 1799, the year of the decease of the first Earl of Charlemont.

Part of the correspondence, including only a portion of the letters down to 1782, was in 1825 arranged chronologically by the late Edward Groves, in three volumes, each containing 100 letters, as follows, with tables of contents:

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From the following list, which I have compiled of the chief writers of the letters in these volumes, it will be seen that Lord Charlemont, as might have been anticipated from his position and literary and artistic pursuits, numbered among his correspondents many of the most eminent of his contemporaries :

Lords Ailesbury and Altamont; Joseph Baretti; Topham Beauclerk; Lord Bruce; W. Brownlow; Sir J. Burgoyne; Edmund Burke; Earl Camden; Lords Carhampton and Carysfort; Sir W. Chambers; J. B. Cipriani; Lord Clanricarde; J. S. Copley; Isaac Corry; Richard Crosbie (æronaut); Francis Dobbs; Bishop of Down; Thomas Dundas; R. L. Edgeworth; John Fitz-Gibbon; Earl Fitzwilliam; Henry Flood; John Forbes; C. J. Fox; Sir P. Francis; Lord Gosford; Henry Grattan; Earl of Halifax; Francis Hardy; Richard Heron; Jane (relict of William) Hogarth; Robert Jephson; Sir W. Jones; John Kearney, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin; Lord Kenmare; Duke of Leinster; Thomas Leland; Charles Lucas; Edmund Malone; Richard Marlay, Bishop of Waterford; William Melmoth; Countess of Moira and Hastings; Earl of Mornington; Lord Mountmorres; Lord Northington; Lucius O'Brien; Sir Laurence Parsons; T. Pelham; Earl of Pembroke; Bishop Percy; G. B. Piranesi; Duke of Portland; Richard Rigby; Lord Rockingham; Duke of Rutland; Lord Strangford; Nugent Temple; G. Thorkelin; Charles Vallancey; Prince of Wales; J. C. Walker; Horace Walpole; Barry Yelverton; Arthur Young.

To detail the various matters of interest comprised in this correspondence and autobiography would require considerable space.

I may add that, in addition to the above-noticed 12 volumes of originals, the collection comprises two volumes of transcripts of letters, addressed by Lord Charlemont to his intimate friend Dr. Haliday of Belfast, from 1782 to 1799. Amongst these is inserted one holograph from the Earl, dated Dublin, 10th of May 1799, respecting the Government measures then in progress to promote the Act for the legislative union between Great Britain and Ireland. I have the honor to be, My Lords and Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, J. T. GILBERT.

Dublin, 21st December 1869.

MANUSCRIPTS IN THE POSSESSION OF THE EARL OF ROSSE, PARSONSTOWN CASTLE.

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

THE documents in the collection of the Earl of Rosse inspected by me may be described as follows:1. Letters Patent, on parchment, from George Duke of Buckingham, dated 20th of July 1619, containing Grant of Admiralty to Laurence Parsons; with seal and autograph of Buckingham.

2. A volume in large folio, containing about ninety original letters and documents connected with the affairs of Ireland, from 1626 to 1694, and having special reference to the transactions in the King's County and its vicinage.

3. A folio volume of 90 pages, containing copies of documents concerning Irish matters, from 1641 to 1666. 4. A thick folio volume of accounts of money, debts, payments, prices of articles, clothes, allowance, and other matters connected with the family of Parsons, from 1652 to 1696.

5. A Book of orders and rules of Commissioners for assessment on the King's County, from 1672 to 1679. In this volume are entered particulars of assessments and levies in various baronies, including Meath, Dublin, Louth, Ossory, Rathdown, Wicklow, Shillelagh, Salt, Ikeathy, and Oughterany.

It also contains rules and orders of the Commissioners of array in the King's County, notes of their meetings; copies of letters; accounts of money laid out for exercising and training the militia; distribution of two troops and their companies upon the several baronies of that county, allowing 600 acres for a horseman and 300 acres for a foot soldier.

Two leaves are filled with a journal narrative, in very small writing, of local transactions of 1688-9.

6. Letters Patent granting to Richard Parsons, of Bellamont in the County of Dublin, the dignities of Baron of Oxmantown and Viscount Ross, dated at Dublin, 2nd July in the 33rd year of Charles 2, 1681. 7. Grant of Arms to Sir William Parsons from Richard St. George, Ulster King at arms, 1682.

8. A volume in small quarto, of 130 pages, written in a very minute current hand about 1691, containing a narrative of the affairs of Sir Laurence Parsons from

April 1687 to 1691, detailing circumstances connected with the wars of James and William in Ireland, the siege of Birr Castle by Jacobites in 1688, and of that Castle and town in 1690.

9. Letters on public affairs, from 1767 to 1806, written by the Duke of Leinster, Langrishe, Daly, Bishop of Chester, E. Pery, and J. Foster, Speakers of the House of Commons of Ireland, and other eminent political personages: with a large amount of matter respecting the authorship of Junius. Several of the political letters are addressed to Henry Flood, many of whose papers are in the collection, including the following:

An answer to (Dr. Samuel Johnson's) "Taxation no "Tyranny," by Mr. Henry Flood.

Mr. Flood's account of the first session of Mr. Pitt's "administration."

"Mr. Flood's speech on the perpetual Mutiny Bill." "Mr. Flood's speeches on the Declaration of Right; on the Address, and on Poynings' law, 11th December "1781."

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The collection also includes the MSS. of "Obser"vations on the bequest of Henry Flood to Trinity "College, Dublin, with a defence of the ancient history "of Ireland; as well as original drafts and notes of speeches in the Parliament of Ireland by the erudite and patriotic Sir Laurence Parsons, grandfather of the present possessor of these documents.

I have the honor to be,
My Lords and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
J. T. GILBERT.

Dublin, 22nd November 1869.

DOCUMENTS IN THE POSSESSION OF LORD TALBOT DE MALAHIDE AND OF J. W. BAYLY, ESQ., OF FINGLAS, DUBLIN.

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

THE documents in the possession of Lord Talbot de Malahide inspected by me are as follows:

1. Original Grant under the Great Seal of England to Thomas Talbot, of the manor or lordship of "Mullag"hyde," in the county of Dublin, with the port, customs, appointments of officers, admiralty and other royalties, dated at Westminster on the 8th March in the fifteenth year of Edward 4 (A.D. 1474-5).

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2. Instructions from James 2, "for our right trusty "and right well beloved Councillor, Richard Earl of Tirconnel, appointed by us to be our deputy in our kingdom of Ireland. Given at our Court at White"hall, the 10th day of January 1686-7, in the second "year of our reign," with autographs of James 2 and Sunderland.

3. A Latin poem on the affairs of Ireland during the reign of James 2. This work is anonymous, but bears evidence of being the production of a contemporary author familiar with the transactions of his time as well as with early Irish history. At the commencement the author refers to himself as incarcerated on the banks of the Liffey; and he would appear from his allusions to have held some high legal official position in Ireland under James 2.

The first part is occupied with a description of the state of public affairs at the accession of James 2, after which the author recounts the chief transactions in Ireland from the commencement of the Williamite wars, concluding with the second siege of Limerick, and the subsequent embarkation of the Irish soldiery for France.

The entire occupies 229 pages of very small quarto, written in an excellent hand. The poem is valuable as a Jacobite account of the affairs of Ireland during the time of the Revolution, in which a prominent part was taken by its present possessor's ancestor, Richard Talbot, Duke of Tyrconnel, Viceroy of Ireland under James 2.

4. Royal Pardon to Richard Wogan for having levied war on behalf of the "pretended Prince of Wales," in the parish of Hexham on the 19th of October in the second year of George 1; dated at Westminster, 31st day of May in the first year of George 2.

The documents submitted by J. W. Bayly, Esq., of Finglas, were as follows:

1. Letter, dated Paris, March 10th, 1654, without address or superscription; commencing, "My Lord," and referring to the prospects of restoration, adding,

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THE original documents in possession of the Corporation of Cork consist of the following:

1. Inspeximus, dated at Banbury, 5th of April, of seventh year of Charles 1, of charter of 18th of Elizabeth.

2. Charter from James 1 to Cork, dated Westminster, 10th March, in the sixth year of his reign.

3. Charter from Oliver Cromwell, dated Dublin, 27th day of April 1656.

4. Charter of George 2, dated 2nd January, in the ninth year of his reign.

The earliest Council book of the city extends from July 1609 to 21st August 1643, after which there is a chasm of 37 years to 1690.

The records of the Municipal proceedings from 1609 to August 1643 occupy from page 1 to page 365. The next journal entries are of the proceedings of an assembly of Common Council held on the 1st day of October 1690, containing an order that the 29th September should be thenceforth kept as an annual holiday, being the day on which the army of their Majesties King William and Queen Mary entered the city of "Cork."

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The minutes of the Council to 1841, exclusive of those now missing (from 1643 to 1690), extend to 15 volumes.

The books of the Cork city "Court of Doyer Hundred" form 13 volumes, extending from 1657 to 1841. The books of registry of freemen from 1656 to 1843 are as follow:

1. From 1656 to 1741. 2. From 1741 to 1752.

3. From 1752 to 1813.

4. From 1813 to 1843.

The " Panels of Freemen at large of the city of "Cork" extend from 20th of October 1729 to the present time.

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The books of enrolment of apprentices are :-· 1. 1733 to 1756.

2. 1756 to 1801.

3. 1801 to 1844.

The only old original detached paper of importance in the custody of the Corporation is "A docket of the "city duties of Cork, agreed on at the meeting of the grand jury and gentlemen of the county of Cork, "with the Mayor and Sheriffs and Common Council of "the said city, the 11th day of September, anno Domini "1711, in presence of Robert Rochford, Esq., Lord "Chief Baron of Her Majesty's Court of Exchequer, " and Richard Nutley, Esq., one of the Justices of Her "Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench, Lords Justices of "Assize in the province of Munster;" dated 'Grand "Jury Room, 11th September 1711,' and signed by the "Grand Jury, as agreed between the city of Cork and "them on the behalf of the county of Cork."

These records are carefully kept at the Cork Town Hall in the custody of the Town Clerk, Alexander MacCarthy, Esq., jun.

The writing of the volume of Council minutes from 1609 to 1643 is very obscure, and it would be desirable to have a copy made in modern hand by an accurate decipherer conversant with the various local matters and designations in which it abounds.

The collection of Thomas Hewitt, Esq., Cork, includes a folio volume, formerly in the Southwell collection, lettered "Cork Shrievalty Papers," 1662.

This volume contains some original papers and several copies of documents and correspondence from 1662 to 1734, concerning the affairs of Cork during that period.

Mr. Hewitt also possesses several MSS. in the Irish language, mostly modern transcripts.

The documents in the possession of Richard Caulfield, Esq., LL.D., Cork, are chiefly of a local character, concerning the county and city of Cork, including several on parchment, the earliest being of the 52nd year of Henry 3, A.D. 1267-8. Of them the following may be mentioned :

Parchment roll, 6 feet 6 inches in length and 4 inches in breadth, containing an inventory of the properties of the family of Galwey in the reign of Elizabeth.

Visitation books of Cloyne, 1624, and of Cork and Cloyne, 1621-2; names of livings and benefices in Cork, 1672.

Catalogue of the library of Peter Browne, Bishop of Cork and Ross, 1709-1735.

MS. of Captain Robert Parker's Memoirs of Military transactions in Ireland and Flanders during the reigns of William and Mary, differing somewhat from the copy published in the last century.

Dr. Caulfield has published in various periodicals many of the documents in his collection.

I have the honor to be,
My Lords and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
J. T. GILBERT.

Dublin, 20th November 1869.

ARCHIVES OF THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN.

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

THE Archives of the Municipal Corporation of the City of Dublin may be summarily described as follows:

1. Original Royal Charters and grants to the City of Dublin, commencing with that from Henry 2.

2. Rolls of various classes, extending back to the 12th century.

3. The "Chain Book," and the so-called " Domesday "Book of Dublin,” vellum manuscripts, commenced towards the early part of the 14th century.

4. Documents of the Monastery All-Hallows and of the Dublin Abbey of St. Mary and the Guild of St. George.

5. Books and numerous documents on vellum and paper connected with the transactions of the citizens of Dublin, from the 12th century.

These archives, the most extensive and valuable series of their class in Ireland, were examined in 1867 by Sir T. Duffus Hardy; and they have since been classified and arranged by me in the Corporation Muniment-room.

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On the recommendation of Lord Romilly, the late Government authorized the publication of a selection from them, and a volume, under my editorship, embracing the period from 1172 to 1320, is now passing through the press for the series of "Chronicies and "Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland."

I am not aware that any arrangements have yet been made by the Corporation of Dublin for the production of a catalogue or calendar of their ancient muniments or for the transcription of such of them as are in a fading or decaying condition.

I have the honor to be,
My Lords and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
J. T. GILBERT.

Dublin, 22nd November 1869.

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Murage Grant, dated at Swords, 7th of January, 7th of Henry 4 (1405-6), attested by Richard, Archbishop of Dublin, Deputy of the Viceroy John Talbot.

Grant, dated at Naas, 6th of January, 11th year of Henry 4 (1409-10), attested by Thomas le Botiller, Deputy of the Viceroy Thomas of Lancaster, conceding freedom in buying and selling victuals.

Grant, dated Dublin, 25th August, 35th year of Henry 8 (1544), of the Black and Grey Friars and their possessions to the sovereign and burgesses of Kilkenny. Judgment, dated 8th of November, 2nd year of Elizabeth (1559), for sovereign and burgesses of Kilkenny upon information brought by Attorney General for intrusion by them on St. John's Monastery, and containing copy of Charter dated 1st of August, 6th year of Edward 6 (1552).

Exemplification of Judgment, dated 2nd January, 38th Elizabeth (1595-6), on a Quo warranto against the Irish town of Kilkenny.

Charter dated in October, 6th year of James 1 (1608).

Charter of same, 11th April, 7th year (1609). Letters Patent of Charles 1, dated at Dublin, 6th December, 15th year (1639).

Charter of James 2, dated 14th December, 3rd year (1687).

The documents in Class 2 number about one hundred and fifty, and comprise the following:

Grant from Geoffrey, Bishop of Ossory, to friars preachers of Kilkenny, of a supply of water from his well, called the well of St. Canice, the diameter of the pipe not to exceed that of his ring, referred to as follows. "Ita quod canalis eorum ubi suscipit aquam de fonte "sit de rotunditate et largitate annuli nostri cujus

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exemplar reservatur in thesauraria nostra predicte "ecclesie; et in fine ubi aqua exibit in domo dictorum "fratrum possit extremitate maioris digiti humani "obscurari."

From this document are still pendant portions of the seals of the bishop and chapter; and a slender bronze ring, as standard for size of water pipe.

Grant from Hugh, Bishop of Ossory, and chapter of the Church of St. Canice, of land in Kilkenny to friars preachers; bishop's seal and counter-seal attached.

Grant from Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, to friars preachers in Kilkenny of annual rent; exemption from toll for grinding their corn at his mill, and also privilege to grind their corn there before all others, except that of the Earl or that which might be at the moment on the millstone.

This deed, dated 1st of May, "in the year of Grace" 1274, measures only six inches by three, and a small seal in black wax with the arms of De Clare is still pendant from it.

Two deeds from Stephen de Axburge, in the time of Walter Maréchal, Lord of Leinster, A.D. 1241–1245, and while David Basset was Seneschal of Leinster.

Grant from Adam de Ley of the area in which St. Canice's well stands.

R

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