of the divorce; very important papers and letters regarding the Queen of Scots, and curious drawings of her trial and execution; large collections concerning the Hanse Towns in the 16th century; and considerable information on the many salient points of Elizabeth's reign. Some few papers are in the hand of Lord Burghley, and many of the volumes contain important notes by their former collector and framer, Robert Beale, who was Clerk of the Council to Queen Elizabeth.

Lord Lyttelton's MSS. (App., p. 36), contain letters illustrating the Civil War, and letters from eminent literary men in the 18th century, including Swift, Pope, Voltaire, and Dr. Johnson; and a curious note as to the first form of Lord Bolingbroke's "Idea of a Patriot King."

The collection of Sir Henry Dryden, Bart. (App., p. 63), includes letters by and to members of the poet's family during the 17th and 18th centuries, and an interesting letter of Atterbury when in the Tower.

The papers of the late Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart., of Loton Park (App., p. 64), though not of great historical importance, yet contain matter which will be interesting to many persons.

Sir George Osborn's manuscripts (App., p. 65) contain some papers relative to Guernsey, but they have nearly all been printed.

Among the MSS. belonging to the Trustees of the late Sir Richard Puleston, Bart., reported on by Mr. Horwood (App., p. 65), is a very copious "Bouche of Court," giving a minute account of the various officers and attendants of the Royal household, temp. Henry VIII., their daily diet, and regulations for orderly behaviour within the precincts; an elementary work for teaching the Latin language, by John Leylonde, an Englishman of the 15th century; the original creation of Chirk to be a borough; illustrations of the tenure of land in Wales in the 14th century; notices of Dean Swift, and of the oppressive proceedings of Parliamentarians during the Civil War.

Mr. Antrobus, of Eaton Hall, Cheshire, submitted his manuscripts to the inspection of your Commissioners; though they are chiefly of a local nature, belonging to the class of title deeds, yet among them there are a few documents of historical value. (App., p. 69.)

In the collection belonging to Mr. W. R. Baker, Bayfordbury, Herts, are letters from Dryden, Addison, Aphra Behn, Congreve, Davenant, Dennis, Sir Godfrey Kneller, Sir J. Vanbrugh, Pope, Prior, Sir Richard Steele, and others, addressed to the well-known Jacob Tonson. Mr. Horwood's report will be found at p. 69 of the Appendix.

Colonel Myddelton-Biddulph, of Chirk Castle, possesses a manuscript chronicic of Wales, composed in the 16th century, as well as notices of King Charles at Oxford in 1636. (App., p. 73.)

In the collection of Mr. Richard Corbet, of Market Drayton, are some early deeds relating to Stoke and Drayton in Shropshire, and a book of seignorial rules for the town of Drayton, from 36 Hen. VIII. to 1720. (App., p. 77.)

Mr. Wm. Bromley-Davenport, M.P., of Baginton Hall, co. Warwick, and Capesthorne, co. Chester, possesses a document which possibly refers to Wm. Shakespeare; an unpublished letter and poem by Ben Jonson; letters by Atterbury; interesting historical memoranda by James Wright (of the Temple) from 1685 to 1714; English poems of the 15th century; a poem by Henry Marten, the regicide; and early documents relating to the serjeanty of the forest of Macclesfield. The collections at Baginton and Capesthorne are fully described by Mr. Horwood in his reports (App., pp. 78, 80).

Mr. C. Cottrell Dormer, of Rousham, possesses letters by Sir Philip Sidney, and by Katherine, the widowed Countess of Suffolk, to the Earl of Leicester, and letters containing notices of the Duke of Monmouth and Algernon Sidney; letters by the Royal Family of England while in exile during the Protectorate; and the interesting journals of Mr. Dormer's ancestors as Masters of the Ceremonies during the 17th and 18th centuries. Mr. Horwood's report will be found at p. 82 of the Appendix.

Mr. J. R. Ormsby Gore, M.P., of Brogyntyn, co. Salop, has the letter book formerly belonging to Richard de Bury, Bishop of Durham (temp. Edw. III.), containing copies of royal and other letters of importance; a 15th century volume of English poems; English tracts in the form of dialogue on ecclesiastical and social matters (temp. Henry VIII.); a fine copy of Higden's Polychronicon; numerous original letters by King Charles I., Prince Rupert, Prince Maurice, Sir John Byron, and others during the time of the Civil War. (App., p. 84.)

Mr. H. B. Mackeson's collection (App., p. 91) contains letters and papers touching the concerns and management of Hythe, and its relations with the other Cinque

b 3

Ports; Churchwarden's account, temp. Henry IV.; parts of a guild book, temp. Hen. VI., Hen. VII., and Hen. VIII.

The charter chests of the family of Neville, of Holt, co. Leicester (App., p. 93), contain a fine 12th century letter by Walter, Archbishop of Rouen, regarding the patronage of a church in England; an original letter giving account of the ravages by the French and English during Henry V.'s invasion of France; a roll of charges against William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, temp. Henry VI.; a deed giving a new fact in the life of William of Wykeham; a grant by Cecily, mother of King Edward IV.. wherein she asserts that her late husband was rightful King of England; a pedigree of the Carringtons of the North, showing why Sir John Carrington (who died in 1446) assumed the name of Smyth; a volume containing copies of numerous State papers, temp. Queen Elizabeth.

Among the Standish Papers sent by Mr. Peake (App., p. 92), are the original documents executed on the foundation of a chantry in the parish church of St. Wilfrid in Standish, co. Lancaster.

Mrs. Prescott's collection, reported on by Mr. Horwood (App., p. 97), contains letters (original and copies) by Oliver Cromwell and members of his family, and the original account by Samuel Morland, laid before Cromwell, of the expenditure of the money raised for the persecuted Vaudois.

Mr. J. J. Rogers, of Penrose, co. Cornwall, possesses some papers relating to the Civil War and the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion. (App., p. 98).

Mr. Wm. W. E. Wynne, of Peniarth, co. Merioneth, possesses early manuscripts of the histories of Beda and Henry of Huntingdon, and later manuscripts of the histories of Alfred of Beverley and Nennius; large collections for early English and Welsh history, by John Lewis, of Lynwern (temp. James I.); the original duplicate signed by Francis I., of France, of a treaty between him and King Henry VIII., against the Turks; copies of State papers (temp. Queen Elizabeth); a transcript of Leland's Commentaries, which will supply the blanks in Hearne's edition; copies of the 13th century of 35 charters by Anglo-Saxon Kings, from A.D. 800 to A.D. 1048; a dramatic mystery in the Cornish language, A.D. 1508; several copies of the Brut Chronicle, some in English and some in Welsh; several very early copies of the Welsh Laws; an unpublished letter by the Earl of Mar in 1717, relative to a projected invasion to reinstate the Pretender. This priceless collection (the Hengwrt and Peniarth collections combined) comprises about 600 volumes. Mr. Horwood's report is printed in the Appendix, p. 103.

In the Chetham Library there is a volume consisting of transcripts in the 17th century of valuable matter for the civil and ecclesiastical history and topography of Ireland. (App., p. 156).

Among Lord Camoys's MSS. at Stonor Park (App., p. 33), is a noble folio volume upon vellum, in the original oaken boards, containing several treatises; among them is "The Ladder of Perfection," "The Stimulus Amoris, or Prickyng of Love," by S. Bonaventura, translated into English by Walter Hilton; "Amor Dei, or the "Love of God;" a poem in English verse called "The Prick of Conscience," by Richard Hampole.

Of the extensive and very curious collection of MSS. belonging to Lord Arundell of Wardour, at Wardour Castle, reported on by Mr. Stevenson (App., p. 33), the series of household rolls forms an important feature. They illustrate the history of prices in England from the reign of Edward III. to that of Elizabeth, while numerous particulars connected with the progress of art, trade, commerce, architecture, &c. are here recorded. It might be advisable that the whole series should be examined more closely than possibly could be done in a preliminary and partial inspection.

Many of the articles contained in Miss Ainslie's MS. volume (App., p. 68) are of interest for the illustration of the early history of the City of London, its trade, privileges, and customs. Copies of such as are unprinted might be secured and deposited in the Public Record Office, or in the Library of the City of London.

The collection of MSS. belonging to Mr. Berington, at Little Malvern Court, has at present been only partially examined, it would therefore be premature to decide what are the chief treasures which are deposited therein; so far, however, as it has been inspected, there is no doubt that among the letters which it contains, connected with the private history of the family from the early years of Queen Elizabeth to the end of last century, there must be many of which a more detailed account is desirable. The papers connected with the Council of Prince Arthur are worthy of especial notice; and full transcripts of these should, if possible, be obtained. Indeed,

the preparation of a calendar of the principal documents, especially of the original correspondence, is most desirable. Mr. Stevenson's report will be found at p. 72 of the Appendix.

Mr. Stevenson's report on MSS. lately in the possession of Mrs. Collis (App., p. 76) notices, as illustrative of the Liturgical History of the English Reformation, "The Order of Common Prayer," used in the English Congregation at Frankfort, which claims attention. It is believed that no other copy is in existence.

Mr. Stevenson also brings forward (App., p. 125) an important manuscript belonging to St. Mary's College, Oscott, relating to the building of St. Peter's at Rome, which was unknown when he made his report last year on the collection of manuscripts belonging to that college.

There are two manuscripts in the library at Ampleforth College, to which notice should be directed. One of them is MS. 18, being a history of the English Benedictine Order, by Weldon; the other, MS. 31, furnishes a history of the Dissolution of the houses of the English Benedictines in France at the time of the first Revolution. Stevenson's report on this collection will be found at p. 109 of the Appendix.

Mr.

The report upon the collection of MSS. at Stoneyhurst College (App., p. 143) is not yet completed. Attention, however, may be directed to the following articles :-The history of the early language and literature of England is illustrated by the Saxon lines contained in MS. 3; the roll containing a poem upon the Passion of our Lord, MS. 32; the treatise upon Contemplation, by Walter Hilton, MS. 33; the poems and pieces in prose by Chaucer, Bishop Alcock, and others, in MSS. 2 and 26; and by the curious dictionary in Latin and English, MS. 18. The civil and ecclesiastical history of England is represented by the following MSS., none of which, it is believed, have hitherto been collated: The first volume of a splendid copy of Froissart, unknown to the Baron Kervyn de Lettenhove and M. De Lys, whose editions of this chronicle are in course of publication, MS. 10. A copy of the history of Henry of Huntingdon, MS. 29. A copy of the ecclesiastical taxation of England by Pope Nicholas IV., MS. 25. The act book of the commissary of the Monastery of Whalley, MS. 19, contains much matter illustrative of the moral and social condition of the district about the beginning of the 16th century. The MSS. marked 5, 6, 7, 8, are worthy the attention of the student of the ritual of the Roman Catholic Church. As illustrative of the history of art, the MSS. numbered 4, 10, 11, 13, may be consulted.

The interest of the reader will be excited by the perusal of the narrative contained in MS. 18 of the collection of Woodchester MSS. near Stroud, of which a detailed account is given in the report upon this library by Mr. Stevenson. (App., p. 146.) Lord Leigh sent for the information of Your Majesty's Commissioners two very valuable MSS., which are fully described at p. 49 of the Appendix.

The manuscripts at Dropmore belonging to the Hon. G. M. Fortescue are very interesting and of much historical worth. Mr. Fortescue has kindly sent to the Commissioners a catalogue of them, prepared by Mr. Rawson Gardiner, and which is printed at p. 49 of the Appendix.

Among the manuscripts belonging to Colonel Carew, and submitted to Your Majesty's Commissioners, is one deserving of especial notice. It is a 10th century copy of the four Gospels, followed by a lectionary; after which there is a contemporary copy, or nearly so, of the celebrated letter of Fulco, Archbishop of Rheims, to King Alfred. As a full description of this valuable volume is given at p. 74 of the Appendix, it is needless to do more here than call attention to it.

Dr. Hoskins submitted to Your Commissioners a very interesting collection, made by himself, relating to Jersey. He believes that the papers are the component parts of the work long lost, entitled "Journal et Recueil des choses les plus remarquables en "l'isle de Jersey, par Jean Chevalier, vingetenier de le ville de St. Helier." (App., p. 158).

The manuscripts in the Cathedral Library of Carlisle were submitted to the Commissioners by the Rev. R. W. Dixon. They chiefly relate to ecclesiastical matters and border history, and contain valuable materials for the local and family history of the northern counties. (App., p. 123.)

By the continued favour of the Heads of Houses at Oxford and Cambridge, Mr. H. T. Riley has been enabled to resume his examination of what may be called the "Domestic Records" of the Colleges in the two Universities.

Among the records preserved at Clare College (formerly Clare Hall), Cambridge, its ancient Minute Book, or Register, claims especial notice. Information as to the early history of the College is to be derived from it that has probably been lost sight of for centuries, throwing light more especially upon the munificent provision made

for its Chapel by the Foundress, and the history of some of its early Masters and Benefactors. The collection of Letters, carefully preserved by the College, is interesting, those of Tillotson, while still a Fellow of this College, and at a later date, occurring in considerable numbers. Among the other writers are to be found the names of Margaret Duchess of Newcastle, Saunderson Bishop of Lincoln, Pearson Bishop of Chester, Henchman Bishop of London, and Moore Bishop of Norwich. There is a letter of Robert Lover to Mr. Blythe, afterwards Master, descriptive of the ravages of the plague in Cambridge in 1665. The College Order Book contains many entries indicative of the state of political feeling in Cambridge at the beginning of the last century. Extracts from all the above sources are given in Mr. Riley's report in the Appendix, p. 110.

At Gonville and Caius College is preserved the MS. History of the College written by Dr. Caius, its third Founder, a few extracts from which are entered in the Appendix to this Report, p. 116; in which also the names of Francis Quarles (the Emblematist) and Titus Oates, formerly members of the College, will be found mentioned. The oldest Computus or Bursars' Account-book of this College, now in existence, begins in 1423, and contains matters of antiquarian and topographical interest.

Among the most valuable records in the possession of Jesus College, Cambridge, are the Computi of the Nunnery of St. Radegund, on the site of which the College now stands. Mr. Riley has given in his report copious extracts from them, in the Appendix, p. 119. Some of the early deeds here throw light upon Cambridge localities, as early as the 12th century.

Though the College itself is of early foundation, the records belonging to Trinity Hall cannot be said to be of ancient date. Among its papers are Letters from Queen Elizabeth, Lord Bacon, and Bancroft Archbishop of Canterbury; and a Letter (or copy of a Letter) from the Fellows of the College to Henry Earl of Holland, Chancellor of the University, begging that John Selden (who was educated at Oxford) may be appointed Master. All these are noticed in the Appendix, p. 121, with various memoranda relative to Robert Herrick, author of the Hesperides, who was a member of the College.

Among the extracts in the Appendix, p. 126, from the comparatively few records or memoranda in the possession of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, a few notices will be found of Bryan Twyne, Richard Hooker, and Edward Pocock, the divine and orientalist. The book of charges for building the College in the eighth year of Henry VIII. has yielded some extracts, which, it is believed, will be found of interest.

The Computi or Account-rolls of Exeter College are probably among those of earliest date in the University of Oxford. Much information is to be derived from them as to the history of the College; extracts are given in the Appendix, p. 127, in which the name of John Trevisa, a Fellow of the College, and one of the early translators of Higden's Polychronicon, appears more than once. The more ancient deeds and charters

also of the College throw light upon the early history of the Halls and various localities of Oxford. The manuscript entries in the Latin Psalter and Hymnal, mentioned in the Appendix, in reference to the Obits of Richard Pates, Bishop of Worcester, and Nicholas Harpsfield, have been deemed worthy of especial remark.

The earlier books of Lincoln College contain particulars relating to the history of the Church of All Saints, in Oxford; some few of these are entered in the Appendix, p. 130. Notices have also been extracted there from one of the College Registers as to Robert Saunderson, afterwards Bishop of Lincoln, and Nathaniel Lord Crewe, Rector of the College and Bishop of Durham. The details as to College life and discipline in the first half of the 17th century that are there given, from the rarity of such details, seem to be of peculiar interest.

One of the most valuable documents in the possession of New College, is a letter written by William de Wykeham, founder of the College, and the only specimen of his writing apparently (beyond his signature) that has survived to these times; it will be found entered in the Appendix, p. 132; the copious extracts also which are there given from the early Books of the Kitchen Steward and the Hall Steward furnish much, and it is believed hitherto unnoticed, information as to the social usages of this country at the close of the 14th century. The rise in the College from the position of lowest scholar, of Thomas Bekyntone, afterwards Dean of the Arches and Bishop of Bath and Wells, has been also traced there from these books. Extracts are also given from the first Register in reference to the early benefactions to the College, its Library and Chapel more particularly.

The chief records belonging to Oriel College are its Computi or Treasurers' Accounts. Extracts are given in the Appendix (p. 136) from those that exist; in them a notice will be found of Henry Chichele Archbishop of Canterbury, then a Fellow of New College,

and some particulars relative to St. Mary's, now the University Church. Though not of any great extent, these extracts, it is believed, will be found to contain some matters of interest in reference to the management of the College in those days, and the habits and usages of the times.

From the Computi of Queen's College, Oxford, which begin in 1347, only seven years after the Foundation of the College, many particulars of like features to those presented by the Computi of Exeter and Oriel Colleges may be gathered. Notices extracted from them will be found in the Appendix (p. 137), containing particulars relative to Robert de Eglesfeld, the founder, and to John Trevisa, the translator of Higden's Polychronicon. A John Wyclif is also mentioned in these Computi more than It was the opinion of the late Professor Shirley that this personage is identical with our early Reformer: reasons however will be found given in the Appendix for accepting this conclusion not without hesitation, the only alternative clearly being that there must have been two John Wyclifs residing much about the same time in this College. The question is also noticed in the Appendix, whether Henry the Fifth, when Prince, really was, as asserted by tradition, a member of this College; while passages hitherto, it is believed, unnoticed, are given in proof that his uncle, Henry Beaufort, afterwards Cardinal, was a member of the Society. The Register, or Chartulary of the Hospital of St. Julian, or God's House, in Southampton, in the possession of this College, commencing probably in the reign of Edward the Third, contains matters of interest that are at present unexplored, more especially in reference to the former history of Southampton.

Under the head of Trinity College, Oxford, some slight notices will be found in the Appendix (p. 142) of Doctors Kettell and Bathurst (former Presidents of the College), of Elizabeth the second wife of Sir Thomas Pope, the refounder of the house, of Sir Theodore Mayerne, William Chillingworth, John Somers, afterwards Lord Chancellor of England, and the unfortunate Eustace Budgell, who was originally a Member of this College, though in some of the biographies he is mentioned as of Christ Church only.

Worcester, being a College of comparatively recent foundation, has nothing of its own in the way of what may be called "records." It, however, possesses a manuscript Register of the town of Leslie in Fife, A.D. 1606-45. There are some entries in the Register Book of its predecessor on the site, Gloucester Hall, in which the names of Kenelm Digby and John Speed appear among the subscribers to the buildings of the new Chapel in 1630. The folio MS. volume, also noticed in the Appendix, as giving an account of Archbishop Laud's trial, on close examination may possibly be found to disclose facts which have hitherto been overlooked. (App., p. 143.)

The records of Jesus College, Oxford, are but few in number, and not such as call for any especial remark. (App., p. 130.)

The Inventory of effects of Viscount Lisle, "the John Dudley, Duke of Northumber"land," of history, who was beheaded in 1553, has been deemed worthy by Mr. Riley of a lengthened notice (App., p. 101), as showing to some extent the internal and private economy of a Peer's London house in the middle of the 16th century. The list of the Duke's London Library deserves attention. The occurrence in the manuscript of the names of Robert Dudley (afterwards Earl of Leicester), Guildford Dudley, Sir Richard Verney, "Mr. Harrie Vaine," and several other persons of rank, known in history, renders it of additional interest.

In consequence of their number, and the length of many of the documents, the inspection of the Petyt Manuscripts, in the Library of the Inner Temple, has of necessity been comparatively cursory. The extracts given in the Appendix (p. 151) are sufficient to prove that the originals, if more closely examined, would be not unlikely to throw light upon the history of politics and religion in this country in the reigns of Edward VI. and Elizabeth.

The documents belonging to the Corporation of Abingdon, which have been recently examined (App., p. 149), in addition to those mentioned in the former report, are mainly of interest as illustrating the domestic history of that town in the latter half of the 16th century.

Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice has made a report (App., p. 99) on some manuscript volumes of Irish Parliamentary debates between the years 1776 and 1789, in the possession of Mr. W. T. M. Torrens, M.P. These manuscripts are of value in supplying new materials for the Parliamentary history of Ireland.

Mr. John Harvey, of Ickwell Bury, whose collection of manuscripts was noticed in the Appendix of the First Report, p. 62, has forwarded to the Commissioners another