painter, De Wit; besides giving many particulars of his personal history. There are numerous inventories of furniture, plate, pictures, dresses, and jewels, partly of Earl Patrick's time, and partly of earlier date.

The collection of Lord Forbes, on which Dr. Stuart has made a full report (App., p. 193), contains many ancient documents of value for illustrating local history and topography. Among the miscellanea are early examples of those bonds of manrent by which powerful families entered into league with each other for protection in days when the law was too weak to assert its supremacy; there are several letters of interest, some of them illustrate the spirit which led so many of the younger sons of Scotch families to seek employment as soldiers under the leader who could afford the highest pay; one of them relates certain occurrences which had nearly led to the last judicial combat in England; others illustrate the disorganized condition of the north of Scotland, and one series describes the services of Lord Forbes in Ireland during the rebellion of 1642. A document, of which it is not known that any other copy has been preserved, is a memorial of 20 Scottish peers to Queen Anne, occasioned by a resolution of the House of Lords when the Duke of Hamilton was created an English peer. A volume containing rentals of the Forbes estates in 1552 affords very detailed information on the state of agriculture, and the condition of the country generally.

The early charters in the collection of Lord Torphichen at Calder House (App., p. 196), are of interest in connexion with the history of the house of Douglas, by marriage with a daughter of which the representation of the old Earls of Douglas is claimed by the family of Sandilands of Calder. There is also a series of papers of still wider interest connected with the history of the Knights Templars in Scotland, whose estates became vested in the family of Sandilands at the period of the Reformation. Some of these are of the 13th century, and others of the 15th and 16th.

The family of Burnett was settled at Crathes by King Robert Bruce in 1323, and has continued to flourish to the present time. The charters begin at that time, and the collection of Sir J. H. Burnett (App., p. 197) is large, but there are few papers of general historical interest in it. Among the letters is one from the Covenanting leaders in 1639; one from the Earl Marischal in 1650; and one from King Charles II. in 1651. There is also a letter from Bishop Burnet (descended from this house) in 1700. There is a Court Book of the Barony of Leys, and another of the Barony of Skene, ranging from 1613 to 1674, which afford some insight into the agricultural and social arrangements of the district.

Amongst the papers belonging to Mr. John Guthrie (App., p. 197) are various letters and papers of John Guthry, Bishop of Murray, who was deprived of his office by the Covenanters in 1638. There is a series of letters addressed to Francis Guthry of that ilk by the Bishop of Raphoe, and others, dated from 1639 to 1660. Another series is from the Marquis of Douglas and his son, the Earl of Angus, to the Laird of Guthry. Most are on matters of local interest, but a few of them contain references to public events, such as the coronation of Charles II. Several manuscripts of necromancy are filled with prayers and conjurations for revealing secrets and exorcising evil spirits.

The great bulk of the papers in the collection of Mr. Alex. F. Irvine (App., p. 198) consist of the title deeds of the many lands acquired by the family, beginning with their first grant of Drum from King Robert I., and many of them are of value for purposes of county history. Among the miscellaneous papers is a protestation by Sir Alexander Irvine, and his appeal to Col. Overtoun, one of Cromwell's captains, against the Presbytery of Aberdeen, which seems to illustrate the aspect of the contest between Presbytery and Independency, then in progress.

In the Whitehaugh collection (App., p. 198) are the valuable charters of the family of Forbes of Tolquhon, dating from 1420, of which Mr. Leith is the representative, besides those relating to the lands which have at various periods belonged to his own branch of the family of Leith. Among the manuscripts is a Book of Accounts kept by George, third Earl of Winton, from 1627 to 1651. This Earl was the builder of the house of Winton, and many of the entries relate to his expenditure on it. There are also payments to Sir Thomas Hope, the Lord Advocate; to Adame, the painter, for portraits of Lord Errol, Lady Hay, and the Earl himself; and many of the entries throw light on the condition of society at the time.

The documents belonging to the University of Aberdeen are numerous, consisting of the deeds of foundation, papers regarding the course of education and internal management, and also the buildings and library. Among the manuscripts the most prominent portion consists of about 20 volumes, mostly lectures and notes of books on canon law, which belonged to Bishop Elphinstone, the founder. There is also a copy of "The

"Mirrour of our Lady" for half of the year. In the library of Marischal College are several MSS. of the Fathers, formerly in the monastic houses in Aberdeen; a Commentary on the Revelations, written by Thomas Reid, secretary to King James VI., with alterations in his Majesty's handwriting; also original papers and correspondence of Maclaurin. Dr. Stuart's report will be found at p. 199 of the Appendix.

The records of St. Andrew's (App., p. 206), which are unusually complete, commence almost with the foundation of the University in 1411, and contain materials for tracing the history of this great literary institution both before and after the Reformation; its schemes of study, its modes of collegiate life, and the eminent men whom it has nurtured in learning. There are also many records of a miscellaneous description, illustrative of the ecclesiastical foundations in the churches of St. Andrew's, the endowments of which were conferred on the University and colleges. In one of these is a contemporary notice of the proceedings against Patrick Hamilton, Abbot of Fearn, who was burned for heresy at St. Andrew's in 1527. Among the manuscripts is a copy of Wyntown's Cronikil and a Formulare, or volume of styles of the 16th century. The latter contains more than 600 writs, illustrating every variety of process in the Roman Court or at home-and the pervading influence of the system of the old Church-and is especially deserving of notice.

Among the letters at Trinity College, Glenalmond (App., p. 203), are several from Archbishop Sharp and the Duke of Lauderdale, relating to ecclesiastical proceedings in Scotland; and an extensive series illustrates the history and internal condition of the Episcopal Church subsequent to the Revolution of 1688, especially on questions of liturgical usages then in debate. A letter from Rose, the last established Bishop of Edinburgh, gives a graphic picture of his interviews with the Bishop of London and William III. There are some historical papers from the collections of Bishop Keith and Bishop Forbes, and sundry manuscripts and letters relating to the Eastern Church, and the proposals for an alliance between it and the Nonjurors in Scotland and England, which were mooted in the early part of the 18th century.

The records of the burgh of Montrose (App., p. 205) are of early date, and throw light on the early position of a Scotch burgh, showing that their privileges extended over a wide territory around the town. Much of their history at the outset is occupied with the encroachments which one burgh made on another within the enfranchised district, and which called for frequent acts of the King in their determination. Many of the documents afford incidental illustrations of the commercial arrangements of the period, while others relate to the ancient hospital of Montrose; altarages within the parish church; and a house of Dominican friars in the burgh.

The MSS. contained in the library of Blairs College, reported on by Mr. Stevenson (App., p. 201), relate for the most part to the early ecclesiastical history of Scotland; of these the more important are the collections of Father Brockie towards the formation of a "Monasticon Scotia," MSS. 25-34; two annotated copies of the Salisbury missal, MSS. 2, 3, 4; the collections of Father Placidus Fleming, MS. 14; the charters and other early documents connected with the history of the Scottish Benedictines in Germany, MS. 15. The narrative of Gilbert Blackal, No. 20, has already been printed. As illustrative at once of the history of art and as personal memorials connected with such individuals as Aune of Bretagne and Mary Beton, the MSS. numbered 22 and 23 have an especial interest.

In Ireland the labours of the Commission have during the past year been attended with very satisfactory results, as will be apparent from the amount of important matter brought to light in the reports from Mr. Gilbert now appended.

The documents of the house of Forbes in the archives of the Earl of Granard (App., p. 210) are of importance in illustrating the public affairs of Ireland, in which his Lordship's ancestors acted conspicuous parts. These papers also contain matter relative to the embassy of Admiral Forbes, afterwards third Earl of Granard, to Russia in 1733-34, and his affairs with the Emperor of Austria for the establishment of a marine force in the Adriatic. In the collection of Lord Granard is preserved a hitherto unnoticed personal narrative of affairs in England and Ireland from the Restoration to the accession of James II., supplying details not elsewhere extant. This manuscript is anonymous, but Mr. Gilbert assigns its authorship to Sir Alexander Stewart, first Viscount Mountjoy, in 1689.

In the collection of the Earl of Rosse have been preserved several fragile papers of high interest in connexion with Irish affairs from 1641 to 1690. (App., p. 217.)

The "Plunket Manuscript," which its hereditary owner, the Right Hon. Francis Plunket Dunne, placed at the disposal of the Commission, is all that is now accessible of a large work compiled in the 17th century on the affairs of Ireland from 1641, and referred

to with approbation by Carte in 1736. (App., p. 227.) As Mr. Gilbert has ascertained that the original, revised by Dryden, was offered for publication in 1741, it is to be hoped that the now missing portions may be brought to light through the medium of this Commission.

The manuscripts of the O'Conor Don, M.P., include two valuable volumes in the Irish language, not hitherto described in print, as well as some original papers, which are the only specimens of their classes yet brought to light in connexion with Irish Roman Catholics from 1641 to 1690. Mr. Gilbert's report is printed at p. 223 of the Appendix.

Archbishop King's correspondence and papers, submitted by Dr. Lyons (App, p. 231), comprise many unpublished documents of interest relative to England and Ireland from 1681 to 1728. Of these we may notice the correspondence of Addison, and that of Henry Dodwell, the letters of Berkeley, Earl of Sunderland, Robert Molesworth, Sir Robert Southwell and his son Edward, Robert Howard, Dr. A. Charlett, of University College, Oxford, and Samuel Molyneux. Among these papers were found King's memoranda for a reply to Lesley's Answer to his work on the state of the Protestants in Ireland under James II.; a report on the impeachment of Bolingbroke in 1715; and a discourse on the taxation of Ireland, 1716.

The "Register of the Antiquities and Statutes" of Kilkenny, compiled by Robert Rothe, first recorder of that town, in 1609, has hitherto been entirely unknown to historic investigators. This volume, which appears to have lain obscurely in private hands, is of high value, as it supplies copious extracts from documents which have been long missing. (App., p. 257.)

The collection of the Marquis of Ormonde at Kilkenny Castle, on which Mr. Gilbert has made a preliminary report (App., p. 209), is unarranged and uncatalogued. It comprises original documents commencing with the time of Henry II., and extending to the early part of the 18th century. In addition to the documents on vellum, there are letters, papers, and books in large numbers, including a large mass of correspondence in connexion with the public affairs of the second Duke of Ormonde, in the reign of Anne, from which valuable new matter for the history of the period may be derived. The collection includes much of high interest to England, while so far as Ireland is concerned Mr. Gilbert states that he can say, without exaggeration, its value is beyond appreciation. A fuller and more detailed notice of this important collection will be submitted in the next report of the Commission.

Dr. C. W. Russell has given an account (App., p. 103) of two manuscripts from the collection of Mrs. Willes, of Goodrest, Berkshire, widow of the late Edward Willes, Esq., of Newbold-Comyn, in Warwickshire, which promise to throw considerable light on the condition of Ireland about the middle of the last century. They consist of letters and memoranda on the state of Ireland, written in that country by an ancestor of the present owner, the Right Hon. Edward Willes, who was Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland. The letters are addressed to Lord Warwick, an intimate friend of Chief Baron Willes, and give an account of the writer's observations during his several circuits as Judge of Assize, between the years 1757 and 1768. The volume of notes and observations contains the autograph memoranda made by the Chief Baron in Dublin and elsewhere during his residence in Ireland. Neither volume can be said to have much direct bearing on the political or religious history of the period. The interest of both is almost exclusively social and economical; and the information which they supply as to the character of the people, the tenure of land, the mode of agriculture, the industrial and economical relations of the country, and in general its entire social condition, is such as will be sought for in vain in the printed sources of the history of Ireland during the 18th century. The letters appear to be well deserving of publication.

An index to this and the preceding Report of your Commissioners, as well as to the Appendices attached to both, will be found at p. 265 of the Appendix.

It only remains for Your Commissioners to state, that they feel perfectly satisfied with the success of their inquiry, so far as it has proceeded at present. They entertain a confident hope that their future labours will tend greatly to the advancement of Historical Literature, by bringing to the notice of the world important papers and manuscripts, the existence of which might possibly be unknown to the majority of those who may be interested in the inquiry. Your Commissioners are inclined to think that a continuation of their efforts may be the means of preventing those casualties to which valuable collections of MSS. are liable from various causes,-casualties arising not unfrequently from changes in families, from removal of MSS., and ignorance of the

localities to which they have been transferred. It may also be of importance to the possessors of valuable documents to know where papers cognate with those in their possession are to be found, and into what direction the lines of correspondence consequent on family alliances or intermarriage may have diverged; whilst to those who are engaged in biographical, historical, or political researches no greater boon can be offered than well-authenticated information, where materials which are indispensable for the due prosecution of their inquiries are preserved. Your Commissioners have also to suggest whether it might not be desirable (with the full consent of the owners) for copies to be taken of the more valuable papers in private collections, not with a view to publication, but as an additional security against those accidents to which all manuscripts are exposed, --accidents, which, in more ways than one, have already inflicted irreparable injury on the historical and biographical literature of this country; and not unfrequently on the memories of those who have served it with the greatest efficiency and fidelity.

ROMILLY. (L.S.)

SALISBURY. (L.S.)
AIRLIE. (L.S.)
STANHOPE. (L.S.)

EDMOND FITZMAURICE. (L.S.)
CHARLES LIMERICK. (L.S.)

TALBOT DE MALAHIDE. (L.S.)
HOUGHTON. (L.S.)

WILLIAM STIRLING MAXWELL. (L.S.)
CHARLES WILLIAM RUSSELL. (L.S.)
GEORGE WEBBE DASENT. (L.S.)
T. DUFFUS HARDY. (L.S.)

! W. GEO. BRETT,

Secretary.

23rd May 1871.