CIRCULAR OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMISSION. CIRCULAR OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMIS- HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS COMMISSION. Rolls House, Chancery Lane. Her Majesty has been pleased to appoint under Her Sign Manual certain Commissioners to ascertain what MSS. calculated to throw light upon subjects connected with the Civil, Ecclesiastical, Literary, or Scientific history of this country are extant in the collections of private persons and in corporate and other institutions. A copy of the Commission is enclosed, which will best explain the object Her Majesty has in view. The Commissioners think it probable that you may feel an interest in this object, and be willing to assist in the attainment of it, and with that view they desire me to lay before you an outline of the course which they propose to follow. If any person express his willingness to submit any paper or collection of papers within his possession or power to the examination of the Commissioners, they will cause an inspection to be made by some competent person, upon the information derived from whom the Commissioners will make a private report to the owner on the general nature of the papers in his collection, such report will not be made public without the owner's consent, but a copy of it will be deposited and preserved in the Public Record Office, to which no person will be allowed to have access without the consent of the owner of the papers reported on. Where the papers are not mere insulated documents, but form a collection which appears to be of Literary or Historical value, a chronological list or brief calendar will be drawn up, and a copy thereof presented to the owner, and to no other person without his consent, but the original of such calendar will be deposited for preservation in the Public Record Office, to which no person will be allowed to have access without the consent of the owner of such collection. OF THE The Commissioners will also, if so requested, give CIRCAZ their advice as to the best means of repairing and preserving any papers or MSS. which may be in a state of decay, and are of Historical or Literary value. To avoid any possible apprehension that the examination of papers by the Commissioners may extend to or include any title deeds or legal documents, I have to call your attention to the fact that nothing of a private character or relating to the titles of existing owners is to be divulged, and to assure you that positive instructions will be given to every person who examines the MSS. that if in the course of his examination any title deeds or other documents of a private character chance to come before him, they are to be instantly put aside, and are not to be reported on or calendared under any pretence whatever. The object of the Commission is solely the discovery of unknown Historical and Literary materials, and in all their proceedings the Commissioners will direct their attention to that object exclusively. In no instance will any MS. be removed from the owner's residence without his request or consent, but if for convenience the Commissioners be intrusted with any MSS., they will be deposited in the Public Record Office, and be treated with the same care as if they formed part of the Public Muniments, and will be returned to the owner at any time specified by him. The costs of inspections, reports, and calendars, and the conveyance of documents will be defrayed at the public expense without any charge to owners. The Commissioners will feel much obliged if you will communicate to them the names of any gentlemen who may be able and willing to assist in obtaining the objects for which this Commission has been issued. I have the honour to be, Your obedient servant, JOHN ROMILLY, Secretary. OF INDEX TO THIRD REPORT. visit of knights and gentlemen to, 1617; xxiv, 413. report on Mr. John Webster's MSS. at; 420, 421. Bishop of, Alexander Forbes, letter of, 1617; xxiv, 413. George, letter of, 1714; 369. Marischal College at; 369. Provost of, Robert Stewart, letters of; 369. University of, memorial touching the, 1715; 369; copy Aberfoil, parish Kirk, &c. of; 399 (ter). Abergavenny, Lord, amendments to his Bill, 1610; 13. Abingdon, Corporation of; MSS. belonging to the, repaired 17th cent.; xxiv, 51, 63, 64, 71, 257, 309, 326, 346, 347, 17th and 18th cent.; 302, 308, 1743-7; 411. of sheriffs, escheators, collectors, &c., drafts of, Acts for the ministers', 19-20 Edw. IV.; 41. public, temp. Hen. VIII.; 41 (ter). Declared, a large volume of, 1588-94; 217. See Bailiffs' accounts, Churchwardens' accounts, Computi, accounts. Sheriffs' Admiralty-cont. jurisdiction of the, in Ireland, letter about the, 1638; 76. -- a paper concerning the; 199. a Latin treatise, "De officio Admirallitatis Angliæ," temp. notes taken oute of the Statute Lawe concerning the papers connected with the, 18th cent.; 125, 146. letters of the, 1636-7; 72, 74. Commissioners of the, letter to the, 1653; 266. matters, disputes touching, between England and France, Office, return by the, of ships lost and damaged, 1691; 101. Adventurers, in a ship called the Pearl, petition of; 286. Esopus in Fabulis; 243. Affidavits; 319. Affiliation, proceedings in cases of; 350. trade of, 1735-67; 144. supplies to the troops in, 1748 seq.; 146. African Company, the Royal, proceedings of the Commissioners Agar, Thomas, letters of; 428, Agazario, F., letters of; 235. Agnew, Robert Vans, Esq., MSS. of, at Barnbarroch; x, 402. Aid for Knighting Prince Henry, Council letter touching the, 1609; 196. Aid, a general, 1689; 101. letter of the, 1680; 43. letters of the, in the Ormonde collection; 428. 18th cent.; 431. Airlie, Lord, letters of; 428. Airth, Earl of: creation of William, Earl of Monteith as, 1633-4; 400. letters of Charles I. respecting the, 1637-9; ib. commission to the, 1640; ib. See Menteith and Airth, Earls of; also Herth. Akenside, Dr.; 291. Alabaster, Sir Thomas, letters from; 161, 162, 164. Alacampi, Edward, letters of; 334. Albani, Vita Sancti, 14th cent., in the Marquis of Bute's collec- Albani, Cardinal, letter of; 138. Duke of, protest against the legality of a court and assize Governor of Scotland, license by the, 1416; xxiv, 413. charter of, 1479; 4. Dukes of, charters, &c. by; 397, 398, 402, 404, 405. Albemarle : Duke of, letter of the, 1660; 90: 1662; 248. letters touching the, 1685; 97, 99. See Monck. Earl of, letters of the, 1699; 193. Ambassador at Paris, despatches from and to the, correspondence of the, 1763-8; 222. letter of the, 1763; xxiii, 407. Alberoni, Cardinal, compendium of the Life of; 242. Alchemy: books on; 122. a treatise on, by John Garland; ib. treatises on; 123, 272. transcripts of; 186. treatise on, by John Bubelem, 1384; 186, 244. Alchorne, Thomas, letters of; 277. Alcock, John. See Abbey of the Holy Ghost. Aldred, Mr., his letter to the Marquis Villiers by way of Ale and beer, excise of, 1662; 283. See Beer. Alehouse keepers and victuallers, petition touching the register account of the receiver of profits on licenses for keeping, letters patent appointing Commissioners of, 1618; 15. a book of licenses granted for the keeping of, 1617-20; 17. Ale-tasters, presentments of; 342. Ales and revels, papers relative to, 1633; 286. Algerine pirates; 282. trade of, 1735-67; 144. supplies to the British forces in, &c., 1748-89; 146. convention of neutrality between the Empress Queen and memorial on the differences between the French and letter from the War Office to Lord Rollo in, 1762; 407. letter of Frederick, King of Prussia, on the folly of the civil and military affairs in, during the war, 1776-81; politics of, 1780-2; 140. American iron, a bundle of printed and MS. papers touching American war: E., letter of; 300. Major, letters to; 190. Anecdotes of historical characters; xi. Anees, William, letters from; 174, 175. Angel, the ship, papers relating to; 248, 249. F., letter to; 156. See Aungier. Angiers, a murder at, 1719; 273. Anglesea, Justices of, letter from the; 169. letter from the [t. Jac. I.]; 180. letter to the, 1675; 199. Lord Privy Seal, letters to and from the, in the Ormonde Anglo-Saxon times, copies of charters of; 182. Angulo, Don. Fr. Fernandez de, letter from; 158. Archibald, contract between Lady Margaret Douglas and, letters to the, 1603; 149. William, acknowledgment by, 1630; 395. Anhalt, Jo. Geo. Prince of, letter from; 150. Anjou, Duke of: letter of, requesting attendance on her journey to London, letters from and to; 151, 155, 160, 161, 167, 177, 178, 179, letter from her tradesmen, 152; from the Commissioners draft of an Act of confirmation of a grant to, 1610; 12. petition of the grooms of the Queen's Stables to Cecil, ib. lines by King James on the death of; xviii, 299. order for payment of the King's gift to George and Queen, coronation of; order for a gown of scarlet for the truly zealous for the Church of England," 1702; 273. letter from Lord Oxford to, with an account of public instructions by, to an ambassador, 1711; 252. Court, original book of, 12 Eliz.; 230. and fees, 1605-12; 164. a paper relating to, 1745-6; 146. Anson, Lord, despatches from and to, 1758; 142. Anstey, West (Devon), land in; 358. Anstis (Garter) : letter of; 113. Arabella, Lady. See Stuart, Lady Arabella. Arabic proverbs; 244. Arabic words, vocabulary of; 123. Arable land, draft of an Act against the conversion of, into pasture; 29. Arbroath, abbey of, warrants by Mary Q. of Scots and James VI. Arbuthnot, letters of; xiv, 198.. Lord, MSS. of, to be inspected, x. Archduke: Ernestus, letter from, to Queen Elizabeth; 203. letter from the States General to the, 1607; 168. See Archduke's country, observations on the, by Sir T. Overbury; Argyll : Duke of, muniments of the, to be inspected; x, 402. Earl of, Archibald, his action against the Earl of Lennox. letter touching the army of [1565]; 394. letter of James VI. to the tenants of the, 1603; 396. John, Commissioner to the Scotch Parliament, letters · letters relative to the, 1715; 372, 377. Arigoni, Cardinal, letters of; 334. Arismendy, John, of London, will of; 277. Latin treatise on, 16th cent.; 114. a treatise falsely ascribed to (Secreta Secretorum); 243. Arithmetic : a treatise on; 108. Rules of, by Edward Cocker; 124. Arley Hall (Cheshire), report on Mr. R. E. Egerton Warburton's Arlington, Earl of; letters of the, 1665-9, 245; 1666, 269; 1673, 197; 1674, 266. letters from and to, 1672; 43. letters of the, in the Ormonde collection; 428. Armagh, Archbishop of : Thomas, license to, to receive native Irish into his protec- John (elect), letters of, 1660[-1]; 41. Oliver Plunket, Transactions and Letters of, 1681; 261. See Plunket; Usher. Armine (York), manor of, petition touching the; 34. letter touching, 1559[-60]; 37. makers, petition of, to Parliament; 178. and bows, bill for; 231. Arms: Officers of Abuses committed by Painters and others to Arms, orders to search for, 1660 and 1683; 245. search for, 1661; 259. orders to restore, 1664; 245. taken at various houses, lists of [1666 ?]; 245. Armstrong: Archie, son of the Laird of Quhithauch, letters touching letters and papers touching the King's, 1640-1; 80, 81, 82, papers relating to the state of the, 1649-51; 216. letter directing the raising of money for disbanding the, orders and commissions, 1661-6; 425. lists of officers, and papers relating to the, 1712; 252. three volumes of answers from towns and counties to the papers and estimates; 84. See Military Levies. Armyns of Asgardby, account of the family of; 367. report on Mr. Robert Dundas's MS. at; 414-416. Lord (first President Dundas), letters to, 1742-7; 415. Aruold, General, letters of; 146. Arnot, James, of Kirktonhill, commission to; 409. Arran, Isle of, grant of the office of sheriff of the; 402. Arran, Earl of : James, agreement respecting the slaughter of the Earl of James, Governor of Scotland, commission by, 1542; 413. James, Governor of Scotland, protest touching lands sold state of his affairs in Ireland, 1661; 425. Richard, Deputy Governor of Ireland, 1682-4; correspon- petitions and memorials to; ib. letters of the, in the Ormonde collection; 428. Arrests, documents relating to. See Privilege, breach of. Arschot, Duke of, letter from; 160. Arthur, King, English poem on, in the Red Book of Bath; 182. William de Albini, charters by; 216. Hugh de Aubeny, grant to; 251. Richard, deed by, 1338; 251. Philip Howard, extents of lands of, 8 Eliz. ; 272. a letter written by, to the Queen's Majesty, when he departed the realm of England; 204. his "Apologetical defence," 1589; 196. his "Apologie upon his restraynt for accepting the title of Comes Imperii ;" 213. letter of, about the title of Comes Imperii; 300. letters from the, 1605 seq.; 161, 166, 170, 172, 179. Assessments and rates, Yorkshire, 1672; 299. Assisa cerevisia and Assisa panis; 182. reports of cases before justices in Eyre at, temp. Edw. III.; pleas of, temp. Hen. IV. (in cos. Hereford, Essex, Kent, and gaol deliveries, draft of an Act for holding; 24. Astall and Fulbrook (Oxon.), rectory of; 32. Asteley, Mrs., letter to; 296. Astley, Sir John, of Patshull, and Sir Philip Boyle; the battle Aston, Sir Arthur; 191. Aston (or Ashton), Sir Roger, letters from; 157, 160 ter, 163 178. letters to; 157, 169, 177, 180. Astrolabe, a treatise on the rules of the, 15th cent.; 112. Astrology: a letter on the art of, 14th cent.; 199. 15th cent.; 186. a treatise on, entitled "The Bibill of Geomancye," 15th and the use of the Astrolabe, translated from John de Monte- an Italian work on, by L. M. Cagnacci, 1689; 122. Astronomicum, Organum, by Johannes Temporarius; 208. "Astrop-Wells, 1692," poems entitled; 101, 102. conveyance by the; 317. letter of attorney by the; ib. Athenry, Lord, letters of; 428. Duke of, muniments of the, to be inspected; x, 402. Earl of, John, letters of procuratory by, 1565; 394. Duke of, John 1st, letters of, 1703-32; 368, 369. letter of the ; ib. protection by the, 1716; 419. papers about the, c. 1750; 222. Countess of, Mary, letters from (temp. Jac. I.); 151, 156. |