COMMISSION. VICTORIA R. Victoria, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith. To Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor John, Baron Romilly, Master or Keeper of the Rolls and Records in Chancery; Our right trusty and entirely beloved Cousin and Councillor Robert Arthur Talbot, Marquess of Salisbury; Our right trusty and right well-beloved Cousin David Graham Drummond, Earl of Airlie, Knight of Our Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle; Our right trusty and right well-beloved Cousin Philip Henry, Earl Stanhope; Our trusty and well-beloved Edmond George Fitzmaurice, Esq. (commonly called Lord Edmond George Fitzmaurice); Our trusty and well-beloved Sir William Stirling Maxwell, Bart.; Our trusty and wellbeloved Charles William Russell, Doctor in Divinity, President of the College of St. Patrick, Maynooth; Our trusty and well-beloved George Webbe Dasent, Doctor of Civil Law; and Our trusty and well-beloved Thomas Duffus Hardy, Esq., Deputy Keeper of the Records, greeting. Whereas it has been represented unto Us that there are belonging to many Institutions and private Families various Collections of Manuscripts and Papers of general public interest, a knowledge of which would be of great utility in the illustration of History, Constitutional Law, Science, and general Literature, and that in some cases these Papers are liable to be lost or obliterated: And whereas We are informed that many of the possessors of such Manuscripts would be willing to give access to them, and permit their contents to be made public, provided that nothing of a private character, or relating to the title of existing owners, should be divulged: And whereas it appears to Us that there would be considerable public advantage in its being generally known where such Papers and Manuscripts are deposited, and that the contents of those which tend to the elucidation of History, and the illustration of Constitutional Law, Science, and Literature, should be published: Now know ye, that We, reposing great trust and confidence in your ability and discretion, have appointed, and do by these Presents nominate, constitute, and appoint, you the said John, Baron Romilly; Robert Arthur Talbot, Marquess of Salisbury; David Graham Drummond, Earl of Airlie; Philip Henry, Earl Stanhope; Edmond George Fitzmaurice (commonly called Lord Edmond George Fitzmaurice); Sir William Stirling Maxwell; Charles William Russell; George Webbe Dasent; and Thomas Duffus Hardy to be Our Coinmissioners to make inquiry as to the places in which such Papers and Manuscripts are deposited, and for any of the purposes herein mentioned: And for the purpose of carrying out the said inquiry We do hereby authorize you to call in the aid and co-operation of all possessors of Manuscripts and Papers, inviting them to assist you in furthering the object of this Commission, and to give them full assurance that no information is sought except such as relates to Public Affairs, and that no knowledge or information which may be obtained from their collections shall be promulgated without their full licence and consent: 26474. A 2 And we do further by these Presents authorize you, with the consent of the owners of such Manuscripts, to make abstracts and catalogues of such Manuscripts: And we do hereby direct that you, or any three or more of you, shall form a quorum, and that you, or any three or more of you, shall have power to invite the possessors of such Papers and Records as you may deem it desirable to inspect, to produce them before you : And Our further will and pleasure is that you our said Commissioners, or any three or more of you, do report to Us from time to time in writing under your hands and seals all and every your proceedings under and by virtue of these Presents: And for the better enabling you to execute these Presents, We do hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint Wilford George Brett, Esq., Barrister-at-Law, as the Secretary to this Our Commission to attend you, whose services and assistance We require you to use from time to time as occasion may require. Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Second day of April one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the Thirty-second year of Our Reign, By Her Majesty's Command. H. A. BRUCE. VICTORIA R. Victoria, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith. To the Right Reverend Father in God Charles Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert, and Aghadoe, and Our right trusty and well-beloved James Baron Talbot de Malahide, greeting. Whereas We did, by Warrant under Our Royal Sign Manual, bearing date the second day of April one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, authorize and appoint Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor John, Baron Romilly, Master or Keeper of the Rolls and Records in Chancery, together with the several Noblemen and Gentlemen therein named in the said Warrant, or any three or more of them, to be Our Commissioners to make inquiry into the places in which Documents illustrative of History or general public interest belonging to private persons are deposited, and to consider whether, with the consent of the owners, means might not be taken to render such Documents available for public reference. Now know ye, that We, reposing great trust and confidence in your zeal, discretion, and ability, do by these Presents authorize and appoint you the said Charles Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert, and Aghadoe, and James Baron Talbot de Malahide, to be Our Commissioners for the purposes aforesaid, in addition to and together with the Commissioners whom We have already appointed by the above-mentioned Royal Warrant. Given at Our Court of St. James's, the Thirty-first day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the Thirty-third year of Our Reign. By Her Majesty's Command. H. A. BRUCE. Charles Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert, and Aghadoe, and James Baron Talbot de Malahide, additional Commissioners to inquire into places in which Historical Documents of public interest are deposited, &c. & 3 VICTORIA R. Victoria, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith. To Our right trusty and well-beloved Richard Monckton Baron Houghton, greeting. Whereas We did by Warrants under Our Royal Sign Manual, bearing date respectively the second day of April and the thirty-first day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, authorize and appoint Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor John, Baron Romilly, Master or Keeper of the Rolls and Records in Chancery, together with the several Noblemen and Gentlemen therein named in such Warrants, or any three or more of them, to be Our Commissioners to make inquiry into the places in which Documents illustrative of History or general public interest belonging to private persons are deposited, and to consider whether, with the consent of the owners, means might not be taken to render such Documents available for public reference. Now know ye, that We, reposing great trust and confidence in your zeal, discretion, and ability, have authorized and appointed, and do by these Presents authorize and appoint you the said Richard Monckton Baron Houghton to be a Commissioner for the purposes aforesaid, in addition to and together with the Commissioners whom We have already appointed by the above-mentioned Royal Warrants. Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Fourth day of May one thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the Thirty-third year of Our Reign. By Her Majesty's Command. Richard Monckton Baron Houghton, additional Commissioner to inquire into places in which Historical Documents of public interest are deposited. H. A. BRUCE. vii SECOND REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS. TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, WE, Your Majesty's Commissioners, appointed by Your Royal Commission to inquire what papers and manuscripts belonging to private families and institutions are extant which would be of utility in the illustration of history, constitutional law, science, and general literature, and to which possessors would be willing to give access, respectfully beg leave to present the following Report to Your Majesty. In pursuance of a warrant under Your sign manual bearing date 4th May 1870, Lord Houghton was added to the Commissioners whom Your Majesty had previously appointed on 2nd April and 31st August 1869. In the execution of Your Majesty's commands Your Commissioners have continued their inquiries on the subjects mentioned in Your Commission to the extent of the means placed at their disposal by the Lords Commissioners of Your Majesty's Treasury. Since their last report Your Commissioners having in view Your Majesty's instructions and the usefulness of the information, which they were collecting, to all classes of Your Majesty's subjects, have confined their attention to those papers which the owners had thrown open to the inspection of Your Commissioners. The First Report of Your Commissioners, which was issued in March 1870, has created great public interest; not only was the first edition of 875 copies as well as the second edition of 250 copies speedily disposed of, but a third edition of 500 copies has been nearly exhausted. In addition to those supplied through the ordinary channels to the members of the Houses of Lords and Commons, copies were sent to all persons who had in any way assisted in promoting the objects of the Commission. The fact that 101 collections have been inspected during 1870, being 22 in excess of the preceding year, proves that the public interest in the Commission has not in the least diminished, but, on the contrary, increased, and it is satisfactory to Your Commissioners to report that they have received from the owners of MSS. every encouragement and promises of further assistance. The Lords Commissioners of Your Majesty's Treasury during the last year placed the sum of 1,000l. at the disposal of Your Commissioners, for the purposes of the Commission, but that amount has been barely sufficient to carry out the objects for which the Commission was issued; the Commissioners, however, fully hope that the Treasury will increase the annual grant in order that the Commissioners may extend their operations and commence the compilation of calendars, pursuant to the terms of the Commission. Mr. Alfred J. Horwood, Mr. Henry T. Riley, and the Rev. Joseph Stevenson, have continued to act as inspectors for England; Dr. John Stuart, of the General Register House, Edinburgh, and Mr. J. T. Gilbert, of the Public Record Office, Dublin, have also been respectively employed for Scotland and Ireland. In accordance with the recommendations of Your Commissioners the Lords of Your Majesty's Treasury have, by letter dated 19th October 1870, assented to the employment of Mr. William Fraser, of the General Register House, Edinburgh, as an additional inspector for Scotland, and Mr. Fraser has been specially engaged to report upon several important and valuable collections of papers which have been placed in his hands by various noblemen and gentlemen of Scotland. In the Appendix (pp. 1 to 262) will be found reports on or catalogues of the following collections, which have been examined during the year : - |