C.

To the Honourable Committee appointed to view the Cottonian Library, and fuch of the publick Records of this Kingdom, as they think proper, and to report to the Houfe the Condition thereof, together with what they fhall judge fit to be done for the better Reception, Prefervation, and more convenient Use of the fame;

The Humble Memorial of CHARLES GRYMES,

SETTING FORTH,

T

HAT in the Year 1687. his Father William Grymes was directed by the Lords Commiffioners of the Treasury to infpect the Records belonging to the late Court of Wards, and give an Account thereof: Accordingly, after he had forted them, he made his Report to their Lordships of the State he found them in; upon which their Lordships ordered, he should have the Cuftody of them, and promised to settle an annual Allowance to enable him to employ Clerks to digeft them, and make Indexes thereto.

Altho' no fuch Allowance was ever made, yet Grymes continued to employ Clerks, and also his three Sons, to methodize and make Indexes to the most useful of the faid Records until the Year 1709, when they were removed from under his Care to the Rooms, where they now lye.

The Indexes and Calendars fo made by the Direction of the faid Grymes are now in the Cuftody of your Memorialist, viz.

Two Calendars in Folio bound, containing the Names of all the Manors and Lands collected into their feveral Counties from thirteen large Folio Books, containing special Liveries in the Reigns of Henry the Eighth, Edward the Sixth, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, and King James; and to which these two Calendars refer:

One Folio Index bound, containing the fame Names as in the Calendars above, taken from the fame thirteen Books of Liveries, but alphabetically collected into diftinct Counties; but it wants Suffolk and York; which are done in two other Books unbound:

One fmall Folio Index bound, containing alphabetically the Names of Perfons fuing out their Liveries, contained in the faid thirteen Books of Liveries:

One large Folio Calendar bound, containing the Names of the Lands (each County separate) contained in a great Number of Certificates made by the Feodaries of feveral Counties, after the Office taken upon the Deaths of the King's Tenants, containing the Particulars of

their

ร

their Poffeffions; Thefe Certificates themselves are alfo in the Cuftody of your Memorialift, and fill eleven Bags:

One Calendar unbound, containing the Names of Lands mentioned in five Books of Decrees made in the faid Court, entered as they occur in the Books:

Another Calendar unbound of the fame Thing, but digefted into their feveral Counties:

Another Calendar unbound, referring to other Books of Decrees, temp. Eliz. Jac. & Car.

A large Folio Calendar of the Names (alphabetically) of all those Perfons, after whofe Deaths any Office hath been found, from the first Erection of the faid Court to the Time of the fuppreffing thereof Anno 1645, which refer to the Bundles of Tranfcripts of the Inquifitions poft Mortem:

This Memorialift hath also feveral other Calendars and Alphabeti'cal Indexes, which he conceives refer to fome of the faid Records; but they wanting proper Titles, and he not having had free Accefs to the faid Records these twenty Years, he is not able to lay exprefsly to what or which of them they refer.

Your Memorialift therefore bumbly prays, you will take the Premies into Confideration; And alfo prays, that if any Provifion be made for digesting the faid Records, be may have Employment therein, having been always bred among ft Records, and made them bis whole Study; and be, not baving Employment at prefent in any Publick Office, is wil ling to apply his whole Time to fuch Service.

CHARLES GRYMES.

D. I.

Report by the Keeper of the Records in the ChapterHouse concerning the State of Records in his Cuftody.

I

To the honourable Committee appointed to view the Cottonian Library, and fuch of the Publick Records of this Kingdom, as they think proper, and to report to the Houfe the Condition thereof, together with what they fhall judge fit to be done for the better Reception, Prefervation, and more convenient Ufe of the fame.

N Obedience to the Order of the Committee of the 17th Inftant, whereby I am directed to give an Account in Writing of the Nature of the Records in the Chapter-Houfe, in what State they are, and what is neceffary to be done to put the fame into a more proper

Nn

Condi

Condition, and make them more useful to the Publick; I prefume to acquaint the Committee, that in the Chapter House, and a fmall Office near the Tally-Court in his Majefty's Receipt of Exchequer, are depofited the following Records, viz.

The Records of the Curia Regis, from Richard I. inclufive to Henry III. when (it is fuppofed) that Court was first divided into the King's-Bench and Common Pleas.

The King's-Bench Records from Henry III. to Henry V. inclufive. The Records of the Common-Pleas from Henry III. to Henry VII. inclufive.

The Rolls of Affife and Quo Warranto, and the Placita Corona of Henry III, Edward I, II, and III.

Fines from the latter End of the Reign of Henry II. to James II. inclufive.

Writs of every Species from Edward I. to James II. inclufive.

In the abovementioned Records is a perfect Syftem of the old English Law contained, and the Principal, if not the only, Evidences of the Rights, Privileges, and Liberties of many publick Bodies, as alfo of particular Perfons, efpecially in regard to Honours, Manors, and Lordships.

Bills, Anfwers, Interrogatories, Depofitions, and Commiffions of the Court of Star-Chamber.

Records and Papers of various kinds, fome ufeful, fome curious, viz. Treaties, Letters of Publick Ministers and Ambaffadors, Accounts, Court Rolls, Pope's Bulls, Privy-Seals, Contracts, Perambulations of Forefts, and Indentures of the Mint.

It may not be improper here to mention, that it has been the Opinion of the Houfe of Lords, (as appears by a Report agreed to and laid before his Majefty Anno 1728,) that the Records of the Court of Wards and Liveries, and of the Court of Requests (now decaying in Rooms belonging to the Black-Rod) ought to be fent to the Chapter-Houfe to be methodised, preferved, and bound up properly.

Amongst the Records of the Court of Wards and Liveries, are many Inquifitions poft Mortem very valuable, as are the Decrees of that Court, which together ascertain and distinguish the Boundaries, as well as Privileges of most of the best Estates in England.

The Rolls of the Curia Regis, King's Bench, Common Pleas, Affife, Quo Warranto, and the Placita Corone are generally forted with Care and properly difpofed.

To fome Rolls of the King's-Bench, and some few of the CommonPleas, there are Indexes, which I found in the Office and collected together; and at a Sale of the Books of Mr. Le Neve (who was formerly a Deputy-Chamberlain) I purchased a large Quantity of Indexes to Affife and Quo Warranto Rolls, and to fome of the Fines, with which I acquainted the Commiffioners of his Majefty's Treafury, who were pleased to order Payment for them for the Benefit of the Office, to which, it is reasonable to believe, many of them heretofore of Right belonged: These serve for present use very well, but are not quite correct.

Therefore I humbly propose, that perfect Indices Nominum & Locorum to these Records fhould be made and printed, as well as to thofe of the Court of Wards and Liveries; and that all the fpecial Judgments in the Rolls of the Curia Regis, King's-Bench, and Common-Pleas,

fhould,

fhould, with the Pleadings, be literally tranfcribed, and published. As this Copy would be made from the Records themselves, fo it would be more authentic, more ufeful, and lefs troublefome than the Volumes. of Year-Books, and Reports, often uncertain, in the State of Facts, and often mistaking the Record.

This Work (which I flatter myfelf will be very valuable, when finished, in regard both to the Law and the History of the Nation) might be brought to Perfection in a reasonable Time, by adding two Clerks to the three already employed, and a Perfon to remove and clean the Records; which is abfolutely neceffary to fave the Time of Clerks, and to preserve the Records from their greatest Enemy - Dust.

The Papers and Letters of State, I propofe, fhould be placed in order of Time, and bound up together.

All the other Records cught to be forted into Reigns, before the Copies and Indexes are begun, left (as is often the Cafe) any of the aforementioned Records fhould be mixed with them, and thereby the Chain of the Work broke.

Paper, Parchment, &c. fhould be allowed, and the Perfon, who dufts the Records, ought to fow on Covers to thofe, that want them.

For the better Satisfaction of the Publick, I humbly propose, that the Progress made in this Work fhould be laid before each Houfe of Parliament every Seffions by the Perfon, who has the Conduct thereof.

If it is the Opinion of the Committee, that the Records of the Court of Wards and Liveries, of the Court of Requefts, thofe over the House of Commons, and the Manufcripts of Mr. Rymer fhould be fent to the Chapter-Houfe, Room would be wanted to difpofe them properly, great Numbers of Writs having been tranfmitted thither from the Office of the Cuftos Brevium, fince the abovementioned Report of the Committee of Lords.

It is therefore humbly fubmitted to the Confideration of the Committee, that other proper Conveniences be made, as well for the Reception of those Records, as of fuch others, as may be fent from the Treasuries of the King's-Bench and Common-Pleas: And here I beg Leave to mention, that fome Rooms and Offices have been built contiguous to the Chapter-Houfe, and Vaults made under it, wherein I apprehend Brandy and other fpirituous Liquors may be fometimes kept, which may expofe the Records to Accidents of Fire; and that by removing fome of the Buttereffes the Roof appears to be too heavy for the prefent Support. All which is moft humbly fubmitted to the Confideration of the Committee.

February 4, 1731.

JOHN LAWTON.