Jan. 6. 1855.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



AN EABLT SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES. 



It is not, perhaps, generally known that a So- 

 ciety of Antiquaries existed in the seventeenth 

 century.* 



The following minute of its first " chapter," at 

 which its rules and bye-laws were instituted, will 

 not, I hope, be unacceptable to your readers. It 

 is, throughout, in the handwriting of Sir Edward 

 Dering, except the signatures, which are auto- 

 graph. There are verbal corrections in it, made 

 evidently on the suggestion of the moment, and 

 Sir Edward's signature is the first appended. 

 The style and language are decidedly his ; and 

 I think we may, with a fair presumption of truth, 

 assign to him the honour of originating this So- 

 ciety. That it enjoyed but a brief existence is 

 easily accounted for by the parliamentary trou- 

 bles which arose almost within two years of its 

 birth, and in which more than one of its members 

 bore part. 



The conventional marks by which the MSS-, 

 &c. of the members were to be distinguished, is a 

 fact of no small importance to collectors in this 

 day. I have frequently met with one or other of 

 these marks on MSS., and, till the discovery of 

 this document, have always been at a loss to ac- 

 count for them. I hope, therefore, by the publi- 

 cation of this interesting minute in " N. & Q.," to 

 furnish collectors with a satisfactory means of 

 identifying many of their MSS. L. B. L. 



ANTIQUITAS EEDIVIVA. 



Att a chapter held y^ first of May, A° D"' 

 1638, by the [Schollers] Students of Anti- 

 quity whose names are underwritten, itt was 

 agreed, and concluded upon, to hold, keepe, 

 and with best credite to preserve these articles 

 following, viz. : 



I* Imprimis. That every one do heipe and fur- 

 ther each others studyes and endeavours, by im- 

 parting and communicating (as time and other 

 circumstances may permitt) all such bookes, 

 notes, deedes, roUes, &c. as he hath, for y* expe- 

 diting whereof, and that each may knowe what to 

 borowe of other, for his best use and behoofe, itt 

 is first concluded and promised, cache to send 

 other a pfect inventory and catalogue of all such 

 notes, bookes, collections, &c. as they now have. 



2° Item. That no ^son of this society do shewe 

 or otherwise make knowen this, or any y^ like 

 future agreement, nor call in, nor promise to call 

 in any other person to this society, w'bout a par- 

 ticular consent first had of all this present society. 



[* This it would appear followed, although, perhaps, 

 not in consequence of the failure of Bolton's scheme for 

 "an Academ Royal ; " of which scheme Mr. Hunter has 

 given so interesting an account. (See Archceologia, 

 voL xxxii. pp. 132— 149.) — Ed. "N. & Q."] 



3" Item. That every one do severally gather all 

 observable collections which he can, concerning 

 y^ foundations of any religious house, or castle, 

 or publicke worke, and all memorable notes for 

 historical! illustration of this kingdome : or y* 

 geneologicall honour of any family therein, espe- 

 cially concerning y* countyes of Kent, Hunting- 

 don, Northampton, and Warwick ; and y" same 

 to communicate unto such of this society who is 

 most interessed therein. 



4° Item. That every one doe carefully and 

 faythfully observe and recorde all persons which 

 haue beene dignifyed with y^ title of knighthood, 

 with a breife of y* time, place, county, &c. ; y" 

 same to be disposed into such methode as att y* 

 next consultation shall be agreed upon. 



5° Item. That every one do endeavour to bor- 

 rowe of other strangers, with whom he hath interest, 

 all such bookes, notes, rolles, deedes, &c. as he 

 can obteyne, as well for any of his parteners as 

 for himself. 



6° Item. Whereas, itt is entended, with care, 

 cost, and industry, to pfect up certeine select, 

 choise, and compleate treatises of armory and 

 antiquityes, which cannot well be done without 

 some preceding, rough, unpolished, and fowle 

 originall coppyes : Itt is now agreed, concluded, 

 and mutually promised, that y* s^ principall bookes 

 so compleated, shall not, upon forfeite of credite, 

 be lent out from among this society to any other 

 person whatsoever. 



7° Item. That y* afores"^ roughe coppyes be not 

 imparted to any stranger, without y* gnll consult 

 of this society. 



8° Item. That care be providently had, not to 

 lend, much lesse to parte with, any other peece, 

 treatise, booke, roll, deed, &c. unto any stranger ; 

 but to such psons, from whom some reasonable 

 exchange probably be had or boi-rowed. 



9° Item. That euery of the rest do send unto 

 S'^ Christopher Hatton, a pfect [note] transcript 

 of all such heires femall of note as he can find — 

 with y" probates of euery of them — to be method- 

 ized by him. 



10" Item. For y* better expediting of these 

 studyes, by dividing y® greate burden which 

 through such infinite variety of particulars would 

 arise, to the discouragement and oppressing of 

 any one man's industry, itt is concluded and 

 agreed to part and divide these labours as fol- 

 loweth, viz. That S'' Christopher Hatton shall 

 take care to collect and register all old rolles of 

 armes, and old parchment bookes of armes, being 

 of equall valew, antiquity, and forme with y* 

 rolles. 



11° Item. For y" same reasons, that S' Thomas 

 Shirley shall collect together and enter (att large 

 or in breife, according to such coppyes as can be 

 had), all patentes and coppyes of new grantes or 

 confirmacons of armes or creastes. 



