973 



RECORDS, PUBLIC. 



RECORDS, PUBLIC. 



974 



The demolition of the old "treasuries" adjoining Westminster Hall 

 scattered their contents in all quarters of the metropolis. Thus the 

 records of the king's remembrancer, of the Exchequer, and the Common 

 Pleas, migrated from Westminster Hall to the late Mews at Charing 

 .Cross ; and thence, to make room for the National Gallery, to Carlton 

 Riding-School. The records of the late lord-treasurer's remembrancer 

 and Pipe-Office were entombed two stories deep in the vaults of 

 Somerset House. Those of the King's Bench for a time rested opposite 

 St. Margaret's Church, but were shifted to the Roll's-House in Chancery 

 Lane to make room for the present Rolls Court at Westminster. 



Thus from time to time had repositories, as well undignified with 

 the ancient title of " king's treasury " as deficient in that careful 

 superintendence which originally accompanied the title, arisen in all 

 parts of London ; and in 1837 a Committee of the House of Commons 

 reported that it had seen the Public Records, the most precious part of 

 the king's " treasure," deposited at the Tower over a gunpowder- 

 magazine, and contiguous to a steam-engine in daily operation ; at the 

 Rolls, in a chapel where divine service is performed ; in vaults two 

 stories underground at Somerset House; in dark and humid cellars at 

 Westminster Hall ; in the stables of the late Carlton Ride ; in the 

 Chapter-House of Westminster Abbey. 



It would seem that as early as the commencement of the 1 4th century 

 the officers charged with the custody of the records were found to be 

 either insufficient or neglectful of the performance of their duties. 

 Since the time of Edward II. scarcely a reign has passed without a 

 special temporary agency being appointed to restore the public records 

 to good order. The necessity probably arose from the functions of the 

 officer charged with the care of the records being altogether changed, 

 an in the instance of the master of the Rolls, who was the bond Jide 

 " gardein des roules " in early times. 



In the 14th Ed. II., the barons of the Exchequer were directed to 

 employ competent clerks to methodise the records, which were " not 

 then so properly arranged for the king's and the public's weal as they 

 ought to be." Again in the 19th yearof Ed. II., certain commissioners 

 were appointed for a similar purpose. In Edward III.'s reign, at least 

 three like commissions were issued ('Rot. Claus.,' Annis 34 and 36; 

 and ' Rot. Parl.,' Anno 46). Statutes for the protection of records from 

 falsification, erasure, and embezzlement were passed 8 Rich. II. c. 4, 

 and 11 Hen. IV. c. 3. Other measures were taken by Hen. VI., 

 Hen. VII., and Hen. VIII. Inquiries into the state of the Parlia- 

 mentary, the Chancery, and Exchequer Records were prosecuted by 

 Queen Elizabeth, who also established the State Paper Office, in which 

 the proceedings of the secretaries of state from her days to the present 

 are preserved. Committees of both Houses of Parliament from time 

 to time visited the several repositories, and the fire of the Cottonian 

 Library in 1731 produced a report which describes the condition of 

 most of the public repositories at that period. But the fullest exami- 

 nation into the state of the public records which has been made in 

 recent times was effected by a Committee of the House of Commons, 

 in 1800, conducted by Lord Colchester, then Mr. Abbot, and the 

 report of that Committee presents by far the most perfect and compre- 

 hensive account which has yet appeared of our public records, to which 

 a period of sixty yean has added very little. This Report originated a 

 commission for carrying on the work which its authors had begun. 

 The Record Commission was renewed six several times between the 

 years 1800 and 1881, and was altogether suspended at the accession of 

 Her Majesty Queen Victoria. All the several record commissions 

 recited, one after another, that " the public records of the kingdom 

 were in many offices unarranged, undescribed, and unascertained ; " 

 that they were exposed " to erasure, alteration, and embezzlement," 

 and " were lodged in buildings incommodious and insecure." The 

 commissioners were directed to cause the records to be " methodised, 

 regulated, and digested," bound and secured ; to cause " calendars and 

 indexes " to be made and " original papers " to be printed ; but the 

 record commissioners expended the funds entrusted to them rather in 

 printing records than in arranging or calendaring them. A very full 

 investigation into the proceedings of the record commission was made 

 by a Committee of the House of Commons In 1835, and the reader 

 who is curious to know more than our space allows us to state, may 

 I t its Report, and the scries of Reports since made by the Deputy 

 KiH-jx-r "f Public Howrds, which are published annually. Certainly 

 during the present century there has been no niggard expenditure in 

 one shape or another in respect of the public records. It is not Very 

 easy to ascertain its total amount, but the following may be received 

 as an approximation up to the year 1889 : - 



Parliamentary Papers show that grants were made on 

 behalf of the Record Commission between 1800 and 

 1831, to the amount of 362,400 



Between 1831 and 1839 inclusive .... 125,700 



Salaries, Ac., for the custody of Records . . . . 120,000 



Fees, estimated on an average of the years 1829, 1830, 

 and 1831, at least 120,000 



Removals of Records, estimated at 30,000 



Irish Record Commission, estimated at , 



758,100 

 120,000 



878,100 



A 'very important step was taken by the legislature at the com- 

 mencement of her Majesty's reign to provide for the '< better custody 

 and preservation and more convenient use of the public records, and 

 an act was passed (1 & 2 Viet., c. 49) calculated to remedy effectually 

 what preceding efforts had in vain attempted, by constituting a special 

 agency for the custody of the records; to the want of which and a 

 sufficient responsibility, all the defects of the old system are attributable. 

 By this act the Master of the Rolls is made the guardian of the public 

 records, having powers to appoint a deputy, and, in conjunction with 

 the treasury, to do all that may be necessary in the execution of this 

 service. The act contemplates the consolidation of all the records, 

 from their several unfit repositories, into one appropriate receptacle ; 

 their proper arrangement and repair ; the preparation of calendars and 

 indexes, which are more or less wanting to every class of records ; and 

 giving to the public more easy access to them. Lord Langdale, the 

 late master of the rolls, to whose influence the change of system is 

 greatly due, brought the above act into as full operation as circum- 

 stances allowed while he lived ; and his successor, the Right Hon. 

 Sir John Romilly, has, with untiring patience, watched and fostered 

 the collection of the Public Records into the costly building now 

 erected near Fetter Lane, where almost any document of public interest 

 may be consulted gratis by the literary inquirer, and by the legal pro- 

 fession for legal purposes under the following regulations and fees. 



Extract from the Regulations made ty the Right Honourable the Master 

 of the Rolls, concerning the gratuitous admission of literary inquirers 

 to the Public Records, including the State Papers. July 5, 1858. 

 That the individuals seeking to avail themselves of the permission, 

 shall address a letter to the deputy keeper, stating generally their 

 objects of research, and that the applicant shall also, if needful, attend 

 the deputy keeper personally thereon, and give such further explana- 

 tion as may be required ; and that thereupon the deputy keeper shall, 

 if satisfied with the statement and explanation, issue a permission 

 empowering the applicant or any trustworthy agent or transcriber on 

 his behalf, to inspect all indexes of records, and original records, and 

 also to make copies or extracts, without payment of fees. It will be 

 necessary also to explain to applicants that the literary inquirer will 

 have free access to the documents ; but this being done, he will have 

 to conduct the inquiry in such manner as his own knowledge and 

 experience may best enable him to do. 



Fees. 



s. d. 

 I. For searching calendars, indexes, or other books of 



reference, each day 010 



II. For inspection of any document, each day . ..010 

 of any number of documents above five, 



each day 050 



Any roll, book, portfolio, file, or bundle, to be 



considered as one inspection.- 

 The inspection fee will be remitted when a copy 

 is ordered at the time of inspectioii. 



III. For copies, at 72 words each folio : 



Under three folios 020 



Three folios and upwards, each folio . . .009 



All copies are to be authenticated. 



IV. For attendance at either house of parliament, to be 



sworn 110 



For attendance at either house of parliament, or else- 

 where, to give evidence ; or with ten records or less 



number : each day 220 



I >itto, ditto, for each additional record, each day ..020 

 For attendance on the Master of the Rolls on a vacatur 110 



We can only find space to glance at the particular classes of the 

 public records, noticing in the fewest words the more ancient and 

 valuable. No enumeration we could give would enable the reader to 

 dispense with reference to the inventories, repositories, calendars, 

 catalogues, and indexes which are printed, or those existing in manu- 

 script in the various branches of the record office. The best work of 

 general reference is the ' Report of the Select Committee in 1800,' from 

 which we have taken a brief analytical list of the subjects to which the 

 public records relate. Though this list is not altogether what is to be 

 l , it is the best within moderate limits that we know of, and is 

 sufficient to prove that there is perhaps no branch of the public adminis- 

 tration of our country which is destitute of its authentic memorials. 

 It was compiled by Mr. Luders, and is printed in the above Report. 



ENOLAKB. 

 I. The King, Royal Family, and Household. 



1. The King. 2. The Queen. 3. The Prince of Wales. House- 

 hold. (Privy Seals and Correspondence. Principality of Wales. 

 Duchy of Cornwall. 4. Gustos Regni, Lieutenant, Protector, Regent, 

 Lord Justices. 6. Household. 6. The King's Chamber. 



II. The Royal Councils. 



1. Parliament. The House of Lords. The House of Commons. 

 2. Privy Council. 



