into existence since this Society was established, and have 

 journeyed with it in the same path. Of one of those your 

 Council may make honourable mention — one that bears the 

 well-known name of Chetham. It is young in years, but 

 old in energy, and the Surtees Society may well observe and 

 profit by the example of her younger sister. 



There is laid upon the table this morning the last of our 

 publications for 1856, — Bishop Hatfield's Survey of the Pala- 

 tinate of Durham. It gives us a most valuable conspectus 

 of the state of the County at that early period. The Council 

 here take the opportunity of tendering their thanks to those 

 gentlemen who by their special donations have defrayed, to a 

 certain extent, the expense of the volume. It was the 

 intention of the Council to have made it larger than it is, by 

 the addition of a fragmentary Survey, compiled, as it was 

 supposed, by Bishop Skirlaw. They have, however, discovered 

 that this document is merely a part of a larger Survey made 

 at a later period by Cardinal Langley, which was of too great 

 a length to be included in the forthcoming volume. They 

 have, therefore, resolved, in consequence of the kind encour- 

 agement they have received, to complete the series of Epis- 

 copal Surveys in another volume. 



The Council have to announce that the publications for 

 the current year are. The Farming Book of Henry Best, of 

 Elmswell, E.R.Y., a very curious Agricultural ]SIS. of the 

 period of Charles I., and, secondly. The Proceedings of the 

 High Court of Commission for the Counties of Durham and 

 Northumberland during the same reign. They have also 

 selected the following volumes for 1858 : 1. The Fabric Rolls 

 of York Minster ; for which they are indebted to the courtesy 

 of the Dean and Chapter of York. 2. The Diary and Cor- 

 respondence of Sir Thomas Rokeby, a Justice of the King's 

 Bench, in the reign of William III. The Council have great 

 satisfaction in stating that the editorial superintendence of the 

 latter volume will be undertaken by Mr. Joseph Huntkk, 

 F.S.A., whose great experience and learning cannot fail to 

 give more than ordinary interest to the history of a family 

 with which he is so well acquainted. 



THE SURTEES SOCIETY, 



ESTABLISHED IN THE YEAR 1834, 



In honour of the late Robert Surtees, of Mainsforth, Esquire, 

 the Author of the History of the County Palatine of Durham, 

 and in accordance with his pursuits and plans ; having for its 



