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Treasury, but nothing farther has been done. Many of the 

 records may be said to be in not responsible custody ; others 

 in unpaid custody, without even an allowance for keeping them 

 clean; and have been so for thirty years, and, but for the con 

 amore zeal of the keepers, might have been altogether unavail- 

 able to the Public. 



" I mention this as a preface to the paper I am about to 

 bring under notice, because the Academy may justly be con- 

 sidered, and have shown themselves, the anxious protectors 

 and guardians of all documents which tend to illustrate the 

 history and antiquities of Ireland. 



" Long since, I considered the document I am about to 

 read would be acceptable; it is but one of many, and I found 

 it difficult to decide which I should first bring forward, and 

 various causes have conspired to prevent my reading any. I 

 may mention one that I purpose laying before the Academy 

 on a future occasion; it is A Tabular View of the Customs 

 received at the various Seaports of Ireland, from about the 

 Middle of the Thirteenth to the Fifteenth Century; during 

 which period New Ross was the port at which the largest 

 public revenue was received. 



" The archbishopric of Dublin, before the coming of the 

 English, possessed lands and immunities which were very 

 little, if at all, affected by the Conquest : the conquerors touched 

 not holy Church. The jurisdiction as to the administration of 

 laws within the archbishop's possessions I do not at present 

 take into consideration ; the evidence I have been able to col- 

 lect not being sufficiently clear to enable me to draw satis- 

 factory conclusions. 



" Shortly after the Conquest, John, Earl, or Count, of More- 

 ton (for the dignity was Norman, and not English) in the 

 reign of his father, King Henry the Second, was created and 

 invested with the Lordship of Ireland, with all regal rights 

 and authority, about the year 1184, after which all public 

 documents were issued in his name, and continued so until he 



