The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-19 00:00:00

RACING FIXT'

Doncaster Spring 23

Chester 7
York l4
Malton
Salisbury - 16

Chelmsford
Beverley
Hungerford
Ascot 11
Hampton l9
Newton 19

Newmarket '
Carlisle
Worcester .. 4
Liverpool July
Abingdon 9
Pontefract 11

CURIOUS LITERARY DISCOVERY.

The Library Committ—ee of the Corporation of
London have been charged by the Court of Common
Council with the duty of investigating the circum-
stances connected with the removal, about 260
years ago, of a large portion of an ancient manu-
script of great antiquarian interest, called Libet-
Custunzarum, belonging to the Corporation, from
the custody of the City Chamberlain, and its recent
discovery among the Cottonian manuscripts in the
British Museum. The curious part of the story is
that the civic authorities of the present day were
not aware of the loss of the part of the book in
question until shortly before it was found, though
the manner in which it was abstracted from the
archives of the corporation in the early part of the
17th century, seems ..to have given rise to an ani-
mated controversy, and many vain efforts towards
its restoration at that time. From a statement made
recently in the Court of Common Council by Mr.
Charles Reed, one of its members, it appears that
in June, 1858, an application was made to the Court
by the Government, through Sir John Romilly, the
Master of the Rolls, for permission to be given to
Mr. H. T. Riley, then engaged in the compilation of
his Liber Albus, to inspect certain records in the
custody of the Corporation. Mr. Riley found, in
prosecuting his researches, that 110 folio leaves of
Liber Custumarum, a book described by Mr. Reed
to be perfectly unique and priceless in value, were
missing, and he immediately mentioned the circum-
stance to the chairman of the Library Committee,
which led to a partial investigation of the matter.
Not long afterwards Mr. Riley discovered in themost
accidental manner the missing 110 leaves among the
Cottonian manuscripts of the British Museum, and
measures are now being taken by the Court of
to procure their restorati,'rn +b
book in the cuet-...t., ui the enep.....,Lion, of which
they originally formed part, after a separation of
260 years. The records of the Court of Common
Council have been ransacked for information on the
subject, and the result is shown in the subjoined
extracts. The first is under the date of February
24,
.1601 :—" Item, it is ordered that Mr. Cambell,
Aldn. Mr. Chamberlen, Roberte Smith, and John
Stowe, Merchaunt Tayler, or any three of them,
shall presently treate with Mr. Tate, of the Temple,
or any.others whom they shall think meet, touch-
ing the procuring of Liber Custumarum and Liber
Antiquorum .Regum, and to certify this Court of
their doinge therein." Again, under November 10,
1607,—" This daye it is ordered that Mr. Chamber-
lain, Mr. Town Clerk, Mr. Edmonds, and Mr.
Robert Smith, or anye three of them, shall repayre
to Sir Robert Cotton, Knight, from this Court and
require him to deliver to the Cittye's use three of
the Cittye's bokes which have been long tyme miss-
ing. The first called Liber Custumarum, the second
called Liber Legum Antiquorum Regum, and the
third called Lleetwood, which are affirmed to be in
his cuetodye." Then, }ender the date of January
16, 1608,—" Item, it is ordered that Sir Thomas
Love, Sir Henry Montagu, Recorder, and Sir John
Swynnerton, Knight, and Mr. Robert Smith, to
attend them ; shall forthwith repayre to the
Rt. Honble. the Lord Privye Seale, and lyke-
wyse to Sir Robert Cotton, Knt., and Fran-
cis Tate, Esq., and to deale with them for
the redelivery of certain aunciente bokes be-
longing to this Cittye, and now or late re-
mayning in their custodyes." February 21, 1608—
" Item, one boke newly bound, conteyning a part of
an old boke heretofore belonging to this Cittye,
called Liber Legunz Antiquorum .Regum, and a
part also of another of theCittye's boke sailed Liber
Custumarum, which bokes have been long missing
oute of the boke-howses of the Guildhall, and now
lately restored by Francys Tate, of the Middle Tem-
ple, Esquier, in whose custodye the same have long
remayned, was their delivered into this court to
be safely kept in the boke-howses among other the
bokes belonging to this Cittye." January 9, 1610
Certain books belonging to the Citty to be re-
stored : The transcript of Liber Albus delivered to
Mr. Recorder, which hath remayned in his hands
about one yore. Parte of the Libor Custumarum
and parte of the Liber .Legum Regum Antiquorum,
which, as this Courte is informed are in the custody
of Sir Robert Cotton, Knight, which came to his
handes after the death of Mr. Fleetwood, sometyme
Recorder of this Citty and • which, by the meanes of
Sir John Watte and Sir John Jolles beinge of spe-
ciale acquaintance with Sir Robert Cotton this
Courte hope to procure to be restored to the Citty
agayne. A boke called Fleetwood, made by the
said Mr. Fleetwood, Recorder. Whereupon it is
ordered that Mr. Recorder shall be entreated to
restore backe the said booke and Sir John Jones
and Sir John Watte have promysed to deale effec-
tually with the said Sir Robert Cotton for the other
two which are in his handes." It was stated by Mr.
Reed that a certain number of leaves of another
book had been inserted in the mutilated manuscript
to restore it to its original thickness, and that only
the portion of Liber Custunzarum which was re-
turned to the corporation at that time, but that
which was kept back and which has been found in
the British Museum, are emblazoned with the arms
of Sir Robert Cotton. So the matter remains at
lresent.

THE WEATHER.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORTS.

TriiDay,
between 8 and B. E. M. D. F. C. I. S.
9 a.m.
----
Nairn 30'27 45 44 S.S.E. 1 9I o. 1
Aberdeen
Leith ..
Berwick 30.32 46 44 S.E. 2 8 0. 3
Ardrossan 30'30 46 45 E. 3 6 f. 2
Portr,,sh
Shields
Galway 30'16 58 54 S.E. 4 5 c. 2
Scarborough
Liverpool ...:130'.:5 60 46 S. E. 2 2 a 1
Valentia I 30.07 60 54 E.S.E. 1 4 b. 1
Queenstown 3O 00 55 54 KS. E. 3 4 o. 2
Yarmouth.... 3028 43 42 E.N.E. 4 6 m. 4
London 30•23 47 44 E.N.E. 2 9 0.
Dover 130•10 51 47 E. 6 1 c. 5
Portsmouth ; 30.18 53 48 E. 3 9 0. 1
Portland
Plymouth 30.10 49 48 E.N.E. 7 3 b. 4
Penzance l3O-11 60 49 E.N.E. 1 3i b. 2

EXPLANATION.--B. Barometer, corrected and reduced
to 32 deg at mean sea level ; each 10 feet of vertical rise
causing about 1-100th of an inch diminution, and each 10
deg above 32 deg causing nearly 3-100ths increase. E.
Exposed thermometer in shade. M. Moistened bulb (for
evaporation and dew-point). D. Direction of wind (true.—
not magnetic). F. Force (1 to 12—estimated). C. Cloud
(1 to 9). I. Initials :—b., blue sky; c., clouds (detached) ;
f., fog. ; h,, hail ; 1., lightning ; m., misty (hazy) ; 0,,
overcast (dull) ; r., rain ; s., snow ; t., thunder. A letter
repeated augments—thus, rer., much rAjz, S. &(4 disturb-
limo (1 to