The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-27 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PAPER.

RECORD COMMISSION.
RETURN OF AVORKS NOW Is PROGRESS; ALSO '

WORKS PREPARING FOR PRESS.

TO THE HONOURABLE THE HOUSE OF CCIMIONS IN

PARLIAMENT. ASSEMBLED.

In ob?dience to the order of your honourable
House, dated 6th May, 1829, directing that there
be laid before the House " A Return of all the
Works now in progress under the direction of the
record commission ; also of works preparing for the
press, but of which the printing isnot yet commenced,
together with an account of the extent and magni-
tude of such intended publications, .the time within
which each of them may be completed, and the pi o-
bable expence of each ;"--
I humbly beg leave to state as follows:

ENGLAND.-WORKS NOW IN PROGRESS.
I. Inquisitions Post 111orte74.
The records thus entitled commence at the Tower,
with the reign of Henry 111., and are preserved
there, until the reign of Richard 111., inclusive ;
from this time to the twentieth year of Charles 1.,
they are extant in the Chapel of the Rolls.
The calendars to the Inquisitions at 4he Towe?

have been made complete in four volumes, the firs

of which was published in 1806, the last in 1828.
On completion of the Tower series, it became

necessary to commence that at the Rolls Chapel,
which has accordingly been done ; and it may be
confidently expected that these calendars may be
comprised in volumes, and that for various rea-
sons, especially from the records themselves having
been for some years past in the course of reparation
and arrangement, they may be made complete in
print in less than half the time that the Tower series
occupied, and probably at an expence not exceeding
2,4001. per volume, printing and editorship inclusive.
This statement has been drawn up with the assist-
ance of Mr. Palmer, who is to furnish copy for the
press, and who is chief clerk to John Kipling, Esq.,
Keeper of the Records in the Rolls Chapel.

11.—Valor Feclesiasticus.-26 lien. VIII.

Of this record, remaining in the Ofw•ice of First
Fruits, the first volume was printed in 1810, and the
whole work finished in 1825, in five volumes, in-

eluding indexes to each volume of places and per-
sons; in addition to which, it having been deethed
essential that a general index to the entire work
should be subjoined in a sixth (andlast) volume, this
compilation has been proceeded upon, and has re-
cently been finished in manuscript ; meanwhile there
have fortunately been discovered in the Augmenta-
tion-office and Chapter-house, Westminster, certain
supplementary articles connected with this Ecclesi-
astical Valor, and.of the same date; these are now
in the press, by way of appendix, and as soon as
they are finished, the general index will be put to
press, and proceeded upon with all despatch consis-
tent with accuracy. The expence, it is thought,
will be undev2,ooo/., printing and editorship inclu-
sive; and Mr. Lemon, the compiler of the gener►l
index above-mentioned, is of opinion that it will

probably he finished in less than two years.
Fwdera.—New edition enlarged.
The new edition of this work was ordered by the
Commissioners to be prepared for the press in
1813, and the first part or volume was published in
1816, commencing with the reign of William the
Conqueror; since then it has been carried on to the
sixth part or volume, the- last bringing -down the
work to the end of the Reign of Edward the Third;
the last part, however, though very nearly complete
as to text, cannot be published for a few months on
that account, and because the index is of cou►se not
quite ready.
Calculations have been formed within what com- '
pass of volumes this work can be contained, for the
period to which the Tower records extend, mmely,
the reign of Richard the Third: and it appears
there is reason to believe it may be comprehended
within the quantity of nine volumes or parts, in ad-
dition to those already printed; the probable time
of executing it will be but little more than 12 years,
as apparently the most difficult periods of the work
have already passed. With regard to the expence
likely to be incurred, it will be, perhaps, including
printing and editorship, about 2,900/. per volume.
In the above calculation, the editors, viz, the secre-
tary, Mr. Holbroke, and Mr. Bayley, of the Tower,
which last-mentioned person furnishes the most con.
siderable portion of copy for the press, are agreed
in opinion as to the above estimate of time and ex-
pence.
In respect to the continuation of the work to the

time when Sanderson's edition, in 20 volumes,
ceased, it seems quite impossible at present to cal-
culate how many years, or at what expence, the
work could be made complete.
IV.—Records of Me Duchy of Lancaster.

Two volumes of Calendars to these Records have
already been published, the first in 1823, the second
in 1527. A third volume is in the press, but not in
great forwardness.
The Calendars now in progress have extended to
the 27th year of Queen Elizabeth, and it may be ex-
pedient to continue them to the reign of Charles 1.,
inclusive.

The present volume, and two more, it is thought,
will be sufficient to comprehend the whole probable
time, eight years; expense about 1,7001. per volume,
which will include editorship as Well as printing.—
The secretary and Mr. Minchin, who are the editors,
are agreed that this time and expellee will be suf-
ficient.

V.—Calendar of the proceedings in Chancery.

Tower.

These calendars or indexes extend through the
reigns of Elizabeth, James 1., and Charles I.
The first volume was published in 1827; the
whole of the second volume is printed, with the ex-
ception of the index.
Five volumes more will be required to make the
work complete to the reign of Charles I. inclusive;
and it is conceived that they may, without inconve-
nience, be finished in seven years from the present
time, at a probable expellee of 2,5001. per volume,
printing and editorship inclusive. Mr. Bayley, of
the Tower, who, assisted by the secretary, is
the editor, concurs in this statement as to time and
expellee.
VI. Rolls (j. Parliament.—New edition. Mr.
Palgrave.
This comprehends the records and proceedings of
the great councils and Parliaments of the realm, from
Henry 11. to the close of the reign of Henry VIII.
The collections began in 1823, the printing in
1825. One volume, containing the parliamentary
writs, temp. Edward I. has been published, con-
sisting of 1152 pages, and two parts of the-parlia-
mentary writs, B.e. temp. Edward 11. are in the
press, of which last-mentioned parts 1468 pages are
worked off.
The collections for the later reigns not being com-
pleted, the entire extent of the work cannot be ex-
actly calculated; but it appears that the materials
for the reigns from Henry 11. to Edward 111., bath
reigns inclusive, will form about nine volumes or
partsreach volume or part containing from 1,000 to
1,200 pages. On the average, a part or volume of
the before-mentioned bulk will be completed in each
year, at an expense not exceeding 2,000/., and which
sum includes editorship, collation, transcripts, clerks,
stationery, and all incidental disbursements, printing

excepted i which the King's printer states will prc-
bibly be about 3,0001. per volume.
Mr. Paigrave, the editor, has also annexed a state-
ment, in accordance with the above, in a letter to
the secretary, which is given at length, by way of
appendix.