The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-04-18
A Peep at the Past.

In Qlngy, muuuy, olrtv Fotter lane,
that narrow, crooked thoroAghfare con-
Meeting Fleet street with Holborn.
stands building wherein il stored q
wealth and variety of historic docu-
ments. forming collection which is
probably unrivaled by that of any other
country. The average Londoner knows
little about the record Office, and cares
less, and vet the slate shelves in the
iron cages of the severe looking edifice
are heavily laden with state documents
dating as far back as William the Con-
querer. l was fortunate on Saturday
last to be the companion of q gentleman
who had received an invitation to &C
company Sir Ballot Brett, the master of
the rolls and customs rotulorum, on his
first official examination of the record
office. ra..-r
OF course, this first inspection was
naturally of cursory nature, but the
polite and efficient attendants laid be-
fore Sir Ballot and his party-which,
by the by. included several of the ior-
| eign ambassadors-doc after doc
ument, aud volume after volume. which
could not but gladden. the heart of those
who love 10 peruse these records of the
gone past. There was the "Doomsday
Book" in which may be seen the sur
vey of England made in the time of
William the Conqueror. 1t is in an ex-
.ellent state of preservation, and the
vellum leaves are as clean, the writing
as legible, and the ink as dark and dis
tinct as though the compilation had
been executed in the last century, in
stead of eight hundred years ago.
We We're shown, too, the records of
the Court of Chancery, which are full
and complete from the time of King
John down to the last decis ons rem
dered by the present Lord Chancellor,
and complete series of the ledger
books, showing the National expendi-
ture from the time of Henry IL. down to
the present day, perfectly arranged and
in excellent condition. Amongst the
most interesting documents that were
displayed made a note of tr,aty be-
tween Henry /. and Robert, Earl of
Flanders, the privilege granted by Pope
Adrian to Henry IL, giving him full
permission to conquer Ireland, the
treaties made with Robert Bruce. and.
n,trd6ite dictu, the treaty of the Field of
the Cloth of Gold, artistically illumin-
ated with the portrait of Francis l., and
bearing an impression of the seal chased
by Benvenuto Celiini. y
The thousands of volumes of State
papers which lie on the shelves of the
record office are at present being calen-
dared and indexed by the clerks, but
among other interesting historic docu-
ments that were shown was the con-
fession of Guy Fawkes as to the details
of the gunpowder plot, eNortei from
him by the rack, to which the poor
wretch's signature, faint and nearly
illeg Bile, is affixed. There, too, was
the pteeus, yet withal, dignified letter
of Elizabeth, written to her sister from
the tower, pleading for her release from
durance vile, and among other letters
of interest were several short notes to
foreign ENJOYS of the bloody Queen,
prepared in anticipation of the birth OF
a child, that never took place, blanks
beng left for the date and sex. The
letter of Monteayle in which he gave
full information beforehand o, the in
tended gunpowder plot. and numerous
epistles written by James l.. Mary
Queen of Scots, Catherine de Medicis,
Charles l. and IL, and many Others.
from Kings and Queens who succeeded
after the reformation, and from states
men and mobiles who played SO great
part in the past in elevating England to
the high position she occupied among
the Nations of the world.
The sheeYskins Of the close rolls are
here from the thirteenth century up to
the present time, and on those are
found numerous entries bearing upon
the rights of the crown, and the extent
of its civil jurisdiction, the authority OF
the church, tie powers of the bench,
the privileges of peers. and details of
the measures employed in the past for
raising armies and equipp ng fleets.
Provis ons for the observance OF
treaties, the fortifying of castles, and
other matters of national importance,
are also fully set out in the close rolls. |
SO called because the matter which |
they conta ned was invariably dis |
patched closed or sealed up.
The patent rolls, too, are here, and |
also run conSecutively from the thir- |
teenth century up to the present day.
In'these are recorded accounts of the |
sieges of castles, the creation of titles, |
the granting of safe conducts, the be-
stowal of lsnd on begging clergy. and
the negotiations with foreigners. We
glanced. too, at the Parliamentary rolls:
the church rolls, in which are to be |
found particulars of all grants of priv.
ileges to the religious houses; the
financial rolls, running from the time |
in Lob To L. ,l
have a complete record of the money
which English Kings received in pay
ment for licenses they granted to alien
ate lands. for knights services, for par
dons, and various other schemes and
lodges by which these monarcns in the
good old times were wont to replenish
their exchequers.
The oblata rolls, are full of interest to
those who are curious to know how in
the brave days of old great men were
wont to secure the loyal protection of
favor, for therein are set cut particulars
ol all the gifts presented to ROYALTY by
subjects having an ak to grind. We
were shown the black and red books of
the eNchequer, in which it is explained
low the land was held in old times: the
Dull of Clement VII, by which Henry
VII, of infamous memory, was con-
stituted defender of the faith. |
Beyond the papers and documents l
have mentioned there are miles and
miles of parchment piled up in the
record office filled with matters preg-
lant with interest not only to the En-
ylish people. but to every student of
! storic lore, and an American in Lon
Ion on his summer vacation may while
away an afternoon with pleasure and
profit in glancing over some of the
ANGUS documents of the bare existence
If which, / firmly believe. nine-tenths
u the inhabitants of London are pro-