New-York tribune., 1908-05-06
KING EDWARDS BOOKS
REORGANIZATION of the Great Windsor
Castle Libraru.
,copyrisht 1905. by the Brentwood Company


,ys7 before King Edward left for Biarritz he was
snxious get book in hurry from ;ne royal
rTs-arr 81 Windsor. and found that owing To tha
:,-,erfect condition Of the catalogue. there WAS
much delay ana difficulty IN obtaining what he
,srted Accordingly. he gave instructions 10 the
e., John FoTtescue. who is now royal librarian
% start by organizing card index Of the most
,-,plete and elaborate description and thereunon
n recstslogue The entire collection. He also di-
-,e5 that the library should no longer serve ,s
specles Of guard or lounging room for the Off
csrs Of the guard duty at the castle but that
.,rpe other apartment should be found for this
purpose
i is easy 10 understand why he should wish for
= greater amount Of privacy for the royal library
{. windsor than il has hitherto enioyed For in
addition to all sorts Of wonderful editions and
,-5celess volumes collected 10y the various occI,-
pants % the English throne. there are also pre-
served there most OF the private archives of the
present and recent reigns, such as for instance.
all the correspondence OF Queen Victoria with her
ministers during the sixty-odd years that she
MED the throne. The volunninous character of
This correspondence can best be appreciated when
il is explained that while Parliament is in session
the leaders Of the House of Lords and of the
House q Commons, both Of them Cabinet minis
terS are compelled 10 write every night, their
own hand. letter to the monarch. giving brief
account. pTecjs, of the business transacted at
the sitting. Then. too, Queen Victoria carried
& most extensive correspondence with foreign
ereigns and her relatives abroad, not only con-
cerning family matters. hut also about the political
cuestions Of the day. practice which is kept up
iy King Edward.
All this correspondence is preserved in the library
at Windsor Castle. and il is doubtful whether
there is any at the Court OF St. Jamess who is
iitrusted with many family and political
crets the Hon John Fortescue. the royal libra
ran. John For1esCue succeeded Sir Richard
Holmes librarian about three years ago. He is
younger brother of Earl Fortescue and of
Captain Seymour For1escue. one Of the Kings
equerries. He is an old HarTor ian. graduate of
Trinity College Cambridge, a member of the Athe-
mum and Of the Travellers clubs in London, and
has written several books.
The Fortescue family. y hCh has always been
noVneo for its good looks founded by Richard
le Fort, Norman knight, cup bearer to William
the Conoueror. who had three horses killed under
hin at the battle of Hastings. Indeed, great
vas his valor in that battle and brave was his
ceterce OF the Duke Of Normandy ia the melee
-hst he was thenceforth known Richard ie
For,-Escu. or Strong Shield. His son. Sir Adam,
known Sir Adam F0rtescue, obtained, according
70 T1oorllsday Book = grant from the Crown OF
Winston. in Deyonshire, with which county the
For-escues have eve~ since been identified. Sir
John Eorrescue was Lord Chief Justice of England
il the reign OF ksng Henry Y. Sir Hugh For
1escue was summoned TO Parliament in lI2l as
c1heir 10 The ancient barony OF Clinton, at that
time IN allegiance. and as fourteenth Lord OF the
line. lie vas subsequently created Lord Fortescue
a Castle Hill in Devon with The remainder 10 hls
half-brother. Matthew Fortescue and was still
later On created Earl Of Clinton. But he neglected
TO marry. and the consequence was that his earl
DON became extinct his barony Of Fortescue went
10 his haIf-brolher. Matthew, while the ancient
barony Of Clinton again went into allegiance, and,
Icing heri1able in the female lire, Is now held pg
2 member of the Trefusis family Matthew For
tescue's son Was created Earl Of FOrtescue, and
The prsent Lord Forescue Is the fourth Of his line
and one Of seven brothers one Of whom perished
as naval officer at sea. while another one was
killed in the war IN South Africa