The Statutes of the Realm/Volume 1/Second Record Commission

by the Record Commission

Layout 3

SECOND

RECORD COMMISSION.

23d May 1806.

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GEORGE R.

George the Third by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c.

TO Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor William Wyndham Baron Grenville, First Commissioner of Our Treasury, or the First Commissioner of Our Treasury for the time being; Our right trusty and right well-beloved Cousin and Councillor George John Earl Spencer, Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter; Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillors Charles James Fox, and William Windham, Our three Principal Secretaries of State, or Our three Principal Secretaries of State for the Time being; Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillors Charles Abbot, Speaker of the House of Commons, or the Speaker of the House of Commons for the time being; and Sir William Grant Knight, Master of the Rolls, or the Master of the Rolls for the time being; Our trusty and well-beloved Henry Erskine Esquire, Our sole and only Advocate for Scotland, or our sole and only Advocate for Scotland for the time being; Our right trusty and well-beloved Cousin and Councillor Henry Viscount Sidmouth; Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillors Frederick Campbell Esq. (commonly called Lord Frederick Campbell), Sylvester Baron Glenbervie of that part of Our United Kingdom called Ireland; and John Baron Redesdale; the Right Reverend Father in God Our right trusty and well-beloved John Lord Bishop of Oxford; Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillors Charles Bathurst, William Wickham, and Nathaniel Bond.

Whereas the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, and Commissioners of Shires and Boroughs in Our Parliament of Great Britain assembled, having taken into their Consideration the State of the Public Records of this Kingdom, and the necessity of providing for the better arrangement, preservation, and more convenient use of the same, have heretofore humbly laid before Us a Report of their Proceedings thereon, and also humbly represented unto Us that the Public Records of the Kingdom are in many Offices unarranged, undescribed, unascertained; that many of them are exposed to erasure, alteration, and embezzlement, and are lodged in Buildings incommodious and insecure; and that it would be beneficial for the Public Service that the Records and Papers contained in many of the principal Offices and Repositories should be methodized, and that certain of the more antient and valuable amongst them should be printed; and humbly besought Us that We would be graciously pleased to give such directions thereupon, as We in Our wisdom should think fit:

And Whereas We, considering the premises, and earnestly desiring more effectually to provide for the better arrangement, preservation, and more convenient use of the said Records and Papers, did by Warrant under Our Sign Manual, hearing date the nineteenth day of July 1800, authorize and appoint the several Persons therein severally named, and any Three or more of them, to make a diligent and particular inquiry into the several Matters which Our faithful Commons had, in their abovementioned Report of their Proceedings, represented as fitting to be provided for, by Our royal Authority, and to do such other matters and things touching the premises as are therein set forth: And Whereas the said several Persons thereby appointed have duly proceeded in the execution of the several matters committed to their charge, and have made considerable progress therein, as by their annual Certificates to Us in Our Privy Council appears; but some of the said Persons are since deceased, or have become less able to attend to the duties so required of them, and it is expedient to appoint others in their place, and also to increase the number of the said Persons so to be appointed for the Purpose aforesaid, in such manner as may give more complete and permanent effect to Our royal Intentions in that behalf:

Now Know Ye, That We, considering the premises, and earnestly desiring further and more effectually to provide for he better arrangement, preservation, and more convenient use of the said Records and Papers, and reposing great trust and confidence in your fidelity, discretion, and integrity, have authorized and appointed, and by these Presents Do authorize and appoint, you the said William Wyndham Baron Grenville, George John Earl Spencer, Charles James Fox, William Windham, Charles Abbot, Sir William Grant, Henry Erskine, Henry Viscount Sidmouth, Frederick Campbell Esquire (commonly called Lord Frederick Campbell), Sylvester Baron Glenbervie, John Baron Redesdale, John Lord Bishop of Oxford, Charles Bathurst, William Wickham, and Nathaniel Bond, and any Three or more of you, (whereof the said First Commissioner of Our Treasury, one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Master of the Rolls, or Our Advocate for Scotland, severally and respectively for the time being, to be one,) further to make a diligent and particular Inquiry into the several Matters which our Faithful Commons have, in the above-mentioned Report of their Proceedings, represented as fitting to be provided for by Our royal Authority:

And furthermore We do by these Presents give and grant unto you, Our said Commissioners and any Three or more of you, (whereof the said First Commissioner of Our Treasury, one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Master of the Rolls, or Our Advocate for Scotland, severally and respectively for the time being, to be one,) full power and authority to cause all and singular the Officers, Clerks, and Ministers of the said Offices and Repositories respectively, to bring and produce upon Oath, before you or any Three or more of you, all and singular Rolls, Records, Books, and Papers, or other Writings belonging to the said Offices or Repositories, or any of them, or any Officers within the same, and which shall be in the custody of them or any of them respectively:

And Our further Will and Pleasure is, That ye or any Three or more of you, (whereof the said First Commissioner of Our Treasury, one of Our Principal Secretaries or State, The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Master of the Rolls, or Our Advocate for Scotland, severally and respectively for the Time being, to be one,) upon due examination of the premises, shall cause such Matters to be duly and speedily executed, as ye shall judge fitting and proper to be done for the more effectual executin of the several Matters recommended by Our Faithful Commons, in the said Report of their Proceedings relative thereto.

And, to the end that Our royal Will and Pleasure in the premises may be executed with the greater regularity and expedition, We further by these Presents will and command, and do hereby give full power and authority to you, or any Three or more of you, whereof the said First Commissioner of Our Treasury, one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Master of the Rolls, or Our Advocate for Scotland, severally and respectively for the time being, to be one,) to nominate and appoint from time to time such Person of ability, care, and diligence, as ye shall think fit, to be and act as your Clerk or Secretary, for the purpose of aiding you in the execution of these Presents; and also to nominate and appoint in the manner such several Persons of ability, care, and diligence, as ye may think fit, to be Sub-Commissioners, to be employed under your direction and control in the premises; and more especially to methodize, regulate, and digest the Records, Rolls, Instruments, Books, and Papers, in any of Our Public Offices and Repositories, and to cause such of the said Records, Rolls, Instruments, Books, and Papers as are decayed and in danger of being destroyed, to be bound and secured; and to make exact Calendars and Indexes thereof; and to superintend the printing of such Calendars and Indexes, and original Records and Papers as ye shall cause to be printed: which said Clerk or Secretary, and Sub-Commissioners, and every of them, shall and may be removed by you or any Three or more of you, (whereof the said First Commissioner of Our Treasury, one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Master of the Rolls, or Our Advocate for Scotland, severally and respectively for the time being, to be one), from time to time at your will and pleasure; full power and authority being hereby given to you, to appoint others in their places respectively.

And We further will and command, and by these Presents ordain, That ye, or any Three or more of you, (whereof the said First Commissioner of Our Treasury, one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Master of the Rolls, or Our Advocate for Scotland, severally and respectively for the time being, to be one,) shall from Time to Time certify under your Hands and Seals, unto Our Lord High Treasurer, or unto the Commissioners of Our Treasury for the time being, what shall be a fit and suitable recompence to the above-mentioned Clerk or Secretary, and Sub-Commissioners respectively, for their pains and services in the execution of the duties hereby required to be by them performed which said recompence it is Our Will and Pleasure shall thereupon be paid to them respectively and accordingly.

And Our Further Will and Pleasure is, that ye, or any Three or more of you, (whereof the said First Commissioner of Our Treasury, one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Master of the Rolls, or Our Advocate for Scotland, severally and respectively for the time being, to be one,) do and shall, on or before the Twenty-fifth day of March in the year of our Lord 1807, and so from year to year, on or before the Twenty-fifth day of March in each year respectively, so long as this Commission shall continue in force, certify unto Us in our Privy Council, under your Hands and Seals respectively, all and every of the several Proceedings of yourselves and of the said Sub-Commissioners, had by virtue of these Presents, together with such other Matters (if any) as may be deserving of Our Royal Consideration touching or concerning the premises; and what further Measures (if any) ye shall think fit to propose thereupon. And Lastly, We do by these Presents ordain, That this Our Commission shall continue in full force and virtue, and that ye Our said Commissioners or any Three or more of you, (whereof the said First Commissioner of Our Treasury, one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Master of the Rolls, or Our Advocate for Scotland, severally and respectively for the Time being, to be one,) shall and may from time to time, and at any place or places, proceed in the Execution thereof, and of every matter and thing therein contained, although the same be not continued from time to time by Adjournment.

Given at Our Court at Saint James’s, the twenty-third day of May 1806, in the Forty-sixth Year of Our Reign.

By His MAJESTY’s Command.

(Signed)Spencer.