British Record Commission (2 results)

[London]: by Command of His Majesty King George. An Important Feudal Survey to Determine What was Owed to the Crown and the Nobility [Great Britain]. [The Hundred Rolls]. Rotuli Hundredorum Temp. Hen.III & Edw.I. In Turr' Lond' et in Curia Receptae Scaccarii Westm. Asservati. [London]: Printed by Command of His Majesty King George III, 1812. 2 volumes. Folio (17" x 10-1/4"; 43 x 26 cm). Contemporary or near-contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards, gilt titles and volume numbers to spines. Worn, boards separated or detached, library labels to front boards, scuffing and wear to extremities, spine ends abraded, library bookplates (of Norfolk & Norwich Library, indicating these books were salvaged from a fire on August 1, 1898) to front pastedowns, offsetting to endpapers. Moderate toning, negligible light foxing in places, internally clean. $350. * The Hundred Rolls record the findings of special inquisitions made in 1255 and, more notably, from 1274-75 and 1279-80, by royal commissioners to assess population and land holdings for taxation purposes and to determine services owed by tenants. (The term "hundreds" was used to denote an administrative subdivision along with "boroughs" and "liberties.") It is largely considered to be an attempt to produce a second Domesday Book, although it failed to match the latter's comprehensiveness. The responses, or returns, were recorded on strips of parchment with seals and known as "Ragman Rolls." Where they survive, the records are valuable sources of information for genealogists, historians and other researchers of the medieval period. The present volumes are part of the series produced by the Record Commission from 1812-1818. They contain the charge to the commission for the 1274-75 survey and facsimiles from the original rolls. [London]: by Command of His Majesty King George (illustrator).…

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with slight damage to corners from removal from mount. 20 lines of text. Regarding 'a Dr[af]t. on Snow & Co for twenty five pounds', he would 'willingly have put down the little trouble I had to the account of our mutual friendship in which I stand considerably your debtor but as you will have it otherwise I beg you will accept my sincere thanks for the inclosure, assuring you I consider it far beyond what I ought to have had'. He continues by stating that he is 'now obtaining a little relaxation from the fatigues of business, tho' I am still even here pursued by the Devils (of the Press) thank God, they are not blue Devils'. He ends with reference to Planta's son, 'arrived safe from Germany', whom he will happily take 'by the hand on my arrival in Town', and to 'Mrs. Planta & Mrs. Parish'.…