gality. We are glad to see the inflexibility of the rule broken in upon, and that in the instance of works which may be considered as portions of a series. Hereafter, we trust the poor student will not be tantalized by hearing of the publication of useful books of reference, in a size and manner the most costly that can be devised.

The Pipe Roll of 31st Henry I., one of the publications of the Commission, has been edited by the Rev. Joseph Hunter, a gentleman well known as the historian of Hallamshire, and the author of many other historical and topographical works. The selection does credit to the Commissioners, and gives us hope that we shall see many others of our historical writers thus usefully employed under their direction. A Commission, instituted with a view to the perpetuation and publicity of our national records, ought to seek assistance amongst men eminent in historical literature, and by all possible means, to give encouragement and employment to their talents.

This roll has been long a subject of doubt; it stands alone, preceding and not connected with the continuous series of Pipe Rolls we have before mentioned. Its precise date is not intimated by the roll itself, and our antiquaries have disputed as to the year to which it belongs. Mr. Hunter, in the present volume, proposes to assign it to the 31st Henry I. We have not space at present to consider the grounds of this opinion; upon some future occasion we shall do so, and also make some remarks upon the contents of the roll.

The Chancellor's roll of 3d John has been published by the Commissioners merely as a specimen of the nature of these rolls. This one was selected because it was more accessible for transcription, having escaped from the mass of the Chancellor's rolls, and wandered by some unexplained means to the Chapter-house. This reason does not appear to be a very good one; further inquiry and examination will probably bring to light some one roll which has more claims to notice than the one now published, and which would have served equally well as a specimen. It is the intention of the Commissioners to publish many of the early Treasurer's rolls, and if the 3d John comes within the contemplated series, we shall have both the original and the copy, which seems rather superfluous; for although it may be desirable to have any important variations between the two rolls pointed out, and we hope this will be attended to in the forthcoming publications, it seems rather unnecessary to publish the whole of both the original and the copy. We can scarcely bring ourselves to consider that a specimen of a copy of a roll, of which the original is in existence, was an object of sufficient importance to be purchased at the expense of an octavo volume of between four and five hundred pages; at any event, if a specimen was desirable, the 7th Henry IV., the original roll of which year has not been discovered, might have been selected for publication.

The importance of the Close Rolls is so great, and so universally acknowledged, that we cannot but hail their publication with very great satisfaction. As an addition to the genuine materials for English history, this volume throws into the shade every other single work published under the Commission; and having proceeded entirely from the present Commissioners, it has earned for them a right to the thanks of all historical inquirers. It seems, however, as if nothing could be perfect. The roll of 8th Henry III. consists of two parts; one of them has been missing for two centuries, but a copy was known to be in existence; the missing part was accidentally discovered after that part of the present volume had been printed from the copy; it was then determined to print the original as well as the copy, and thus the volume contains both. It would probably have been wiser and less expensive to have cancelled the portion already printed; and that course would also have avoided another awkwardness, which is, that the present volume contains observations upon the roll of 9th Henry III. which, in consequence of printing part of the roll of 8th Henry III. in duplicate, has been allowed to stand over until the next volume.

The fourth publication of the Commissioners has surprised us; it is entitled "An

Essay upon the original Authority of the King's Council," by Sir Francis Palgrave. This Essay was written in November 1822, and presented to the Record Commissioners by the author, then one of their salaried officers, in order to explain to them "the nature and importance of the ancient parliamentary petitions,"-documents which it certainly was very proper that those gentlemen should be acquainted with. In 1825 the same Essay was published in the Quarterly Review, Vol. 32, p. 92, under the title of " Origin of Equitable Jurisdiction." The wisdom of incurring the expence of the republication even of records is exceedingly doubtful; but what shall be said of the propriety of reprinting an article from that scarce and costly work the Quarterly Review, "by command of His Majesty King William IV., under the direction of the Commissioners on the Public Records?" Whether the Commissioners have been misled-which certainly the old Commissioners wereor whether they have come to the conclusion that such a reprint is within the proper limits of their authority, and was contemplated by their Commission, we cannot know. It may be said that the Essay is altered; the learned Author states that it has been "recast, corrected, and enlarged." Undoubtedly there are alterations,—such alterations as the changes in the times and in the mode of publication rendered advisable. What may be the precise meaning of the word "recast," or what may be the quantum of alteration it intimates, we do not pretend to determine; perhaps it refers to the new title which the author has skilfully devised for his work, so that the readers of the Quarterly Review can hardly recognize their old friend with his new face; perhaps to such changes of phrase as Municipal Corporations" instead of "Burgh," which the author's late occupations may have suggested. At any event, this Essay is neither more nor less than a new edition of the article in the Quarterly Review, with a new title page and additions.

Amongst the contemplated publications of the Commissioners, that of the Council Books in the British Museum is probably the most important. Under the Editorship of Sir Harris Nicolas we have no doubt these volumes will be skilfully brought before the public, and much novel and curious information may be anticipated.

A Catalogue of all the Manuscripts in the General Repositories of France, and we believe some other of the Continental Nations, connected with the early history of this Country, has been obtained through the influence of our Government, and may be shortly expected to be published under the direction of the Commissioners, There are rumours also of other forthcoming publications, which we shall be the first to hail with satisfaction, especially a Catalogue of the Heirs of Deceased Tenants of the Crown, so much wanted to complete the Calendars of the Inquisitions post

mortem.

The Commissioners have before them an extensive field of usefulness, and great indeed will be their credit, if they become willing and energetic labourers. Former failures will add lustre to their successes, and even our character as a nation will be

exalted, if they lay open our literary treasures. The conduct of other nations, with respect to their records, towards ourselves, is distinguished by an honourable libe. rality; why should our conduct be the very reverse? Our illiberality is not even confined to our treatment of foreigners; we ourselves are prevented by payments so excessive, that they ought rather to be called fines than fees, from having access to documents which are substantially our own-documents which, as if in mockery, and in spite of the exclusive jealousy with which they are guarded, we term "the Public Records." We look to the Commissioners for redress; if there be amongst them such a proper feeling of the duties of their office as we are willing to believe is exhi bited by their recent proceedings, we shall not look in vain.

HIGHGATE CHAPEL, MIDDLESEX.

With an Interior View.

HIGHGATE is not an ancient parish, but a hamlet, partly in the parish of Hornsey and partly in that of St. Pancras. It derived its name from the gate which was placed on the top of the hill at an early period, to receive the tolls due to the Bishop of London, for the right of passage through his park, after the diversion of the ancient road, which, as Norden says, left Highgate on the west, passing through Tallingdon lane, and so to Crouch End, Muswell Hill, Coanie Hatch, Fryarne Barnet, &c." The Gate was situated near the old chapel, and the opposite tavern is now called the Gate-house.

The late Highgate Chapel, of which an interior view is given in Plate I. was for the most part only sixty years old; but the tower and west end were erected early in the reign of Elizabeth, when the chapel was almost, if not entirely, rebuilt. It had existed, however, at least from the fourteenth century; for, in the year 1386, Bishop Braybroke gave "to William Lichfield, a poor hermit, oppressed by age and infirmity, the office of keeping our chapel of Highgate, by our park of Haringey, and the house annexed to the said chapel, hitherto accustomed to be kept by other poor hermits." This institution is noticed by Newcourt (Repertorium, vol. i. p. 654,) but he had met with only one other; by which Bishop Stokesley, in 1531, gave the chapel then called, the chapel of St. Michael, in the parish of Hornesey, to William Forte, with "the messuage, garden, and orchard, and their appurtenances, with all tenths, offerings, profits, advantages, and emoluments whatever." Regarding these hermits, we have this further information, or rather tradition, related by the proto-topographer of Middlesex :-" Where now (1596) the Schole standeth was a hermytage, and the hermyte caused to be made the causway betweene Highgate and Islington, and the gravell was had from the top of Highgate hill, where is now a standinge ponde of water. There is adjoining unto the schole a chapple for the ease of that part of the countrey, for that they are within the parish of Pancras, which is distant thence neere two miles."

The statement of Norden, that the chapel was "for the ease of that part of the country," formed a point of discussion in the warm controversy † which arose a few years ago when the new church was first projected; and the right of property in the chapel, whether it was vested entirely in the governors of the school, or shared by the inhabitants, was the main subject of dispute. The truth appears to have been, that the chapel was actually the property of the charity, as well by grant from the Bishop of London the ancient patron of the hermitage, as by letters patent from the Crown, and also by transfer from a third party, who had procured a grant of it from the Queen as a suppressed religious foundation; that for the first century and a half the inhabitants had been allowed to have seats gratuitously; but that about the year 1723, the pews had been converted into a source of income for the school.

In the course of the controversy, room also was found for some doubts with respect to the exact date of the erection of the chapel, arising from an error

* “A two-handed charity," remarks the sententious Fuller, "providing water on the hill, where it was wanting, and cleanness in the vale, which before, especially in winter, was passed with much molestation."-(Worthies of England.)

It gave rise to the following publications :

-

"Some Account of the Free Grammar School of Highgate, and of its Founder, Sir Roger Cholmeley, Knt. with Remarks on the origin and nature of the recent Inquiry into the Management of that Institution. By I. G. [John Green] 1822; 8vo. pp. 90.

"An Epistle to I. G. the author of a pamphlet entitled, Some Account," &c. By A. Z. 1823; 8vo. pp. 68.

in the following inscription, which was placed under the lowest window of the tower, at the west end, and is now laid flat on the ground near the spot:

Sir Roger Cholmeley knt Ld chiefe baron of ye exchequer and after that La chiefe justice of the king's bench* did institvte and erect at his own charges this publiqve and free gramer schole; and procvred the same to be established and confirmed by the letters patents of queen Elizabeth, her endowinge the same with yearly maintaynance; which schoole Edwyn Sandys Ld bishop of London enlarged ano D'ni 1565 by the addition of this chapel for divine service and by other endowments of pietie and devotion. Since which the said chappel hath been enlarged by the pietie & bounty of divers honble and worthy personages.

This inscription was renewed anno D'ni 1668 by the governors of the said schoole. The manifest error in this is the association of Bishop Sandys with the date 1565, whereas he was not Bishop of London until 1570. Newcourt perceived the incoherency, and in copying the substance of the inscription into his Repertorium, altered the year to 1570. The examination which the records of the School have since undergone, has disclosed that the correct date is either 1575 or 1576; for it was in the former year that the rebuilding was projected, and in the latter, when it had not far proceeded, Bishop Sandys was translated to the see of York. The alteration of the date was probably accidentally made when the inscription was recut.

The date of Sir Roger Cholmeley's first acquisition of property in Highgate, does not appear;t but Queen Elizabeth's letters patents, mentioned in the inscription, were granted to him in April 6, 1565; and by a deed poll dated May 16 following, Bishop Grindall granted, enfeoffed, and confirmed to Sir Roger Cholmeley and his heirs, the chapel of Highgate and the premises thereto

Sir Roger Cholmeley was the natural son of Sir Richard Cholmeley, who was Lieutenant of the Tower. The arms of the family were, Gules, two helmets in chief and a garb in base Or. This was varied for Sir Roger Cholmeley into the coat above engraved: Gules, a sword in fess (alluding to the sword of Justice) between a helmet in chief and two garbs in base. Lysons says, however, that in one of the windows of Highgate Chapel, Sir Roger's arms were represented as in the original coat, with the two helmets above the sword and one garb below; but this was perhaps a mistake, for there is now a small piece of painted glass in the School-room, with one helmet and two garbs. On one side of the door of the new church, is a sword in fess, between a helmet in chief and an eagle's head erased; what is the meaning or the authority of this? The arms of Jasper Cholmeley, who had been Sir Roger's " clerk and servant," and was the active person among the first Governors of Highgate School, were varied by a fleur-de-lis between the two helmets in chief. Lysons, vol. iii. p. 6, from MS. Harl. 1551.

+ He had purchased the manor of Renters in Hendon in the year 1548; he left it by will to his clerk and servant Jasper Cholmeley, in whose family it continued until the year 1682, when it was aliened by William Cholmeley, Esq. of Teddington. (Lysons's Environs, iii. 6.)

*

belonging, and two acres of land adjoining the said chapel, to the intent that Sir Roger Cholmeley should give and assure, as well the said chapel and premises as other manors, messuages, tenements, &c. to the yearly value of 10l. 138. 4d. to the wardens and governors of the "Free Grammar School of Sir Roger Cholmeley at Highgate," to the use and behoof of the said school for ever, for the better maintenance and support of the same; which grant was confirmed by the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, on the 16th of May, 1565. By another deedpoll, dated the 7th of June in the same year, Sir Roger transferred the grant to his six "Wardens" or trustees; and, thus having fulfilled his charitable intentions, he died before the end of the same year.

The next document in point of date, in the history of the school, is an ordinance, or table of rules for its government, promulgated by the wardens on the 14th December, 1571. In Sept. 1573, there was "laid out and disbursed for reparations of this Free School and Chapel, the sum of 4l. 16s. 4d.+” Two years after, a plan was drawn dated 20th Oct. 1575, of "The Plott of Highgate Chappell and Fre Scole," with a view to its rebuilding. This work was commenced in the following summer: "Md. that the fyrst stone of the Chappell and Free Scoole at Higate, was leyd the 3rd day of Julye, 1576; and the same Chappell and Schoole was finished in September, 1578.6"

This then is the date of the first erection of the late Chapel of Highgate; but it had sustained four several repairs and enlargements in the years 1616, 1628, 1720, and 1772, if not another when the inscription was renewed in 1668. The repairs of 1720 were important, as they incurred an expense of more than 1000l. of which 700l. were contributed by Edward Pauncfort, Esq. Treasurer to the charity, and 300l. by the inhabitants of Highgate. Again, in 1772, the body of the church was in a great degree rebuilt; for it was not until then that its ceiling was raised by the removal of three rooms belonging to the Master's house, which had previously existed above the chapel. The present Master's house was then erected. The windows of the chapel had a very extraordinary appearance; for small round ones were placed directly over the round-headed long ones, like the letter i and its dot. These round windows originally lighted the upper rooms. Two views of the church previously to this alteration, are in the set of views round London, published by Chatelain, about 1745, Nos. 33 and 34; and there are at least three views of the Chapel published since, one by S. Rawle, in the European Magazine for Oct. 1800; one by J. Gleig, 1805; and one published by S. Woodburn, 1807. The accompanying plate is the only one that has been published of the interior. The principal features of its architecture were the work of the year 1772. It was calculated to contain 700 persons. There were several remarkable monuments, which have now been dispersed to various quarters.

That in the foreground, with the two busts, is the monument of William Platt, Esq. the founder of several fellowships at St. John's college, Cambridge. He was the son of Sir Hugh Platt, of Bethnal Green, author of the "Garden of Eden," ""the Jewell-house of Art and Nature," and other curious works. Mr. Platt, by will in 1637, gave 101. per annum to the Minister of Highgate Chapel, and 20s, for a sermon on the immortality of the soul, to be preached on the anniversary of his burial, the preacher to be appointed by St. John's college.

* These two acres "now [1823], being covered with houses, yield a clear rental of 5851. a year; that is to say, more than three-fourths of the whole rental of the charity estates." (Epistle, p. 38.)

+ Constitution Book of the School, quoted in "An Epistle to I. G."

p.

62.

A lithograph copy of this is given with the "Epistle." It shows that the dimensions of the antient chapel were 50 feet long by 24 broad, no mean size for a hermit's oratory.

§ Constitution Book. Ibid. p. 60.