o inquire into the Law and Jurisdiction of the
Ecclesiastical and other Courts in relation to Matters Testamentary.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"We, the undersigned, being the President and Council of the Camden
Society, for the Publication of Early Historical and Literary Remains,
beg to submit to your consideration a copy of a Memorial presented on
the 13th April, 1848, by the President and then Council of this
Society, to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, praying that such
changes might be made in the regulations of the Prerogative Office as
might assimilate its practice to that of the Public Record Office, so
far as regards the inspection of the books of entry of ancient Wills,
or that such other remedy might be applied to the inconveniences stated
in that Memorial as to his Grace might seem fit.

"In reply to that Memorial his Grace was pleased to inform the
Memorialists that he had no control whatever over the fees taken in the
Prerogative Office.

"The Memorialists had not adopted the course of applying to his Grace
the Archbishop until they had in vain endeavoured to obtain from the
authorities of the Prerogative Office, Messrs. Dyneley, Iggulden, and
Gostling, some modification of their rules in favour of literary
inquirers. The answer of his Grace the Archbishop left them, therefore
without present remedy.

"The grievance complained of continues entirely unaltered up to the
present time.

"In all other public repositories to which in the course of our
inquiries we have had occasion to apply, we have found a general and
predominant feeling of the national importance of the cultivation of
literature, and especially of that branch of it which relates to the
past history of our own country. Every one seems heartily willing to
promote historical inquiries. The Public Record Offices are now opened
to persons engaged in literary pursuits by arrangements of the most
satisfactory and liberal character. His Grace the Archbishop of
Canterbury gives permission to literary men to search such of the early
registers of his See as are in his own possession at Lambeth. Access is
given to the registers of the Bishop of London; and throughout the
kingdom private persons having in their possession historical documents
are almost without exception not only willing but anxious to