Leets, Waiffs, Estrays, Markets, Fairs, Free Warren, Felons Goods, or what else could come to the Crown, or pass out of it: Several Writs, Pleadings and Proceedings, as well in Chancery, as in all the Courts of Common Law and Exchequer: Inspeximus's, and Enrolments of Charters and Deeds, made and done before the Conquest: Deeds and Contracts between Party and Party; and the just Establishment of all the Offices in the Nation: The Metes and Bounds of all the Forests in England, with the several respective Rights of the Inhabitants therein to Common of Pasture, &c. Besides many other Privileges and Evidences.

These are the Contents of the Records, as Dr. Chamberlain hath summed them up in his Present State of England, to our hand: Which, I presume, so exact a Man had received from some Clerk of that Office well versed therein. But readily to find out any particular Matters sought for in these Rolls, exact Kalendars or Repertories are very necessary. And these also are, or have been in the said Office; as is mentioned in an old Book, called, The Repertory of Records: Wherein is contained and comprized, whatsoever may give Satisfaction to the Searcher for Tenures or Titles. Viz.

There is one Kalendar, called, The Book of Names, made by way of Alphabet, containing the Names of all Men, whose Offices or Inquisitions (taken after their Deaths) are there to be found: In which you may see what Lands any such died seized of, with the Tenure of the same: And in many of them, the last Wills and Testaments of such Persons recited in the same: Which Wills sometimes are not to be found elsewhere.

Item, Divers Kalendars of Escheators Bundles. As one of each of these Kings; viz. Henry III. Edward I. Edward II. Edward III. Richard II. One of Henry IV. and Henry V. And lastly, one of Edward IV.

Item, The Book of Heirs of Henry the IIId his Time; containing the Names of such Persons as had Offices found at that Time, declaring who were their Heirs, and their Age; and sometimes mentioning their Wives, with the Counties wherein they had any Lands.

Item, The like several Books, severally and respectively made up, of the Times of Edward I. II. and III. and of Richard II. Henry IV. and V.

Item, A little Kalendar, by way of Alphabet, containing such Manors and Lands as were found in any the aforesaid Offices or Inquisitions, in the County of Essex; but not perfect.

Item, The like Book of the County of Lincoln. The like Books of the Counties of Bedford, of Berks, of Buckingham. And one great Book for the Counties of Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall: But not by way of Alphabet.

Item, A Kalendar and Collection out of the old Rolls, called Charta Antiqua, without Date.

Item, A like Kalendar of the Rolls of King John; and another of K. Henry the Third, unto the 11th of his Reign.

Item, A Kalendar and Collection of all Grants of Inheritance, granted by any of our Kings before Richard III. and as ancient as there are any Records here. This, with the like, was transmitted hither out of the Chancery.

Item, Certain Rolls of Edward I. for his whole Reign.

Item, Two Books, or Kalendars, of Free Warrens, Markets, Fairs, Leets and other Liberties; gathered out of the Charter-Roll of the Time of Edward I. and during his whole Reign. Item, An old Kalendar of Charters of Corporations, and other Liberties granted, of Cities, Boroughs, Abbies, Colleges, and Cathedral-Churches, during the said K. Edward's Reign.

Item, A Kalendar or Collection of the Parliament Rolls of Attainders, Restitutions, Resumptions; from the 29th of Henry III. till the End of his Reign.

Item, Certain Papers Rolls for Confirmations of Charters, and Liberties of Colleges, Corporations and Religious Houses: And for Licenses of Lands to be given in Mortmain, from the first of Edward I. till the last of Edward IV. Done by way of Alphabet.

Item, One Book of Confirmations of Charters of Liberties of Colleges, Corporations and Religious Houses, and for Licenses of Lands to be given in Mortmain, as aforesaid: Collected out of the Patent and Close Rolls of all the Time of Edward II. except two or three of the last Years.

Item, Certain small Bundles of loose Papers, of like Nature, by way of Alphabet, of sundry King's Times; confusedly laid together.

Item, A Collection of the Patent Rolls gathered, of all Presentations made by the King to any Church, Prebendary or Chapel; as well in the Right of the Crown, as in Right of any other; the same being for that Time in the Hands of the King; from the first of Edward I. till the Midst of the Reign of Edward III.

Here be also Two Books; the one of the Taxation of all the Spiritual Livings in England, the other of the Temporalties.

Item, The Ancient Perambulations of the Forests.

Some Parliament Businesses, &c.

Some Foreign Businesses, as Treaties, &c.

Here be, among the rest, these particular Rolls; Viz. Compotus totius Reventionis Principis Walliæ; i.e. An Account of the whole Revenue of the Prince of Wales, in the Time of Edward the IIId. A Visitation of the Hospital of Bethlem, Anno 4. Henry IV. Another de Superioritate Maris Angliæ, Anno 26. Edward I. Franchises of London, confirmed by Parliament in the Time of Edward III. Roll 15. The Process of the Court Military, in the Cause of Arms between Richard Le Scroope, Knight, and Grosvenor, in the Time of Richard II.

These, with divers Records of Statutes in the Beginning of Edward I. and so reaching to Edward IV. do now, or did sometime lye in the Hole on the left side of the Study.

Among the printed Books belonging to this Office of Records, is a Book of Common- Prayer under the Great Seal: Which was that which was printed, and authorized to be used in the Church of England, upon King Charles II. his coming in. To which is set the Names of several Divines of that first Convocation. To which Recourse might be had, as the Authentick Common-Prayer then established.

The Sum Total of all the Rolls now in the Office reckoning several lately rescued from the rude Heaps in the White Tower, and brought in thither, are as followeth: