Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/467

Rh the neighbourhood made in anticipation of the meeting. The refectory, now the parish church, was next visited, and here the well-known and beautiful pulpit, boldly corbelled out and reached by an elegant arcade in the thickness of the wall, attracted universal admiration. Mr. Baker told the story of the condition of the building when he first knew it, and of the subsequent improvements that had been made there. Lord Henry Scott and Mr. Parker also contributed some observations upon the monumental stones and various portions of the structure. The other parts of the site having been examined, the grounds in front of the 'Palace House" were again reached. Here was a large tent amply provided with excellent refreshments to which all were invited, and to which they did full justice. Thanks were given to the noble owner of Beaulieu by the President of the meeting in a pleasant and discursive speech, which was suitably acknowledged by Lord Henry Scott. The carriages being again en route, a delightful drive through the New Forest brought them to Lyndhurst, where the "Queen's House" was visited, and some few relics of forestal customs were shown. Delay having occurred at Beaulieu by a passing shower, it was decided to abandon the projected visit to Rufus' Stone. The drive was continued to Lyndhurst Road Station, where the train was waiting for the return journey to Southampton, which was reached at about 7.30 p.m.

At 10 a.m., the Section of Antiquities met in the Hall of the Hartley Institution. The President, Sir Edward Smirke, read "Observations upon the Records of the Town of Southampton." In the year 1837, the Record Commissioners made extensive inquiries respecting Corporation muniments, and in reply to those inquiries the Corporation of Southampton gave very full information. They instructed a gentleman named Allchin to make a thorough examination of their documents, and he compiled a careful report upon them. But, owing to the changes in the officials, this report had been entirely lost sight of and forgotten, and the meeting of the Institute would be of service to the Town by reviving this account of its muniments, of which he simply proposed to give an abstract. He might also refer to the history compiled by Dr. Speed, who lived about 100 years ago, and who left behind him some excellent MSS. containing a history of the Town which he was sorry had never been published. Sir Edward then glanced at the various classes of documents,—the charters, books of remembrance, books of by-laws, brokers' books, weighing books, accounts of the port, which included Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight, and the whole coast westwards as far as Melcombe or Weymouth, county-court books, books of the Admiralty court, a court in which the Silver Oar, now doing duty as a mace, was then carried before the Mayor as a symbol of Admiralty jurisdiction. Having given many remarks upon the nature of some of these records, Sir Edward commented upon the condition in which he had found the collection, which was far from Satisfactory. He had had every facility possible shown to him in making his examination, but the documents were not kept in a proper place, or in a proper manner. He had met with every courtesy; he had seen everything he wished; but he begged leave to say to the Corporation that they ought to provide a fit place for their records, and