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 2i6 Devon Notes and Queries, 173. Edward A. Freeman's "Exeter." — The merits of the late Professor Freeman as one of the leaders of the Oxford School of historical research are too well known to need praise here. The distinctive feature of that school is strict and minute accuracy. It insists on treating history as a science rather than an art, in verifying every reference, in making no statement without authority, and limiting every statement to what is contained in the authority. Instead of seeking by skilful word-painting to impress on the reader the writer's ideas as to what the past was like, after the fashion of Macaulay and Froude, it aims at making the past, so far as possible, represent itself. It is only in this way that the evolution of the human race racially, socially, economically, morally and religiously, can be traced with scientific precision. With this high standard of history-writing before him, we turn to Professor Freeman's "Exeter," published as one of a series of Historic Towns. The edition before us is the fourth, and is dated 1895, ^^^ ^^ certain errors in the earlier editions remain uncorrected, a few notes may be acceptable. The preface states that ** this volume does not represent any independent research into the Exeter archives." It is well to be told this at the outset, errare est kumanum, and as even an Oxford Professor cannot be expected to know every- thing about every place, we venture to draw attention to some mistakes in this volume which the Professor, in his own characteristic language, would have called ** howlers." On page 53 we are told that Richard de Redvers Earl of Devon was the son of Baldwin the Sheriff, baron of Okhamton, the builder of Exeter Castle. This is simply a " howler," but a howler of extraordinary vitality. It appears in the Dic- tionary of National Biography in the life of Baldwin de Redvers. Mr. Round {Feudal England^ pp. 473,486) has shewn that there was no connection between Baldwin the Sheriflf and Baldwin de Redvers, and also Planch6 {The Conqueror and his Com- panionSf II, 40). One .died quite 65 years after the other. The earlier one, Baldwin the SheriflF, was the husband of Albreda the Conqueror's niece, and had three sons (William, Robert and Richard) and two daughters (Adela and Emma). William appears to have predeceased his father {Oliver Mon.^ pp. 117 and 153, and Robert (Round, Lc. p. 473) had the Castle of Brion (Planch^ II, 42). Richard, surnamed de Sap,