Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 9.djvu/40

 26 NOTES AND QUERIES. [i2s.ix.j UL Y9,i92i. My Dear Sir Henry, Do you think Government would purchase my Manuscripts ? at a fair estimate. Believe me, yours truly, (Signed) T. PHILLIPPS. Middle Hill, 25 March, 1835. To Sir Henry Ellis, K.H., British Museum, London. Dear Sir, I am sorry to say Lady P's illness still lingers j upon her, and I shall not, I fear, be able to see you. If the subject upon which you called the other I day was the offer of the MSS., and the possible amount required to execute my proposal, I beg to say that it would be between 4=0 & 50,000, or perhaps 50,000. tt is a sum which probably can only be raised by an appeal to the Nation in general. You ca^ write me a note privately, stating your opinion as to the feasibility of the plan. I am, Dear Sir, very truly yours, THOS. PHILLIPPS. 29 Feb., 1832, St'ford PI. To Henry Ellis, Esq., British Museum, Bloomsbury. Middle Hill, 2 May '47. My Dear Sir Henry, I have just received yours this morning. It is singular that we should have thought of each other probably at the same moment. I sent to you yesterday through Sir P. Madden, the first leaves of the Index to my catalogue of MSS., with my Compliments, begging your acceptance of them. The remainder shall come, when finished. I am sorry to say there were only 50 Copies of the Glamorgan Pedigrees printed, and all are gone, or engaged. The fact is, I only printed them for the*Glamorgan Gentlemen, and nearly every one is swallowed up by that County. You ask me, " Why I print so very few." Alas ! The reason is but too plain, my Dear Sir Henry, " because many people will not buy." When I started in life as a Topographer, I was desirous of spreading knowledge much more widely, and therefore printed my 100 & 200 Copies of each, but I soon found very few would buy, either through some dandy affectation of fine Paper, or fine Printing (neither of which do I profess, being merely desirous to preserve the simple facts of History), or through some other absurd motive. The consequence was that my works lay rotting in the sheets and encumbering my house, and compelled me to reduce the number printed. Therefore the quantity fell to 50 Copies, and still more recently to 25, or 30. I was never desirous of making a profit by them. ; all I wanted was the repayment of the cost of printing, binding, paper and plates. I see no remedy but to recommend Gentlemen who wish to have my Printed Works to form them- selves into a Club, which they may call if they please " Middle Hill Club," who will engage to take what I print. I will guarantee that what I print shall not have been printed before as an entire work. As to the works already printed, those who j join the club first ought of course to have the i priority as far as the copies, which are left, extend. I would, however, confine the number to 50, and 5 copies extra for the Public Libraries, unless the applications for admission should be so very numerous as to call for an extension, but in no case whatever to exceed 100 copies. I should be glad to hear your opinion of my plan, and in the meantime, believe me, My Dear Sir Henry, most truly yours, (Signed) THOS. PHILLIPPS. To Sir Henry Ellis, British Museum. ALECK ABRAHAMS. ALDEBURGH. EXTRACTS FROM CHAMBERLAINS' ACCOUNT-BOOK. 1625-1649. (See 12 S. viii. 506, and references there given. } 16 PAYMENTS. 38 THE further item for renewing the charter in 1637 brings the charges up to 52 13s. Od. The letter to the Bishop is the one re- ferred to under date 1632 ; the dispute lasted many years. The copy of the Earl of Arundel and Surrey's letter is in the ' Copy-Book of Letters written to and from the Corporation in the years 1625-1663,' f. 138 ; he encloses the petition from, his tenants, and beseeches that the Bishop will confirm the Chancellor's report and free the tenants from further vexation from the vicar, " whose part and duty it is to pratize peace, and not to give his parishioners so much ill example and dis- content as appeeres in their peticon." Thorpe about a mile and a half from Aldeburgh is still celebrated for its lob- sters. I am unable to find the word " cravize " in any old dictionary, and have come to the conclusion it is derived from the French ecrerisse. Am I wrong ? The former opening to the Haven at Thorpe is now quite closed ; it was free, a few years back, at high water, but frequently had to be " cut open." pd June 7th 1638 to Mr Thomas Johnson to make up a some of money that he paid at London towards the charge of re- newinge the Charter the some of. . 17 13 00 pd Mr Bond for expencs at Ipswich at the Assizes himself and his horse fowre dayes 00 12 00 More* that he paid for a Court booke 00 05 00 Paid willm Dinyngton for horse hyre to Norwich to carry a lettr to the Bishopp <fc for horsemeat and mans meat for three dayes. . 00 10 08 Spent with the secretary to get the letter delived & givne the porter .. 00 02 06