Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.djvu/27

Rh It can hardly escape notice, that no uniformity has been observed with regard to the spelling of the proper names hereafter occurring, but that, for instance, the same individual may be called Cædwalla in one place, Ceadwalla in another, and perhaps Cadwalla in a third. This variation is produced by different forms being employed by the several authorities consulted, and the desire to give, in every case, the precise name adopted in the passage referred to.

With regard to the general character of what is now offered to the public I would remark, that no pretension is made to being an authority upon the subjects treated of. What was proposed has been merely to assist, and occasionally to direct, the curiosity of others ; as well as to suggest and aid in the preservation of any curious and interesting relics of olden days, which have hitherto escaped the ravages of the fell destroyer, Time. Should my efforts prove successful, and acceptable to those, into whose hands they may fall, the time and labour bestowed upon the work will be amply recompensed ; and the only cause of regret will be, that the undertaking was not commenced by one better qualified to render the compilation more complete, though in what has been accomplished truth and accuracy have been most diligently studied. It would have been most desirable, that the personal survey of all the churches, sites, and other objects, hereafter enumerated, should have been perfected, before the work was made public; but this has not been, and in all human probability never can be, in my power. Wherefore, instead of waiting for opportunities of improvement, which may never occur, I have preferred offering this unfinished outline, such as I have hitherto been able to make it. Since proposals were issued for publishing these Notes, every feasible endeavour has been made to carry on the plan of them ; and much has actually been effected, notwithstanding that the consequences of serious illnesses have been felt through the whole of 1849 up to the present moment ; but for which perhaps this attempt might have been rendered less unworthy of attention. Whatever errors may be detected are involuntary, and corrections of them will be thankfully accepted, as so many approaches to the aims professed above. The occupation, arising from the inquiries of which the results are detailed below, has proved highly interesting, beside opening new sources of knowledge ; but I had no idea upon how wide a field of labour I was entering, though, having commenced, the only alternative was, either to abandon