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text authorities, the Cosin MS., will afford abundant proof of the defects of his edition, but the Norton roll establishes them in the most decided way. Old North-country words have been rejected; peculiar modes of expression of a local character have been generalized, and whole sentences have occasionally been so condensed as to convey an imperfect idea of their original character and meaning. That Davies took these liberties is the more to be regretted, as the manuscript from which he printed, although apparently in some respects less perfect than those above specified, seems to have contained matter not to be found in any of them; and the editor of the edition of 1844 has, upon a few occasions, transcribed from Davies's book what could not elsewhere be found, using the reference Dav.

In the present edition these passages are all printed from MS. L. They are also contained in MS. C.

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The above reason may suffice to justify the Surtees Society in apparently departing from one of its rules. This interesting Record of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Monastical Church of Durham, unique in its kind, and throwing so much light upon Benedictine and monastic observances, "is now (says the editor of the earlier Surtees edition), "for the first time, faithfully printed from the best authorities which can be found, with a collation of other existing manuscripts; and the garb which it assumes invests it with a new character. It must further be stated, that Davies's book, in its original state, is so exceedingly rare, that few people possess it, and that even in this respect alone a new edition was desirable ' (1844). I

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I The Society has now (1903) departed still further in reprinting one of its own early volumes. This has, however, long been out of print, and is in great demand. The reprinting, moreover, has given the opportunity of consulting additional MSS., giving a more accurate text, and adding more appendices, as well as the notes, plans, etc,

We have said "in its original state," for, in the year 1733, Dr. Christopher Hunter made it the basis of a little volume, which he published under the following title :

"Durham Cathedral, as it was before the Dissolution of the Monastry; containing an account of the Rites, Customs, and Ceremonies used therein, together with the Histories painted in the Windows, and an appendix of various Antiquities, collected from several Manuscripts. -Durham, printed by J. Ross for Mrs. Waghorn, 1733."

In the year 1743, Dr. Hunter professed to publish a second edition of the above book, but the title only was new. It runs as follows :—

"The History of the Cathedral Church of Durham as it was before the Dissolution of the Monastry containing An Account of the RITES, CUSTOMS, and CEREMONIES used therein, Together with a Particular Description of the Fine Paintings in the Windows; Likewise the TRANSLATION of St. CUTHBERT'S Body from Holy Island; With the Various Accidents that attended it's Interment here; with an APPENDIX of divers ANTIQUITIES collected. from the best MANUSCRIPTS. The Second Edition, with Additions. DURHAM, Printed for JOHN RICHARDSON, Bookseller, at the Bible and Crown, price 2s."

Dr. Hunter's book contains a few corrections of Davies from MS. Cosin and H. 45, to which he seems to have had access, and also a few monumental inscriptions: but there is the same disregard of ancient phraseology, and a remarkable neglect of Brathwaite's additions to the latter of the above authorities. We have made one or two references to Dr. Hunter's edition. Of his appendix we shall have occasion to speak hereafter.

In the year 1767 Hunter's edition was reprinted by a bookseller in Durham of the name of Patrick Sanderson, with still further deviations from the original, and with

numerous additional inaccuracies, the result of carelessness. Appended to Sanderson's edition is a "Description of the County Palatine of Durham," occupying 135 pages, based upon Magna Britannia Antiqua et Nova [by T. Cox and A. Hall], Lond., 1738, I, 606–648. The title of Sanderson's book, of which there was a large impression, is as follows:

"The ANTIQUITIES of the ABBEY or Cathedral Church of DURHAM, also A particular Description of the County Palatine of Durham, Compiled from the best Authorities and Original Manuscripts. To which is added, The Succession of the BISHOPS, DEANS, ARCHDEACONS, and PREBENDS, The BISHOP'S COURTS, and his OFFICERS, And the CASTLES and MANSION-HOUSES of the Nobility and Gentry, with other Particulars. Newcastle-upon-Tyne : Printed by J. WHITE and T. SAINT, for P. SANDERSON, at Mr. Pope's Head, in Durham, MDCCLXVII."

I

In our Appendix (No. I, pp. 109-122) was printed in 1844 from H. 44, the only manuscript then known in which it was contained, "A Description of the Histories in the Glass Windows of the Church of Durham."2 This description is also printed by Hunter, and from the same authority but here again the language is modernized, The com

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and there are great inaccuracies in his text. pilation is ascribed by Hunter to Prior Wessington, upon no authority. In fact, some of the figures represented persons who flourished long after Wessington's death.

The memoranda and letter of Henry the Sixth (Appendix II, pp. 122, 123) are also printed by Hunter, p. 167, but no authority is assigned. We have found them

This "Description" has since been found in other MSS., and is here printed from MS. Rawlinson, B. 300. See above, p. xi.

2 The reader will be pleased to consider the above as the proper title of the first Article in the Appendix, and not "A Description of the Glass Histories in the Windows " [Edition 1844]. The correct title is given in this edition.

in a manuscript in the Library of Bishop Cosin, B. II. 2,1 and have thought it right, by printing them entire, to supply Hunter's omissions.

Appendix III, pp. 124-136. The reference to the authority for this portion of the Appendix is given in a note to p. 124. These inscriptions were printed in 1844 for the first time, curtailed, however, of much of the history which is appended to each in the manuscript, and which was probably equally omitted upon the pictures. We have now, however, printed at length for the second time such biographical notices as are appended to the Saints of Lindisfarne, or the Northern Counties, and from them the nature of the rest may be ascertained.

Appendix IV, pp. 137-143. These inscriptions, probably upon panels beneath the figures represented, are to be found only in the MS. Cosin, B. II. 2, above referred They were first printed, but inaccurately, by Dr.

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Hunter.

Appendix V, pp. 144—147. A list of the dependants or livery men of the Church of Durham, in 1510, with their respective offices, from an entry in one of the Bursars' Books, together with the quantity of cloth which each received, according to his station.

Appendix VI, pp. 148–158. An abstract of such Indulgences as are preserved in the Treasury, granted to those who promoted the building of the Nine Altars, who visited in devotion and with gifts the shrine of St. Cuthbert, the various altars and relics of the Church, or who in any way contributed to its benefit. These Indulgences afford many valuable dates; and it is interesting to

1 "Collectio Antiquitatum Ecclesiæ Dunelmensis, begun the 14th of November, 1660. A transcript of a manuscript which Mr. Greeke hath: ended 26 of November, 1660." This volume, which was transcribed at the instance of Bishop Cosin, and contains several directions to the copyist in his hand, consists chiefly of extracts from Simeon Dunelm. and Prior Wessington's Collections relative to the Benedictines in the Durham Chapter MS. B. III. 30, hereafter mentioned.

observe how those dates confirm the character of existing architectural details.

Appendix VII, pp. 159, 160.

Notes containing some

interesting information, now (1903) printed for the first time, and supplemented by notes, pp. 296, 297.

Notes now (1903)

Appendix VIII, pp. 161-168. printed for the first time, and supplemented on pp. 297—

301.

Appendix IX, pp. 169, 170. Curious as giving some information as to facts and feelings existing about the year 1776.

Appendix X, p. 171. This interesting little Inventory speaks for itself, and helps us to imagine how the other altars were furnished.

Appendix XI, pp. 172—191. These extracts from a Durham Missal are given at the suggestion of Dr. J. Wickham Legg, F.S.A., and are printed from a transcript kindly made by him for insertion in this volume.

The three Plans given in this edition are in some sort an afterthought. They were not finally decided on until the notes were all printed, or they would have been there referred to from time to time. It is hoped that with the help of the explanations they will be found useful; they can always be referred to in place of Carter's or any that are mentioned in the notes.

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After the notes on page 261 had been printed, it was suggested by Mr. W. H. St. John Hope that the cloister laver had probably been in the usual situation, over against the frater door," as stated in Rites, ch. XL, and not in the middle of the garth, as has long been supposed. Many generations have been misled by the marble basin having been placed in the middle when the building that had sheltered it was demolished. Excavations in the

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