from the several Libraries of Sir Henry Spelman, Sir Roger Twysden, Sir Edward Dering, Ralph Thoresby, John Anstis, Peter Le Neve, Morant, author of the History of Essex, Dr. Ducarel, Lord Chancellor Macclesfield, and other well known-Antiquaries.

The Library soon received a very considerable additional value by the acquisition of the Ancient Irish Manuscripts, and other Manuscripts relating to the History and Antiquities of Ireland, which formerly belonged to Mr. O'Conor of Belanagare, in the County of Roscommon, the Historian of Ireland, whose grandson, the late amiable and excellent Dr. Charles O'Conor, was appointed Librarian at Stowe; and this reverend gentleman, who was so peculiarly qualified by his superior knowledge of the Irish Language, and his indefatigable industry, immediately commenced the Translation into Latin of the early Irish Annals, from the original ancient chronicles and records, existing in this, and other celebrated collections. This learned and truly important work was subsequently printed under the title of "Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores Veteres," in four volumes quarto, and completed in the year 1826.

It was under the munificent patronage of George Marquess of Buckingham, and of his son the late Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, that Dr. O'Conor was enabled to make this valuable addition to the Historical literature of his native Country; the work was printed at Buckingham, at their sole expense, and intended only for gratuitous distribution among the principal libraries of Europe, and their private friends.

It may not be considered irrelevant here to state that the principal annals which compose the "Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," are the Annals of Ulster, to the year 1131: the Annals of Innisfallen, written in the year 1318: the Annals of Cluan to the year 1088, better known by the name of their writer Tigernach, who died in that year: the Annals of Boyle: the Annals of Donegal, commonly called those of the Four

Masters: Poems, and other ancient compositions in the Irish language and characters, and relating to the History of Ireland, from the seventh to the eleventh century.

During his long residence at Stowe, Dr. O'Conor also completed the "Bibliotheca MS. Stowensis, or a Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Stowe Library," of which it will be seen that the compiler of the present Catalogue has very largely availed himself, in the abridgement of much valuable information. This work, in two volumes quarto, was also printed at Buckingham in 1818 and 1819, for private distribution only, at the sole expense of the late Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, and as the impression was confined to a very limited number, the work has now become of considerable rarity and value.

The O'Conor Collection which was brought from Belanagare, included the first volume of the Annals of the Four Masters, (Lot 879) in the handwriting of that celebrated Irish Scholar, Michael O'Clery, of which the second volume is preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin; besides many ancient Irish Manuscripts on vellum, of very extraordinary historical interest and importance.

The next considerable addition to the Manuscript Library at Stowe, was a purchase made by the Marquess of Buckingham in 1808, from the late Earl of Essex, of the original and very extensive Correspondence (Lot 499) State Papers, and other valuable Books and Documents which formerly belonged to his ancestor, Arthur Capel, Earl of Essex, who was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the reign of Charles the Second. This Collection included that most important series of volumes entitled "The Distribution of Forfeited Lands in Ireland, pursuant to the Acts of Settlement and Explanation, composed by Thomas Taylor, Esq., by command of His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the year 1677." (Lot 612).

The late Duke of Buckingham also added at various times, several collections, and single volumes of considerable value, among which may particularly be mentioned, the ancient Irish Missal and Ritual, (Lot 996) of the 10th century, with the very extraordinary and beautiful cover in which it is contained, and which may be truly described as one of the most curious monuments of its kind now extant.

An ancient Irish Manuscript entitled "Leabhar Hy Maine, or the Book of the O'Kellys." (Lot 880).

The unique copy of the ancient Brehon Laws of Ireland (Lot 995) a Manuscript of the 14th century, presented by the Right Honble. Thomas Grenville, having been purchased by him at the sale of Count Macarthy's Library.

An original Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, by John Wading, (Lot 496) hitherto unpublished.

Twelve folio volumes containing the State Papers and Correspondence of Sir Thomas Edmondes, (Lot 707) Ambassador at the Court of France and in the Netherlands, during the reigns of Elizabeth and James the First. This collection includes not only the original draughts of all the dispatches of Sir Thomas Edmondes to his Sovereigns, but also the original letters addressed to him by Queen Elizabeth, and King James the First, and all the principal statesmen and persons of note, who were living at that period. These letters are nearly fifteen hundred in number, and are almost entirely unpublished.

The Military and Miscellaneous Collections of the three Generals Richards, during the Spanish War of Succession, at the beginning of the 18th century. (Lot 367).

The very characteristic and confidential Correspondence of Sarah Duchess of Marlborough with Mr. Craggs, during the last years of Queen Anne's reign, entirely unpublished, (Lots 109, 110). This correspondence includes also a few letters from John Duke of Marlborough.

The original Return to the High Sheriff of Bucks, relating

to the refusal of John Hampden, to submit to the imposition of the Tax, called Ship Money, a document of slight importance at the time, but which subsequent events rendered of considerable historical interest. (Lot 302).

A curious volume of cotemporary Drawings of the first Founders of the Order of the Garter, from Mr. Townley's Collection. (Lot 213).

The Official Correspondence of James Lord Chandos, when Ambassador at Constantinople in 1683. (Lot 229).

A volume of most elaborate and beautiful Indian Drawings of the magnificent Mausoleum at Agra, called the Taje Mahal. (Lot 338).

The Sonnets of Petrarch, on vellum; and coeval with the Poet. (Lot 480.)

The Catholicon of Johannes de Janua, on vellum, from the Pinelli collection. (Lot 483).

The Household Expense Book of Roger Lord North, from 1575 to 1589, in his original autograph. (Lot 484).

A very beautiful Missal, written in 1557 for John King of Portugal, (Lot 597); and many other very interesting articles, which it would be unnecessary here to enumerate, as descriptions of them will be found in the pages of the ensuing Catalogue.

With regard to the many suggestions which have been made respecting the mode in which a Catalogue of the Stowe Manuscripts should be formed; while some have advised an alphabetical arrangement, others, although advocating the classification of the subjects, have objected to a consecutive classification, as ill-suited to a Sale Catalogue, because a long continued series of lots upon the same subjects would be tedious to the company in an auction room, and these have considered therefore that the classification should be divided, so that some portion at least, of all the classes should appear on each day of the sale.

In the proverbial despair of pleasing all parties, the Compiler, at the particular request of Messrs. Sotheby, has endeavoured to obviate some of the difficulties, by the addition of a copious index, containing either the author's name, or the principal subject of the MS. or MSS. described in each lot, which he ventures to believe will be found useful, and with a sincere and earnest desire to spare no pains in doing all that should be most conducive to the successful disposal of the collection which had been for so many years under his care, he has weighed every opinion with due attention, but he has still reserved his own judgment, and adopted that plan which appeared to him the best calculated to serve the purposes for which the Catalogue was required.

The references appended to each lot are to the numbers of the Presses, and the numbers of the articles as they stand in the volumes of Dr. O'Conor's Catalogue above mentioned, and as they were originally placed in the Presses of the Manuscript Library at Stowe.

Those lots to which no such reference is appended, are, for the most part, articles which have been added to the Collection since Dr. O'Conor's Catalogue was printed.

April, 1849.

.W. J. S.