Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/165

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE MUNIMENTS OF THE ABBEY OF WESTMINSTER. By JOSEPH BURTT, AssisUnt-Keeper of Public Records. The work " Historical ][emorials of Westminster Abbey," by the Dean of Westminster, has already made known the circumstance, in only too favourable terms, of my beitig engaged in improving the condition of the Records of that ancient and most interesting foundation. But the aim of that work was far too high, and its scope too wide, to permit the author to do more than glance at some of the most im- portant documents in the collection, to use much of the information they contained, and to discuss concisely their bearing and effect. And now that my labours have been brought to a close, and a selection of the most remarkable and interesting of those Records has long been submitted to minute inspection by the public — in accordance with that system of creating a regard for everything connected with the noble structure to which they relate, which has of late years increased so much the public interest in such matters — the time seems to have arrived for giving some general idea of the entire collection. Such an account will have both advantages and disadvantages in appearing after such a work as the " Historical Memorials," and may be thought to present only the crumbs of a feast from which the best dishes have been carried off ; but yet the value of what remains will be found to be much enhanced by the attractions of that work. I propose first to glance at what was probably the early condition of the Abbey Muniments. A substantive portion of the fabric, as rebuilt by Henry HI., was the gallery in the south transept for the purposes of a Muniment Room. Sir G. G. Scott has carefully described its architectural details, si)oken of the large oaken cliests of the thirteenth century which arc krpt there, and of the jirobablc value of their con-