PREFACE.
The statutes of the realm, collected by Command of His late Majesty King George the Third, in pursuance of an Address of the House of Commons of Great Britain, and which are carried from Magna Carta to the last Year of the Reign of Queen Anne, both inclusive, have some time since been printed, and are comprized in Nine Volumes folio; together with a temporary Chronological Index to each Volume.
By an Order, made at a Board of the Commissioners appointed by His said late Majesty on the Public Records of the Kingdom, dated the 29th June 1816, it is Ordered, That a General Index to the Statutes of the Realm should be framed, in Two Parts; and that, in the one Part thereof, the several Matters contained in the Statutes should be classed under General Heads, stating under each Head succinctly the Substance of their respective Enactments, and proceeding under each Head chronologically; and that, in the other of such Parts, the several Matters contained in the Statutes should be arranged alphabetically, in a Manner indicating only the Subject Matter of each Clause, and not professing to give the Substance of the Enactment.
By an Order made at a Board of the said Commissioners, dated the 27th April 1822, it is Ordered, That the under-signed Sub-Commissioner should forthwith compile the Alphabetical Index to the Statutes of the Realm, in Nine Volumes in folio; and therein to follow the Arrangement directed by the before-mentioned Order of the 29th June 1816.
The index, which forms the present Volume, has been completed in conformity with the Orders above stated; its Purpose is to afford a correct and ready Reference to every Enactment contained in the Statutes to which it relates; and no Attention has been spared in the Endeavour to give full Effect to that Purpose.
It may be proper to state, that in conformity with the Order dated 29th June 1816, considerable progress has been made in the General Chronological Index.
JOHN RAITHBY.
| Lincoln's Inn, |
| Feb. 1824. |
