57
edition of those which he used, and noticed the
variationii of the others. We should tEe& have
obtained some distinct acquamtance with eaqi
Md some mfierenees of more or lessr momrai
would probably have resulted from an inspec-
tion of their discrepancies. These might be,
and probably were, considerable.
I hme abstained from giving any accoiittt
the edition which appears in this book, and
constitutes the main^ or most important por«
tion, both on that account, and because it
wants a date* The circumstances, proofs, and
probabilities respecting its age and value will be
seen in the appropriate place.
I will now introduce the promised account of
the MS. collection of these Taxsa in the British
Museum. It is found in the Harleian depart*
ment ; and is described in the last Catalogue of
the MSS. in it, in 4 vols. fid. 1806, in Vol. II.
pp. 262, &c. It consists of two volumes, small
folio. Num. 1850, 1, 2, written on vellum,
having every appearance of genuineness and
coeval antiquity-^that is^ the former part of the
sixteenth century. These volumes were with*
drawn from the Archives of the Roman Chan-
cery on the death of Innocent XII. by John
Aymon^ Apostolic Frothonotary ; and bought
