§ SIR T. G. ESMONDEI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he will have the Reports of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records in Ireland, which are out of print, reprinted, as is done in the case of the Reports of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records in England; if he will cause the publication of the Calendar to the Fiants for Ireland to be continued where it was left off in 1886, and carried on until completed; and if he can state how far the publication of the MSS. (English, Foreign, and Irish) of the Irish Franciscans in Dublin has proceeded, and when they will be published.
§ MR. HANBURYThe hon. Member is mistaken in thinking that Reports of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records in England have been reprinted. I am informed that it is not desirable to continue the Calendar to the Fiants for Ireland. The period covered by the Calendar was selected because the Patent Rolls belonging to it were very defective; but it was always intended to stop the work when it had been carried to the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, as after that date the Patent Rolls are complete and include practically everything in the Fiants. Calendars of the Patent Rolls of the reign of James I., the early years of Charles I. and part of Charles II. have already been published. The Report of the Inspector of the Historical Manuscripts Commission on the MSS. of the Irish Franciscans in Dublin is almost complete, and will probably be presented to Parliament before the end of the present session.