2(1 APPENDIX TO EIGHTH REPORT OP THE DEPUTY [app.
IX.
A PPENDIX IX.
Calendar to Fiants op King Edward VI.
Kktract from Preliminary Observations of J.
J.
Digges La Totjche, esq.,
the Assistant Deputy Keeper of the Records.
The Fiants of the reign of Edward tho Sixth do not differ in form from those of Henry tho Eighth, but are much more numerous.
The Schedule of Records of 1033, referred to in the report of last year gives the number of Fiants for this reign as 1,192; whilst the late Record Commissioners, in their manuscript catalogue, take cognizance of 1,257 documents.
Of those latter, however, four belong to the reign of Henry the Eighth, one to that of Philip and Mary, and four are but portions of two Fiants, which reduces their actual number to 1,250.
To these I have been enabled to add one Fiaut which the Commissioners included amongst those of Henry tho Eighth, five which I found in bundles labelled, " Fiants of various dates, and Fragments " (1 L, 93, 1 and 2), and ouo entered as a Fiant in tho Book of Patents in the Auditor-General's Office.
These make a total of 1,257 Fiants, being 65 more than appear to have existed in Charles the First's time : a dis¬ crepancy which 1 am unable to account for.
Of these 1,257, there are 8ii) marked as enrolled, although I have found on tho rolls only 781, leaving 38 which, though marked as enrolled, would not appear to have been ho.
Six hundred and nineteen, or nearly half, of these Fiants consist of pardons, tho leases (227) forming the next largest class, while the balance is made up of the usual classes ; (Grants of English liberty (99), Presentations (80), Grants of Office (77), Grants of Pensions (39), Liveries (38), Pardons and Licenses of alienation (35), CiianL in Too (9), Appointments to Bishopries, and other miscellaneous documents.
Many of the present comities of Ireland not having been formed at this period, there are many instances in which townlands are described in tho Wants as being in counties other than those to which they now belong.
Mr, Mills Juis endeavoured, as far as possible, to obviate this difficulty by putting tho present county in tho Index, after the names of tho lands, a task of no small difficulty and labour.
1 have again to bear witness to tho ablo and assiduous help afforded mo by Mr.
Mills.
