Preface.

The conclusion of the third volume of Inquisitiones Post Mortem for the City of London completes the transcripts of these important documents for the whole of the Tudor Period. The Indices Locorum and Nominum supplied will greatly facilitate reference, and have been the labour of love of Mr. Herbert C. Welch and Mr. E. A. Fry.

A few Inquisitions that have been put into their proper places since the printing of them was commenced form an Appendix on pages 318–348.

The whole of the transcripts that have appeared in the pages of these volumes of Inquisitions was the work of the late Miss Emma Walford, whose death will be felt by all who knew her.

As is no doubt well known, the Public Record Office is producing very full Calendars of the Inquisitions throughout the Kingdom. Two different periods have been started, viz., from the very earliest in Henry III.'s reign, and also from 1 Henry VII., and several volumes in both periods have appeared.

Though these Calendars, of course, are very much fuller than any Official Calendar previously published, they are in no sense full or complete abstracts like those issued under the auspices of the British Record Society. These latter give a very great deal more information as to persons, places and things than do the Official Calendars above mentioned.

What period the next Series of these Inquisitions this Society will take up has not yet been decided, but it has been suggested that either the Stuart Period for the City of London, or the Tudor Period for the County of Middlesex, might very well be taken in hand.

EDW. ALEX. FRY.