COUNCIL OF THE CAMDEN SOCIETY

FOR THE YEAR 1856-7.

President.

THE RIGHT HON. LORD BRAYBROOKE, F.S.A.
WILLIAM HENRY BLAAUW, ESQ. M.A. F.S.A.
JOHN BRUCE, ESQ. V.P.S.A. Director.

JOHN PAYNE COLLIER, ESQ. F.S.A. Treasurer.
WILLIAM DURRANT COOPER, ESQ. F.S.A.
BOLTON CORNEY, ESQ. M.R.S.L.

JAMES CROSBY, ESQ. F.S.A.

SIR HENRY ELLIS, K.II, F.R.S., DIR. S.A.

THE EARL JERMYN, M.P. F.S.A.

THE REV. LAMBERT B. LARKING, M.A.

PETER LEVESQUE, ESQ. F.S.A.
FREDERIC OUVRY, ESQ. Treas.S.A.

WILLIAM J. THOMS, ESQ. F.S.A. Secretary.
WILLIAM TITE, ESQ. M.P. F.R.S. F.S.A.

ALBERT WAY, ESQ. M.A, F.S.A.

THE REV. JOHN WEBB, M.A., F.S.A.

The COUNCIL of the CAMDEN SOCIETY desire it to be understood that they are not answerable for any opinions or observations that may appear in the Society's publications; the Editors of the several works being alone responsible for the same.

INTRODUCTION.

SIR JAMES WHITELOCKE, the writer of the manuscript now published, occupied a prominent position in the reigns of James I. and Charles I. Rising from the middle ranks, he became a lawyer of eminence, connected himself with several families of importance, took a leading part in constitutional proceedings in parliament, sat with credit on the judicial bench, and was author of several valuable professional and antiquarian papers. Nor does our interest in his family terminate with himself. As in the previous instances of More and Bacon, and in several other eminent and well-known cases, which occur far more frequently in the law than in other professions, sir James's son, Bulstrode Whitelocke, excelled his father in all the principal points of his career. As a lawyer he was more eminent, as a statesman far more distinguished, and as an author, his works are among the most useful materials for the history of his period."

A marriage with an heiress of the De la Beches, near the end of the reign of Henry VI., first brought the Whitelockes into consider

a The recent republication of his Journal of his Swedish Embassy, under the editorship of Henry Reeve, esq. (2 vols. 8vo. 1855), affords proof that his works still interest historical readers. Of his Historical Memorials it is sufficient to remark that it is scarcely possible to find a book upon any incident in the reign of Charles I. which does not contain many references to it as an authority.