of a deed, so that it is evident that one or two membranes are wanting here. On the back of roll 6 an Apprentice Deed occurs. It cannot have any business there. Moreover, what could have been the use of recording it nearly twenty-five years after it was executed? Clearly someone has blundered. I can only explain it by supposing that the original was lying about, and by accident got between two deeds handed in for registration, and the clerk (perhaps new to the work) entered it with the others. The last enrolment was made in January, 1649.

As one would expect from what has just been said, file 6 does not continue the sequence as it ought. The first deed was enrolled in April, 1644, giving a hiatus of three years. It consists of thirty-nine rolls ending in January, 165. There is nothing in it to warrant particular mention.

File 7 commences in January, 1653, leaving a whole year unaccounted for. As the next year occupies five rolls, it seems reasonable to suppose that some rolls at the end of file 6 are lost. This file ends in June, 1679, showing a gap of about three years between the last two entries, and the last is incomplete.

The series virtually ends with file 7, but three rolls are evidently missing, one to complete that file; and what I have called file 8 consists of only one roll, which is No. 3. It contains two deeds enrolled Dec., 1683, and Oct., 1684, respectively. The latter is imperfect, and relates to Little Walsingham charities.

That the Act quoted was becoming obsolete is clear from the rolls themselves. The number of enrolments per annum decreases; and roll 31 in d on file 7 is a deed entered thirty-five years after the execution, and then only to show the title of the vendor in a new conveyance, the copy of which is not found.

In fact the practitioners of the day had found a means of evading the Act by a method with which anyone, who has had occasion to examine title deeds, must be thoroughly familar; I mean the lease for a year and release. It is, moreover, a noteworthy coincidence that the date of the Statute of Frauds (29 Car. II. c. 3, i.e., 1677), almost exactly corresponds with that at which this series ceases. Seeing that it enacted that a feoffment must be in writing to be effectual, and said nothing about enrolment, it may be surmised that it made enrolment no longer necessary and rendered 27 Hen. VIII. c. 16 nugatory.

File 9 is of two rolls, temp. William and Mary, and comprises four years, from 1689-1693.

There is a roll for 1st Anne, numbered Rot. 1; I have called it file 10. It contains but one deed, which is an interesting one, showing how a woman, about to marry, created a separate estate for herself, during coverture, without the aid of a married woman's property act. We may be sure she was anxious to have it registered.

File 11 has sixteen rolls, but they are of a different. class to the others, and contain the award of the Commissioners appointed for the Inclosures of the parishes of Stokesby and Oxburgh, and the remainder entirely relate to the conveyances of the estates of Papists, commanded to be enrolled by 3 Geo. c. 18, the first deed bearing the date of the following year, and the last enrolment preserved took place in January, 1731.

I have not been able to arrive at any satisfactory conclusion respecting the Norfolk conveyances during the first quarter of a century, after the passing of the Act, 27 Hen. VIII. c. 16. It is said to have been evaded soon after the promulgation, but that fact will not account for their non-existence. The parties had the option of the registration at Westminster, but it does

not appear altogether reasonable to suppose they resorted to a course that must have been very expensive. On the other hand, it is odd that there should now be not the slightest trace or fragment of the earliest enrolments at the Shirehall.

Until now, all the county records have been a sealed letter for the historical enquirer, not that he was unable to obtain permission to make a search, but he had needs be a keen searcher to be prepared to examine thousands of slips of parchment on the chance of one or two supplying the information required. The following calendar will only render accessible a very small proportion.

I have said something of the genealogical value of these rolls. As to their topographical, I may add that Blomefield never saw them. His mark is conspicuous by its absence at the Shirehall, and they contain matter that is an addition to his work. For example, take the first item of the calendar, and turn to Blomefield, vol. xi., p. 184, and it will be seen at once that he knew nothing about it. Better still, look on the back of R. 13, of the first file, which entry must refer to Kirstead. We find in Blomefield that Thomas Godsalve purchased a fourth part of Kirstead Miniots, 36 Hen. VIII., and that John Copledike held it about 22 Eliz. Now the calendar will show that Thomas Gawdye conveyed a fourth part of the manor to Copledike, and the roll gives us his (Gawdye's) title, viz., the purchase of the same part from Thomas Godsalve, on 11 Oct., 3 Eliz. I might give several other instances. At the same time, Blomefield, undoubtedly, saw the originals of several of the enrolled deeds.

In conclusion, I desire to express my thanks to the officials at the Shirehall, especially to Mr. H. C. Bolingbroke, the County Treasurer, for courteous help and accommodation in his office.

From 10 Jan", 156, to 21 Feb, 1578.

1 Septer, 2nd Eliz., 1560.

Rollesby.-Bargain and sale by Thomas Gawdye, Esqre, of Rockland, Robert Cooke of Mileham, gentleman, and John Yongs, to William Cappes of Acle, gentleman, of the reversion of the manor of Rollesbye, with the rights, liberties, and members, and the advowson of the church of Rollesbye.-Roll 1.

20 Febry, 3rd Eliz., 156.

Illington, &c.'-Conveyance by John Inglysshe of Croxton, yeoman, and Elizabeth his wife, the sister and heir of Thomas Hay, late of Illington, deceased, to John Holt, gentleman, of a messuage and other lands, meadows, &c., in Illington, Larling, Rowdeham, Wrettham, Hockham Magna and Parva, and Sheopham.-R. 1, in dorso.

1 This means that other places are mentioned in the deed.

16 March, 3rd Eliz., 156f.

Wheatacre Burgh.-Bargain and sale by Edmond Acton of Aldbye and Alice his wife, executors of the will of William Mannall of Aldebye, to Anthonie Baspool of Wheteacre, of a messuage called Palmers, with lands, meadows, &c., in Wheteacre Burgh.-R. 1, in đ.

20 March, 6th Eliz., 156.

Clenchwarton.-Conveyance by William Hoo of Tylney, gentleman, to Richard Hoo his nephew, of lands, meadows, &c., in Clenchwarton. (This indenture has been cancelled). -R. 2.

26 Febry, 6th Eliz., 1563.

Fishley, &c.-Bargain and sale by Jherome Bowes, Esqre, of Cockthorp, to Robert Wood, Alderman of Norwich, of a moiety of the manor of Fyssheley alias Fyshelye, and of other lands, tenements, &c., in Fyssheley, Ocle, Southwalsham, Upton, Burlingham St Andrew, Burlingham St Peter, Burlingham St Edmonde, Cantley, Freethorp, Bastwicke, Letheringsett, Wyckhampton, Moughton, Berton alias Barton, and Smalbergh alias Smalborough, and a moiety of the rectory and church of Fysshley.-R. 2 and in d.

10 Jany, 8th Eliz., 1568.

Dersingham, &c.—Bargain and sale by William Curson, Esqr, of Bylaught alias Bylowe, to Jefferey Cobbs, Esqre, of Sandryngham, of the manor of Gethamhall alias Gythamhall, with the rights, liberties, and members, and other lands, tenements, &c., in Darsingham, Sherborne, Wolverton, Sandringham, and Babinglee.-R. 3.

28 Febry, 8th Eliz., 1568.

West Rudham. -Bargain and sale by John Holland of Booton, draper, brother and next heir of Robert Holland late of West Rudham, deceased, the son and heir of Thomas Holland late of West Rudham, deceased, to Robert Good