SOME NOTICES OF RECORDS PRESERVED AMONGST THE CORPORATION ARCHIVES AT SOUTHAMPTON.
Communicated to the Historical Section, at the Annual Meeting of the Institute at Winchester, in September, 1845.
Amongst the miscellaneous records and accounts relating to the administration of affairs in the corporate towns, much curious information may be gathered, in reference both to local history and customs, but not less illustrative of the gradual establishment of the commercial greatness of our country, the progressive extension of its manufactures, and of numerous points of statistical enquiry, important both to the historian and antiquary. Municipal archives, in too many instances, have suffered from the want of a due appreciation of their general interest; the apprehension of some improper use being made of information gained by their perusal, and still more the difficulties of decyphering and interpreting the antiquated writing or obsolete expressions, which they present, have often proved insurmountable impediments to the prosecution of enquiry. It may, however, confidently be anticipated that the Annual Meetings of the Archæological Institute in the great towns of the empire will hereafter tend to arouse a more lively care for the preservation of such memorials, and that having been classified and arranged they may become readily available for any object of useful investigation.
There is no ground of complaint of neglect, or any difficulty in obtaining access, as regards the muniments of the town of Southampton. Mr. Rushworth Keele has kindly placed in my hands a large collection of extracts from documents preserved in the corporation chest, and from these I have compiled a few brief notices and particulars, which I have thought might prove not altogether uninteresting to the readers of the Archæological Journal.
I propose to give a concise account of the records themselves, and to make a few extracts illustrative of manners, prices, and peculiar customs in use at different periods in the town.
The most ancient charters are those of 1 John, and 36 Hen. III. The first contains the earliest evidence of mercantile prosperity, in a permission to the burgesses to pass unchallenged through all territories subject to the king.
