Page:VCH London 1.djvu/30

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PREFACE the present time, in 1739. This volume includes the area comprised in the Bills of Mortality, so that it treats of parts of the districts now called the suburbs of London. A new edition was published in 1766 by John Entick, and a posthumous edition in 1776. A New History of London ific lading Westminster and Southwark was brought out by John Noorthouck in 1773. This was followed in 1790 by Thomas Pennant's popular History of London, which went through several editions. The 19th century produced work of more scholarly value, but much of it was still lacking in original research. William Herbert's History of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of London (1836-7), although not a history of London, deals so well with an important feature of that history that it deserves mention here. Thomas Allen's History and Antiquities of London, Westminster and Southwark (1827-8), Charles Knight's Tendon (i 841-4), and Peter Cunningham's Handbook of London (1849) g^^^ much information in a popular way. The Rev. W. J. Loftie, M.A., F.S.A., has brought together an immense amount of information in his History of London, published in 1883—4 ; and although his conclusions do not always meet with universal approval, students of the history of London owe him much for his effort to give an account of London drawn largely from original sources. London and the Kingdom, by Dr. R, R. Sharpe, published in 1894—5, deals principally with political history, but contains so many references to original documents that it is valuable to all those working on any branch of the history of London. Mr. Charles Welch, F.S.A., in his Modern History of London, published in 1896, has collected much interesting matter about London since 1760. A recent work on London is that of the late Sir Walter Besant, in which a popular account of London principally from the social point of view will be found. Although not strictly an historian of London, a list such as the fore- going cannot be closed without a reference to Henry Thomas Riley, M.A., whose editions of various London records have eased the labours of many historians. Particular mention must be made to his Munimenta Gildhallae Londoniensis, printed in the Rolls Series in i860, and his Memorials of London atjd London Life, published in 1868. Reference should also be made to Repertorium Ecclesiasticum Parochiale Londonense, by Richard Newcourt, published in 1708-10, and to the new edition of the same work by the Rev. George Henessey, B.A., pubHshed in 1898, which have done much to assist in elucidating obscure points in the history of London parishes. The publications of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society and the London Topographical Society contain many valuable papers with regard to the history of London. For making available the records of the Corporation of London the gratitude of students is due to Mr. Reginald R. Sharpe, D.C.L., Records Clerk of the City of London, for his scholarly work on the docu- ments under his charge, particularly in regard to his Calendar of the Letter Books of the City of London ; and to Mr. E. J. L. Scott, M.A., D.Litt., for his arrangement of the muniments of the Dean and Chapter xxii