NOTE—20th March 1839.
Since the Preface to these sheets was in types, and, indeed, after it was made up for the press, the Editor has been favoured with the subjoined Letter from Dr Lee, in reply to some inquiries with regard to the measures adopted for recovery of the ancient Records of the Church. It would have been embodied in the Preface had it reached in time; but the Editor avails himself of this opportunity to do justice to all the parties who have taken an interest in the matter of our ancient Records, and seconded Dr Lee’s most meritorious exertions.
“March 19, 1839.
“My Dear Sir,
“I am sorrythat neither my health nor my leisure allows me to detail any of the proceedings with a view to the recovery of the Records of the Church. From the year 1820 to 1830, the correspondence on the subject with the late and the present Bishop of London, continued at frequent intervals, and I took repeated journies to London for the purpose of carrying the point. Messrs Spottiswood and Robertson were very active in the matter. I had many interviews with several members of the Government and Legislature, and, in particular, I was greatly indebted to the Earl of Haddington, Sir William Rae, and Mr Home Drummond. The Dean of Faculty (then Solicitor-General) took a great interest in the matter, and I ascribe it very much to his influence, combined with the very hearty and vigorous exertions of Sir William Rae, that Sir Robert Peel, when Secretary for the Home Department, interposed in 1829.
“There had been Petitions to Parliament—That to the House of Lords was presented by Lord Haddington, and supported by Lord Melville. The Petition to the House of Commons was presented by the Lord Advocate, (Sir Wm. Rae,) and supported by Sir JamesMackintosh and many other Members. The effect of these movements, and especially of a letter from the Secretary of State to the President of Sion College, was to prevail on them to go the length, in 1830 or 1831, (I have not the precise date in my recollection,) of resolving to consent to a full transcript from these Records being taken, at the expense of the Church of Scotland. Unhappily this resolution was not communicated to me till the time of the meeting of the Patronage Committee in 1834; and a majority of that Committee, when they ordered the Books before them, resolved to retain them.
“It is needless now to reflect on what was done. The object of this resolution was to serve the Church; but some oversight was committed, through which the Books were left in very unsafe keeping, and so they perished irrecoverably. It is still possible that the Duplicate, which was presented to the Assembly 1638, may exist. It consisted of more volumes, and was more truly the Register than that which was in Sion College. But where it can be is not so easily conjectured. I really think it very probable that it is still in existence.—In haste,
“Yours,“J. Lee.”