some power

should exist, under due modi

fications, of enforcing the investment of such Funds, upon proper Security.*

PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES.

Losses have likewise occurred in a peculiar manner.

The Commissioners have not ascertained whether there is any Personal Representative of The Rev. JOHN OSBORNE now living, and considering the length of time elapsed since the Testator's death (in 1774), and since any payments were made under the directions contained in his Will, they think there is no probability that further inquiry upon this subject, would be attended with any benefit.5

The Legacy of Lady KILDARE was laid out in the purchase of Old South Sea Annuities, which is now standing in the names of Lord CADOGAN and Lady FRANCES Co- ·

NINGSBY,—no Interest has been received on this Stock since 1807, both the persons in whose names it was invested being dead, and the Representative of the survivor not being yet ascertained. A Gentleman of Caversham has used great diligence to discover the proper parties, to grant a power of Attorney for the receipt of the Dividends, but hitherto without success. He is still persevering in his inquiries.

It is to be regretted, that this Stock was not invested in the names of some persons resident near Caversham, whose Personal Representative might always have been easily discovered."

DEEDS.

Considerable difficulty in obtaining correct views of the intentions of some of the Donors, has arisen from peculiar causes. Several of the Deeds belonging to the Corporation of Sandwich, are not now to be found, and an account was given to 6 Rep. IV. p. 200.

The Commissioners by one of the Witnesses, of the burning of some papers, by order of a Gentleman long deceased."

A Deed of Sir JOHN GORE's is not now to be found, and is supposed to have been lost, together with many other Parish documents of The Holy Trinity the Less, in London, through the indiscretion of one of the Churchwardens, who removed the box containing them out of the Vestryroom. And from want of due care in the preservation of The Corporation papers of Plymouth, several of them are stated to have been lost."

The deficiency of Evidence, respecting the charities in Wolverhampton, is remarkable. Not a single document relating to them exists in the possession of the parish, except the Benefaction Table and the Dole Book, and two or three notices in the Churchwardens' book,and although the Dole Books appear to have been kept at least from an early

7 Rep. 1. p. 137.

8 Rep. IV. p. 155.

9

9 Rep. v. p, 242:

period in the last century, none are now to be found prior to the year 1808. In a Benefaction Table in the Church, which bears date in 1703, it is stated that the Deeds and several Specialties for the sums mentioned, were in the Treasury over the South Porch. This old room remains, but there are now no Papers in it. There is a report in the Town, that they were all burnt, more than a century ago, but under what circumstances is not said,and this was the only explanation which The Commissioners could obtain of their disappearance. 10

In like manner, the documents relative to the foundation of the free Grammar School of Dilhorne are, somewhat unaccountably, not now to be found.11

The chest for writings, directed by the Rules of The School and Hospital of Tadcaster to be preserved, has long ceased to exist,—the last notice of it being found in a Memorandum, in the custody of The Archbishop of York, under date of 1762, 10 Rep. IV. p. 366: Rep. XIII. p. 362.

11

which states it to be then in the School, but unlocked, and no Evidences therein.12

The documents relating to the lands which were given to the parish of Buckfastleigh, are stated to have been destroyed many years ago by Damp in the Church chest.13 And from a similar cause, those of the parish of Marwood have been much injured.

14

It may also be observed, that many Deeds which were produced to The Commissioners, were wholly illegible from age or damp,-while some were decyphered with difficulty, which were hastening rapidly to decay. One great benefit of the present Commission has been to secure from impending destruction, and to place upon permanent record, a considerable number of Deeds and other Documents which, in a very few years more, would have ceased to be of the slightest use in elucidating the origin or the object of the Charities to which they relate.

12 Rep. x. p. 725.

13 Rep. VII. p. 138.

14 Rep. ix. p. 48.