Calendar of Ancient Records of Dublin. By John T. Gilbert,
P.S.A. Vol. I. (J. Dollard, Dublin.)—We do not always find ourselves in a position to commend the action of the Municipality of Dublin ; but we have the heartiest praise for the good judgment that they have shown in printing these records, and so putting them, humanly speaking, out of the reach of accident. The calendar of "Charters and Government Grants to the City of Dublin" begins with Henry II.'s grant to "Irishman of Bristow& his city of Duvelina, to be inhabited and held by them from him and his heirs, with all liberties and free customs which they have at Bristol and throughout his entire land." A fac-simile of the document is given as a frontispiece. The last item in the Calendar bears date November 15th, 1727, the first year of George II. After this we have "A Calendar of the Contents of the Liber Albus." The history of this document shows the importance of the work of printing the records. The Liber Albus was somehow abstracted in the course of the last century (" passed out of the custody of the Municipal Council," euphemistically writes Mr. Gilbert, as one might say " remove " instead of the harsher " murder "), bought at a private sale by the late Sir William Beetham for .£64 Is., and by him resold to the Corporation for £150. Finally, we have the Dublin Assembly Roll from 1447-1359, and in an appendix sundry letters concerning Dublin affairs. All furnish valuable materials for Irish history, both political and social. One curious item, which we give as a sample of many that might be extracted, tells us of a regulation by which any Englishman wearing a moustache rendered himself liable to all the penalties imposed on the "Irish enemies." Ireland, it is clear, was "very much governed" in those days.
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