THE LATF. SIR MARK SYKES AS ANTIQUARY. ITo THE EDITOR
or THE g. SPECTATOICI SIR,—It may be of interest to put on record what I know of the late Sir Mark Sykes as an antiquary. After the fire six years ago at Sledmere House some valuable MSS. were sarcd which Ile entrusted to me for preparing, in sane cases, ver- batim copies, and in others full abstracts of the more important facts contained in them. His purpose was to guard, as best he could, against further destruction by fire or loss in any other way; two copies or abstracts were to be made, one of which he intended to keep in one place and the other elsewhere, and one or other of the learned Societies was to be invited to print such as were deemed suitable.
Amonget these MSS. I may mention a rather humorous Legend of St. Cuthbert, written by Robert Rogge. " about 1620; Bridgwater Letters of 1638-10; valuable copies of letters of James II., when Duke of York, showing his relations with his father, Charles II.; letters referring to the Rebellion of 1745-16; old books of recipes of Considerable general interest ; a book of York and Yorkshire Notes, c. 1661-1709; and the Inscriptions in Ripon Minster, taken in 1776. Other MSS.
relating to Yorkshire comprise Drake's Mayors of York, with biographical notes, &c., A.D. 12724710; Torre's Antiquities of York Minster, 1690-91; Hildyard's Antiquities of York; York Chamberlain's Book, 1734; and Beckwith's Yorks Biographies, 1772. Then there is a certain number of lists of books, literary extracts, scientific papers, verse, Ste., tench of -which is well worth transcription, putting in order, and perhaps printing. Bnt what I should personally place the greatest value on from an antiquarian, biographical, and genealogical point of view, is the wonderful series of letters and papers and letter books, and of journals of eighteenth-century leers in Wales and -on the Continent, of Sir Mark Sykes's own family. The letters, papers, Be., extend back to the time of James I., and give an intimate and valuable account of the lives of Yorkshire squires and merchants, (heir neighbours, acquaintances, and business asso- ciates, more especially of the eighteenth century. There is a valuable aeries of Manorial Court tolls of the manor of Roos in Yorkshire, 1458 to 1789; a beautiful written " laboured pedigree by Thoresby, the Yorkshire antiquary, of his own family in his own handwriting; and is beautifully illuminated descent of the Fitzwilliam family, made in the time of James L, showing the coats of arms and mtarteriugs in colour not to be approached in brightness and permanence by the herald painters of the present day.
Sir Mark bad in mind the words of the old writer that " the good antiquary, like the good man, kept mortality always before him." We may add that in causing copies to be made of the valuable historical material he had inherited, he had in view a public service, in addition to his other and-bettor-known Italic services, for which we are grateful and appreciative.—I
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