PREFACE
WHEN the First Volume of
the Miscellany, commonly called Somers’ Tracts, issued from the Press in
the year 1748, it was stated in the Preface, that “of the general
utility of Collections of this kind nothing need be said, because
nothing is more generally acknowledged,” and the truth of this remark is
verified by the subsequent result. Independently of various Collections
of the kind published for sale, not the least valuable portion of the
Works printed for private distribution by the Bannatyne, Maitland,
Abbotsford, and Spalding Clubs, is the mass of varied information
embraced in their respective Miscellanies.
As each Article in the present Volume has prefixed to it such remarks as
occurred to the Editor, it may be only necessary here to state
generally, that it has been his endeavour to make the Volume as
interesting as possible. With that view, he has been at great pains to
select from the mass of papers to which access had been obtained, such
portions as he hoped would be acceptable to the Members of the Society.
It may be observed, that the previous portion was originally intended to
have been formed into a separate volume, to be entitled the Spottiswoode
Papers. Upon reflection, it was determined that these documents should
be included in the Miscellany, as they were not sufficiently bulky to
make a separate publication.
Since the observations relative to Printing were thrown off, the Editor
has obtained further evidence of the inaccuracy of Watson’s statement,
that Evan Tyler had been deprived of the office of King’s Printer.
During the Commonwealth, it was but natural to suppose, that the
existing powers would not employ a person who had permitted the
Proclamations and official documents of Charles II. to issue from his
press, and in the interval, between the flight of Charles and his
restoration, Tyler could not expect to receive any countenance from
Cromwell; but after the Stuarts were restored to the throne of their
ancestors, his truckling to the Parliament was overlooked, probably on
account of his non-adherence to the Protector, and he was restored to
the office of King’s Printer. How long he continued to hold that office
has not been ascertained, but the Editor has found Proclamations by the
Privy Council that issued from his press, dated in 1664.
In a note to one of the Poems of Sir Henry Spottiswoode it was asserted,
on the authority of the Acts of Parliament (Thomson’s Edition), that the
Member for Forfar who protested against the sale of Charles I., was a
person of the name of David Hunter; but if Ochterlony’s Account of the
Shire of Forfar is to be credited, it would appear that the individual
in question was Strang, the Provost of Forfar. It is a pity that there
should be any dubiety as to one whose honest and manly bearing in this
discreditable occasion, entitles him to the favourable opinion of
posterity.
Edinburgh, December 1844.
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