I Notification by King Henry I of his foundation of Reading Abbey and gift of Reading, Cholsey and Leominster with their churches and with a mint and moneyer at Reading, Thatcham and the church of Wargrave; and grant of specified liberties and immunities

[? March] 1125

A f 13r–v; B f 16r–v; D ff 17r–18r; E ff 48r–49r; F f 75r–v (not fully collated); PRO Cartae Antiq. Roll, C52/22(X), no. 9 (not fully collated)

Pd. Mon. Aug., iv. 40–1 (no. ii); Barfield, Thatcham, ii. 5–6; (cal.) Regesta, ii. 192–3 (no. 1427); Farrer, Itin., 111 (no. 512), reprinted from EHR, xxxiv (1919), 535; (transl.) Hurry, Reading Abbey, 151–5

Henricus del gratia rex Anglorum et dux Normannorum archiepiscopis, episcopis, abbatibus, comitibus baronibusque suis et omnibus christianis tam presentibus quam futuris, salutem perpetuam. Sciatis quia tres abbatie in regno Anglie peccatis exigentibus olim destructe sunt, Radingia scilicet atque Chealseia et Leoministria, quas manus laica diu possedit earumque terras et possessiones alienando distraxit.

• Maps 170

• Introduction 173

• Text 182

• Chapter III A Review of the Present State of the Mines, and of their Former Produce 182

• Chapter IV A Review of the Commercial Relations, Foreign and Domestic 213

• Chapter V A Short View of the Present Political State of Bolivia, Embracing the History of the Country Since its Independence, its Government, Laws and Institutions 240

• Appendices 264

At the Carlton Club meeting in October 1922 Balfour had reflected caustically that while ‘it has never been a Conservative principle to abandon a Leader … I concede it has sometimes been a Conservative practice’. At this meeting, the Conservative Party had abandoned Austen Chamberlain. A little over a year later it appeared as if a similar fate would befall his principal successor. Amid the ruins of Law's victory for ‘Tranquillity’ many observers subscribed to Hanky's view that ‘Baldwin, though a nice fellow is not the stuff of which British Prime Ministers are made’. In the immediate aftermath of this disaster, most also assumed he would be compelled to pay the ultimate price for this inadequacy. Certainly Birhenhead was one of them. Electoral defeat was a vindication of all that he had predicted since the fall of the Coalition. Rejoicing that it had finally ‘put an end to the idea that fifth rate intelligence could govern the Empire’, Birkenhead set in motion the final act in a strategy to which he had committed the Chamberlainites in November 1922. Between 6 and 10 December rumours abounded that the former Conservative Coalitionists were about to displace Baldwin, replace him variously with Balfour, Derby or Chamberlain and then form some sort of Liberal-Conservative combination to exclude Labour from office. In the event, the plan miscarried. The apparent recrudescence of the ‘old intrigue’ rallied the victors of the Carlton Club to defend the Party, their brand of Conservatism and, by necessity, its leader from coalitionist conspiracy. Virtually overnight, Baldwin was transformed from the wanton destroyer of Law's majority into the guarantor of Conservative principle. As Amery told Baldwin, ‘you embody and personify the decision of the Party to live its own life and have its own constructive policy’. Ultimately, therefore, despite much Conservative anger, frustration and despair at Baldwin's perceived folly, the impulse which brought about the coalescence of figures as diverse as the Cecils, Younger, Strachey, Gretton and the ministerial beneficiaries of the Carlton Club was the consensus that they were ‘not prepared to cut off Baldwin's head and make Austen Chamberlain King’. They were even less inclined to install Birkenhead as Regent.

As nature has given you a right to the inheritance of my estate, a competency sufficient to support the quality of a gentleman, so I design, as a mark of true paternal affection, to add to it my small collection of books; that, by adorning your mind with useful study, you may deserve that character more from yourself than ancestors. Amongst the rest I leave you this Manuscript. A particular good fortune threw it into my hands, which, had it nothing but the subject to recommend it, would be no inconsiderable value to a Catholic, because it lets him see 'twas Interest and not Religion began the schism, and that 'tis truly Conscience and not Obstinacy makes him, by still adhering to the ancient Church, stand obnoxious to so many laws. But, that your esteem may equal its value, I have thought proper to acquaint you first what I have found concerning the Author, next what reason there is to believe this Copy authentick, and lastly to whose kindness I am obliged for it, and upon what conditions I had leave to transcribe it.