Letter from Bihop Fleetwood 1713, his Lordship writes me thus. "I have never heard that Bishop Gold

well took

away any

Books or Wri

tings with him, that belonged to St. Asaph. But I know, it is a common Thing for the Emissaries of Rome to boast of what Records, and other valuable Things they carried away with them at the Reformation, but when we send to Rome for Accounts they fend us little or nothing, and it is, I dare fay, because they have little of any Value."

I am,
am, my Lord,
Your Lordship's

Most obedient Servant,
Browne Willis.

TO THE

RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

WILLIAM,

Lord Bishop of Ely.

MY LORD,

THE

HE near Relation these Collections bear to your Lordship, would, in Justice, challenge my submitting them to your Perufal, were I not already determin'd to entreat your Patronage and Acceptance thereof,

For I am oblig'd to own that it was in a great Measure owing to your Friendship and Encouragement that I began this Undertaking, and that feveral of the most valuable Materials in it were of your Lordfhip's imparting; and the Information I receiv'd from Perfons on the Spot, was chiefly procur'd by your Favour and Recommendation.

How I have answer'd my Part in putting them together, no one can judge fo well as your Lordship. I fhall think myself fufficiently honour'd, if I may be allow'd to have improv'd what was begun by so great a Man as Mr. Warton, to whom the Ecclefiaftical History of our Cathedrals, particularly this of St. Afaph, is so much indebted.

The Imperfectness of the Records of this See, mention'd Page 122, and in other Places in this Work, and the Defect of the Bishops' Registers, which were scarce ever begun to be kept in any regular Order before your Lordship's Time, is much to be lamented. It was on this Account that I was induc'd to collect from public Offices whatever was not already printed relating to this Church, and infert in a large Appendix, which would have been both more inftructive and diverting, if I had receiv'd fome of those Records earlier, to have taken Notice of them in the proper places to which they referr'd; but feveral of these Inftruments did not come to Hand 'till great Part was printed off, which when I had the Happiness to procure, seemed to me too valuable to be fupprefs'd.

The Draughts of the Church were taken by the ingenious Mr. Jofeph Lord of Carmarthen, who fent me a Defcription to an

fwer to the Draughts and Surveys by him made: This was examin'd and augmented by the Reverend Mr. Jofiah Babington, Vicar-Choral of St. Afaph, who in a most friendly and inftructive Manner gave me particular Answers to all the Queries with which, from time to time, I was, against my Will, forc'd to trouble him: Nor was this the only Instance he gave of his Readiness to promote my bringing the Antiquities of St. Afaph to Light. He spared no Pains in searching for and gathering up all the Memorandums which the few Records belonging to this Church would afford. And here I do with Thankfulness acknowledge the Favour of your Lordship's worthy Succeffor, the prefent Bishop of St. Afaph, who with great Courtesy allow'd Mr. Babington Accefs to whatever he apprehended might be to my Purpose: In which I was also very kindly affifted by the Reverend Mr. Humphrey Foulks, one of the worthy Prebendaries of that Church.

Neither can I difmifs this Argument without rendering my moft hearty and publick Acknowledgments to my honour'd Friend, Dr. William Foulks, late Fellow of Jefus College in Oxford, who hearing of my Defign, aflisted me, tho' a Stranger to him, at that Time, in fearching among the MSS.