by the inquiry which the Corporation were making about their right to the Mayor's lands,

19th November.-It was ordered, that the secretary should prepare an abstract or particular, of such settled matters and business of the Society, as annually, or at any certain stated times, should or ought to recur and fall under their special notice and consideration, to be laid before the Court; and that the same be annually laid before them at the first meeting of the Society to be holden after every new election, and at such other times annually, as the nature or occasion of such matters might require,

14th February.—A great scarcity of provisions at this time prevailed in Ulster, and subscriptions were raised for purchasing corn for the poor.

3d April, 1729.-The town of Ballycastle being projected to be made a port, the Society opposed the measure, as likely to become detrimental to their interests.

17th July. Mr. Richardson was appointed general agent, and the form of his commission was recorded.

8th August.-The fishings were let to Alderman Richard Jackson, for twenty-one years, at £1200 a year, payable in London.

15th August.—A vacancy in the ushership of the free-school at Londonderry, having been represented to the Society by the Bishop of Derry, they gave permission to Mr. Blackall, the master, to provide one; and required notice of the appointment for their approbation and allowance.

7th October. The Society appointed Mr. John Torrence, usher of the free-school at Londonderry.

Mr. Benjamin Evory, the master of Coleraine school, was ordered to be dismissed. At this time, the school had fallen into great decay, from the mismanagement and incapacity of the master, and the gross negligence of the Corporation, in the performance of the trusts connected with the establishment.

23d April, 1730.—It was resolved by the Society, that all future Treasurers should be chosen by ballot.

29th May. In consequence of endeavours having been lately made in the Irish Parliament, for making Ballycastle a port, the Society exerted their utmost influence, in conjunction with the Corporation of Londonderry and others, to prevent it; and it was proposed by the Society, that as the affair concerned the interest of the several Companies of the City of London, the Governor should be desired to apprize the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the present situation and circumstances thereof; and it was, therefore, unanimously resolved, that the Governor should make a representation to the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen on the subject.

2d June. A memorial or representation of the Society relating to Ballycastle, was ordered to be presented by the Governor to the Court of Common Council, which was done accordingly, and the Court of Common Council commended the zeal and prudence of the Society, as well in regard to the measures which they had already pursued, as the application they were pleased to make to that Court for their advice and assistance in the matter.

14th July. The Society contributed £500 towards building a stone bridge at Coleraine.

31st October.The master and wardens of the Goldsmiths' Company represented to the Society, that they had agreed to sell their manor of Goldsmiths' Hall, to the Right Honourable Henry, Earl of Shelburne, for £14,100, but being advised that they could not make a proper conveyance without the concurrence of the Society, they requested the Society to join with them in making a title to the said Earl, which they consented to do upon being indemnified.

13th May, 1731.-Joshua Readshaw was elected messenger to the Society.

12th November.-A letter was sent to Mr. Richardson,

which involved matters of very considerable interest, relating to the presentation and right of patronage to advowsons, supposed to belong to the Society under their charter; and it particularly referred to a report of the Committee of 20th June, 1717, whereby it appeared, that Mr. Davis, the Society's agent, by a letter written on or about the year 1685, supposed the Society were entitled to nine livings, and recommended their making choice of Coleraine, Tomlatfinligan, Camos, Bannocher, Desert-toughill, and Tanlaghtard; and that the Bishop should have the choice of three others, towards effecting the compromise of a dispute on the subject, then existing between the Bishop and the Society; and, the Committee concluded their report in the words following, viz. "The troubles in Ireland happening soon after, in the year 1688, and the suit and controversy between the Society and the Lord Bishop of Derry soon following, were the reasons, as we conceive, that nothing further was done towards the intended compromise or agreement, between the see of Derry and the Society, touching the advowsons, for that nothing appears in the books of the Society from that time, relating thereunto."*

17th March.-Timber was ordered for the chapel at Artrea. 4th April, 1732.-The Society opposed the design of making Rathmullin a port.

1st August.-A remonstrance was made from the Society,

* From this period, the Society, and those deriving title from them appear to have lost sight of an extensive and important right of patronage and presentation to advowsons, granted by the crown, exceeding the present yearly value of £6000, which patronage is now exercised by the Bishop of Derry in right of his see, although it is evident, by the inquisitions taken before the Bishop's predecessors and others, in the reign of King James the First, and also by the charter of King Charles the Second, set forth in the Appendix to this Work, that the Society were entitled to such advowsons.

relative to wears and encroachments on the fisheries at Loughin Island, and other places.

10th November.-Timber was ordered to be supplied for the repairs of the Ship Quay, Londonderry.

12th December. The Society examined Archibald Stewart's maps and surveys.

14th December.-The Society prepared a memorial, stating the injurious effects of Ballycastle and Rathmullin being made ports to discharge goods; which memorial they presented to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

19th January. The payment of rent in English money for the Quarter-lands was found inconvenient.

7th March. A letter was written by the Governor, in the name of the Society, to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, recommending the Rev. John Richardson, Dean of Killmackdnagh, to succeed to the Bishopric of Derry, when vacant.

11th May, 1733.-A deed of compromise between Lord Tyrone, the Society, and the Company of Haberdashers, dated 24th March last, relative to the quit-rent of the manor of Freemore, was executed by the Society.

23d June. Orders were given for instituting an inquiry into the cause of the free-school at Coleraine, declining; and what disabilities neighbouring schoolmasters might be under, to keep schools in Coleraine district.

3d August. Mr. Richardson, the Society's agent, was recommended by them, to the Corporation of Londonderry, as their representative in Parliament.

12th October.-The Society resolved not to grant any leases for a longer period than forty-one years, or three lives certain; except in cases of new building, and then for sixty-one years.

22 March. A particular survey of the woods was ordered to be made.

The Society, at this period, did not consider themselves

bound to respect any tenant's right to renewal, and in many cases accepted the proposals of strangers.

19th July, 1734.-Maps of Londonderry and Coleraine were ordered to be made by the surveyor Archibald Stewart, with books of references.

25th July. The Corporation of Coleraine returned a list to the Society of all their holdings in Coleraine, held under the Society, and the rents and profits thereof, sworn to by the Chamberlain; and at the bottom of such list was subjoined a note or observation, importing that they had not included the quay, the citadel, and some small cabins, and two small parks taken in from their commons, by reason they held them to belong to the Corporation, of right. The Society, however, would not admit such right, but insisted on their sending a proposal for the premises, if they intended to have them.

3d October. The government of Ireland appointed a master of the diocesan school at Derry. The Bishop of Derry recommended to the Society an usher in his place. 15th November. An usher of Derry school was appointed by the Society.

28th January.—The Society agreed to a proposition for assisting to erect a market-house in Coleraine, and subscribed £200 towards it; and also ordered timber to be supplied.

11th February.—It was ordered, that no commissions of bankrupt should be allowed to sit, or any other public business to be transacted in future, in the Irish Chamber; but that the same should be kept for the sole use of the Society. 21st February.-Alderman Barber was Governor.

4th June, 1735.—The Society consented to respite the payment of the half-year's rents, due Lady-day last, till after harvest, in consequence of the distress prevalent at Coleraine, by the great scarcity of provisions.

18th June. The Corporation of Londonderry transmitted a by-law lately made by them, relative to the election of their