Depositions from the Castle of York

The earliest papers that are preserved in York Castle are very similar to those which are still ah nually deposited there, and with which every one who is learned in the law is so perfectly familiar. They consist of calendars, lists of magistrates and jurors, recognisances, the presentments of parish con stables, writs, petitions of various descriptions, and especially of the depositions taken before the magis trates, which exhibit many features of a striking and interesting kind. The series of minute-books is un fortunately imperfect, so that it is impossible to asoer tain what was the fate of every criminal, and there are so many gaps among the files of depositions that I am unable to draw up any accurate statistical account of the crime of the district to which they relate. In every public repository of records there are many serious deficiencies, and York Castle is no exception to the general rule but the remainder, in this instance, is so large, that the Council of the Surtees Society has determined, with the kind per mission of the authorities, to select the material for one of its volumes out of this vast storehouse, which has been hitherto unexplored.

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