THOMAS AMYOT, Esq. F.R.S. TREAS. S.A.
WILLIAM HENRY BLACK, Esq.

J. PAYNE COLLIER, Esq. F.S.A.
BOLTON CORNEY, Esq.

T. CROFTON CROKER, Esq. F.S.A., M.R.I.A.

J. H. DIXON, Esq.

FREDERICK WILLIAM FAIRHOLT, Esq. F.S.A.

JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, Esq. F.R.S., F.S A.
WILLIAM JERDAN, Esq. M.R.S.L.

CAPTAIN JOHNS, R.M.

J. S. MOORE, Esq.

T. J. PETTIGREW, Esq. F.R.S., F.S.A.

JAMES PRIOR, Esq. F.S.A.

WILLIAM SANDYS, Esq. F.S.A.

THOMAS WRIGHT, Esq. M.A., F.S.A., Secretary and Treasurer.

were elected the Council of the Society, and Robert Bell, Esq., E. R. Moran, Esq., and Charles Roach Smith, Esq., F.S.A., were elected Auditors for the ensuing year.

The thanks of the Society were then voted to the editors of the Publications of the past year, to Thomas Wright, Esq., for his services as Treasurer and Secretary; to the Royal Society of Literature for the use of their Rooms for the Anniversary Meeting; and to the President for the warm interest which he has always taken in the proceedings of the Society.

ANNUAL REPORT.

MAY 1ST, 1846.

THE PERCY SOCIETY has now completed its sixth year, and has produced a series of publications illustrating the literary history of this country, which may fairly be compared for interest and value, in proportion to their number, with those of any other similar society which has existed during the same period. The Council lays the report of its year's labours before the Society at large, in the confidence that it has used its best exertions, according to its judgment, to carry out the original objects for which it was instituted.

One circumstance only has distinguished the present year's publications from those of the preceding years. It was found that, with the comparatively small funds at the disposal of the Society, the monthly issue, which had been persevered in during the first five years, rendered it impossible to print any work of considerable bulk, however desirable in itself, without inconveniently diminishing its resources for the rest of the year; and the Council was thus obliged to relinquish several publications of considerable interest. It was, there

fore, determined at the commencement of the sixth year to discontinue the monthly issue, and to publish only every second month. The following books, amounting on the whole to about the average extent of those of former years, are the publications of the year now ended.

Scottish Traditional Versions of ancient Ballads. Edited by James H. Dixon, Esq.

The Life and Martyrdom of Thomas Beket, archbishop of Canterbury. Edited by William Henry Black, Esq.

The Pastime of Pleasure. An allegorical Poem. By Stephen Hawes.

The Civic Garland, a collection of Songs from London Pageants. Edited by F. W. Fairholt, Esq., F.S.A.

Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England. Edited by J. H. Dixon, Esq.

The Romance of Syr Tryamoure. Edited by J. O. Halliwell, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A.

The Introductory Essay on the Romance of the Seven Sages. By Thomas Wright, Esq., M.A., F.S.A.

The last of these works has been retarded by circumstances which could not be avoided, but it will be ready for delivery, along with the titles for the year, in a few days.

The attention of the Council has been latterly called to the mode of delivery of the Society's publications, and it has been judged advisable in future to send each work at the Society's expense, when ready, to the members residing in London who have paid their subscriptions, in preference to the old system of delivering it only on application at the Society's Office in St. Martin's Lane.

The Council has not been inattentive to suggestions

of works for future publication; and it is enabled to announce among the works thus suggested, several of which are in an advanced state of preparation, the following:

1. The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer. A new and correct text, from the best manuscripts, with Notes. By Thomas Wright, Esq., F.S.A. It is intended to publish the first volume in the course of the ensuing year.

2. The Poems of Hoccleve. To be Edited by W. H. Black, Esq. 3. A Collection of Ballads relating to the Persecutions of the Roman Catholics in the North of England, during the Reign of Elizabeth.

4. An unpublished Interlude by John Heywood, entitled “A Dialogue between Witty and Witless;" with an Introductory Notice of the Author, and Selections from his other Dramatic Works. By F. W. Fairholt, Esq., F.S.A.

5. A Collection of Satirical Songs and Ballads on Costume, commencing with the Reign of Henry 1II, with Illustrative Notes, and Introduction. By F. W. Fairholt, Esq., F.S.A.

6. A New and more Correct Edition of the Songs and Sonnets of the Earl of Surrey.

7. An Edition of Heywood's "Dialogue contayning in effect the number of al the Proverbes in the English Tongue compact in a matter concerning two marriages."

8. Ballads relating to the Political Affairs of the Reign of Richard III. To be Edited by J. O. Halliwell, Esq.

9. A Collection of Ballads, in old French and English, relating to Cocaygne. To be Edited by T. Wright, Esq.

10. A Collection of Jacobite Ballads and Fragments, many of them hitherto unpublished. To be Edited by William Jerdan, Esq. M.R.S.L.

11. A Selection of Metrical Panegyrics on the Leaders of the Revolutionary Party in the Seventeenth Century, from Broadsides of the Times. To be Edited, with Notes, by the Rev. J. Bathurst Deane, M.A., F.S.A.

12. The Poems of William Brown, author of Britannia's Pastoral's. To be Edited by Peter Cunningham, Esq.

13. A Collection of Charms, illustrative of English superstitions in former days. From early manuscripts.

14. The Songs and Sonnets of Dr. Donne.

15. "Rede me and be nott wrothe." A Satire on Cardinal Wolsey, by Wiliam Roy.

16. The History of the Office of Poet Laureate in England, with Notices of the existence of similar Offices in Italy and Germany. By James J. Scott, Esq.

17. Historical Ballads, in the Scottish Dialect, relating to events in the years 1570, 1571, and 1572; from the copies preserved in the Library of the Society of Antiquaries, London. To be edited by David Laing, Esq., F.S.A. L. and Sc.

18. The first part of the Eighth Liberal Science, entituled Ars Adulandi, the Art of Flatterie, &c. By Ulpian Fulwell. From the Edition of 1579, 4to. compared with the latter impression. To be edited by J. Payne Collier, Esq. F.S.A. with an account of the Author, and of his other productions.

19. A Selection from the Poems of Taylor the Water-Poet.

20. A Continuation of the Collection of Ballads, by J. Payne Collier, Esq., F.S.A.

21. A Strange Foot-Post with a Packet full of Strange Petitions. After a long Vacation for a good Terme. By Anthony Nixon.

22. A Selection of Stories, Anecdotes, and Jokes, from various Jest Books printed prior to the end of the reign of Charles I; with an account of the origin of many of them, and of the manner in which they are to be traced through several European languages. By J. Payne Collier, Esq.

23. The Batcheler's Banquet, or a Banquet for Batchelers. Wherein is prepared sundry dainty dishes, &c. Pleasantly discoursing the variable humours of Women, &c. By Thomas Dekker. London. Printed by T.C. &c. 1603.

24. The Compters Common-wealth; or, a Voiage made to an infernall Iland, long since discovered by many Captaines, Seafaring men, Gentlemen, Marchants, and other Tradesmen, &c. By William Fennor, his Majesties servant. 4to. 1617.

25. A notable and pleasant History of the famous renowned Knights of the Blade, commonly called Hectors, or St. Nicholas Clerks. 4to. 1652.

26. Diogenes in his Singularitie. Wherein is comprehended his merry Baighting, fit for all Mens benefit. Christened by him, A Nettle for Nice Noses. By Thomas Lodge. To be edited by J. Payne Collier, Esq. F.S.A.

The Council has to announce that the stock of the first year's publications is entirely exhausted, so that it is no longer possible to supply complete sets of the