informed that We
as Lord Bishop of London had fully recognised the value and interest of
the said Manuscript Book to the Citizens of the United States of America
and the claims which they have to its possession and that We were
desirous of transferring it to the said President and Citizens AND
WHEREIN you have also alleged that you are advised and believe that the
Custody of documents in the nature of public or ecclesiastical records
belonging to the See of London is vested in the Consistorial Court of
the said See and that any disposal thereof must be authorised by an
Order issued by the Judge of that Honorable Court And that you therefore
humbly prayed that the said Honorable Court would deliver to you the
said Manuscript Book on your undertaking to use every means in your
power for the safe transmission of the said Book to the United States of
America and its secure deposit and custody in the Pilgrim Hall at New
Plymouth or in such other place as may be selected by the President and
Senate of the said United States and upon such conditions as to security
and access by and on behalf of the English Nation as that Honorable
Court might determine AND WHEREAS the said Petition was set down for
hearing on one of the Court days in Hilary Term to wit Thursday the
Twenty fifth day of March One thousand eight hundred and ninety seven in
Our Consistorial Court in the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul in London
before The Right Worshipful Thomas Hutchinson Tristram Doctor of Laws
and one of Her Majesty's Counsel learned in the Law Our Vicar General
and Official Principal the Judge of the said Court and you at the
sitting of the said Court appeared by Counsel in support of the Prayer
of the said Petition and during the hearing thereof the said Manuscript
Book was produced in the said Court by Our legal Secretary and was then
inspected and examined by the said Judge and evidence was also given
before the Court by which it appeared that the Registry at Fulham Palace
was a Public Registry for Historical and Ecclesiastical Documents
relating to the Diocese of London and to the Colonial and other
possessions of Great Britain beyond the Seas so long as the same
remained by custom within the said Diocese AND WHEREAS it appeared on
the face of the said Manuscript Book that the whole of the body thereof
with the exception of part of the last page thereof was in the
handwriting of the said William Bradford who was elected Governor of New
Plym