found in his father's, "Sir William Penn's closet." It was presented to
Charles II., with a dedication ending thus:--

"I hope enough to justifie soe much freedome with a Prince that is
so easie to excuse things well intended as this is
"BY
"Great Prince,
"Thy faithfull subject,
"WM. PENN"

"London, the 22 of the Mo. called June, 1680."

It does not appear how the volume came into Pepys's possession. It may
have been given him by the king, or he may have taken it as a perquisite
of his office. The book has an index, which was evidently added by Pepys;
in this are these entries, which show his appreciation of the contents of
the MS.:--

"Clerk of the Acts,
his duty,
his necessity and usefulness."

The following description of the duty of the Clerk of the Acts shows the
importance of the office, and the statement that if the clerk is not
fitted to act as a commissioner he is a blockhead and unfit for his
employment is particularly racy, and not quite the form of expression one
would expect to find in an official document:

"CLERKE OF THE ACTS.