co. Midd., decd, Admon. 9 June to Thomas Penn, his father.-1649, fo. 66

1649-Oswald Penne late of Belbroughton, co. Worcester, bachelor, decd., Admon. 13 July 1649 to William Penn his brother.-1649, fo. 80

1650 James Penn late of the City of Oxford, decd., Admon. 13 Sept., to Willm. Farr, principal creditor.—1650, fo. 138

1654-Michaell Pen late of Stonie Stratford, co. Bucks, decd., Admon. last day of Feb. 1653-4, to Anne Pen, the relict.-1653-54, II, fo. 21

1656-Humfrey Penne late of Hagley, co. Worcester, decd., Admon. 18 June to Katherine Penne, the relict.1656, fo. 139

1657-Thomas Penn late of Twickenham, co. Midd., decd., Admon. 17 July to Grace Penn, the relict.-1657, fo. 168

1657-Alice Penne late of the City of Worcester, decd., Admon. 5 Oct. to Marke Penne, her husband.-1657, fo. 238

1658-William Penne late of Bromsgrove, co. Worcester, decd., Admon. 18 May to Dorothy Penne, the relict.-1658, fo. 117

1660-Thomas Penne late of the City of Oxford, decd., Admon. 23 Oct. to Alice Pen, the relict.-1660, fo. 145

1671-Thomas Pen late of parish of St. Giles, Cripplegate, London, decd., Admon. 1 Feb. 1670-71 to Elizabeth Pen, the relict. Admon. de bonis non 15 June 1671 to Edward Astell, uncle & guardian assigned to Beate Pen, daughter of said Thomas Pen, Elizabeth Pen, the relict, having died.-1671, fos. 19 & 72

1681-2-Margaret Penn. 13 March 1681-2 Letters of Admon. issued to William Penn, Gent., natural & legit. son of Margarete Penne late of Waltham Stow, co. Essex, widow, deceased intest.-Act Book, fo. 31.

1689-Thomas Penn-Jan. 31, 1689-90, Com. issued to John Armstrong principal Creditor of Thomas Peun late of psh. of St. Olaves, Southwark, in com. Surry, but on the Queen's ship Advice on seas deceased & admon. granted as above. Hanna Penn the Relict first renouncing.-Act Book fo. 14

1691-George Penn-Dec. 15, 1691, Com. issued to George penne the natural and legit. son of George penne Sen late of Toller Wilm in co. Dorset, deceased intestate &c., Elizabeth penne, the widow, first renouncing.-Act Book fo 224

1693 Stephen Pen-May 17, 1693, Com. issued to Roger Grier, prin. Creditor of Stephen Pen, late in the Island of Barbadoes, deceased unmarried & intestate.-Act Book fo 78

1698-Elizabeth Penne-Jan. 6, 1698-Com. issued to Elizabeth Parker (wife of John Parker) nat. & legit. daughter of Elizabeth penne, late of Evershott, in com. Dorset, widow, deceased intestate, &c-Act Book fo 17

"Richard Penn-Sept. 30, 1698, Com. issued to Judith Penn, Relict of Richard Penn, late of Shotteswell, in co. Warwick, deceased intestate &c.-Act Book fo 167

1700-Thomas Penn-Oct. 8, 1700, Com. issued to Thomas Penn natural & legit. son of Thomas Penn, late of the City of Bristol, deceased intestate, &c.-Act Book

The following will, cited in the Heraldic Journal, Vol. IV., folio 110, as occurring among the Suffolk wills, may be properly introduced here:

1679-Katherine Penn, widow of James Penn; Will dated 25 Oct. 1679; names only her kinsmen James Allen & his sons James, John & Jeremiah; Witnesses-Humphrey Davis & John Fayerweather. Seals with Arms-Party per chevron Ar. & Erm., in chief 2 leopard's heads erased. Crest-A leopard's head erased. These arms are identified by the writer in the Journal as those of the Alleynes, Baronets, formerly of Barbadoes.

(To be continued.)

AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION OF FERDINAND J.

DREER.

BY PROFESSOR GREGORY B. KEEN.

[Read at the Annual Meeting of the Historical Society held May 5, 1890.]

The collection of autographs of Mr. Ferdinand J. Dreer, recently presented to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, was begun by him more than forty years ago, and comprises upward of nine thousand letters written by persons of various nationalities and almost every pursuit in life. The nucleus of these treasures consisted of two letters presented to Mr. Dreer, one written by the Norwegian violinist, Ole Bull, the other by the American author, Lydia Maria Child.

The first purchased autograph letter was written by George Washington. It proved not to be the writing of the illustrious "father of his country," but that of his nephew of the same name, who resided at Mount Vernon while Washington was President. This was bought in 1848, and from that period Mr. Dreer collected autographs of distinguished persons with continually increasing assiduity and success. In 1850 appeared Lossing's "Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution," presenting more than eleven hundred pictorial illustrations of persons and events associated with that subject, among which were a great number of fac-similes of signatures of persons who took part in the American war for independence. These, Mr. Dreer informs us, inspired him with an irresistible desire to possess full letters written and signed by the same hands, and gave a special direction to his acquisitions at that time.

In 1851, Mr. Dreer bought the valuable collection of autographs made by Robert Gilmor, of Baltimore. He continued to buy only through local dealers in such commodi

ties, and by chance opportunities, until about 1870, when he began to purchase foreign autographs of dealers in London, Paris, and Berlin, from whom he regularly received packages of letters, with the privilege of making his selection from them, and returning what he did not wish to keep. He also bought many letters at public sales in England, France, Germany, and the United States.

The great size and variety of the collection thus formed precludes the possibility of describing it satisfactorily in a few words. Suffice it to say, it contains autographs of—

Popes.-Leo X., XI., and XIII., Innocent XI., Clement XIII. and XIV., Gregory XVI., and Pius IV., VIII., and IX.

Emperors of Germany.-Charles V. and many subsequent emperors, and the Empress Maria Theresa.

Emperors of Austria.-Francis I. and later emperors.

Czars of Russia.-Alexander I. and others, and the Empress Catherine II.

Kings of Prussia.-Frederick I., II., and III., Frederick William I., II., and III., and William I. and the late Frederick, Emperors of Germany.

Kings of England.-Henry VII. and VIII., and all sovereigns from Queen Elizabeth to Queen Victoria, besides Oliver Cromwell. Also Mary, Queen of Scots.

Kings of France.-Francis I. and nearly all subsequent monarchs, including Catherine de Médicis, Henry IV. and Louis XIV., and the Emperors Napoleon I. and III.

Kings of Spain.-Philip II. and several later.

Other Sovereigns.-Gustavus Adolphus and Christina, King and Queen of Sweden. Christian IV., King of Denmark. William of Orange, founder of the Dutch Republic. Lorenzo de' Medici, the Magnificent, Prince of Florence. Cosimo II. de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Augustus I., King of Poland. Leopold I. and II., Kings of Belgium. Dom Pedro I. and II., Emperors of Brazil. René of Anjou.

Clergy, Catholic.-St. Charles Borromeo, St. Vincent de Paul; Cardinals Alberoni, Antonelli, Caprara, Dubois, Fleury, Manning, Mazarin, Newman, De Retz, Wiseman,