CHAPTER III
PUBLISHED SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Having thus gone through what seem to be the most probable wills for his purpose, the pedigree-hunter may profitably wend his way to a large library, and consult printed authorities before he studies others in manuscript.
There is no royal law about this, however; much will depend on where he lives and what he is looking for, and, possibly, he may elect to go daily from manuscripts to printed collections, and vice versa. But this chapter will be devoted to information as to the probably most useful printed books to consult.
There are many others which might also prove valuable, and a detailed list of these will be found further on.
Assuming that the searcher, as suggested, has in the early part of his quest looked up Peerages, books of Family History, etc., he may now proceed to other volumes; but the Family Histories and Peerages should always be accessible, for he will often need to refer to them again as new names crop up.
Perhaps he might first consult Marshall’s Genealogists’ Guide, which will give him directions (under the names of different families) where he can obtain information about such.
Indeed, the number of printed books which might help form no mean array. To name some of the most valuable of these:—
The Reports of the Deputy-Keeper are issued periodically, and may prove a great assistance to the searcher. He should consult any volumes which look promising, and he can judge of this from the indexes connected with them.
The Deputy-Keeper of the Rolls in Ireland also issues Reports, the information in which may be invaluable when Irish families are the objects of a search.
Then, if looking “far back into other years,” at least, into somewhat distant centuries, there are the Calendars of State Papers, with their different series, which may reveal a good deal and are most interesting reading on certain points. All have good indexes, by means of which the name required can readily be traced.