The Private Diary of Dr. John Dee, and the Catalog of His Library of Manuscripts

by John Dee

I. That the Society shall be entitled “The Camden Society, for the Publication of Early Historical and Literary Remains.”

II. That the objects of the Society shall be, First, the publication of inedited Manuscripts; Second, the reprinting of Works of sufficient rarity and importance to make Reprints desirable; and Third, the publication of Translations of Historical Works not previously rendered into English.

III. That the Society shall consist of One Thousand Two Hundred Members, being Subscribers of One Pound annually; such Subscription to be paid in advance, on or before the first day of May in every year.

IV. That the management of the affairs of the Society shall be vested in a President and a Council consisting of fifteen Members, which President and Council shall be elected annually by the Society at large, at a General Meeting to be held on the 2nd day of May, being the Anniversary of Camden’s birth; or on the Monday following, when the 2nd of May shall happen to fall upon a Sunday.

V. That the President and Council shall, from amongst their own body, elect a Director, who shall act as Chairman of the Council, in the absence of the President, and also a Treasurer, and a Secretary.

VI. That the Accompts of the Receipts and Expenditure of the Society shall be audited annually by three Auditors, to be elected at the General Meetings, and that the Report of the Auditors, with an Abstract of the Accompts, shall be published.

VII. That the names of Members proposed to be elected as President, Council, and Auditors, shall be transmitted by the proposers to the Secretary, one fortnight before the General Meeting, and that notice of the persons so proposed shall be forwarded by the Secretary one week before the General Meeting, to all the Members residing within the limits of the Twopenny Post, and to all other Members who shall, in writing, request to receive the same.

VIII. That no Member shall be entitled to vote at any General Meeting whose Subscription is in arrear.

IX. That in every year one-fifth in number of the Council of the year preceding shall be ineligible for re-election; and that in case any Member of the Council shall not attend more than one-third of the number of Meetings of the Council, such Member shall be considered to be one of the retiring Members.

X. That in the absence of the President and Director, the Council at their Meetings shall elect a Chairman, who shall have a casting vote in case of equality of numbers, and shall also retain his right to vote upon all questions submitted to the Council.