The Red Book

DRc/Arb

1660-1852

series

4 volumes

The first volume of the Red Book (DRc/Arb/1) is a lease book; it covers the period 1660-1672 for which there is no other lease book or record of leases in full, for these do not begin as a separate series until 1672 (see the series DRc/Elb). A partial index is available at the file level of this catalogue. The second volume (DRc/Arb/2) covers the period 1660-1737; for part of this period it is used to record all business transacted at the General Audits in June and November; and from 1676 onwards it is used to register copies of official documents relating to elections, installations and enthronements of bishops, inductions of archdeacons, installations of deans and prebendaries, and episcopal visitations. In most cases all relevant papers are included. From 1660-1672 the record of the Chapter minutes is very roughly written up and very similar in form to earlier and later Chapter minute books, while the minutes for 1672-1676 when Thomas Lamplugh was Dean are obviously a fair copy. There are no minutes recorded in the book after 1676, and this probably coincides with the commencement of the separate series of Chapter minute books. Unfortunately the first few of this new series were apparently lost very early on, judging from entries in later minute books, for there is now nothing earlier than 1679. A full index is available at the file level. The third volume (DRc/Arb/3) is very similar in content to the latter half of the second volume. A full index is available at the file level. It would appear, therefore, that it was the original intention to keep all the minutes, records of leases, and other official papers together, but that the vast increase of business caused the formation of two separate series of books: the minute books (DRc/Ac) and the lease books (DRc/Elb). The Red Book subsequently was kept specifically for registering official documents. It was also originally intended to compile a composite index to the Red Book, and a special volume was purchased to match the others for the purpose (DRc/Arb/4). This volume was never used, however.