Scope and Content
The first 13 folia were not numbered, and have been numbered 01, 02 etc in the lozenge stamp of the County Muniment Rooms. They have the same ruling and watermark as the rest of the volume (except two end leaves and the binder's additions), and much, if not all, of the writing seems to be in Mr Archer's hand.
Pages
Old (end-paper). Note of the origin and ownership of the volume: no date.
02 Note, inserted on binding, apparently in the same hand as the foregoing note, dated 1855, quoting a note in the cover of a MS of Aubrey's Lives which records that there were two thick 4 to volumes of Archer's MSS, and stating that this volume is inscribed "ParsIII", the inscription seems to have disappeared at the binding in 1873.
02d,03,03d Blank.
04 Signatures of some former Rectors.
04d-06 Blank.
06d-012 Collections for Briefs, 1614-1629: interspersed are names of Churchwardens and Surveyors; Rogues whipped, 09d; Plague of 1625 in London, 012.
013,013d Blank.
1-32d Blank. The upperpart of f.1, and the whole of ff. 7, 26, 27, 28, 30 are missing.
33 Note, in a hand apparently not of Mr Archer, of a great Bible which he gave to the church. 1630
33d Blank.
34-70d These were filled by Mr Archer himself. They include as subjects, the planting of trees and purchase of land (34); robbery of Houghton Church, (34d); obits of royalties Hen viii to James I (36), and obits of very many others, mostly local worthies, scattered throughout these pages; epitaphs and epigrams; list of the parsons of the two Rectories (37d); terrier of the parsonage land (38); proceedings relating to tithe, (38d.39); a note in another hand refers to Archer's Will "in the other old book" (39); valuation of the benefice (39d); inventory of church goods (40); benefactors to the church (40d) points in Mr Archer's own career (41,41d); his own benefactions (42); glebe land taken into Houghton Park (43,44); obits and baptisms (44d); terrier of the lands let to Urian Stockwell and Tho Purmy (45-46d); notes apparently on lost church property (47,47d); "Memorable Things", a chronicle which includes his own birth in 1554 (48-49); .... folia 50-59 missing; obits, marriages, and baptisms, mainly local, with notes of his Assise Funeral and Visitation sermons (60-64); royal epitaphs and obits (64d-65d); tithe able lands (66,67) obits, baptisms, receipts by churchwardens (67d,68); Sir Fra Clerk, High Sheriff, 1623 (68d); chronicle of events, chiefly plague, 1625-1630 (69-70d) Mr Archer's MS ends here. [Blank folia are not listed below].
71 Notes on the family on Conquest, self dated 1663.
72 Calculations.
73 Notes of Mr Will Pearce, Rector, on throwing together strips of meadow, and on dues to Ringers, 1789.
74d Notes of house linen.
75 Steward's Account, 1680. Inserted at the binding.
76 Lists of pewter and house linen; receipt for household goods, 1662.
79 Declaration by Ric Conquest of his consent to the amalgamation of the two Rectories, 1637.
79d Royal License for the amalgamation, 1638.
81-93 Extract from Report of Charity Commission in 1823 as to Charities of Houghton Conquest; copied 1876.
94 Account of Fund for Warming Apparatus for the Church, 1880.
94d Cuttings from Bedford Times and Bedford Mercury, pasted in, 1880.
97,97d Extract from Bedfordshire Times, Sept 9 and 23, as to a deed relating to Houghton.
98 Extract from Ill Lond News 1902 relating to sale of Mr Archer's copy of Caxton's "Book Ryal".
99 Illustration of the forementioned book.
100-128 Blank.
128d Churchwardens, Surveyors, and a Brief, 1625-1627, in Mr Archer's hand.
129,129d Instructions to Constables, 1616.
130,131 Blank. These are of a different paper and watermark from the main part of the volume.
132 Blank, inserted by binder.
133 End-paper, Pasted on to this are notes on church goods and alteration of field boundaries.