CROWN SERVANTS:

Series One: The Papers of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford,

1593-1641, from Sheffield City Libraries

Technical Note

Our microfilm publications have been prepared and produced in accordance with recommended and established guidelines for the production of microform of superior quality. These conform to the recommendations for the standard guides to good microforming and micropublishing practice.

Attention should be drawn to the nature of the original material. The outgoing letters are contained in 13 large volumes with alphabetical indexes at the front of each volume. The condition of these volumes is excellent and they have been compiled throughout in an immaculate hand. The next section of material consists of 46 Guard-Books of Strafford Letters and Papers. Letters and other material are affixed on tabs into these Guard-Books. We have carefully screened behind each item as necessary to provide a clear image. In a few instances text is written in several directions on particular documents – vertical, horizontal, and upside down. Where necessary volumes have been turned to capture more easily all such text which would otherwise have been more difficult to decipher. Other Papers consist of Journals, Notebooks and various bound volumes – a few are quite tightly bound – and also a large series of Royal Letters stored loose in protective folders.

A few letters are in rather fragile condition, a few are faintly legible or have been written on both horizontally and vertically with text merging in a cross-hatch pattern. A few manuscript documents consist of faintly legible correspondence and records written with a variety of inks, pens and pencils or on paper which has become slightly discoloured or stained.

These original characteristics present problems of image and contrast which stringent tests and camera alterations cannot entirely overcome. Every effort has been made to minimise these difficulties.

The most responsible care has been exercised by the filming staff of Bell & Howell Ltd (Micromedia Division) in the filming of this unique collection and this microfilm publication meets the standards established by the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

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